Official ABIM 2013 Thread

[desperatetopass]

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How can one access Pass machine IM videos once you registered/ paid fir it? Are they gonna send access code?

Do they offer the videos on iPad / iPhone , if you do not want the device and not pay the extra 500$?

 

[Thinker123]

How can one access Pass machine IM videos once you registered/ paid fir it? Are they gonna send access code?

They send you a special link...and with that link you will then have your own user name and password.

 

[Thinker123]

Do they offer the videos on iPad / iPhone , if you do not want the device and not pay the extra 500$?

They do offer that stuff as an included bonus. I don't think you can get a discount by not using it.

 

[chocoginger]

Hello,

I'm looking for a study partner. I failed the exam last summer, and hoping to partner up who went through the same thing :-/ Please DM if you're interested.

 

[Thinker123]

Hello,

I'm looking for a study partner. I failed the exam last summer, and hoping to partner up who went through the same thing :-/ I'm in the New York City area, but we can skype if you're not around here. Please DM if you're interested.

Good Luck. Partner and Skype are the way to go.

 

[FutureInternist]

One man's trash is another man's treasure. I absolutely LOVED the short ones. They allowed me to use a strategy where I could bank the extra time to spend on some of the longer ones. For someone who doesn't like keeping pace with exams, they made it so I felt comfortable and didn't feel like time was an issue. This makes a difference ...to be calmly ahead of schedule and free to think without being stressed about timing.

One glass half empty way of looking at it is that you don't have clues to rule out the wrong answers but I feel like whatever they are usually looking for requires some certain knowledge and a skill set anyway and rather than BS you with all this talking and distractions, they are asking you directly what they want to see if you know.

So yes, I agree with some questions you can use clues to rule out some wrong answers but I prefer to answer based on knowing...and hope process of elimination is a last resort. Meanwhile, I feel that there are other long questions where process of elimination doesn't help so much and you either know what they want you to know to answer it or you don't and all the other stuff in the question is just BS so they can say it is clinically based. So the short answers are a step up from those because it is just being honest.

I liked the short Qs as well but just got a false sense of how the exam would be using MKSAP
I didn't feel time was at all a concern specially given the plethora of short Qs (USMLE by comparison was worse for me)

 

[Thinker123]

I liked the short Qs as well but just got a false sense of how the exam would be using MKSAP
I didn't feel time was at all a concern specially given the plethora of short Qs (USMLE by comparison was worse for me)

I hear ya. I just loved the short questions. I just made sure to make a point to not spend more than 30 seconds on the short questions. If you don't know it, you don't know it. It is possible to sit there and philosophize for 2 min and then lose the bonus bank time. I love the bank time. Love it. I loved looking at the time and feeling relaxed. It just changed my attitude. I was able to save some of the long questions and spend 4-5 min if I felt like it...instead of enforcing 2 min per question.

The short questions were new IMO. I had taken the exam twice before (last time in 2010 and one many years before). On those exams, there was an average of maybe 1 short question per section. On the 2012 exam, there were like 6-10 short questions per section (guessing...can't remember...but a lot).

One of the reason I love the short questions is that time shouldn't be an issue. Sure, quick thinking should be important but exams shouldn't come down to test taking skills, quick reading, skimming to pull out clues and other stupid stuff like other standardized exams. "Pace yourself" shouldn't be an issue on standardized exams like they tend to be. more exams should follow the ABIM philosophy. Enough with the speed reading tricks. Some people have that as their skill...great. Others are more meticulous, deeper thinkers, more creative with respect to finding solutions, etc. There are many intellectual skills. Right on ABIM (with respect to time).

 

[gutonc]

I hear ya. I just loved the short questions. I just made sure to make a point to not spend more than 30 seconds on the short questions. If you don't know it, you don't know it. It is possible to sit there and philosophize for 2 min and then lose the bonus bank time. I love the bank time. Love it. I loved looking at the time and feeling relaxed. It just changed my attitude. I was able to save some of the long questions and spend 4-5 min if I felt like it...instead of enforcing 2 min per question.

The short questions were new IMO. I had taken the exam twice before (last time in 2010 and one many years before). On those exams, there was an average of maybe 1 short question per section. On the 2012 exam, there were like 6-10 short questions per section (guessing...can't remember...but a lot).

One of the reason I love the short questions is that time shouldn't be an issue. Sure, quick thinking should be important but exams shouldn't come down to test taking skills, quick reading, skimming to pull out clues and other stupid stuff like other standardized exams. "Pace yourself" shouldn't be an issue on standardized exams like they tend to be. more exams should follow the ABIM philosophy. Enough with the speed reading tricks. Some people have that as their skill...great. Others are more meticulous, deeper thinkers, more creative with respect to finding solutions, etc. There are many intellectual skills. Right on ABIM (with respect to time).

I think you're missing the point of the short vs. long question issue as it pertains to studying.

