Please share how you coded on day 2Passed! Woohooo
As expected day 1 score (>600) was higher than day 2, but scored comfortably above average on both
Also happy to answer any questions about how I prepared - I found day 2 to be the most tricky by far
Msgd youwhat part did on day 2 did you struggle on? I did very well on day 2 so I can tell you what i did
Congrats to those who passed! I passed after the second attempt. I failed by 5 points on Day 1 last year and improved significantly this year. Passed comfortably both years on Day 2. Here are some tips if they help anyone out. If you didn't pass, do not let this test define you. It is such an unfair test, especially after last year's debacle and this year's exam that honestly felt like I was taking EP boards 🙄
I carefully tailored my study plan this year based on my exam report. This proved to be extremely helpful. I spent most of my time studying all the areas/topics I was weak in and the specific content I missed. Some from the report were super specific and under task will say either diagnosis or treatment/care decision. I made sure I knew everything inside and out about those topics I missed. I typed out a custom study guide that included every single content I missed. This was brutal, but it really forced me to look beyond what I thought I already knew about that topic. I didn't want to study things I knew well beyond reviewing them through Mayo Board review or ACCSAP. At least for me, on board exams, if I know a topic really well, I should be able to answer any question on it or make a well-educated guess. However, when I only know a topic on surface level, it becomes challenging to come up with an answer ( I end up convincing myself I know it, but in reality, I really don't know it well enough compared to my strong topics). Focusing primarily on my deficiencies and mistakes from last year was truly helpful.
Day 1: Resources used-- Mayo Videos x2 (Printed out every single lecture, made notes for my weak topics, and went through this 2x), ACC SAP qbank x2 (Second time- did all my weak topics/incorrects), ACC guidelines x3 (created a folder with pdfs for every single guideline takeaway). In the last few weeks, I did the O'Keefe online question bank, which I felt was solid and challenging.
Day 2: I only used O'keefe (both book and online) and ACC EKG drill and practice. I did every single EKG x2. I also created a PDF with a sample tracing for every possible code and diagnosis. I went through this at least a dozen times, which helped me drill the coding. My strategy for both years was simple-- I only focused on the most prominent findings and coded those. I never coded more than 3 items unless there was an associated clinical disorder that I felt fit the description.
For the ECHO section, my strategy was very different. I don't think anyone really knows what they're looking for but I scored high on this section both years doing the same thing. I coded mostly everything I saw. Some may call it "overcoding," but I coded it if they showed me an image of a structure/finding. My thought was that they can't penalize me for coding what they're showing, especially if it is correct. It's not like the EKG section where you coded extra things that were borderline findings, which may negatively impact your score. On ECHO, I prioritized coding the most apparent findings, but for example, if they showed me a 2-chamber view and I could make out a normal LV size and LV function, I coded it.
For cath- my strategy was similar to EKG here. I coded the most obvious and moved on. O'keefe cath films also helped me prepare for this and I ensured I knew how to identify every single type of graft in different views.
Sorry for the super long post, but hopefully is helpful and provides some insi`
Thanks a lot for detailed msg. It will be extremely helfpul if you could share your ECG tracing pdf for us to get an idea and work on that for next year.Congrats to those who passed! I passed after the second attempt. I failed by 5 points on Day 1 last year and improved significantly this year. Passed comfortably both years on Day 2. Here are some tips if they help anyone out. If you didn't pass, do not let this test define you. It is such an unfair test, especially after last year's debacle and this year's exam that honestly felt like I was taking EP boards 🙄
I carefully tailored my study plan this year based on my exam report. This proved to be extremely helpful. I spent most of my time studying all the areas/topics I was weak in and the specific content I missed. Some from the report were super specific and under task will say either diagnosis or treatment/care decision. I made sure I knew everything inside and out about those topics I missed. I typed out a custom study guide that included every single content I missed. This was brutal, but it really forced me to look beyond what I thought I already knew about that topic. I didn't want to study things I knew well beyond reviewing them through Mayo Board review or ACCSAP. At least for me, on board exams, if I know a topic really well, I should be able to answer any question on it or make a well-educated guess. However, when I only know a topic on surface level, it becomes challenging to come up with an answer ( I end up convincing myself I know it, but in reality, I really don't know it well enough compared to my strong topics). Focusing primarily on my deficiencies and mistakes from last year was truly helpful.
Day 1: Resources used-- Mayo Videos x2 (Printed out every single lecture, made notes for my weak topics, and went through this 2x), ACC SAP qbank x2 (Second time- did all my weak topics/incorrects), ACC guidelines x3 (created a folder with pdfs for every single guideline takeaway). In the last few weeks, I did the O'Keefe online question bank, which I felt was solid and challenging.
