Official ABIM 2012 Thread

[NotAProgDirector]

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I can't comment on anyone's chances of passing, but I can comment on the scoring.

As mentioned above, different questions are weighted differently. That's why it's possible to get a higher percentage correct, yet get a lower scaled score -- or why someone with a lower overall percentage can pass, where someone with a higher percentage can fail. However, in these cases it's usually just 1-2 questions making the difference.

Because of the nature of a scaled score, the "scale" becomes very steep at the ends of the curve. One question can have a large impact on your scaled score when you're down at the pass/fail margin, where when you're up near the mean, it will have a very small effect.

Contrary to what you might think, it's the "easier" questions that are weighted more heavily. Rather than try to decide which questions are easy and which are hard, the exam uses test-taker's answers to assess that. If there's a question that very few people get correct, then it's a "hard" question (or poorly written), and it counts for less. If enough people get it wrong, it's removed completely. If a question is answered correctly by everyone but you, that counts quite a bit.

Before any question is actually used to score, they are tested -- hence the experimental questions. They're building a database of questions and answer profiles, to see what questions will be used and how they will be scaled.

Anyway, good luck to all.

 

[katang]

Just received notification of passing the ABIM guys.....thanks for all the help and support from this forum....

 

[Atlanticman]

Pretty depressed about the ABIM result. I wanted to know if there are any special help sources for people who do not take tests well. I am not facing the end of my job by June this year so I have no clue if anyone else will hire me at this point. Should I take a year off? That means a year without income and a year without health insurance. Not sure if outpatient offices will hire me also.

 

[2012ABIM]

I got the email from ABIM this morning at 6:34 pacific time.

I failed last year and lost my confidence, I was shaking and my legs were almost paralysed. I had palpitation and hyperventilation but tried to calm down and used my Iphone to open my ABIM site: I PASSED.

Last year: I felt very confident about my performance and was sure that I would pass but I failed.

This year: I felt very bad and thought that I would fail again, but I passed.

I feel relaxed now, I will post my experience and how ABIM failure affects my life later.

 

[432677]

Just found ought I passed a few minutes ago. I had failed the exam last year and thought I had failed again. It was insanely hard for me, but I am grateful that I passed this time.

For those of you who did not pass, I want to give you hope that you can do so in the future. If I can do it after failing, anyone can. I must gather my thoughts and perhaps also my score report before commenting on what worked for me and giving advice.

Best of luck to all of you.

 

[Arsenic]

Congratulations to all the newly minted ABIM certified MDs! That test was a beast and by no means easy.

To those that didn't pass this year, please hang in there. This one test doesn't define you as a physician or as a person. We will all have bad days throughout our careers, if it didn't happen for you this year theres nothing stopping you from putting in the time and effort into destroying the exam next year. Regardless of what happened to you this year you will go into that next exam with the experience and knowledge of your last test day as a foundation. You already know what the timing is like, the breaks, the style of questions, etc... you will go into it again with an advantage first time test takers never get. There are so many resources out there between MKSAP and medstudy, etc... that with dedication and intense study there is nothing stopping you from passing. As painful as it can be and as much as I wouldn't wish it on anyone, remember that the experience of studying for it again can only make you a more knowledgeable physician in the end. I'm sorry to anyone that has to take it again but please remember all it meant is you didn't pass in 2012, it does not define you or all the good work you do and help you provide as a physician to those in distress.

 

[GIHopeful100]

Has anyone on here not gotten their scores yet or are they all released at once? I'm super nervous.

 

[MEMBER23141]

Has anyone on here not gotten their scores yet or are they all released at once? I'm super nervous.

I got mine via email today. Glad to find out I passed. I finished by IM residency 20 years ago, but this was my first time taking the exam. Thanks MKSAP and MedStudy!

 

[member228822]

congratulations 2012 abim, very happy that you were able to pass this time around. unfortunately i am in your shoes that you were in last year, and found out today that i failed on my first attempt. i had studied from jan 2012 -aug 2012 (until my exam), finished residency in june 12, and had 1 month off (july) dedicated solely to studying before i started working as a hospitalist at the end of july. historically i have not been a good standardized test taker, but i passed all my steps (barely). for this exam, i did mksap qs x2, board basics x 3, also did an acp board review course. i did not do well on my in-training exams but i had not studied at all before those exams. i felt prepared by august; however, i guess this was not the case. could you shed light on your strategies for passing the 2nd time around? also, how far in advance did you start studying? i would appreciate any advice you may have...i don't want this haunting me forever....thanks very much.

 

[member228822]

congratulations 2012 abim, very happy that you were able to pass this time around. unfortunately i am in your shoes that you were in last year, and found out today that i failed on my first attempt. i had studied from jan 2012 -aug 2012 (until my exam), finished residency in june 12, and had 1 month off (july) dedicated solely to studying before i started working as a hospitalist at the end of july. historically i have not been a good standardized test taker, but i passed all my steps (barely). for this exam, i did mksap qs x2, board basics x 3, also did an acp board review course. i did not do well on my in-training exams but i had not studied at all before those exams. i felt prepared by august; however, i guess this was not the case. could you shed light on your strategies for passing the 2nd time around? also, how far in advance did you start studying? i would appreciate any advice you may have...i don't want this haunting me forever....thanks very much.

or please advice from anyone else as well....ty 🙂

 

[Thinker123]

Wow everyone. I'm too scared to check. Maybe later today or tomorrow. I thought it would be the end of the month so I need to get mentally prepared. Congrats to all of you who passed so far.

 

[Thinker123]

My pulse is between 96 and 102. Hopefully it will slow down. LOL

 

[Thinker123]

..

 

[Thinker123]

Pretty depressed about the ABIM result. I wanted to know if there are any special help sources for people who do not take tests well. I am not facing the end of my job by June this year so I have no clue if anyone else will hire me at this point. Should I take a year off? That means a year without income and a year without health insurance. Not sure if outpatient offices will hire me also.

Sorry to hear this. Hang in there though. Remember you are 95% there...just finish this 5% and you are good. I'm still too nervous to check mine.

 

[Thinker123]

I got the email from ABIM this morning at 6:34 pacific time.

I failed last year and lost my confidence, I was shaking and my legs were almost paralysed. I had palpitation and hyperventilation but tried to calm down and used my Iphone to open my ABIM site: I PASSED.

Last year: I felt very confident about my performance and was sure that I would pass but I failed.

This year: I felt very bad and thought that I would fail again, but I passed.

I feel relaxed now, I will post my experience and how ABIM failure affects my life later.

Congrats. I'm happy for you.

 

[Hospitalist]

I am not much for writing posts. However, I feel compelled to share my experience with those who unfortunately failed the ABIM board exam. I failed the exam on my first attempt last year. My standard score was 369 (pass 370). I had 146 correct answers out of 200; so my percentage was 71%. I retook the exam this year, and I passed. Let me just say, I truly empathize with those who failed. It is devastating. It took me months to get over it. It is embarrassing, and it simply feels awful. Recognize, as bad as you may feel today, all things will pass. This will pass too. I am a hospitalist, who will be starting fellowship soon. I work on 7 days on/7 days off basis. I thought I was prepared the first time around after going through a board prep course. The strategy that I used the second time around, I actually picked up from reading this site. I combed through MKSAP series book after book, took actual notes, re-wrote my notes several times, took MKSAP Q several times (over and over again); tookmedstudy Q several times. I started studying in November last year, the day I learned I failed. I dedicated a month for each system. It worked for me. So, for those who failed, I say: Keep your head up, there will be better days, and do not give up. Your as talented of a physician as anyone else; this exam has no bearing on your skills and dedication. For those who passed: Congrats, well deserved.