The point, which I agree with, is that the MKSAP 15 questions are all long, extensive with a ton of information that helps you rule out all but 1 or 2 of the answers if you know what you're doing. The real test is like that less than half the time. So if you go into the exam (as I did) with only MKSAP Q's under your belt, you're going to be woefully unprepared for the real thing with much shorter stems and less obvious rule-outs.

I'm agnostic to the short/long question issue personally. I read fast and have always been a fast exam taker...I never change answers. The key is to study for the exam as it is. And if I had to do it over again, I would either skip MKSAP or supplement it with another Q Bank or 3 if I had the time.

 

[spumoni620]

I'm taking the ABIM exam for the first time this year and have inherited
- a MKSAP 15 CD-ROM
- MedStudy core videos (minus the infectious disease CDs :/ )
- Board Basics 2
- MedStudy books 2, 3, and 5 (missing 1 and 4 :/)

Although I'll certainly spend as much as I need to in order to pass, I'm also on a somewhat limited budget.

I was contemplating buying MKSAP 16 questions, but noted another poster's comment about the possibility of it being "too new". Would be interested in hearing more thoughts on this. Would it be better to get MedStudy questions instead? And/or BB3 vs BB2?


Thanks for any input!

 

[Thinker123]

I think you're missing the point of the short vs. long question issue as it pertains to studying.

The point, which I agree with, is that the MKSAP 15 questions are all long, extensive with a ton of information that helps you rule out all but 1 or 2 of the answers if you know what you're doing. The real test is like that less than half the time. So if you go into the exam (as I did) with only MKSAP Q's under your belt, you're going to be woefully unprepared for the real thing with much shorter stems and less obvious rule-outs.

I'm agnostic to the short/long question issue personally. I read fast and have always been a fast exam taker...I never change answers. The key is to study for the exam as it is. And if I had to do it over again, I would either skip MKSAP or supplement it with another Q Bank or 3 if I had the time.

Nah...I got the point. I guess I just didn't see this ruling out as a big deal. I figured it is more of a last resort when you don't know the answer. Ideally you would just choose the correct answer from the info. Another thing Gut, sometimes with MKSAP, I was not smart enough to rule out all the wrong answers and it wasn't until reading the explanations that I got to hear why they were chosen as distractors and why they were close but no cigar. So I guess you can say this gave me the experience of not being able to count on the wrong answers to be clearly wrong each time. So many I got because I knew the RIGHT answer.

But point well taken on the short ones...if you don't know the answer, bummer for you. That's it's drawback...but the positive is the time it saves.

And my personal opinion is that I wouldn't skip MKSAP since everyone else does them. I actually thought the General Medicine section of MKSAP was very valuable for the exam.

 

[sacrament]

The more I think of it, this is just crazy. You need to study. Now it's possible your residency program had an awesome board review course and their noon conference was geared towards board review rather than just practical clinical knowledge but somehow, some BOARD studying needs to occur. This is a major exam.

I never said that you shouldn't study. People who would have had borderline scores without studying probably will pass if they do study. My point is that I think most people probably overstudy, because I feel that the return-on-investment from studying diminishes extremely rapidly. My opinion is that most people do not benefit from utilizing four different question banks, three different comprehensive books, a review course, etc. etc. People tend to study like crazy, and then the majority will pass the test and so they think "Guess all that studying worked!" And people who fail the test think, "I guess I didn't study enough!" But it isn't possible to isolate that variable. (And people who fail once are very prone to failing again, despite presumably dramatically increased levels of studying.) We'll never know the answer to this because nobody is going to conduct a trial where test-takers are randomized to different levels of studying. This is just my gut feeling.

If you gave this exam to practicing physicians who had not specifically studied, most would fail.

I'm unconvinced that this is true, but again, we'll never know.

 

[Thinker123]

I never said that you shouldn't study. People who would have had borderline scores without studying probably will pass if they do study. My point is that I think most people probably overstudy, because I feel that the return-on-investment from studying diminishes extremely rapidly. My opinion is that most people do not benefit from utilizing four different question banks, three different comprehensive books, a review course, etc. etc. People tend to study like crazy, and then the majority will pass the test and so they think "Guess all that studying worked!" And people who fail the test think, "I guess I didn't study enough!" But it isn't possible to isolate that variable. (And people who fail once are very prone to failing again, despite presumably dramatically increased levels of studying.) We'll never know the answer to this because nobody is going to conduct a trial where test-takers are randomized to different levels of studying. This is just my gut feeling.


I'm unconvinced that this is true, but again, we'll never know.

I respect your different opinion. I just didn't want someone to casually read that and lose motivation to study.

It's not that I totally disagree with you. I'm with you on the multiple quiz banks etc. but I do think someone should do a completion of whatever they do choose so they fill in any gaps and reestablish a foundation. I think it's better to shoot for the stars... It's true that people study a lot that turns out to be a waste but the problem is nobody knows what parts are excessive!

I wish everyone the best. I just know for me, studying was a key difference.