Day 2: I only used O'keefe (both book and online) and ACC EKG drill and practice. I did every single EKG x2. I also created a PDF with a sample tracing for every possible code and diagnosis. I went through this at least a dozen times, which helped me drill the coding. My strategy for both years was simple-- I only focused on the most prominent findings and coded those. I never coded more than 3 items unless there was an associated clinical disorder that I felt fit the description.
For the ECHO section, my strategy was very different. I don't think anyone really knows what they're looking for but I scored high on this section both years doing the same thing. I coded mostly everything I saw. Some may call it "overcoding," but I coded it if they showed me an image of a structure/finding. My thought was that they can't penalize me for coding what they're showing, especially if it is correct. It's not like the EKG section where you coded extra things that were borderline findings, which may negatively impact your score. On ECHO, I prioritized coding the most apparent findings, but for example, if they showed me a 2-chamber view and I could make out a normal LV size and LV function, I coded it.
For cath- my strategy was similar to EKG here. I coded the most obvious and moved on. O'keefe cath films also helped me prepare for this and I ensured I knew how to identify every single type of graft in different views.
Sorry for the super long post, but hopefully is helpful and provides some insight!
I didn't study for day 1 and just passedFor day 2
What is the right approach or what was the approach you took as noone knows what they follow?
Did you coded as per Okeefe or ECG source, as both have different approach?
For ECG, were you focused just on diagnosis or coding other things as well like NST or LAE?
For ECG, were you also coding the diagnosis or just changes?
Was your approach always to count the HR for NSR or ST or SB?
For cath
Was your approach to code for most obvious and leave the rest of it.
For echo
Was your approach to code for most obvious and leave the rest of it or otherwise.
These questions might help us figure out how they code and then we can work on strategy next year.
Thanks a lot.
sent you a direct message !It took me five years to pass. For all who failed, I have no advice. It isn’t an easy test. But don’t be discouraged, don’t give up. All of us as colleagues know that you are excellent clinicians. We believe in you and hang in there.
send you a message!Congrats to those who passed! I passed after the second attempt. I failed by 5 points on Day 1 last year and improved significantly this year. Passed comfortably both years on Day 2. Here are some tips if they help anyone out. If you didn't pass, do not let this test define you. It is such an unfair test, especially after last year's debacle and this year's exam that honestly felt like I was taking EP boards 🙄
I carefully tailored my study plan this year based on my exam report. This proved to be extremely helpful. I spent most of my time studying all the areas/topics I was weak in and the specific content I missed. Some from the report were super specific and under task will say either diagnosis or treatment/care decision. I made sure I knew everything inside and out about those topics I missed. I typed out a custom study guide that included every single content I missed. This was brutal, but it really forced me to look beyond what I thought I already knew about that topic. I didn't want to study things I knew well beyond reviewing them through Mayo Board review or ACCSAP. At least for me, on board exams, if I know a topic really well, I should be able to answer any question on it or make a well-educated guess. However, when I only know a topic on surface level, it becomes challenging to come up with an answer ( I end up convincing myself I know it, but in reality, I really don't know it well enough compared to my strong topics). Focusing primarily on my deficiencies and mistakes from last year was truly helpful.
Day 1: Resources used-- Mayo Videos x2 (Printed out every single lecture, made notes for my weak topics, and went through this 2x), ACC SAP qbank x2 (Second time- did all my weak topics/incorrects), ACC guidelines x3 (created a folder with pdfs for every single guideline takeaway). In the last few weeks, I did the O'Keefe online question bank, which I felt was solid and challenging.
Day 2: I only used O'keefe (both book and online) and ACC EKG drill and practice. I did every single EKG x2. I also created a PDF with a sample tracing for every possible code and diagnosis. I went through this at least a dozen times, which helped me drill the coding. My strategy for both years was simple-- I only focused on the most prominent findings and coded those. I never coded more than 3 items unless there was an associated clinical disorder that I felt fit the description.
For the ECHO section, my strategy was very different. I don't think anyone really knows what they're looking for but I scored high on this section both years doing the same thing. I coded mostly everything I saw. Some may call it "overcoding," but I coded it if they showed me an image of a structure/finding. My thought was that they can't penalize me for coding what they're showing, especially if it is correct. It's not like the EKG section where you coded extra things that were borderline findings, which may negatively impact your score. On ECHO, I prioritized coding the most apparent findings, but for example, if they showed me a 2-chamber view and I could make out a normal LV size and LV function, I coded it.
For cath- my strategy was similar to EKG here. I coded the most obvious and moved on. O'keefe cath films also helped me prepare for this and I ensured I knew how to identify every single type of graft in different views.
Sorry for the super long post, but hopefully is helpful and provides some insight!