 

[c5a]

Passed!

I failed last year with a 369, just like the previous poster. Went through a 2-3 month depression. Will post on how to overcome this. I want to see my score breakdown to see what studying strategies worked best.

I needed this forum to help me understand that I was not a bad physician, it just wasn't my day... and I needed to learn a little more. You will overcome this! Hang in there for anyone who failed. It's not the end of the world, though it feels like it at the time.

 

[Tastebuds]

Hi everyone,
I am sooo depressed that I just found out I failed the abim on my first attempt. I thought I studied hard: I made my own notes on mksap and went over those multiple times, went to a board review course. I started studying months before the exam. I am going to be a hospitalist...do you need to be certified to be a hospitalist?? Mentally, I can't get myself to start studying again. Anyone please help. Do I need to take this exam again? 🙁
And now starting a new job...I'm going to feel inadequate...as if I'm not competent. I don't know what to do....

 

[academicpath23]

I am not much for writing posts. However, I feel compelled to share my experience with those who unfortunately failed the ABIM board exam. I failed the exam on my first attempt last year. My standard score was 369 (pass 370). I had 146 correct answers out of 200; so my percentage was 71%. I retook the exam this year, and I passed. Let me just say, I truly empathize with those who failed. It is devastating. It took me months to get over it. It is embarrassing, and it simply feels awful. Recognize, as bad as you may feel today, all things will pass. This will pass too. I am a hospitalist, who will be starting fellowship soon. I work on 7 days on/7 days off basis. I thought I was prepared the first time around after going through a board prep course. The strategy that I used the second time around, I actually picked up from reading this site. I combed through MKSAP series book after book, took actual notes, re-wrote my notes several times, took MKSAP Q several times (over and over again); tookmedstudy Q several times. I started studying in November last year, the day I learned I failed. I dedicated a month for each system. It worked for me. So, for those who failed, I say: Keep your head up, there will be better days, and do not give up. Your as talented of a physician as anyone else; this exam has no bearing on your skills and dedication. For those who passed: Congrats, well deserved.

Congratulations to all the newly minted ABIM certified MDs! That test was a beast and by no means easy.

To those that didn't pass this year, please hang in there. This one test doesn't define you as a physician or as a person. We will all have bad days throughout our careers, if it didn't happen for you this year theres nothing stopping you from putting in the time and effort into destroying the exam next year. Regardless of what happened to you this year you will go into that next exam with the experience and knowledge of your last test day as a foundation. You already know what the timing is like, the breaks, the style of questions, etc... you will go into it again with an advantage first time test takers never get. There are so many resources out there between MKSAP and medstudy, etc... that with dedication and intense study there is nothing stopping you from passing. As painful as it can be and as much as I wouldn't wish it on anyone, remember that the experience of studying for it again can only make you a more knowledgeable physician in the end. I'm sorry to anyone that has to take it again but please remember all it meant is you didn't pass in 2012, it does not define you or all the good work you do and help you provide as a physician to those in distress.

Hi you guys- thanks so very much for taking the time to post your genuine, encouraging thoughts. A lot of good docs out there hurting because of the ABIM.

 

[Thinker123]

Hey Peeps! PASSED! I finally got the courage to check an hour or so ago and I've been so excited sharing that I'm just getting back to the screen.

Congrats to those of you who passed!

To those who failed, stay strong. The bad feeling will wear off after a while and you will rise again like a Phoenix! I had failed it twice before years apart for good reasons but nobody cares about reasons. I had felt bad until someone on here who had failed it 5 times gave me some strength. When I read it and saw that person had not given up and was still trying, I decided I could too. It was just helpful to see others in the same boat. This site is where I met my study partner and having a study partner was the best thing to helping me pass. Studying alone in secret sucks. If you can make the studying more fun and talk a lot (via Skype...free) then you remember conversations. I had felt much better after the exam but my last booklet was hard.

I want to thank you all for being supportive. It was helpful for me to have a place to not be in hiding, I'll see you all in 10 years! LOL

 

[Thinker123]

Hi everyone,
I am sooo depressed that I just found out I failed the abim on my first attempt. I thought I studied hard: I made my own notes on mksap and went over those multiple times, went to a board review course. I started studying months before the exam. I am going to be a hospitalist...do you need to be certified to be a hospitalist?? Mentally, I can't get myself to start studying again. Anyone please help. Do I need to take this exam again? 🙁
And now starting a new job...I'm going to feel inadequate...as if I'm not competent. I don't know what to do....

You'll be OK. Most hospitals give physicians 3-5 years from when they finished residency to pass. Keep in mind that there are people who failed it more than once (like me). I think what helped me most was having a partner to study with via skype. I remember conversations well. After giving yourself a break, find a study partner and take your time going through the topics. I was only able to put in the correct number of hours to study because my mind was convinced I was having fun. Pick a cool (but serious) partner you can laugh with. Make a real schedule.

You WILL do it!

 

[smartreader]

Passed!! I'm a very grateful first time test taker. I studied for 10 months - used the MedStudy curriculum and the MKSAP questions (finished roughly half of the MKSAP question bank).

As a Canadian PGY4 resident, having not yet taken the Canadian board exams (the Royal College) it feels good to be American Board Certified for the time being 🙂

 

[advice]

Hello all 🙂 I failed 1st time, passed this time, and I promised myself that if I passed the 2nd time, I would offer help to others since this is where I found my help. I remember feeling like I had no where else to turn for advice, so this was it for me, so here goes:

First of all, my biggest obstacle in prepping for this bad boy was seriously my overwhelming fear that I MAY FAIL AGAIN. That preoccupied my mind and honestly distracted me from being able to study at times. Here is my recipe for success, and I hope--yours too ☺ :

*** MAKE A SCHEDULE AND STICK TO IT. I am a fellow who took it in 2011 for the first time, just after finishing residency. I had never done well on ITE's (never did much reading in residency since I worked a ton). However, here is my background: I am American, attended a well-known Med school in the USA, and had passed all previous Steps...so the failure was a shock. I paid for the re-score even!!! I basically got a sheet of paper with no details of my score report (like I had hoped for)--that just said, "sorry Dr, we were right the first time."

Something that someone wrote on here that really stuck with me when I studied is "respect the test." I think that even though I had studied the first time, I didn't put much more into it than I had done with the USMLE Steps...and you need to realize that THIS IS DIFFERENT! and is harder than the USMLE. So, my first time around, I studied 8 weeks, and the 2nd time, 14 weeks.

The 2nd time for ABIM 2012: I told myself, ok I am busy with fellowship and call, so I switched with other fellows so that I had no call the 6 weeks before the test.

I stuck to my study schedule. I started the first week of May 2012, and studied 14 weeks, and I think I only had 2 days off studying during that time. And, yes, I worked most days of the week, as I am a fellow. I had no life besides study and work for 14 weeks. But, I did tell my PD that I failed, so he helped me switch around my schedule so that I had lighter rotations May-Aug, and I did tons of call and heavy rotations Jan-April.

I don’t know how some of these guys studied for 10 months! I would die. And, I would forget stuff too. I hated studying, and only did it b/c I needed to pass the ABIM just once so that I can sit for my fellowship boards. I may never even take ABIM again.