I understand your diminishing returns thing...during lunch I was laughing at each of the things MedStudy said you needed to "know cold" that never popped its head. (I didn't use MedStudy this last time)

I think the difference between failing and middle of the pack is less than 20 questions. Those could be 20 things you got from studying.

 

[mitiquin]

Dear Colleagues,
I am a 50 year old physician certified in IM, pulm and CC, and I have just started my third cycle of recertification; passing the IM MOC test this past summer. I have had an epiphany and will never again sit for a MOC test and the letter below will explain why. If you think certification is a challenge, you have no idea what is in store for you. I have been posting this letter on various relevant sites on the web, and this site certainly seemed relevant. Read it carefully and ignore it at your peril.

The battle between full time clinicians and non, or minimally practicing bureaucrats, who want to over-regulate us for their own financial gain is coming to a head. While this battle has several fronts, one that has caught the attention of myself, as well as many others, is Maintenance of Certification (MOC). Like our legal counterparts, who need to pass the Bar to practice law, we get certified upon completing our training and passing our board exams. Unlike our legal counterparts, however, once they pass the Bar, other than completing yearly continuing legal education requirements (CLE), no further formal test taking is ever asked of them in order to remain Barred for life. Yet there is a growing movement of nonphysician/nonclinicians who want practicing clinicians to do just that - go through an ever more complex process of recertification, a process that is time-consuming, costly and onerous. Furthermore, there is no credible scientific evidence showing that completing the MOC process results in better or more efficient patient care, as compared to any other form of self-directed ongoing continued medical education (CME). Other than the obvious financial benefits to our Boards, this unvalidated recertification occurs merely to satisfy administrators, insurance companies, politicians and the lay public that we are still "Board Certified".
Currently, this process includes, or will soon include the following:
1) valueless time-consuming busy-work Practice Improvement Module (PIMs).
2) the ludicrous patient and peer reviews.
3) a secure exam whose content is largely obscure and irrelevant to what we do on a daily basis, and whose secure nature is so insulting that we cannot even have a handkerchief in our back pockets or wear a watch during the exam.
4) open book home test modules, much of whose content is irrelevant to what we do on a daily basis.
5) ongoing efforts to link MOC to Maintenance of Licensure (MOL), thereby removing any illusion as to the "voluntary" nature of MOC, and with the likely consequence of having to complete even more MOC requirements even more frequently, possibly as often as every two years, the same interval as licensure. This linkage will also circumvent grandfathering that protects a large portion of practicing doctors from needing to go through MOC to remain certified. There are currently eleven proposed pilot programs in eleven states aiming to link MOC to MOL. The twelfth program, in Ohio, was defeated by organized physician resistance. Additionally, there are some members of the test creating industry pushing for no longer accepting a subspecialty certification without also having an updated recertification in the parent specialty. So a cardiologist or endocrinologist who has chosen not to recertify their IM certificate because they only practice their specialty may find that their specialty certificate, even updated with recertification, is not recognized unless the parent specialty, in this case, internal medicine, is also updated with recertification, that is, MOC.
The cost for test fees, as well as the cost of being away from work to prepare for and take these tests, not to mention time away from family is substantial. Many of our specialty boards, supposedly nonprofit, have each accumulated tens of millions of dollars from the process of creating and administering MOC and some board members earn outrageous salaries. For example, the President and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), Dr. Christine Cassel, reported compensation in 2009 in excess of $600,000 and Dr. James Stockman III, the CEO of the American Board of Pediatrics reported compensation of over $1.2 million in 2009, far more than any clinician I know.
Many hypocritical non-clinician board members, despite declaring the value of MOC and promoting task forces that would require all of us to take MOC, have themselves never recertified for decades after getting their original certification. Some are only now recertifying, not to be better doctors, but as a requirement to maintain well paid positions on their various boards. Despite the overwhelming lack of credible research proving that being certified improves the quality of care given to patients by doctors as compared to non-recertified, or even never-certified doctors, the ABIM and other specialty boards are aggressively pushing their MOC agenda on politicians, insurance companies and the public at large. The ABIM MOC is promoted as some sort of holy grail of perfect medical care and such efforts may create an environment whereby it may become economically unfeasible for any doctor not to participate in MOC, unless we take a stand now.
Options for putting a stop to MOC include the following:
1) Legal action: This continues to be looked at and those of us actively involved in fighting this abuse against doctors have already heard from many legal colleagues about options to pursue as they agree that the MOC process is outrageous and something lawyers would never tolerate.
2) Political action: Lobby elected officials as well as pressure your various local and state medical societies into recognizing the false and costly presumptions on which MOC is based and using political influence to stop MOC, or reform it into something that is cost and time reasonable and of proven value to improving patient care.
3) Empower already existing medical organizations, like Docs 4 Patient Care or the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, run by clinicians, rather than bureaucrats, to create more reasonable alternative MOC-like programs.
4) Mass MOC noncompliance. Bold and elegant in its simplicity, if enough practicing physicians simply refused to participate in MOC, the MOC system would collapse.
