Concert Exam - 2017

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The White Coat Investor

The White Coat Investor

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Well. This is it. I've got to recertify this year. Who's with me?

More importantly, what's the consensus on how to study for this thing?

What's the best review book?

What's the best question bank?

What's the best course?

How much does someone who had no trouble with Step 3, the in-service exams, or the original written exam really have to study in order to pass?
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Is the Concert the same thing as the initial ABEM exam? Or do people re-upping take a different test?
 
I am not recertifying for another 9 years, but strongly recommend HIPPO EM. Great lectures with high yield stuff. Other recommendations would be going through PEER 8, and 1000 questions to help you pass the EM boards, both of which have solid, high yield information.

Best of luck to you guys.

*cue rocky 4 inspirational music*


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The White Coat Investor said:
Well. This is it. I've got to recertify this year. Who's with me?

More importantly, what's the consensus on how to study for this thing?

What's the best review book?

What's the best question bank?

What's the best course?

How much does someone who had no trouble with Step 3, the in-service exams, or the original written exam really have to study in order to pass?
Click to expand...

So I'm just a lowly newer attending who recently passed the QE and has a scheduled oral. HOWEVER, given the overlap of the tests and similarity as I understand it, Rosh Review and PEER (used VIII, can't speak for IX but would have to assume it's good... and certainly more modern a website) were absolute gold for the QE and I suspect similar for the ConCert.
 
Rosh review = not high yield and not helpful. Not abem style questions, and not high yield topics.


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bravotwozero said:
Rosh review = not high yield and not helpful. Not abem style questions, and not high yield topics.


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Click to expand...

Sure, not ABEM style questions, and a little repetitive for my liking (I did prefer PEER), but I found it useful for the QE. Probably at least something after PEER if there is an "after PEER" for you. $0.02.
 
Rosh review, hippo em, peer 8, and/or some other question bank. Just keep doing questions until you get to the point where they seem to be repeating themselves.
 
bravotwozero said:
Rosh review = not high yield and not helpful. Not abem style questions, and not high yield topics.


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Click to expand...
100% disagree. I got over a 90 on my boards from just doing Rosh, hippo em and peer 8. That's it. Out of those three, Rosh was the most helpful, then hippo, then peer.
 
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I did the peer 8 and the vegas course. probably could have passed with just the peer 8 questions... but I figured a weekend in vegas was worth it to feel "confident." now they have the peer 9 which apparently doesn't have a print edition and is online only.
all this test prep is a total scam, the test is hella easy and could be passed without any prep. honestly.
 
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Angry Birds said:
Is the Concert the same thing as the initial ABEM exam? Or do people re-upping take a different test?
Click to expand...

Ok, back to the original question. For the Concert, a) has anyone actually taken it? And what did you use?

While I'd love to think it's identical to the QE, I don't think anyone has actually addressed that. (And I mean "love" sarcastically. I mostly would love to think they'll do away with it before I have to deal with it. Denial is strong with this one.)

My BC expires in 2019, and am unfortunately thinking about it already. A partner suggested taking in a year early just in case.
 
Im taking mine this year - 1 year early. Using HippoEM and Peer. Pretty solid stuff...
 
id hope the exam is not the same as QE. 10 yrs out with book answers would be rough... i did rosh and hippo and scored 90+ as well.. but thats after residency not surr how ill be in 8 yrs.

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ABEM says 75% is passing of both tests. Concert uses the same test material, just has fewer questions I think.
 
Tenk said:
100% disagree. I got over a 90 on my boards from just doing Rosh, hippo em and peer 8. That's it. Out of those three, Rosh was the most helpful, then hippo, then peer.
Click to expand...

I have ROSH subscription now, even though I don't have to recert until 2023. What can I say... I like Q-banks. I think its solid.
 
RustedFox said:
I have ROSH subscription now, even though I don't have to recert until 2023. What can I say... I like Q-banks. I think its solid.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. I'm going to pony up for PEER IX even though I just passed my QE last fall. I like question banks. And it's CME. And, well, I like question banks.

Nerds, unite.
 
RustedFox said:
I have ROSH subscription now, even though I don't have to recert until 2023. What can I say... I like Q-banks. I think its solid.
Click to expand...

exi said:
I'm with you. I'm going to pony up for PEER IX even though I just passed my QE last fall. I like question banks. And it's CME. And, well, I like question banks.

Nerds, unite.
Click to expand...

IMO - it's way easier (and probably more effective) to do a little learning every once in a while over 10 years, than it is to try & cram it all in during year 9.
 
WilcoWorld said:
IMO - it's way easier (and probably more effective) to do a little learning every once in a while over 10 years, than it is to try & cram it all in during year 9.
Click to expand...
On this note...is ABEM considering the "Q2Y, open book, online at home recert" plan that ABIM is?

When I first heard about that I was all, "f*** that noize, I'm not taking an exam every 2 years". But cost-wise it's no difference than Q10Y exam+MOC, and it actually accomplishes the whole "maintenance" issue that all the other crap various boards are requiring.

Definitely agree that frequent quiz review is a good way to go.
 
gutonc said:
On this note...is ABEM considering the "Q2Y, open book, online at home recert" plan that ABIM is?

When I first heard about that I was all, "f*** that noize, I'm not taking an exam every 2 years". But cost-wise it's no difference than Q10Y exam+MOC, and it actually accomplishes the whole "maintenance" issue that all the other crap various boards are requiring.

Definitely agree that frequent quiz review is a good way to go.
Click to expand...

I haven't heard of anything like that replacing ConCert. However, ABEM already requires a yearly open book test on a selection of articles (and you have to pay for the privilege), so maybe us BCEP's are just getting it coming AND going?
 