So, you write out a schedule in pencil, and then each day you read and you do questions.

My formula:
MKSAP 15 online Q’s x3
Medstudy Q CD (just around 530 Q’s) x1
and I read Board Basics 2—4x.

I started off reading a topic and doing 25 Q throughout all of May. The book isn’t super long so it really is manageable. I got through it twice in May, and then in June I started doing more Q’s per day, so I got through it once, and then in July, I increased the # of MKSAP Q’s even more up to 50-75 a day. In the end of July, I read BB2 the 4th and last time.

But, I did something different this time. THIS TOOK LOTS OF TIME. I wrote out every single question and explanation from MKSAP (got the idea off this forum) …all 1094 Q’s, and filed them into an enormous binder separated out by subject. Then, the 2nd and 3rd time, it was quicker as the Q’s and answers were already written out. By August, the reading should be over--I focused on Q's only, like 100-150/day at that point.

I also bought a large notebook and as I read BB2 the 1st and 2nd times, I jotted down notes on topics that I knew that I needed to learn better, or memorize even. This way, when I got to the end of studying in August, this notebook would be a great quick review.

So, in summary:
1) Make a schedule-write it out—and stick to it! (Pencil so that if something comes up, you can erase and re-write over it)
2) Be realistic—do not take it if you have something major going on—wedding, new baby, or sickness—remember, you need to “respect the test,” so you may need to defer a year if there is a major distraction
3) Have faith in yourself!
4) Keep ties at least to a couple of people—you will need them for support when you are down! I cut out lots of friends for these 14 weeks but my parents and spouse were very much there for me.

***I took a review course the 1st time around for ABIM 2011 and failed. Don’t assume these are a guaranteed ticket to a pass—I guess I did think so, as the advertisement did guarantee a pass—and then I failed. I only read the books from the class the first time (that is what the prof advertised—"read my books twice and do MKSAP Q’s and you will pass for sure" he said), and the 2nd time, when reading BB2—I realized that SO MUCH of what I had learned in that stupid board review course—was WRONG!

Also, try to think positive. I questioned if I was really cut out to be an MD. Yes you are! We are blessed to have this opportunity to help people who can’t help themselves. Remember that—and good luck!

When I get my score report, I will let you guys know if the scores from ABIM 2011 and 2012 were strikingly different ☺

Best of luck!!!

 

[advice]

oops

 

[advice]

Hi everyone,
I am sooo depressed that I just found out I failed the abim on my first attempt. I thought I studied hard: I made my own notes on mksap and went over those multiple times, went to a board review course. I started studying months before the exam. I am going to be a hospitalist...do you need to be certified to be a hospitalist?? Mentally, I can't get myself to start studying again. Anyone please help. Do I need to take this exam again? 🙁
And now starting a new job...I'm going to feel inadequate...as if I'm not competent. I don't know what to do....

DO NOT start studying right now. You will be too distracted--and you have plenty of time! And you are not a failure! Read my long post below under my name--"advice." Should help give you direction. Reading all the MKSAP OR Medstudy books is just too much info I think. Board Basics 2 is amazing!!!

 

[2012ABIM]

Sorry to hear that some people failed ABIM.

And congratulations to anyone who passed.

Failure to pass the boards is a pain and a big loss of money, time, reputation, and respect.

I has failed last year and this costs me nearly 100k. Why? I am currently a hospitalist and do 14 requested shifts monthly, before the result, I did extra shifts and earn extra 7-12k/month. After the result, I felt depressed and refused to take extra shifts in order to study for the boards, I also spent money for Medstudy, Kaplan, and Awesome review.

The biggest loss is my reputation and respect. Some people in my group have changed their mind about me, although I did a very good job for all of my patients and my colleagues.

My residency program contacted me because they could not believe that I failed.

I finished my residency and started doing hospitalist on 07/05/2011. I never failed any boards and was overconfident for ABIM exam. I took the exam and felt very confident about my performance. I even finished my last year exam before permitted hours. And you know, I FAILED ( LAST YEAR ).

During the first week after I knew I failed, I had OCD, I checked ABIM website again and again, hoping that they might make a mistake and my result would change from "fail" to "pass". I guess people who failed this year will have OCD like me also.

The next 3 months after the result were so terrible for me, I was so depressed, tried to accept the reality, and prepare to study again.

After the failure, I am still doing hospitalist work but people treated me differently, they started to dump work on me and gave me very bad schedule. I was patient and calm to do it ( but I was very depressed and unhappy ), So I volunteered for night shifts and studied at night for 10 months. I did not sleep during my calls. I thought I was very well prepared this year but I felt very terrible after the 2012 ABIM exam. I was shaking to open ABIM website to check my result this am, thank God I passed.

Immediately after the 2012 ABIM exam, I started to apply for a new job. I attended a MD career fair in Los Angeles and submitted my CV to recruiters. I knew that I was not board certified so I was open for day, night, swing shifts. Can you believe? I got 7 offers for nocturnist jobs in cluding Kaiser (everywhere is looking for nocturnists) and 1 offer for day time hospitalist job. I have signed a new contract for day time hospitalist and gave a 90-day leaving notice to my current employer. The program manager and director were shocked because I am leaving. I am sure that they could not find any nocturnists in the next 12 months. The nocturnist jobs are so hot now.

I will post my study experience later.
__________________

 

[Vitamin_Ng]

hey everyone-- first time test-taker here, and i'm relieved to say that i passed!

but having said that, i remember feeling demoralized at the end of the test, thinking that it was impossible-- and that was pretty much the consensus of everyone in my residency program that i talked to after the test.

i just wanted to go back and address a post earlier in the thread-- someone declared that if a person hadn't started studying already (the post was dated 6/30/12) then he should cancel the test and take it the following year. well, my time management skills during residency weren't the best, so i never carved out dedicated time to board studying during my rotations. my studying started about a week after the end of residency. i was fortunate enough to be able to take time off and solely study for the boards. i studied for 5 1/2 weeks, and i routinely logged 10-12 hour days (with weekends off) and studied for it like it was my job (with admittedly waaaaay too many tv breaks for watching the olympics!) i was almost able to get through all the MKSAP Q's twice, and read through most of medstudy. i thought the MKSAP Q's were the most valuable study tool i used (although the length and structure of questions and the amount of detail provided are not very representative of the boards questions). my 2nd time through the MKSAP Q's, if i still felt weak on a topic, i would actually go back to the MKSAP text and read about it. i'm just bummed that i hadn't found out about board basics 2 until about a week before the exam; otherwise, i probably would have used that as a primary study tool, based on all of the positive reviews it has garnered. medstudy might have been useful if i had started studying early enough. the text is somewhat dense (although nowhere near as dense as the actual MKSAP text), but there are some valuable pearls scattered throughout. my only beef is that some of the intro chapters to the topic books were very basic sciencey or focused too much on basic, fundamental concepts. if you want an example of what i'm talking about, just flip through the ENTIRE section of allergy & immunology or the multiple pages in the renal book that are devoted to literally walking you through the renal tubules and describing how the ion channels work-- yes, knowing that stuff cold would help you to keep all the different RTA types straight...but it's tough when you have limited time to study, and your aim is to learn the highest yield material that will help you pass. so again, if you are disciplined enough to plan ahead and start early, medstudy could be solid. i can't speak to their question bank, though. another big unknown was the usmleworld qbank-- i had such great success with it prepping for steps 2 and 3, but i honestly didn't feel comfortable being a guinea pig and paying for an untested and unproven qbank with such limited time to study. i'd be interested in people's experiences with it this year. oh, and i almost forgot-- i paid ~$50 for the mksap audio files on e-bay-- they were definitely the lowest yield material. i felt like some of the the discussions were rather superficial, and half the time the host would be bantering with the guest, or tangents would spin off and just dissolve into random stories. however, there were times when i had to drive around and was held captive in LA traffic, and at least listening to the audio files psychologically made me feel like i was being productive. just a caveat though-- there are literally THOUSANDS of files, and i think i only got through ~300. if you were to use them, i would recommend either skimming through the track titles to look for high yield topics or random obscure zebra diseases that you're not familiar with. or just start listening to them ridiculously early so you can ensure you can get through all of them!

