Official ABIM 2014 thread

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Congrats everyone! We did it!

About me: average step scores, mid-tier residency, but thankfully we got 100% pass rate! Always let nerves get the best of me on test days.

Resources I used:
-MKSAP 16 (went through this twice, scoring about 70% second time around - actually stopped doing questions because it was psyching me out)
-Knowmedge on some weak areas - I liked the way some of the material was presented. Very good for visual-minded people.
-UWorld - barely got through this. Was psyching me out and felt MKSAP was better use of my thinking powers.
-Awesome Review live course - if there's anyone who got me on track and get inspired to study for the boards, it was Dr. Rahman. I took his course back in March and I am so thankful I did. Definitely a must for those who just need that extra kick in the butt to start or keep on studying. In hindsight, I probably should have studied a bit more before going to the course or finished all of Knowmedge.

You can do it! Don't spread yourself thin on too many resources but if you learn by questions, maybe that's the way to go (that's what I thought initially since that's what I've done, but I just needed to review this time around). Respect the test and remember, you know more that you think you do 🙂
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Third time test taker. By the grace of God i passed. This test is not easy. I did mksap questions twice. Then watched the med study videos Then went to awesome review whose notes I did twice and then in the end did knowledge questions. Invested a lot of time and money in this exam but finally made it. This forum has been very very helpful.
 
Helloooo Everyoonneee!!! PASSEDDD!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

It feels so good to check this board after a month or so and see how many of you passed.... so happy for everyone here! For those of you that have been here... thank you for motivating me! There were times I felt alone in posting here but loved having this forum anyway...thank you to SD! 🙂

Alright... so anyone go up and see my previous posts to see how I studied using MKSAP books, MKSAP questions, BB3 and Knowmedge. So here's my final way of giving back... I asked my fellow residents and friends (total of 13 people) what they used and how they did. It's a small group of people but hope it provides some insights!

Some people used more than one book but I just noted the primary ones (MKSAP or MedStudy)

n = 13 people
Sources used
MKSAP Books (11 people (8 passed))
MedStudy Books (2 people (1 passed))
Board Basics (7 people (6 passed))

MKSAP Questions (12 people (9 passed))
UWorld (6 people (4 passed))
Knowmedge (6 people (5 passed))

Awesome Review (5 people (4 passed))
Other Live Course (3 people (1 passed))

So overall, nothing was perfect... but the things that seemed to work really well is Board Basics, using a 2nd qbank beyond MKSAP, and Awesome Review. Also, 3 of the 4 that didn't pass started studying too late... May or later. A couple people even used 3 qbanks! A couple others practiced questions using other sources or things they found online.

Good luck to the next group of people! 🙂 It's a major undertaking but it can be done... start early, practice a lot of questions, and you'll do well! 🙂

Also, for those that failed.. .don't give up! Use this forum for ideas on how to study and carve your own plan. There is no perfect way to do it but you can definitely pass the exam! 🙂
 
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seems like most people passed. test must have been easier this year. pass rates of 80% ish does not bode well for abim.
 
Congratulations to Everybody!!!!!, and thank you for all the previous post!!!! I pass but was not easy at all ,honestly I though I need to study again but thanks good I PASS.......,
My two cents : i graduated in 2010 but for many reasons i did no take it before , bla, bla, bla...... ( sincerely i did not want to study but like one of my friend said you have to take it ,no choice).
I started on March of this year with Medstudy books , mean time when i was driving i was listening ACP course review ( during 1 hr driving) , then , i started MSAP 15 questions ( got 72 1x ), i was doing cards in Medstudy then I did MKSAP questions cards and so on , then after i finish Medstudy books i did BB3( AMAZING, HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT, specifically the part DONT BE TRICK ) , then i did MKSAP16 questions (not time to read subjects) i did not finish all (i got 75% 1x ) , then i went to Awesome review in June , honestly this guy is amazing and his books are high yield but you need to read it before going to the course.
Basically needs to take seriously ,this test is difficult but you can pass, needs a little be effort but honestly some questions you don't see in practice at all.
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!
 