Let me be clear, this is not about shirking a lifelong commitment to ongoing medical education and the need to maintain one's skills and stay up to date with the latest medical knowledge, things we all believe in and do already. This is specifically about preventing the highly flawed MOC process in its current format from becoming mandatory in any legal, financial, regulatory or other way.
Below are a series of links to a variety of organizations comprised of front-line clinicians such as yourselves. I strongly suggest you take a look at them. You will find yourself able to interact with colleagues nation-wide whose beliefs and concerns mirror yours. See what they are saying and add your voice to the conversation. The internet, via social media, is facilitating revolutions and upheavals around the world; surely we doctors in this country can use it to put a stop to an unfair and burdensome process.
Change Board Certification: http://www.changeboardrecert.com/index.php
Docs 4 Patient Care: http://docs4patientcare.org/index
Association of American Physicians and Surgeons: http://www.aapsonline.org
Independent Physicians for Patient Independence IP4PI: http://ip4pi.wordpress.com
Sermo: http://www.sermo.com
This link: http://www.jpands.org/vol17no4/kempen.pdf will take you to a superb detailed summary article written by Dr. Paul Kempen, who is on the forefront of exposing the sham of MOC and whose efforts have helped defeat state efforts in Ohio to link MOC to MOL; it is a must read. These two links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph6OWbiVykQ&feature=youtu.be and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRS15Dmsk7E will allow you to view the youtube videos of Drs. Ron Benbassat and Paul Kempen, leaders on the issue of MOC and its flaws.
Despite the proposed pilot programs mentioned above, MOC has not yet been linked to MOL, something that would be a huge blow to all of us. Some of you may be in situations where hospital privileges, via bylaws or similar local regulations, have been linked to MOC and you may feel the game is already over and have resigned yourself to your fate. While it is true that undoing such a situation can be harder that preventing it in the first place, such reversal is not impossible. If a small group of dedicated physicians were able to organize the effort to prevent linkage between MOC and MOL in Ohio, there is no reason why similar efforts cannot be undertaken to both prevent such a linkage in every state and to reverse already existing linkage between MOC and hospital staff privileges.
It comes down to this. If you are looking forward to having you and your staff spend ever greater amounts of precious time and money helping you fulfill the burgeoning requirements of MOC, then do what doctors have always done, which is comply and do what we are are told. If, however, you are tired of once again getting the short end of the stick, then now is the time to speak up and take a stand.
Once you are better informed on this matter, via the links mentioned above, there are things that you can and should do to prevent becoming a slave to MOC; consider the following suggestions:
1) Write to your senators, congressmen, governors, etc, expressing your concerns.
2) Lean on your various state and national medical societies, medical boards, etc, who are supposed to represent your interests by speaking out against MOC and consider establishing resolutions stating that MOC should remain strictly voluntary and not be linked to hospital privileges, MOL or reimbursement by Medicare or any other payor. Specific organizations include the American Board of American Specialties (ABMS) and its member boards, like the ABIM, etc, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (BOS). Some of the websites above, such as the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, will provide you with access to sample letters that you can use to send to these various organizations. For New York, requests for a resolution against making MOC mandatory can be sent to Michelle Nuzzi at the Executive Headquarters of MSSNY at [email protected]. Here are two links to “model” resolutions regarding MOC and MOL for you to use; please feel free to fill in the blanks and use these resolutions for your own county medical society to submit to the MSSNY House of Delegates if you deem appropriate.
http://gallery.mailchimp.com/30a325...Resolution_Opposing_MOC_model_resolution.docx
http://gallery.mailchimp.com/30a325...Resolution_Opposing_MOL_model_resolution.docx
3) The ½ percent PQRS bonus that Medicare is to pay MOC participating docs, which does not come close to compensating an individual doctor for the cost of participating in MOC, but which does cost society and the government millions of dollars collectively, is in reality a "false claim". There is no scientific evidence to prove that MOC docs are better than non MOC docs or never certified docs, and so, like any false Medicare claim, the scam of MOC can and should be brought to the attention of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
4) Discuss this with lay people, educate them and encourage them to reach out to politicians and be supportive.
5) Submit letters and articles regarding this to both medical journals and the lay press.
6) Spread the word. There is strength in numbers. Share this with every like minded colleague you know, not just locally, but nation-wide, people you went to med school with or knew from your residency or fellowship programs, etc. Share this with every medical professional you can via various medical staff email lists, personal contacts, etc; we need numbers to win this battle!
7) If anyone is interested in getting involved at an even higher level, perhaps by taking on a leadership or organizational role, attending state and perhaps national meetings, etc, go to the "Physician Comments" link on Change Board Recertification (www.changeboardrecert.com) and leave a message indicating your interest.
The effort to organize against MOC, through direct contact or through the organizations mentioned above, already enjoys the support of thousands of health care providers; with your help, we are looking to make that tens of thousands.
Thanks and regards,
Jonathan Weiss, MD

 

[CanIMakeIt]

I'm agnostic to the short/long question issue personally. I read fast and have always been a fast exam taker...I never change answers. The key is to study for the exam as it is. And if I had to do it over again, I would either skip MKSAP or supplement it with another Q Bank or 3 if I had the time.