anyway, to wrap up-- the bottom line is, i thought the test was challenging. but it was very clear and obvious that the abim was testing some basic bread and butter concepts that literally everyone and their mother should have mastered in residency. and yes, there were also some crazy out of left-field, obviously experimental questions as well. i think the key is to take solace in knowing that you will definitely know some of the questions cold both from completing residency and from MKSAP Q's, and not get hung up on counting how many of the impossible experimental questions you missed that are destined to get thrown out or (presumably) get weighted less anyway. having said that-- after walking out of that test, i did not feel like either medstudy or MKSAP were adequate prep for the exam. it's hard to explain, but it's like spending so much time to prepare for one experience, and then getting hit by a mack truck and not fully understanding or comprehending what just hit you-- walking out of the test, i literally asked myself "where did those questions come from?!" so quite frankly, i wouldn't have been shocked if i had failed-- and if that had been the case, i would have had to face the challenge of coming up with a new study regimen and i honestly wouldn't know where to start. so i think it's great that other people are sharing their experiences; particularly people who failed the first time, and succeeded the second (or third or more) time around, as well as people who have successfully studied while working a full time job and spending time with their family. i can't give advice to people who are in those situations. but to R3's who are getting antsy about their upcoming boards-- if i could do it over again, i would definitely use MKSAP Q's, and look into using BB2. my experience with medstudy was a wash, but it has the potential to be solid. mksap audio files are just icing on the cake, and i would definitely not use them as a primary study tool, but just use it to fill in gaps while you're commuting, waiting around for laundry to dry, or working out at the gym. i would try to be disciplined and read and do Q's topically based on whatever outpatient rotation i was on at the time, to reinforce the material. (at my program, our R3 year is split evenly between inpatient rotations and outpatient subspecialty clinics, and the blocks alternate, which is a schedule that would be conducive to steady, consistent studying.) i personally wouldn't spend the time or money to attend an in-person board review (although in talking with several peds residents, doing a board review is the status quo for them.) i know there have been a ton of posts over the years from many people sharing their study tactics from numerous books, qbanks, reviews, etc-- but don't go crazy thinking you have to buy every book out there and read it 5 times. be wise, find tried and true study materials that most people use. exercise restraint in picking how many sources you want to use, but know them well! if you have the discipline to start early-- go for it! but by the same token, i survived a 5 1/2 week study blitz, and i know virtually all of my co-residents studied on the shorter side as well (all while juggling jobs, fellowships, families)-- so don't let people talk you down and psych you out if you got a late start.

anyway, i think this is a very helpful, supportive community. and i definitely picked up test-taking tips and mnemonics on here that helped me during the exam! thanks, and best of luck to future test-takers!!!

ps: just a funny side story, but i ended up having to move up my test date by a full week due to visitors coming into town and finding out my new job's start date. when i tried to reschedule with pearson vue, it turned out that there were no remaining available test dates in the ENTIRE state of california that would fit my schedule, so i ended up having to fly to phoenix, AZ to take the boards-- and that meant cramming all of my medstudy and MKSAP books into a 20" suitcase. well, my one farewell act as i was getting ready to leave pearson vue and head to the airport was to drag my suitcase behind the testing site and chuck all of my books into the dumpster. it was an AMAZING, CATHARTIC feeling (plus, it made my suitcase a helluva lot lighter)! and it was uncharacteristically ballsy of me-- because if i passed i would never need those books again. but if i failed, it was hundreds of dollars' worth of material lost-- but i also knew if i failed, i was already committed to starting over fresh and with a clean slate. anyway, it was just a funny, emotional moment for me!

 

[Thinker123]

They have already updated status on ABIM's website. Good through 2022 sounds good to me. LOL Aren't flying cars due out then?

 

[Thinker123]

As for me, I don't want to post any detailed study tips until I see my score report. Ha ha.

If you failed, next time use a Study partner ...it helps. Study Partner, Real Schedule, BB2, MKSAP Qs at least 3 times, Some Video Review Course (if you get tired of reading like I do).

Even if you change the schedule a bunch like we did (when we needed extra time on a topic), it is still better than nothing. It's OK if you have to modify. Having a reasonable schedule kept me calm. Towards the end (when you redo everything) you will be forced to stick to the schedule. You will definitely need to do everything again (like the 20 days before the exam, review 1-2 days per topic again). Give yourself like the last 4 days off to fill in whatever weaknesses you have.

As far as when to start, each person should decide for him/her self. I started in February and I don't think that was too early. There were about 5 weeks where I didn't do much but other than that I studied. I think early is good. That one guy who didn't need much time had studied the year before so that probably helped him. If you have a study partner you will remember more. Whatever you forget will come back to you quicker the second time. One reason I wouldn't say wait beyond Feb is the materials are all new...MKSAP16, BB3. At least if it were just reviewing all the stuff you used this year (MKSAP15, BB2) that might be different.

 

[billyvision]

First time test taker and passed.

My materials and strategy

MKSAP 15 questions on iPad . Highlight important points and save in notes application.
Questions done x1. Prior to exam print out my notes and go over them.
MKSAP 14 questions x1
MEDstudy videos x1. Some videos twice.
Making notes from med study
USMLE world questions. Only did the subjects in which I was weak. Would not recommend as test was comparatively easier than insane UW questions.

Used MKSAP BOARD review basics 2 book only for chapters which I though I was weak in based on in training exams.

In short I focused on doing questions and did not do a whole lot of reading.
Total study time started in march till exam. But time was dedicated and in library.

I hope this will help future test takers.

 

[DarkKnight77]

First time ABIM test taker. awoke at 5:30 am to the sad news that I had failed. Obviously didn't spend enough time studying. Went through MKSAP 15 questions and that's pretty much it. I had sparingly gone through First Aid and Med study throughout residency but knowledge of these subjects did not seem to stick. I know I have to set a schedule. I am an internist at a community health center and have plenty of time. Any ideas on when and how I should maximize my study time? Is it too early to start now?

Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up. (Batman Begins)

 

[Tastebuds]

Thank you for the words of encouragement...I really need that right now. I don't know what to do differently to study..I started studying last sept..read through and made notes on all the mksap books, went through all the mksap questions and made notes on those. I went to a board review class, and had a study partner (the same study partner for all the steps). I don't honestly know what I can do differently. I really took this test seriously and studied hard. Can anyone give me advice on what I can do differently??

You'll be OK. Most hospitals give physicians 3-5 years from when they finished residency to pass. Keep in mind that there are people who failed it more than once (like me). I think what helped me most was having a partner to study with via skype. I remember conversations well. After giving yourself a break, find a study partner and take your time going through the topics. I was only able to put in the correct number of hours to study because my mind was convinced I was having fun. Pick a cool (but serious) partner you can laugh with. Make a real schedule.

