Delay Core Exam

[cecumbowels]

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I am going to be taking the core exam in the first week of June. I am thinking about delaying it because I honestly do not think I am going to pass it at this point. I am still going through Crack the Core review books and there is honestly just too much information to memorize. I wish I had started studying a little earlier. I just started studying a month ago. I am trying to do Anki flashcards, but there is just so much content.

Any thoughts on delaying the exam? Should I just take it? I scored a 25 percent on the in service this year.

 

[MadRadLad]

It's unlikely a delay will make a real difference unless there were something in life that happened that really led to you missing a good chunk of residency. You still have 2 months which is a lot of time to prepare.

Find your weak points and hit them hard, focus on the easy stuff that should be free points such as NIS, physics, some nucs stuff. For some things you will just have to rely on your residency exposure. Don't get overwhelmed - you will never feel like you know everything. Does your program do board reviews?

25th percentile would still be passing, FYI. I think in the worst years the failure rate was around 15%. The goal is not to know everything that may be on the exam - that's impossible.

 

[cecumbowels]

It's unlikely a delay will make a real difference unless there were something in life that happened that really led to you missing a good chunk of residency. You still have 2 months which is a lot of time to prepare.

Find your weak points and hit them hard, focus on the easy stuff that should be free points such as NIS, physics, some nucs stuff. For some things you will just have to rely on your residency exposure. Don't get overwhelmed - you will never feel like you know everything. Does your program do board reviews?

25th percentile would still be passing, FYI. I think in the worst years the failure rate was around 15%. The goal is not to know everything that may be on the exam - that's impossible.

Yeah I guess I may just buckle down and see how much material I can cover. My program is probably not the greatest when it comes to doing board reviews. However, I have been listening to the rad discord board reviews, which I have found helpful. The good thing about my program is that they are giving us a lot of time off for board prep.

25 percent was my in service exam score.

 

[MadRadLad]

Just try to see as many cases as possible and get through questions. Reading Crack the Core over and over is a supplement not the main way of studying. A Core Review books are also a good source of questions. Get a good schedule down, try to study with some colleagues at times to keep yourselves accountable and on track. Don't worry about competing, use it as ways to be taught and teach others to better get the material down.

You're trying to say you got 25% of questions correct? That would be <1st percentile. Or the scaled score of 25? What areas did you feel so deficient in, and can you focus on those?

 

[cecumbowels]

Just try to see as many cases as possible and get through questions. Reading Crack the Core over and over is a supplement not the main way of studying. A Core Review books are also a good source of questions. Get a good schedule down, try to study with some colleagues at times to keep yourselves accountable and on track. Don't worry about competing, use it as ways to be taught and teach others to better get the material down.

You're trying to say you got 25% of questions correct? That would be <1st percentile. Or the scaled score of 25? What areas did you feel so deficient in, and can you focus on those?

My scaled score was 60. My percentile rank was 25.

Also, I appreciate the advice.

 

[MadRadLad]

25th percentile on CORE would be a pass, just saying. Good luck.

 

[Rubix8]

25th percentile on CORE would be a pass, just saying. Good luck.

How do you interpret the scaled score vs. the percentile for DXIT? I’ve noticed that people can get the same scaled score but different percentiles.

 

[MadRadLad]

How do you interpret the scaled score vs. the percentile for DXIT? I’ve noticed that people can get the same scaled score but different percentiles.

I thought they give both but I could be wrong. I would use overall percentile. It also is different by year.

 

[guytakingboards]

How do you interpret the scaled score vs. the percentile for DXIT? I’ve noticed that people can get the same scaled score but different percentiles.

I wouldn't put too much interpretation in that. percentile is the more useful metric relative to the Core exam. Scaled score is total questions correct, which is less relevant because you can pass/fail individual topics. It's much more important to be within the passing percentile of each section.

 

[Timtom98]

in similar boat. anyone have any last minute board studyin tips?

 

[NT4]

Does anyone know if continuing on to fellowship is dependent on Core exam results. Ex: I am ESIR who matched into fellowship. However, I have to retake the core exam unfortunately in a few days. Just feeling very stressed because I don't know what will happen to me if i fail again. Would the IR program keep me for 2 years rather than 1 and I would retake it again in June? My understanding is they are able to keep residents for 1 to 2 years depending on their discretion. Mostly looking for reassurance at this point, since I am feeling extremely nervous.