That is my achilles heel. I know for sure that I changed answer from correct to incorrect for between 5-10 questions on this past administration - I checked after the exam.

Do not over think and DO NOT change your answer unless you have a good reason to (misread the question etc) - just go with your first instinct and move on. Mark it if you think you wil have time but do not change the answer unless there is a real reason to change the answer.

 

[mitiquin]

Here is some interesting commentary on the Boards from a 50 y/o physician board certified and recertified in IM, pulm and CC. Hopefully, the moderator, in the interest of providing new doctors with all perspective on certification, will post it: http://www.changeboardrecert.com/documents/dear_colleagues.pdf

 

[Thinker123]

Hey Folks,
Hope everyone is doing great with the start of this year😉 How's everyone on their preparation for this monster exam?

Materials on hand:
1. Medstudy IM core books--first reading started already- at least 2 weeks each book as full time Hospitalist and family man..I hope I could finish and have 2nd reading before August 15 exam date
2. Medstudy Q&A- started per subject
3. MKSAP 2015--we'll start after Medstudy Q&A
4. Harrisons IM Q&A-did not start yet
5. BB2-we'll start 1 week prior to exam date

How about you guys/gals?

Minor note. I think #5 is a bad idea. IMO BB2 (now BB3) was one of the best books for boards and a lot of the things you needed to know for the boards were found right in that book. It's an absolutely awesome book.

With that said, I can't understand why you would START using it 1 week prior to the exam. If it's because you want it to be fresh, I would suggest completing it then going over it AGAIN one week prior to exam. It's the kind of book you want to review multiple times anyway. It wouldn't hurt to review it twice and make your THIRD time be a week before. You can make audio tapes etc.

Excellent book!

 

[Che Guevara]

Everyone seems to be busy either working or started reading any board review materials..

Is there anyone planning to do attend board review class? Awesome or medstudy live?

In my opinion - to pass the boards you need repetition of materials. By that i mean doing the MKSAP questions as many times as you can and at least getting through the whole set once with understanding the explanations, because there is a lot to be gained from the wrong answers.

I was fortunate enough to take the Awesome Review course and I think it was a great help. I also am not good with sitting in classrooms, but the material and class goes so quickly you dont really notice the time. I think this helped in the same way in that it provided repetition. I saw some of the MKSAP vidoe classes but did not have the discipline to sit and watch them through.

If you have completed, or are about to complete, a medicine residency I would guess that most of the basic knowledge is there and you just have to find a way to train yourself for the test. If you were not smart enough you probably would not have made it through residency. The test is NOT easy, but it IS fair. It will require time and preparation. I think as long as you are able to pick one or two sources and stick with those you will all do well. Try not to spread yourself too thin looking at a lot of different sources.

I personally thought the ABIM test was much fairer, and a better judge of medical knowledge, than the STEP exams.

 

[DoctorDr]

Thanks for # 5 better advise of using BB2...

 

[Darlene]

did the mksap15 questions once. anyway to reset so the answers are not there?

 

[2unhigenyx]

So what would be ONE book to buy for review. I am in the market to buy a review book (hopkins, mayo, CCF you name it). anybody has any suggestions what would be the best way to put my money?

i would have liked to buy BB3, but cant buy it unless you buy MKSAP 16 as well (not planning to buy it). any other suggestions?

thank you

 

[gutonc]

i would have liked to buy BB3, but cant buy it unless you buy MKSAP 16 as well (not planning to buy it). any other suggestions?

What?

I will grant you that the text on the website is confusing, but I got as far as giving them my $100 (F*** that...I passed that dumb test already and there is no way I'm taking it again) before I turned back. Throw a few ducats their way and I'm sure they'd be more than happy to send you their $15 review book.

 

[desi6]

is anyone using frontrunners board review? thoughts

 

[2unhigenyx]

Ta da! thank you. Gutonc, thanks for pointing that out. i am not sure if they changed their policy - i had called them up about a month ago and was not able to purchase it.

 

[glitzytoast]

Hey guys. Any thoughts on how much time to spend on Ophtho, Neuro, Derm?

 

[Bandido]

I would say one week each. You can do ophtho & derm in less than one week each.

 

[gutonc]

Hey guys. Any thoughts on how much time to spend on Ophtho, Neuro, Derm?

How long did it take you to type that post? Double it and you'll be fine.

The neuro on the exam is remarkably straightforward. The ophtho is virtually nonexistent, I actually don't remember a single ophtho question when I took it.

Derm is probably the highest yield of the 3. You'll see some pictures of rashes and have some described to you but they're generally in the setting of systemic disease and not "what do I do about this rash?" type of things.

 

[FutureInternist]

That is my achilles heel. I know for sure that I changed answer from correct to incorrect for between 5-10 questions on this past administration - I checked after the exam.