You WILL do it!

 

[gutonc]

I finished my residency and started doing hospitalist on 07/05/2011. I never failed any boards and was overconfident for ABIM exam. I took the exam and felt very confident about my performance. I even finished my last year exam before permitted hours. And you know, I FAILED ( LAST YEAR ).

I think that part I emphasized above is huge. Most of us go into this never having failed a standardized exam. We've been taking them for our whole career (MCAT, clerkship shelf exams, Steps 1-3, ITEs) and while I've never felt "good" leaving an exam, I never felt like I failed.

The ABIM exam is a whole other ball of wax. It's OK to be confident about it going in, but you better have a damn good reason for it.

 

[gutonc]

Any ideas on when and how I should maximize my study time? Is it too early to start now?

Yes, way too early. Give yourself a break to absorb this and deal with it. Failing is a big deal, give yourself time to get over it. Make studying your New Year's resolution.

 

[Thinker123]

First time ABIM test taker. awoke at 5:30 am to the sad news that I had failed. Obviously didn't spend enough time studying. Went through MKSAP 15 questions and that's pretty much it. I had sparingly gone through First Aid and Med study throughout residency but knowledge of these subjects did not seem to stick. I know I have to set a schedule. I am an internist at a community health center and have plenty of time. Any ideas on when and how I should maximize my study time? Is it too early to start now?

Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up. (Batman Begins)

Sorry to hear that. Yup...it's about being honest about the time you put in. I had failed it twice before spread out over time. Each time I did not put in the appropriate time...different true reasons but nobody cares about whether the reasons are good! The truth is it is hard to dedicate the appropriate time. What helped me most was getting a study partner! (He passed too). It made me do what I was supposed to do because while I don't mind disappointing myself and making excuses, I don't like letting others down. I also remember conversations well. We tried to keep it fun feeling free to laugh and tell stories so my mind found it like a social outing (via skype) that happened to be productive. Studying can be fun...and for me it needed to be. It was the only way I could dedicate the right number of hours. Others will be able to do it merely out of fear or knowing they are becoming a better doctor. For me, for this test, those were not good enough motivators...but having fun and knowing the result would be different ...that worked. Because you failed you may decide to study in secret...that's why it is crucial to have at least one study partner. Find someone on here like I did!

As for when to start, I can't answer that. I think it is different for each person. I would say whenever you feel motivated. You definitely need an off time to recharge. Maybe from August until now was enough. Maybe not. If you do start early you can always give yourself a break later. I would say you need to go over the subjects at least twice (and maybe 3 times). There is such a thing as burn out. You should give yourself a break right before you go into the final 2 months IMO. My minimum recommended time is 2 weeks per MKSAP topic (11) then 2 days per MKSAP topic. So the latest is 176 days before your exam. If you plan it that way and things don't go well then you can cut some subjects to 1 week or 10 days but it is nice to have it at 2 weeks first so you have that option.

 

[Thinker123]

Thank you for the words of encouragement...I really need that right now. I don't know what to do differently to study..I started studying last sept..read through and made notes on all the mksap books, went through all the mksap questions and made notes on those. I went to a board review class, and had a study partner (the same study partner for all the steps). I don't honestly know what I can do differently. I really took this test seriously and studied hard. Can anyone give me advice on what I can do differently??

It's true you need to feel like you are doing something different and that it will work out this time. One thing that cheered me up was hearing about Board basics. I didn't know about that book...or that it was good. So my different things were:
-Video Review
-A study Partner
-Board Basics 2
-Actually doing all the MKSAP Questions this time. This was the first time I actually did all the questions. I was stubborn before and was saving them (didn't want to feel bad) and ran out of time.

My point is you are right you need to find at least one thing different for sanity. I think with this test you need to go over things 2-3 times so if you started in September and just went over thing once maybe that would be the different thing.

When we did the MKSAP questions, we took turns odd and even and we read through ALL the answers and looked things up we didn't understand...sent each other links. We made sure both were comfortable before we moved on. I feel some of the test came from looking up stuff that we were uncomfortable with and had to look up.

It sounds like you might have read all the MKSAP books. That is not board focused enough. You are better off going over BB2 (now 3) multiple times (or med study or some other review) and focusing on the questions.

 

[DarkKnight77]

Sorry to hear that. Yup...it's about being honest about the time you put in. I had failed it twice before spread out over time. Each time I did not put in the appropriate time...different true reasons but nobody cares about whether the reasons are good! The truth is it is hard to dedicate the appropriate time. What helped me most was getting a study partner! (He passed too). It made me do what I was supposed to do because while I don't mind disappointing myself and making excuses, I don't like letting others down. I also remember conversations well. We tried to keep it fun feeling free to laugh and tell stories so my mind found it like a social outing (via skype) that happened to be productive. Studying can be fun...and for me it needed to be. It was the only way I could dedicate the right number of hours. Others will be able to do it merely out of fear or knowing they are becoming a better doctor. For me, for this test, those were not good enough motivators...but having fun and knowing the result would be different ...that worked. Because you failed you may decide to study in secret...that's why it is crucial to have at least one study partner. Find someone on here like I did!

As for when to start, I can't answer that. I think it is different for each person. I would say whenever you feel motivated. You definitely need an off time to recharge. Maybe from August until now was enough. Maybe not. If you do start early you can always give yourself a break later. I would say you need to go over the subjects at least twice (and maybe 3 times). There is such a thing as burn out. You should give yourself a break right before you go into the final 2 months IMO. My minimum recommended time is 2 weeks per MKSAP topic (11) then 2 days per MKSAP topic. So the latest is 176 days before your exam. If you plan it that way and things don't go well then you can cut some subjects to 1 week or 10 days but it is nice to have it at 2 weeks first so you have that option.

Thanks. That actually helps alot. I am planning on doing just what you said above so it bolsters my strategy. I'm going to get a study partner and spend time (about 3 weeks) on each topic. I hope I can post on here next year that I passed. I will definitely remember your words of advice.

 

[Arsenic]

I agree with Gutonc. Anyone who just got the news that they didn't pass will need time to process this. In the short term you're probably better off gathering your thoughts and tackling this starting in January as if you try studying now you won't be as focused. By January you'll have your score report from the ABIM and will be able to see a breakdown of all your subject areas so that you can plan your study schedule/strategy accordingly.

One thing that helped me immensely was Boards Basics. It was a truly amazing resource for me in particular because of its ability to take the essentials needed for the boards and combine it with tables, pictures, diagrams, strategy and "don't be tricked" tips throughout on how you might see the info tested on the boards. MKSAP is an invaluable source for reviewing internal medicine but the way its presented in the MKSAP book series is as if you were reading a text book. The charts and sections within the actual MKSAP books aren't really designed for test review rather more for giving you a very detailed review of everything in that particular section of internal medicine. Thats where boards basics comes into play and synthesizes all the essentials into one book. Its not perfect by any means but what I did was use my boards basics as my main book and I'd annotate it with things I learned from the MKSAP questions or videos, etc... so that at the end all my boards notes were all in one place. Boards basics 3 won't be released until the end of December so thats probably more reason to wait for now just because some things have changed like the screening guidelines for cervical ca, breast ca, etc... just to name a couple of things. If you wait for BB3 you'll probably have less things to scratch out come review time.