 

[point542]

Does anyone know if continuing on to fellowship is dependent on Core exam results. Ex: I am ESIR who matched into fellowship. However, I have to retake the core exam unfortunately in a few days. Just feeling very stressed because I don't know what will happen to me if i fail again. Would the IR program keep me for 2 years rather than 1 and I would retake it again in June? My understanding is they are able to keep residents for 1 to 2 years depending on their discretion. Mostly looking for reassurance at this point, since I am feeling extremely nervous.

For what it's worth, I know people who went onto fellowship without having taken or passed Core. Some of them are even attendings believe it or not. You don't need to be Board Eligible to go onto fellowship or even graduate fellowship from what I understand. Give it your best shot this time around, but I doubt it's the end of the world even if you fail.

 

[Ho0v-man]

not dependent unless there’s language in your contract about needing to pass core.. I’ve had attendings who hadn’t passed the core. It’s mostly an insurance and therefore a hospital policy thing. So it can limit you in the attending job hunt is all. Or you could just work at the VA and never pass boards.

Also, don’t invest too much of your ego in this exam. It’s just a bad test.

 

[NT4]

not dependent unless there’s language in your contract about needing to pass core.. I’ve had attendings who hadn’t passed the core. It’s mostly an insurance and therefore a hospital policy thing. So it can limit you in the attending job hunt is all. Or you could just work at the VA and never pass boards.

Also, don’t invest too much of your ego in this exam. It’s just a bad test.

Not dependent for fellowship or for your job?

 

[Ho0v-man]

Not dependent for fellowship or for your job?

Fellowship in your case bc you’ve already signed for it. Some jobs might not want someone who’s failed in the past, but they’re the minority.

 

[NT4]

Fellowship in your case bc you’ve already signed for it. Some jobs might not want someone who’s failed in the past, but they’re the minority.

Well I matched but haven't signed the contract. Is that language typically included in a fellowship contract? Like do some institutions require that

 

[Ho0v-man]

I’ve never heard of that being in a contract but I suppose it could happen. It seems very unlikely that a hospital system would give up free labor though and you technically don’t have to pass core ever to graduate.

I think most IR departments are just trying to fill with anyone. There’s very little incentive to make up reasons to boot trainees out.

Well I matched but haven't signed the contract. Is that language typically included in a fellowship contract? Like do some institutions require that

 

[NT4]

I’ve never heard of that being in a contract but I suppose it could happen. It seems very unlikely that a hospital system would give up free labor though and you technically don’t have to pass core ever to graduate.

I think most IR departments are just trying to fill with anyone. There’s very little incentive to make up reasons to boot trainees out.

Thanks! Makes me feel less nervous

 

[kish180]

FWIW I know of one rad who failed the core twice, once in 3rd and again during the retake in 4th year. They were delaying the retake (3rd and final) because they had to pass it that time. Not completing it didn’t affect starting or graduating from fellowship at all. I think they took at as a 2 year attending or something, when they were between jobs they worked locums for a few months intermittently and mostly studied for boards.

“Board eligible” is the term for anyone who has not yet passed but still able to take the exam. Board eligible is exactly the same as board certified from a credentialing and hospital policy standpoint. In fact it’s abbreviated BC/BE. I’ve never heard of it being mentioned in a contract at all.

 

[NT4]

FWIW I know of one rad who failed the core twice, once in 3rd and again during the retake in 4th year. They were delaying the retake (3rd and final) because they had to pass it that time. Not completing it didn’t affect starting or graduating from fellowship at all. I think they took at as a 2 year attending or something, when they were between jobs they worked locums for a few months intermittently and mostly studied for boards.

“Board eligible” is the term for anyone who has not yet passed but still able to take the exam. Board eligible is exactly the same as board certified from a credentialing and hospital policy standpoint. In fact it’s abbreviated BC/BE. I’ve never heard of it being mentioned in a contract at all.

Thanks. What do you mean they had to pass the third time? Isn't it unlimited attempts as long as you are board eligible?