I walked out of that exam completely dumbfounded. I was pretty convinced I failed. I had just started fellowship, Pulm/CC - and scheduled the exam for mid August. I did residency at a South Western University program with a community medicine focus...but managed to pass.

Sources: MKSAP 16 Questions - i did them twice.
Board Basics 3- read in great detail the sections I felt I was weak in (Infectious Disease). I also memorized the cardiology, pulmonary, GI and rheum sections - because those made up the largest percentage of most exam versions. I didn't even bother reading neurology, dermatology.

During residency I tried to read daily, both on the disease processes my patients had but also a little bit from Medstudy as a "review". I spent most of the time trying expand my knowledge by through UpToDate and medical journals (Chest, JAMA, Annals, NEJM, Am.Journ of Resp and Critical Care, Current Op. in Pulmonology etc.)

I started studying in April - primarily doing 50-100 questions / day whenever I could. I wanted to take a board review course, but my residency program would not allow us the time off to do so. I don't think Im smarter than anyone, or worked harder. I think I was just luckier. I still believe that exam was the most esoteric non-specific garbage that does little to test your ability to care for a human being. Im just grateful I don't have to worry about it for a few years.
 
Feeling thankful that I passed. As other folks have already mentioned, it's all about finding the resource that works for you. I used a variety of sources at various times: Knowmedge, MKSAP, Uworld qbanks to study.

MKSAP 16 : Really authoritative. If you read something in there you can be pretty convinced it's correct (just scan the errata as well). But can be very dry at times. Not easy to review the entire content if time restrictions.

UWorld : Decent question bank but all the questions appear to be vignettes and believe it or not, the actual exam isn't like that.

Knowmedge: This was probably the one question bank that studying from didn't seem like a chore. Very high-yield and engaging at the same time! Like @medicine4me said, it's "very good for visual-minded people" like me. My favorite part was the pdf slides that summarized the key concept in each question/answer.

All the best to everyone!
 
Passed!!
Happy to be done. Congrats everyone!

My strategy as follows:
1. Read board basics about two times and did all MKSAP 16 questions (read the answer explanation thoroughly, took notes) in preparation for Rahman's Course.
2. Took Rahman's course, paid really good attention during his sessions. Read his books cover to cover and looked up anything that I didn't understand. Followed his twitter daily reviews.
3. Followed Knowmedge's daily twitter reviews (these guys are awesome by the way).
4. Read Rahman's x 3 more times before the exam. Finally took the test and felt I was over-prepared.

If you didn't make it this time, don't get discouraged. The test is really doable. You just have to put time and effort into it and not brush it off. I did well on my first and second years in-service exams, but did terrible on my third year in-service. My percentile went real bad. That was my wake-up call. Take the test seriously and start studying early. You will be fine.

Cheers!
 
So happy for all those that passed! I unfortunately did not. It was my second time. I started studying in January with mksap books. Did awesome review in June. Reviewed it twice and BB3 twice. Did mksap qbank only. I studied more this time around and took time away from my kids. I have never been a good test taker.

I'm devastated. Embarrassed to tell my workplace and not sure how to move forward. I know I have to pick myself up and start again but not sure how. Would love your input.
 
Passed, Thank GOD!
Background Info: DO school-->mid tier University IM program-->Endocrine fellowship at university program
ITE scores: 90th %, 70% then 50%

I started with studying in Jan.
I read 90 % of MKSAP along withe the questions (MSKAP questions are a must. But understanding the wrong answers give much more learning as can make 5 questions from 1 question) I would do the sections as I was on electives. Talk to the attendings about tough questions. Often they can add things that will help you not miss it the next time.
I did buy Med Study DVD when I was intern and would watch them from time to time, was helpful throughout residency
I did do the Med Study Questions, these are more of the format of the exam and the difficulty
I did Knowmedge questions, these are a gold mine for great schematic answers. Highly recommend
I did Awesome Review course in June. This is a must. He does a great job of covering stuff you thought you knew. Days are long but his notes are worth it. He did all the leg work of putting it in a concise format.

The one thing that helped the most is making about 300 flash cards (4*6) of all the info.
I summarized Awesome review, MKSAP Q that I wanted to remember, Knowmedge, MedStudy
I would flip through the cards often, after a few rounds things starting sticking so I was not forgetting.