As for other resources, I actually invested in the Med Study videos in addition to MKSAP complete. Overkill to some pepple I know but I knew myself and I knew that reading all the time and just doing questions wouldn't keep me as interested in the material as the visuals of the videos. I actually started early and tried to read through the MKSAP series and only got through 2 books before I realized I just couldn't absorb the info that way (at least not long term). I'm just a more visual person so hearing and seeing things helped me more. The videos can be found secondhand online as through medstudy they are very expensive. The main advantage of the videos is if you are weak in something like say eye diseases or rheumatology, endocrine or dermatology for example you can just watch those sections over and over again before your exam to really solidify the must know points prior to the ABIM exam.

 

[Thinker123]

Thanks. That actually helps a lot. I am planning on doing just what you said above so it bolsters my strategy. I'm going to get a study partner and spend time (about 3 weeks) on each topic. I hope I can post on here next year that I passed. I will definitely remember your words of advice.

Yeah...3 weeks per topic sounds good. This way if things get messed up you can fall back on 2 weeks. I'd save topics like Cards, ID, and Derm for closer to the exam...not earlier than May.To do them now, you may not remember the details you need. Keep in mind though that 3 weeks each then 2 days each comes out to 253 days. That's 8.43 months. You need to try not to burn out. You can always do a combination of 2's and 3's.

Find a cool, fun dependable partner. We shared tangential stories. I don't consider any of that a waste. It helps me remember things better. You don't want someone who says "This is strictly business" and never laughs. LOL Skype is the way to go. It's free and works well. You can send each other links.

You will have fun studying. I sure did. I still have a better memory of the conversations than what I read. Always be honest with your partner if you don't understand something. Take the time. Sometimes both of you won't understand and you will Google things. Other times, the one who understands can explain to the other.

 

[nne97080]

@2012abim your story is very encouraging. I wish all those who would be retaking it all the best. Almost all the people I know who retook it passed the second time around. I know it must be devastating. Please keep faith and be encouraged.

Which city do you work as hospitalist and how much did you pay in taxes last year? I don't want to work extra just to pay it all on taxes.

 

[Thinker123]

@2012abim your story is very encouraging. I wish all those who would be retaking it all the best. Almost all the people I know who retook it passed the second time around. I know it must be devastating. Please keep faith and be encouraged.
.

This is a good point on second attempt but one thing I will mention is take the second attempt seriously. When I took it for the 2nd time (even though not right afterwards), since I was so close the first time, I figured if I just do a little more I should be good. I would have been better off failing the first time miserably so I would have been more thourough the second time. So...even if you were close...still do a LOT more.

 

[pipes118]

Hi, I'm a recently graduated PGY-3, and although I did pass, I wanted to mention that I'm someone who did really terribly on all the inservice exams (I actually did worse in my third year, but I sort of blame that on my terrible CCU rotation). I was very concerned about passing the boards, and here are my study tips.

First, as a young attending wisely told me, residency does not end in June. It ends when you finish taking the exam! Respect the test!!! It is not easy!!

In terms of schedule, I did not start studying in January.. our program is very back loaded (as well as front loaded, haha) so I had had no time to devote study time during residency. I ended up really starting my board prep in mid June and took the test the last day in August.

The most important thing to know is HOW YOU RETAIN INFORMATION. Everyone in my program did MKSAP 15 and MedStudy. However I knew that me sitting passively and trying to read MedStudy (and falling asleep) would be completely worthless. So all I did was MKSAP in the end because I knew that doing questions was the best way I learned (as I realized from all my USMLE steps).

I drafted a schedule, and I devoted about 2 days to each subject question bank. I would just go through 100 questions straight through and read the answer explanations quickly. And then I went through again, typing up notes for every single question and tried to understand all the answer choices. That same attending also told me that if there was anything in the question or in the answer choices I didn't understand, I should LOOK IT UP and read more about it. I found that super helpful.

I did this for all the subjects, and then would take time and read through all my typed notes. Reviewing these notes for me was key because as I tried to organize all my notes, I realized I was actively synthesizing the information. The benefit of having them typed up on my laptop was that i was able to rearrange certain information, organizing it in a way that made sense to me. I'm a very active learner, so this was important. I have an inability to retain anything passively (which is why I couldn't stand the first 2 years of med school)

I then went back and did all the questions again. However this time, I would mix it up so that I would do a question bank of 50-100 questions of say, rheum, cards, and ID. Again, I would read through the answer choices quickly the first time around and then go back again and read the answer explanations thoroughly.

So it was like I did the questions 4 times.

Beyond that, MKSAP does not test you on stats/interpreting ABG stuff, so definitely know that. They are gimme questions on the test and you don't want to miss them. Memorize all the acid-base compensation formulas too. And NNT, AR, etc...

I'm waiting to see if I barely passed or passed comfortably. After the test, I knew it was hard but definitely a fair test if you had put the work in.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Bandido]

Failed the test one more time. I have so many questions on how to pass this test, what should I do differently... Maybe I need tutoring on how to retain information or how to answer questions???
I studied from January till August. Read most Medstusy books and did lots of MKSAP 15 questions, but not all. I went to Medstudy review in May and I felt like this was a good review. I felt more comfortable this year and thought I had a good chance of passing since I was retaining more information and was doing better in questions (70-75% average). I took notes, however at some point it turned out to be too much material to go over so in the end I only reviewed the Medstudy review syllabus and did not do many questions closer to the exam.
I plan to take it next year since I feel it will be easier to retain the information as opposed to wait a year in between.
I have read some of the previous posts and it seems like a good idea to have a study partner who is serious about passing and can keep a schedule. I plan on starting to study early since I am not good on cramming information, and I get insecure if I have not gone through all of the material.
It seems like most people here did Board Basics. Although I have the book I felt like it was too short on information. Maybe it's just high yield? Did you guys use it as you primary study book?
I plan on reading Medstudy again and doing ALL the MKSAP questions and more if I can. I would like to go over the books at least twice, and I'm shooting for three times the MKSAP questions. If I can do them a fourth time it will be ideal. I have learned to respect the test and every item counts.
I do not plan on going to a review course next year since I still have the syllabus and it will not make a difference if I do not study deeply. Besides, it is too much money to throw away. The good thing about reviews is to be isolated from the rest of the world knowing that no one can interrupt because they KNOW I will be in a conference and I know I have to be there and not waste time.
Of those who took Awesome Bard review, do you think it helps? Should I get the syllabus from someone?
So here goes my plan, please comment on what to do differently or add something that helped you.
1. Create a schedule.
2. Find study partner (if someone here is interested let me know).
3. Read Medstudy Core Curriculum and maybe complement with the videos. Will take notes as I go through.
4. MKSAP questions. Will take notes on the questions and their answers.
5. Board Basics. Will take notes as well.
***MKSAP 16 & BB 3 are out there this year. Would you buy them or stick to the old ones you have?
Thanks in advance.

 

[2012ABIM]

Hi all,

If you failed the boards, you may have difficulty finding good job but it is easy to get nocturnist job.

This is my experience, I was not board certified 2 months ago and applied for hospitalist jobs. In my CV I stated that I was open for any shifts and got 7 offers for nocturnist position in various locations and some of them in my prefered locations.

Hospitals, medical groups, hospitalist groups.. have difficulty hiring nocturnists. This happens almost everywhere.

You can do nocturnist job and study during night shifts.

 

[enjoyitall]

In response to Bandido above ......What helped me alot was doing lots of questions...........MKSAP and medstudy questions. I would suggest doing the MKSAP 16 questions as well. All the best!