Do not over think and DO NOT change your answer unless you have a good reason to (misread the question etc) - just go with your first instinct and move on. Mark it if you think you wil have time but do not change the answer unless there is a real reason to change the answer.

I did an experiment for the MCATs where I found that about 80% of my Bio Qs changes were from correct to incorrect while the almost the same % in Verbal was from incorrect to correct
I used that strategy during the actual exam & it worked out pretty well. 🙂

USMLE & ABIM were too big an exam to go goofing around w/ silly experiments

 

[Blackcomb]

How long did it take you to type that post? Double it and you'll be fine.

The neuro on the exam is remarkably straightforward. The ophtho is virtually nonexistent, I actually don't remember a single ophtho question when I took it.

Derm is probably the highest yield of the 3. You'll see some pictures of rashes and have some described to you but they're generally in the setting of systemic disease and not "what do I do about this rash?" type of things.

I actually had 4 optho questions on my exam last summer.

 

[gutonc]

I actually had 4 optho questions on my exam last summer.

Maybe I just blocked mine out but I honestly don't remember any.

That said, I still think the Neuro is pretty easy (if you've made it this far, you should be fine) and the Derm is far and away the highest yield of the 3. But they're all much lower yield than cards, renal, ID and heme. Once you're scoring solid 80s on the practice tests for those sections, go back and pick up the low yield stuff.

I honestly think that one of the best things you can do to help guide your study is to start with a pre-test. I can only speak for MKSAP but you can craft your own exam of up to 150 questions using their online version using all the subject areas. So before I even cracked a single book, I took a test and then focused my studying on the areas I did poorly in. Then filled in the gaps later with the little bit of time I had left.

My point is that, if you're strong in a few particular areas (I got 90%+ on Gen Med and Neuro the first time around), there's no point in spending time on that when you've got other areas (my Renal and ID scores were in the 30-40% range at the beginning) that need a lot more review.

 

[Thinker123]

did the mksap15 questions once. anyway to reset so the answers are not there?

Yeah...there is a way to tinker with it to erase your responses. I think you need to go under the CME thing or something. If that's to difficult (or not possible), another was is using that disc that came with it.

 

[rokshana]

Yeah...there is a way to tinker with it to erase your responses. I think you need to go under the CME thing or something. If that's to difficult (or not possible), another was is using that disc that came with it.

actually you can erase them if you are doing them online...but its all or nothing...you can selectively erase a few and keep others.

 

[Darlene]

Thanks. Went under CME worksheet and deleted all answers. Great.

 

[glitzytoast]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! I definitely remember a couple optho questions from this past summer, but not too many. I'm just afraid of these "low yield" questions counting for a significant number of points and making a difference on the overall score.

Here goes nothing. I guess we have to think positively!

 

[Thinker123]

Hey Gutonc,

Aren't you an administrator? Can't you sticky this thread? I think it was stickied last year.

 

[gutonc]

Hey Gutonc,

Aren't you an administrator? Can't you sticky this thread? I think it was stickied last year.

I can...but I choose not to for a variety of reasons. The main one though is that, for people using Tapatalk and the mobile app, it doesn't appear on the main page in the IM forum so people wind up starting new threads about it.

 

[Thinker123]

I can...but I choose not to for a variety of reasons. The main one though is that, for people using Tapatalk and the mobile app, it doesn't appear on the main page in the IM forum so people wind up starting new threads about it.

OK...I see...I just thought that it had been stickied in the previous 2 years. I see your point. Oh well...I'm not going to be the one looking for it! I actually couldn't find it just now (skimmed first 2 pages so maybe it was on page 3 or later). I found it by going into stats and searching for my posts.

 

[zinndoc]

is anyone using frontrunners board review? thoughts

Not worth the cost

 

[zinndoc]

is anyone using frontrunners board review? thoughts

Not worth the cost

 

[Bandido]

Has everyone started studying already? Keep up the pace!

 

[obiwan]

yeah, have been slowly doing some MKSAP 15 questions and just got the new medstudy books.

for those who have access to MKSAP 16 ?s, any major differences between 15 and 16.

 

[glitzytoast]

I'm going through MKSAP 16 now & honestly I feel like the questions are covering at least several points/"pearls" that the MKSAP 15 never covered. Kinda making me nervous to tell the truth since it's not doing anything for a confidence booster. Getting so many questions wrong in 16!!!!