This test is not easy but not hard. Its fair. But at the same time it deserves real preparation.

Good luck to those who have to take it
 
Momma_MD said:
So happy for all those that passed! I unfortunately did not. It was my second time. I started studying in January with mksap books. Did awesome review in June. Reviewed it twice and BB3 twice. Did mksap qbank only. I studied more this time around and took time away from my kids. I have never been a good test taker.

I'm devastated. Embarrassed to tell my workplace and not sure how to move forward. I know I have to pick myself up and start again but not sure how. Would love your input.
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Need to do more practice questions. The more you see the more angles you will see of topics.
 
Momma_MD said:
So happy for all those that passed! I unfortunately did not. It was my second time. I started studying in January with mksap books. Did awesome review in June. Reviewed it twice and BB3 twice. Did mksap qbank only. I studied more this time around and took time away from my kids. I have never been a good test taker.

I'm devastated. Embarrassed to tell my workplace and not sure how to move forward. I know I have to pick myself up and start again but not sure how. Would love your input.
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Hey, I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Let me start by saying that the simple fact that you are able to sit for this test in and of itself speaks volumes! Cheer up! You are a smart and valuable colleague! Don't judge yourself based on the results of this test. I wouldn't and most people here wouldn't either!

Also, remember that pretty much everyone eventually passes the test! We are all different and our realities are different but rest assured. If you made it this far you can and will pass the test.

I would make the following adjustments: Get Board Basics App on your phone. Get UpToDate on your phone. Get MKSAP on your phone (you can download an icon of the website so it takes you directly there when you need more than BB but less than UpToDate). Armed with this, whenever you see a patient, ANY PATIENT, even if it is good old cellulitis or COPD, read up on it! You will be surprised how much you will learn (and what you didn't know) and it will be less of a chore as compared to sitting down in the library for hours on end every day.

NEJM just came up with a great app as well for board prep and review. I am actually thinking of buying it myself! Here it is http://knowledgeplus.nejm.org/moc-explained/abim-internal-medicine-resources/

Check it out as it certainly looks interesting. I haven't used it so I cannot comment on how good it is but it's coming from NEJM after all 🙂

Lastly QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS!!!! AND THEN SOME MORE!! I was just browsing the Knowmedge website because people were talking a lot about it and it looks like a lot of fun. Check it out! http://knowmedge.com

So far I know of MKSAP, UWorld (my wife did this as well as some colleagues and they swear by it), Knowmedge, MedStudy, Kaplan, and NEJM. That will give you a good five or six thousand questions! Repetition is key! Do them all!

Third time is the charm! Walk with your head up high! You have come a long way! You will overcome!
 
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PlutoBoy said:
Hey, I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Let me start by saying that the simple fact that you are able to sit for this test in and of itself speaks volumes! Cheer up! You are a smart and valuable colleague! Don't judge yourself based on the results of this test. I wouldn't and most people here wouldn't either!

Also, remember that pretty much everyone eventually passes the test! We are all different and our realities are different but rest assured. If you made it this far you can and will pass the test.

I would make the following adjustments: Get Board Basics App on your phone. Get UpToDate on your phone. Get MKSAP on your phone (you can download an icon of the website so it takes you directly there when you need more than BB but less than UpToDate). Armed with this, whenever you see a patient, ANY PATIENT, even if it is good old cellulitis or COPD, read up on it! You will be surprised how much you will learn (and what you didn't know) and it will be less of a chore as compared to sitting down in the library for hours on end every day.

NEJM just came up with a great app as well for board prep and review. I am actually thinking of buying it myself! Here it is http://knowledgeplus.nejm.org/moc-explained/abim-internal-medicine-resources/

Check it out as it certainly looks interesting. I haven't used it so I cannot comment on how good it is but it's coming from NEJM after all 🙂

Lastly QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS!!!! AND THEN SOME MORE!! I was just browsing the Knowmedge website because people were talking a lot about it and it looks like a lot of fun. Check it out! http://knowmedge.com

So far I know of MKSAP, UWorld (my wife did this as well as some colleagues and they swear by it), Knowmedge, MedStudy, Kaplan, and NEJM. That will give you a good five or six thousand questions! Repetition is key! Do them all!