 

[CanIMakeIt]

First time test taker - passed thankfully. Felt really terrible leaving the test.

@Bandido - BB2 or 3 are not primary books, but they are very high yield books - some of the questions that I suspected I missed (and I did) were clearly given in the sections I hadn't read as bullet points. I will wait and buy MKSAP 16 in Dec/Jan if I were you, and start studying as it will contain the most updated information. Do BB3 after you are done with the topics - either you can do topic book and review in BB3 or finish all topic books and then do BB3 when you are doing questions for the first time or reviewing. I think what helped me the most was reading the explanation to ALL the questions carefully (even to the ones I got correct) so see why i got something correct vs incorrect.

Good Luck guys

 

[Hospitalistdad]

@ Bandito-I have failed also, x2, so I know your pain. Knowing you take good care of your patients and love your job only to have one test say you may not be fit. I cannot even begin to put together a plan although i know I am not giving up. I want to do mksap16, BB3, medstudy questions and videos also. Not sure if it would be prudent to retake in August,2013 or wait until 2014(last two times I took the test in August). I guess I have to see the score report. I feel like a coaching service to learn how to take the test would be great-but alas, I am not sure that exists. What r your plans in terms of retesting? Lets be study partners.

 

[Hospitalistdad]

Has anyone heard of a rescore request yielding a pass or is this a moneypitt?

 

[Melodoc]

Before I start my post, I want to congratulate all who passed the ABIM exam and extend my heartfelt encouragement to those who failed--you can and will get through this.

This too, shall pass.

My personal journey to passing this exam has been rather non-traditional and not without heartache along the way. I am sharing it to lend context (and perhaps, comfort) to those who are struggling right now.

For starters here's a quick glimpse of my "standardized" testing history:

MCAT x 4 times:
#1: 7VR, 6PS, 6BS
#2: 8VR, 7PS, 7BS
#3: 6VR, 7PS, 7BS
#4: 5VR, 7PS, 10BS

Step 1: 193 / 79
Step 2 CK: Failed x 1 (180 / 73)
Step 2 CK re-take: 216 / 89
Step 2 CS: Pass
Step 3: 211 / 88

ABIM: Pass! (first time)

(I went to a Caribbean medical school after over 100 rejections from American Allopathic and Osteopathic programs.)

I was an average student in medical school (ranked in the middle of my class) though I did excel in my 3rd year clinical rotations and 4th year electives. Because I had failed my Step 2 CK exam, my options for residency programs became limited and I received 79 rejections of the 80 programs I applied to. One program gave me a spot during the scramble and that was all I needed.

I struggled as an Intern; starting work earlier than my peers and always staying later. Although I gradually improved my work efficiency during PGY-2 year, my in-service training exam (ITE) scores for PGY-1 and PGY-2 years were 18th percentile for both years. (It improved to 32nd percentile during my Chief Resident / PGY-3 year.)

I graduated from residency this past June with a sinking feeling that I was not prepared to sit for and pass the ABIM exam. My Program Director sat me down, went over my in-service training exam scores, and advised that the ITE was a fairly good predictor for passing the boards.

He encouraged me to take the board exam since my 32nd percentile score was well above the 20th percentile threshold of pass/fail. At that point, I decided to go ahead and sit for the exam and my confidence was bolstered a bit. (Actually, I, and many of my peers had believed that one needed to score in the 50th percentile to have a chance of passing the ABIM exam. So glad this wasn't true.)

He suggested that I focus on mastering the "Educational Objectives" of my ITE that were weak and sharpen the parts of the ITE that would be highly represented (e.g. Cardio, GI, Pulm, Gen Med--see the ABIM blueprint for exact breakdowns). For those of you who might not know what I'm referring to, you should have received an "Examinee Performance Report" along with "Educational Objectives" that list all the items tested on the ITE that year, many of which are repeated year after year.

Thus, with six weeks till the exam, I went to work:

1. Using the MedStudy books, I went over ALL the items that I missed on the ITE and made sure that I could confidently understand the concept. For example, in 2010 I missed item A55 (Cardiology question), of which the educational objective was "Diagnose ischemia-induced papillary muscle dysfunction." I made sure to look up that concept and ensure that I'd be able to recognize it in a question and answer it correctly among common distractors.

2. I did almost all of the MKSAP 15 (online) questions (scored ~65%). Subject by subject (i.e. not mixed). As I tackled the educational objectives from my ITE's I answered the corresponding MKSAP questions to reinforce the material and practice my test-taking skills (i.e. reading the question stem first, skimming the answers, then reading the question/vignette and actively asking myself, "what's the concept?" or looking for the clues, if any, that would help me rule-in or rule-out the answer.)

(I ended up doing every question except a handful of Derm and Neuro questions, which I sort of regretted at the time I was taking the board exam as I seemed to have quite a few Neuro questions...I'm curious to see how this plays out when I get the score/subject breakdown.)

I must agree with many of you who said that the MKSAP questions were not enough nor representative of the actual board exam. Many of my board exam questions did not resemble ANY of the MKSAP ones. Of course, concepts taught in the MKSAP program are tested on the boards, however, the actual way that the questions are asked on the board exam are not as straight-forward. (It's hard to explain without an actual example of a board exam question, but I hope you can understand what I mean.)

3. I did all of the USMLE World questions (601 questions in July--they probably have added more). Scanning through many of the prior posts regarding the utility of this question bank, I would have to agree that this relatively new UWorld bank was MUCH harder than my actual board questions. Not to mention that I was only scoring between 40% to 50% correct on every mixed bank I tried. With only one month to go before taking the ABIM exam, you can imagine the angst I was feeling.

The only mitigating factor was that my best friend (and co-Chief Resident) was also scoring in the 50% correct range so we figured (hoped) that these questions might not be representative of the actual boards. (They weren't.)

4. I took the Awesome Review course (January). This course was definitely high yield and I wish I had read through the books a few more times. However, I am not 100% sure that one could definitely pass the boards with a review course alone. Many people recommend sticking with one or two sources and "knowing them extremely well" to pass the boards. My opinion is that using MULTIPLE sources and knowing each of them VERY well might actually be better.

5. I went through most of the new MedStudy Core Scripts flash cards. These are an excellent tool for recognition. In essence, the ABIM exam is multiple choice. One "best answer" is right there in the mix. Since many of the clinical vignettes are written such that you must first make the diagnosis then provide an answer (i.e. second order questioning), these flash cards help you put the symptom complexes together and formulate a diagnosis.

One drawback is that the cards are rather basic and many of them don't rise to the same complexity of the board vignettes. Moreover, my exam, like many others it seems, had at least 7 to 10 ONE LINE questions in each section. You either knew it or you didn't and no amount of time was going to help. No vignette to draw clues from. No labs to analyze. Just a one sentence question and those multiple choice answers. Yeesh.

6. I finished ~100 MedStudy questions. I bought this bank about a week before my board exam. Probably more of a "panic purchase." Not really sure that it helped at all. The questions are not really formatted like the board exam but they're likely a helpful resource in terms of general content review early on.

7. I read through Board Basics 2 one time. I concur that it pulls together all of the most important MKSAP concepts. This book should definitely be used as a primary review source. Brief, concise, high-yield. I especially liked the "Don't be tricked" tips. I surmise that BB3 is just as good if not better and more updated for sure.

8. My last recommendation would be Harrison's Self-Assessment book. While I didn't actually use it for studying prior to the board exam, I bought it afterwards out of curiosity. Looking through it briefly, I came across several questions that were extremely similar to the actual exam. So with that, I suppose it's a worthwhile buy.

All in all, my experiences with "standardized" exams haven't been stellar.

From my multiple MCATs...to a failed Step 2CK attempt...to hiring a personal tutor (very expensive but very worthwhile) for Step 3...and lots of struggling and doubt along the way, I now feel so happy, (relieved!), and thrilled to have passed the ABIM exam.

To those of you who failed. I absolutely know how you feel. Just know that failure is not final...failure is feedback. Take some time to regroup, then re-focus your energy to conquering the ABIM exam next year.

I agree with much of what's been posted previously:

1. The ABIM is no joke. It's a beast. But it can be tamed.

2. Study for this exam from all angles. With a partner. In a group. Using audio/visual aids. Doing thousands of questions. Whatever it takes to master the CONCEPTS tested. (No one had mentioned using the In-service Training Exam materials prior to my post...I really do think these can help immensely in targeting your knowledge gaps, and I thank my Program Director for his guidance in this regard.)

3. Take care of yourself. Stress hampers learning. Eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep. Prime your mind towards crushing this exam.

4. Being Board Certified has NOTHING to do with how good of a person/doctor you are. I know Board Eligible doctors who I would trust my life with. And I know Board Certified docs who I would never want to be associated with. Granted, many contracts require this certification and this is one hoop many of us must leap through.

Hope this post helps in some way.

 

[Thinker123]

Failed the test one more time. I have so many questions on how to pass this test, what should I do differently. ...
So here goes my plan, please comment on what to do differently or add something that helped you.
1. Create a schedule.
2. Find study partner (if someone here is interested let me know).
3. Read Medstudy Core Curriculum and maybe complement with the videos. Will take notes as I go through.
4. MKSAP questions. Will take notes on the questions and their answers.
5. Board Basics. Will take notes as well.
***MKSAP 16 & BB 3 are out there this year. Would you buy them or stick to the old ones you have?
Thanks in advance.

Hi Bandido,

You will get it next time and we'll be rooting for you.

Whatever you do, you need to come up with a system and stick with it. For your first section you will be able to see what works and what you can do. If you try to spread yourself thin it could be problematic. When I was starting this time I had so many sources I liked. I pondered doing the Hopkins Book and med Study along wit the kaplan Conrad Fisher book...in addition to my Pass machine videos, BB2 and MKSAP questions. Yeah right. I soon discovered that wasn't going to work. In the end I ditched most of it and just stuck with my Pass machine Videos (which in theory was supposed to be a complete course by itself) , MKSAP Questions and BB2. I used the other books (Hopkins, MedStudy, etc as reference). MedStudy is popular so going with that could be a great choice. i just went with Pass Machine because I wanted something totally different. I can't say it had the exam content perfectly but I like the review and it made me feel comfortable with each topic before I did the questions. I really enjoyed it as a nice PART of a review.

That being said, if I were you, I would buy the Med Study Home videos. You already went to the course and enjoyed it so really this will be your second time seeing the exact save lectures (it will be from this year). The difference is you can go through them at your own pace and watch them over and over. Don't worry about the money. If you don't succeed you will lose far more. If you are planning to go through the Med Study core, the videos will make that easier and faster so they will earn their money back.

It's a tough thing with the new MKSAP 16. I would just feel like I want to do the latest stuff. BB3...for sure.

One thing we did with BB2 is sometimes we made audio. Basically if you are in the mood to do something but not in the mood to memorize, you can read through BB and record with a digital device. Later on, you can listen to these while you are working out, washing dishes, driving, whatever. It makes you feel like you are not wasting time. You and your partner can agree to do different sections and share. many sections only take a little over 2 hours to listen to. Cardiology takes about 3 hours.

Given your resources, i might do something like:
1. Schedule/Study Partner (make sure you are both happy with the schedule)-make sure the schedule includes going over each of the 11 sections again ...maybe in the 22 days before the exam...2 days per topic.
2. For each topic:
A: Med Study Video
B. Start doing the MKSAP question with your partner at night (only 20 per night maybe).
C. Do your MedStudy Core and BB3 as you go through questions. If you finish them before great...but don't delay the start of the questions. You'll find that sometimes it will be hard for both you and your partner to finish the reading before it is time to do the questions. Don't hold up your partner for this. Just make sure you finish before the block is done. If you finished the video, you at least have a foundation to start questions.
-I don't know how to handle the increased questions. Maybe you could do MKSAP 15 on your own then do MSAP 16 with your partner on Skype I always had fun doing questions with my partner on skype. We went through all the questions taking turns odd and even and reading the answers too. We didn't move on until both were comfortable. We did a lot of Google searches and sending each other links (right on skype). Don't be afraid to admit you don't remember even the SIMPLEST things, It happens. Don't BS each other. If you are not sure, look it up! So much of the exam seemed to come from those conversations we had when we were looking stuff up. The cool thing is while you are looking for one thing you are learning other things while you are reading to find what you were looking for. I think it is better to do the same questions multiple times than to spread yourself thin with so many different questions...so if you decide to do both MKSAP15 and 16, I think that would be enough. Adding those other questions from other sources may spread you thin. I really like the explanations in MKSAP. It thoroughly goes though each wrong answer so those 1000 questions is like 5000 because you could conceive of how each wrong answer might be used in a question...what would need to change from the history etc. Sometimes we even clicked on "related syllabus". It was all about being honest with comfort.

Sometimes going over the questions for the final time, we only had time to read the question, answer, objective and then decide whether we needed to read the actual passage or just read the key point. This was excellent and good enough. If we were uncomfortable, sometimes we read more of the answers...sometimes we read the whole passage.

So the reason you will pass this time is:
1. You will have a study partner and it will be fun. You will remember the conversations you had on the topics. Be sure to laugh a bunch! We did...every single time!
2. You will have the MedStudy Videos to go over at your leisure ...not crammed in 5 days or whatever.
3. You will have done all the MKSAP questions multiple times (maybe even 2 sets)
4. Doing the questions with a partner and as described below, will force you to develop many skill sets which will be very helpful for the exam.
5. You will have read through BB3.

As far as taking the actual test, this time...as we did all though our questions, we read the question and choices first...THEN the passage. We practiced guessing what the question would be about after reading the question and answers. This helped for the exam.

E.G. Which of the following is the likely diagnosis
A. Pulmonary embolism
B. AMI
C. Aortic Dissection
D. GERD
E. Pericarditis

OK...this is likely going to be a patient presenting with chest pain and they want us to be able to sort out how to differentiate these entities. So...already in your head you are thinking how each of these would present...what it is you will be looking for in the question to support or rule out any of these. Partner either agrees or offers another perspective on what the question might be about.

Finally, as a test taking technique, given the changes with now many short questions, I would follow the advice I gave earlier on in this thread about choosing to skip some and coming back to them. It worked perfectly for me. I was able to spend 4 or 5 min on some challenging ones instead of forcing exactly 2 min per question.

In the end, given your background and resources, that's my advice. I can't say it will work for sure. It might all be wrong for you! Ultimately you need to find what works for you.

Oh...one final thought...for every disease we always made sure we knew how to treat it (in general). We always said it would be bad to recognize what was going on and just not remember the treatment. So many times neither of us knew for sure and we had to double check. That was great! Always be honest.