 

[norelief]

Hello All
I am a mom who has been out of medicine for at least 10 years. I had to take care of dying inlaws, son with nephrotic syndrome, and support the academic advance of surgeon/academic husband who was and is NEVER at home. I also have fibrosing mediastinitis and I am lucky to be as well as I am. I re-write grants and book chapters, and crap like that whilst engaging in huge caregiving duties for no pay. Easily passed boards in 1992, using only MKSAP. Easily passed 10 years later in 2002 in the same way. Now 10 years later, (not working for a decade) want to recertify, needed to do so Fall 2012 but husband decided to take hotshot new job so I had to move the entire family and find a new home. So exhausted and sick. Anyway, here I am, scheduled for April 2013, I ran through MKSAP 15 questions online that I bought last fall and running around 75%. NOT good enough from what I understand.
THEN I went to practice test on ABIM website. It is pretty ****ty, with awful font, dark background that I have trouble seeing, not enough information on the stem, and then, example of an ECHO (I have never read an echo before!) and some weird sound files with a murmur on it!!!! I felt much less comfortable with the practice test than the MKSAP.
Long story short, I have a few weeks to study, my (ahem, frugal) husband is pissed at me for spending the money on the test and MKSAP already, so finances are an issue, is there a better resource out there that can help me prepare for the online test? (Yes, I have never taken a test on a computer before either, omg, and the screen is hard for me to focus on, not quite needing reading glasses yet, but not quite focusing for long periods at that distance) Or should I continue to focus on MKSAP? Please advise, I have been out of the game for a long time. ALSO any suggestions for low cost high yield study help? Officially panicking in 3...2...1...

 

[sacrament]

Hello All
I am a mom who has been out of medicine for at least 10 years. I had to take care of dying inlaws, son with nephrotic syndrome, and support the academic advance of surgeon/academic husband who was and is NEVER at home. I also have fibrosing mediastinitis and I am lucky to be as well as I am. I re-write grants and book chapters, and crap like that whilst engaging in huge caregiving duties for no pay. Easily passed boards in 1992, using only MKSAP. Easily passed 10 years later in 2002 in the same way. Now 10 years later, (not working for a decade) want to recertify, needed to do so Fall 2012 but husband decided to take hotshot new job so I had to move the entire family and find a new home. So exhausted and sick. Anyway, here I am, scheduled for April 2013, I ran through MKSAP 15 questions online that I bought last fall and running around 75%. NOT good enough from what I understand.
THEN I went to practice test on ABIM website. It is pretty ****ty, with awful font, dark background that I have trouble seeing, not enough information on the stem, and then, example of an ECHO (I have never read an echo before!) and some weird sound files with a murmur on it!!!! I felt much less comfortable with the practice test than the MKSAP.
Long story short, I have a few weeks to study, my (ahem, frugal) husband is pissed at me for spending the money on the test and MKSAP already, so finances are an issue, is there a better resource out there that can help me prepare for the online test? (Yes, I have never taken a test on a computer before either, omg, and the screen is hard for me to focus on, not quite needing reading glasses yet, but not quite focusing for long periods at that distance) Or should I continue to focus on MKSAP? Please advise, I have been out of the game for a long time. ALSO any suggestions for low cost high yield study help? Officially panicking in 3...2...1...

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest marriage counselling.

 

[DrDave]

Hello All
I am a mom who has been out of medicine for at least 10 years. I had to take care of dying inlaws, son with nephrotic syndrome, and support the academic advance of surgeon/academic husband who was and is NEVER at home. I also have fibrosing mediastinitis and I am lucky to be as well as I am. I re-write grants and book chapters, and crap like that whilst engaging in huge caregiving duties for no pay. Easily passed boards in 1992, using only MKSAP. Easily passed 10 years later in 2002 in the same way. Now 10 years later, (not working for a decade) want to recertify, needed to do so Fall 2012 but husband decided to take hotshot new job so I had to move the entire family and find a new home. So exhausted and sick. Anyway, here I am, scheduled for April 2013, I ran through MKSAP 15 questions online that I bought last fall and running around 75%. NOT good enough from what I understand.
THEN I went to practice test on ABIM website. It is pretty ****ty, with awful font, dark background that I have trouble seeing, not enough information on the stem, and then, example of an ECHO (I have never read an echo before!) and some weird sound files with a murmur on it!!!! I felt much less comfortable with the practice test than the MKSAP.
Long story short, I have a few weeks to study, my (ahem, frugal) husband is pissed at me for spending the money on the test and MKSAP already, so finances are an issue, is there a better resource out there that can help me prepare for the online test? (Yes, I have never taken a test on a computer before either, omg, and the screen is hard for me to focus on, not quite needing reading glasses yet, but not quite focusing for long periods at that distance) Or should I continue to focus on MKSAP? Please advise, I have been out of the game for a long time. ALSO any suggestions for low cost high yield study help? Officially panicking in 3...2...1...

I am sorry to hear about your situation. I am also preparing for ABIM. MKSAP 15 is decent. Some qts are good and some are too difficult. I have also been using USMLEworld Qbank. Their qts are very good and make you think. Uworld explanations are really good with nice flow charts and tables. UW is not that expensive. You might want to give a try. They have 835 qts and along with MKSAP it will be close to 2000 qts total and u should not have problem passing with this combination. I would also add Board Basics 3 also. It is a good book to review common stuff quickly.

 

[DrDave]

Hello All
I am a mom who has been out of medicine for at least 10 years. I had to take care of dying inlaws, son with nephrotic syndrome, and support the academic advance of surgeon/academic husband who was and is NEVER at home. I also have fibrosing mediastinitis and I am lucky to be as well as I am. I re-write grants and book chapters, and crap like that whilst engaging in huge caregiving duties for no pay. Easily passed boards in 1992, using only MKSAP. Easily passed 10 years later in 2002 in the same way. Now 10 years later, (not working for a decade) want to recertify, needed to do so Fall 2012 but husband decided to take hotshot new job so I had to move the entire family and find a new home. So exhausted and sick. Anyway, here I am, scheduled for April 2013, I ran through MKSAP 15 questions online that I bought last fall and running around 75%. NOT good enough from what I understand.
THEN I went to practice test on ABIM website. It is pretty ****ty, with awful font, dark background that I have trouble seeing, not enough information on the stem, and then, example of an ECHO (I have never read an echo before!) and some weird sound files with a murmur on it!!!! I felt much less comfortable with the practice test than the MKSAP.
Long story short, I have a few weeks to study, my (ahem, frugal) husband is pissed at me for spending the money on the test and MKSAP already, so finances are an issue, is there a better resource out there that can help me prepare for the online test? (Yes, I have never taken a test on a computer before either, omg, and the screen is hard for me to focus on, not quite needing reading glasses yet, but not quite focusing for long periods at that distance) Or should I continue to focus on MKSAP? Please advise, I have been out of the game for a long time. ALSO any suggestions for low cost high yield study help? Officially panicking in 3...2...1...

I would add Board Basics 3 also. It is a good book to review common stuff quickly.

 

[IMDoc607]

Anyone know where you can get questions that are like the real thing? People keep saying mksap isn't like the real thing. I'm using mksap 15, med study books, med study videos, and already attended the acp board course. I'm doing amazing review in June as well.

I want to destroy this test and that's it!! I do not want to take this thing more than once.

 

[boardbasics3]

hi is it the questions or the core material, what topics do you find different? anything about the changein the guidelines?

 

[zinndoc]

Anyone know where you can get questions that are like the real thing? People keep saying mksap isn't like the real thing. I'm using mksap 15, med study books, med study videos, and already attended the acp board course. I'm doing amazing review in June as well.

I want to destroy this test and that's it!! I do not want to take this thing more than once.

I failed using MKSAP Q&As. Everyone said the same people wrote the board questions. They were obviously wrong. This year, I'm following the advice of others who recommend MedStudy, but not just the Q&As, which are in book or online. Friends who passed said that I should read the Core, which I have ordered.

 

[momdoc]

Hey Everyone,
I am practicing MD in the Atlanta area looking for study partner for upcoming 2013 exam. Skype is definitely my best option since very busy lifestyle. I need the structure that having a serious study partner will provide. I agree with most posters who have stated that this is a vital part to success on this exam. You know what they say, misery loves company. 🙄 I am a repeat taker, but ready to dedicate seriously to the exam. DM me if intersted. Good luck to all!!

 

[sunset823]

Hello All
I am a mom who has been out of medicine for at least 10 years. I had to take care of dying inlaws, son with nephrotic syndrome, and support the academic advance of surgeon/academic husband who was and is NEVER at home. I also have fibrosing mediastinitis and I am lucky to be as well as I am. I re-write grants and book chapters, and crap like that whilst engaging in huge caregiving duties for no pay. Easily passed boards in 1992, using only MKSAP. Easily passed 10 years later in 2002 in the same way. Now 10 years later, (not working for a decade) want to recertify, needed to do so Fall 2012 but husband decided to take hotshot new job so I had to move the entire family and find a new home. So exhausted and sick. Anyway, here I am, scheduled for April 2013, I ran through MKSAP 15 questions online that I bought last fall and running around 75%. NOT good enough from what I understand.
THEN I went to practice test on ABIM website. It is pretty ****ty, with awful font, dark background that I have trouble seeing, not enough information on the stem, and then, example of an ECHO (I have never read an echo before!) and some weird sound files with a murmur on it!!!! I felt much less comfortable with the practice test than the MKSAP.
Long story short, I have a few weeks to study, my (ahem, frugal) husband is pissed at me for spending the money on the test and MKSAP already, so finances are an issue, is there a better resource out there that can help me prepare for the online test? (Yes, I have never taken a test on a computer before either, omg, and the screen is hard for me to focus on, not quite needing reading glasses yet, but not quite focusing for long periods at that distance) Or should I continue to focus on MKSAP? Please advise, I have been out of the game for a long time. ALSO any suggestions for low cost high yield study help? Officially panicking in 3...2...1...

this is very unhelpful, but your husband sounds like a d****bag. As a woman (who granted, is very happily single), I think you need to stand up to him. You're busting your ass taking care of his kids and family and he won't let you get the materials to study for a board exam? wtf? If he has a hotshot job as a surgeon, you guys have plenty of money to get the sources you need. It's not like you're spending the money on jewelry or handbags. I would say pass your exam, go back to practice, then dump his ass.

Okay, that's it. As an M4 I know nothing about board review sources (yet). Sorry for the tangent lol