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ABEM has said they are monitoring how things go at ABA and ABIM. I think there is a chance that they will follow suit too if their experience is good.
 
Okay, I paid my $1850 and I'm taking this thing on September 11th. Looking forward to 5 hours and 15 minutes of fun.

205 questions and I only have to get 75% of the real ones right, how bad can it be?

I hope those who say it is easy are right. I think I'll start with PEER questions, no book and no course and see how I feel after doing those. If I feel as stupid as I did at the ACEP SA last year, I may have to do more.

It's $295, but there's a space for a Promo code for a discount. Anyone know one?
 
Well this isn't good. I took the PEER pre-test and got a 65%. They say the average PEER member gets a 68% and my projected ABEM score is 63%. Scare tactic to get me to buy it? Maybe, but certainly not reassuring.
 
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Okay, everyone is recommending question banks. What about books? You know, when I miss the question, realize I have a knowledge deficit and want to go look it up. Rivers? High Yield EM? First Aid for EM Boards? Something else?
 
Rivers was my go to. A very dry but condensed book, that's suited for board studying.


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The ultimate emergency medicine guide.
 
alpinism said:
The ultimate emergency medicine guide.
Click to expand...

I used this for inservice studying, but felt it was too basic and had a lot of seemingly important topics that weren't even touched on. Anyone else feel this way or was it just me? I know people have spoken highly of it.


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The White Coat Investor said:
Well. This is it. I've got to recertify this year. Who's with me?

More importantly, what's the consensus on how to study for this thing?

What's the best review book?

What's the best question bank?

What's the best course?

How much does someone who had no trouble with Step 3, the in-service exams, or the original written exam really have to study in order to pass?
Click to expand...


The original Certification exam is still fresh in my mind (I though it was totally random but ended up doing well on it), and I used Rosh Review Qbank and can't say enough nice things about it. I also used Online In-Training Course or In Training Test Preparation and Review for the ABEM In-Training Examination or Inservice Examination and can't say enough good things about this (under recognized) resource.
 
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alpinism said:
The ultimate emergency medicine guide.
Click to expand...

Sajid Khan was one of my attendings. He was awesome and gave us all a copy of his book as a graduation present (FWIW).
 
The White Coat Investor said:
Well this isn't good. I took the PEER pre-test and got a 65%. They say the average PEER member gets a 68% and my projected ABEM score is 63%. Scare tactic to get me to buy it? Maybe, but certainly not reassuring.
Click to expand...

Not to be a Rosh Acolyte, but it has a projected score feature and (again FWIW) it was within 2% for each in service and then the QE for me.
 
Old Grunt said:
The original Certification exam is still fresh in my mind (I though it was totally random but ended up doing well on it), and I used Rosh Review Qbank and can't say enough nice things about it. I also used Online In-Training Course or In Training Test Preparation and Review for the ABEM In-Training Examination or Inservice Examination and can't say enough good things about this (under recognized) resource.
Click to expand...

Agreed that if you want more than just questions, In Training Prep is a fantastic one-stop source for reviewing all the boards-testable material.
 
dchristismi said:
Ok, back to the original question. For the Concert, a) has anyone actually taken it? And what did you use?

While I'd love to think it's identical to the QE, I don't think anyone has actually addressed that. (And I mean "love" sarcastically. I mostly would love to think they'll do away with it before I have to deal with it. Denial is strong with this one.)

My BC expires in 2019, and am unfortunately thinking about it already. A partner suggested taking in a year early just in case.
Click to expand...

Man, I haven't been on SDN in years. I'm taking my ConCert in 2018 and did a google search for how to study for it... Welcome back SDN.

I felt PEER was my highest yield back when I took my initial boards. I really do well with question banks so am planning on doing that again. I've been an EM:RAP subscriber since my intern year and will likely take a hard look at HIPPO. My colleagues who just took the ConCert had good experience with Rosch and the question based approach is a strong draw for me.

Good luck, y'all!

Take care,
Jeff
 
gutonc said:
On this note...is ABEM considering the "Q2Y, open book, online at home recert" plan that ABIM is?
Click to expand...

Not that I have any real knowledge about this, but my guess is they'll announce they're adopting this approach the day AFTER I take my Q10 ConCert exam. :(

Take care,
Jeff
 
Jeff!!! Welcome back!

At ACEP this year, I spent some time at the ABEM booth poking around to find out what might be happening. The guy there was somewhat vague, but said that there was an ABEM meeting around February at which time they would be able to say which way things might go. He made it sound like the Concert wasn't going away, but there would be changes... and I very much got the "sit tight, more will be revealed" vibe, so I guess I'll just wait...
 
Fortunately, we don't get to register until after February, anyway so waiting I'll do.

I really had no idea about prices for these study guides but it looks like HIPPO EM is $790 without the CME, Rosch is $599 with CME and PEER IX (apparently, it's online and a subscription now) is $295 for ACEP members (with CME). Hippo does the video lectures and Rosch doesn't but I'm not sure how much time I'll have for those anyway.

BTW, how do I get the 'chief resident' tag off my avatar over to the left? Seems a 'bit' dated now.

Take care,
Jeff
 
Apollyon said:
Dude! I may have to have a Frito pie to celebrate! We don't have any Big Red up here, though.
Click to expand...

:) Enjoy the Frito pie! Hope you can at least get Dr. Pepper. :)

Take care,
Jeff
 
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OK, crazy question- how smoky is Plant Hollywood? I can't believe they still have medical conferences at smoking facilities. Baltimore is just too far, but I know I can't tolerate smoke. Can't.
 
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