Third time is the charm! Walk with your head up high! You have come a long way! You will overcome!
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So encouraging and so supportive! Thank you for your kind words and advice Plutoboy! I will check these sources out. I will have faith and pick myself up and try again
 
Momma_MD said:
So encouraging and so supportive! Thank you for your kind words and advice Plutoboy! I will check these sources out. I will have faith and pick myself up and try again
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Momma, I'm a single mom so I completely get how hard this is - and I took 8 months away from my daughter, I know its terrible to be away from kids but like my daughter said yesterday "if it was for you to be board certified momma and make you this happy it was worth it" Your kids will understand. I'm not a great MC test taker either, did ok on previous exams but didn't put much effort because I was afraid of the outcome - last year the outcome was bad, I took that test for granted. This year, I did all the questions I could get my hands on multiple times, I was scoring near 100% on those questions and didn't know if it was because I had seen them before or because I understood the concepts. I suggest getting the medstudy questions and knowmedge - the knowmedge was hard but made me learn the topics from a completely different angle than the MKSAP - I did the MKSAP questions until I knew them all COLD. I repeated all those questions 3-4 times. I also read my medstudy books 3 times, I started studying in January. I spent at least 4 hours a day - working full time. I would take notes on all the topics and I focused intensely on cardiology and GI so that I knew everything about those subjects. I did a board review course but found that of little help for me, lecturing that long wasn't very helpful for the amount of information I had to retain - I also did all the Uworld questions, most twice. I know this seems like a lot but I had never failed a test and I wanted to come out of this knowing there was no more I had to give even if I failed - and I was successful. You are also NOT alone - many people I know are not certified, they just may not be posting here because they are devastated - I was devastated too but you can DO THIS - and this in NO WAY defines who you are as a doctor, in all reality it tests your ability to take exams that want you to know obscure angles with minimal information that is not reflective of practice. I found the test to be very hard, I second guessed A LOT. Good luck, I will pray for your success next year (((((( momma_MD )))))) good luck, you will KILL this next year!!!
 
PlutoBoy said:
Hey, I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Let me start by saying that the simple fact that you are able to sit for this test in and of itself speaks volumes! Cheer up! You are a smart and valuable colleague! Don't judge yourself based on the results of this test. I wouldn't and most people here wouldn't either!

Also, remember that pretty much everyone eventually passes the test! We are all different and our realities are different but rest assured. If you made it this far you can and will pass the test.

I would make the following adjustments: Get Board Basics App on your phone. Get UpToDate on your phone. Get MKSAP on your phone (you can download an icon of the website so it takes you directly there when you need more than BB but less than UpToDate). Armed with this, whenever you see a patient, ANY PATIENT, even if it is good old cellulitis or COPD, read up on it! You will be surprised how much you will learn (and what you didn't know) and it will be less of a chore as compared to sitting down in the library for hours on end every day.

NEJM just came up with a great app as well for board prep and review. I am actually thinking of buying it myself! Here it is http://knowledgeplus.nejm.org/moc-explained/abim-internal-medicine-resources/

Check it out as it certainly looks interesting. I haven't used it so I cannot comment on how good it is but it's coming from NEJM after all 🙂

Lastly QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS!!!! AND THEN SOME MORE!! I was just browsing the Knowmedge website because people were talking a lot about it and it looks like a lot of fun. Check it out! http://knowmedge.com

So far I know of MKSAP, UWorld (my wife did this as well as some colleagues and they swear by it), Knowmedge, MedStudy, Kaplan, and NEJM. That will give you a good five or six thousand questions! Repetition is key! Do them all!

Third time is the charm! Walk with your head up high! You have come a long way! You will overcome!
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Momma_MD said:
So happy for all those that passed! I unfortunately did not. It was my second time. I started studying in January with mksap books. Did awesome review in June. Reviewed it twice and BB3 twice. Did mksap qbank only. I studied more this time around and took time away from my kids. I have never been a good test taker.

I'm devastated. Embarrassed to tell my workplace and not sure how to move forward. I know I have to pick myself up and start again but not sure how. