Boards

[dermpathdoc]

the problem with ABP exams is they use outside vendors to administer the exams. If they were actually still giving the exams themselves and testing the equipment BEFORE the exam administration the virtual slide problem would not happen. I have used Aperio for exam administrations for several years and have had no problems even with groups of up to 100 computers taking the exam at the same time.That of course is using our own servers, NOT APERIO's.....

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[hesperion]

Whatever version of the test we had was ridiculously hard for AP, especially the written. Everyone left the first day feeling like crap because the questions were so out of left field. I talked to at least 20 people and we all felt that if we had to take it again, we wouldn't even know what to study. I think the general consensus was that the test was not testing our ability to be competent pathologists, rather our ability to remember minutiae that we may or may not have picked up when studying, not while in residency. I honestly think the AP part was one of the most unfair tests I have ever taken in my life in regards to what it was supposed to be testing.

CP was okay, but it was still hard.

Oh and they outright canned the virtual slides for us.

 

[MirkoCrocop]

Whatever version of the test we had was ridiculously hard for AP, especially the written. Everyone left the first day feeling like crap because the questions were so out of left field. I talked to at least 20 people and we all felt that if we had to take it again, we wouldn't even know what to study. I think the general consensus was that the test was not testing our ability to be competent pathologists, rather our ability to remember minutiae that we may or may not have picked up when studying, not while in residency. I honestly think the AP part was one of the most unfair tests I have ever taken in my life in regards to what it was supposed to be testing.

CP was okay, but it was still hard.

Oh and they outright canned the virtual slides for us.

Agreed - it wasn't uncommon for me to go through 5-6 questions in a row on AP written where I didn't know the answer

 

[hesperion]

Seriously, I think I flagged more than half of the questions. It was so depressing.

Plus the pictures where horrendous. And the zoom function doesn't zoom in on the picture, it just makes it larger and more pixelated.

 

[ermonty]

I've take AP twice now. The first time I passed the practical (which I felt very comfortable with...and had no doubt in my mind I passed). The written was terrible and I had no clue on 90% of the questions...ended up not passing the written by a couple of points. Now that I've taken the AP exam a second time I can say the exact same to be true!! The written exam is a nightmare...there's just no way to know what's coming. You could read every major pathology text cover to cover and not know/remember the trivial facts tested on the AP written. The only difference this time around with the AP practical was the server crash/test day drama...which does not lend to remaining focused on the challenge at hand. I feel like I've done my part to pass this hurdle...but the ABP has all the power. Good luck to all future test takers.

 

[pathgrrl]

I think the general consensus was that the test was not testing our ability to be competent pathologists, rather our ability to remember minutiae that we may or may not have picked up when studying, not while in residency.

I totally agree with this. The questions were overall esoteric (AP and CP) and the test seems designed to "trick" the knowledgeable examinee, rather than assess our ability to think critically.
A few notes:
When I brought in my polarizer, they asked, "What is that?" I guess no one ever, ever brings one. But I did. Clearly not neccessary.
Go ahead and get earplugs up front just in case.
They told us just to skip the virtual slides.
They had scrap paper for each portion as the "exam booklet" - good use for writing out the things you KNOW, so you can eliminate answer choices.

 

[MirkoCrocop]

I totally agree with this. The questions were overall esoteric (AP and CP) and the test seems designed to "trick" the knowledgeable examinee, rather than assess our ability to think critically.
A few notes:
When I brought in my polarizer, they asked, "What is that?" I guess no one ever, ever brings one. But I did. Clearly not neccessary.
Go ahead and get earplugs up front just in case.
They told us just to skip the virtual slides.
They had scrap paper for each portion as the "exam booklet" - good use for writing out the things you KNOW, so you can eliminate answer choices.

After reviewing some of the questions where I just couldn't seem to rule certain things out and finally figuring out why an answer choice was wrong, I think "trick" is an understatement.

Without going into details, one answer choice got so convoluted that I found myself having to examine adjectives and consider whether they were describing the very next noun or the very next noun and the following noun after the conjunction.

I think the ABP exam writers are under the mistaken, superficial impression that "tricky" questions somehow select for those residents that "pay attention to details." However, no other standardized exam I've taken seems to operate under that philosophy. In my opinion, word and grammar tricks are not best suited for a timed test of this magnitude and nature.

 

[Torsed]

Did not anyone tell ABP test takers? You have to let the force guide your actions. Put the blaster shield down and just let your fingers click that mouse.

 

[gbwillner]

However, no other standardized exam I've taken seems to operate under that philosophy. In my opinion, word and grammar tricks are not best suited for a timed test of this magnitude and nature.

What??? did you forget about the USMLE 1,2,3, all the shelf boards in med school, and the RISE exams? They are all a bunch of esoteric BS (except for the USMLE II CS exam and STEP 3 practical).

If I learned anything from this exam, it was to take an Ambien at 8 PM the night before the exam. I was in bed at the hotel by 10 PM... and didn't sleep until 3AM. I believe I had malignant hypertension. I woke up at 4:30AM, and maybe got another 30 min of sleep after that. I was so tired... I could not focus for a good 2 hrs into the test... I was sure I was going to fail. I was unsure of all but 2 of the answers in my first slide box. But then I realized everyone felt the same way, so now I feel a little better about it.

Oh yeah- my major complaint about the test wasn't that they discounted all the virtual slides- but they just told us we didn't have to answer those questions. What they DIDN'T say was that they were actually removing time from the test. I thought I would get additional time for the slides. When I got the 3rd box there were only 18 minutes left in the first part of the test. Like I said, I was foggy and couldn't focus- I didn't realize there was a timer on the screen.

 

[Tiki]

Did not anyone tell ABP test takers? You have to let the force guide your actions. Put the blaster shield down and just let your fingers click that mouse.

I sat right under a picture of Juan Rosai and everytime I didn't know an answer I asked myself, WWRD (what would Rosai do)?

Only problem was I used that guessing technique with CP as well, and apparently he was AP only.

 

[mlw03]

I sat right under a picture of Juan Rosai and everytime I didn't know an answer I asked myself, WWRD (what would Rosai do)?

Only problem was I used that guessing technique with CP as well, and apparently he was AP only.

Ha! Score one for us AP-only folks...

Test-takers should remember that most everyone thinks they failed after they walk out the door. And most of them are wrong.

 

[Arctic Char]

I sat right under a picture of Juan Rosai and everytime I didn't know an answer I asked myself, WWRD (what would Rosai do)?

Only problem was I used that guessing technique with CP as well, and apparently he was AP only.

it could still be WWJD, you know

 

[Path or bust]

What??? did you forget about the USMLE 1,2,3, all the shelf boards in med school, and the RISE exams? They are all a bunch of esoteric BS (except for the USMLE II CS exam and STEP 3 practical).

If I learned anything from this exam, it was to take an Ambien at 8 PM the night before the exam. I was in bed at the hotel by 10 PM... and didn't sleep until 3AM. I believe I had malignant hypertension. I woke up at 4:30AM, and maybe got another 30 min of sleep after that. I was so tired... I could not focus for a good 2 hrs into the test... I was sure I was going to fail. I was unsure of all but 2 of the answers in my first slide box. But then I realized everyone felt the same way, so now I feel a little better about it.

Oh yeah- my major complaint about the test wasn't that they discounted all the virtual slides- but they just told us we didn't have to answer those questions. What they DIDN'T say was that they were actually removing time from the test. I thought I would get additional time for the slides. When I got the 3rd box there were only 18 minutes left in the first part of the test. Like I said, I was foggy and couldn't focus- I didn't realize there was a timer on the screen.

Yeah, very similar to my experience on the CP portion of the exam, day 2, first part. Ayyy

 

[Torsed]

I sat right under a picture of Juan Rosai and everytime I didn't know an answer I asked myself, WWRD (what would Rosai do)?

Only problem was I used that guessing technique with CP as well, and apparently he was AP only.

I think Rosai would be drinking heavily at that bar in the Hotel Intercontiental after his AP exam too. Or he could just join me at the Dollhouse across the street to unwind.

 

[KCShaw]

I put that answer because it's the right answer. And it's the right answer because it's what I put.

 

[gbwillner]

Yeah, very similar to my experience on the CP portion of the exam, day 2, first part. Ayyy

I was so out of it, I saw some residents from another program early in the morning and asked them if they were taking the path boards. Then I wasn't sure if that's what I was doing- it didn't seem right.

Then, I couldn't log into the computer system because I was so tired I couldn't follow the simple directions of putting in my name, password and ID code.

After the first few slides, I had no idea what I was doing, or basically where I was. By halfway through the 2nd box my head had cleared somewhat, and by the 3rd I was OK. But man, I was sure I failed that test at the time. I'm glad it was multiple choice, because if I had to write in an answer I may have drawn pictures of butterflies.

 

[Path or bust]

I was so out of it, I saw some residents from another program early in the morning and asked them if they were taking the path boards. Then I wasn't sure if that's what I was doing- it didn't seem right.

Then, I couldn't log into the computer system because I was so tired I couldn't follow the simple directions of putting in my name, password and ID code.

After the first few slides, I had no idea what I was doing, or basically where I was. By halfway through the 2nd box my head had cleared somewhat, and by the 3rd I was OK. But man, I was sure I failed that test at the time. I'm glad it was multiple choice, because if I had to write in an answer I may have drawn pictures of butterflies.

Lol, I thought I was the only one! The proctor lady had to explain to me how to put in the code. I didn't think it was straightforward.

It's good to see that not everyone on here is a cocky SOB.

 

[malchik]

I put that answer because it's the right answer. And it's the right answer because it's what I put.

I see what you did there

 

[pathresident2]

Are the results out yet?

 

[Tiki]

Nope, not for another two to three weeks.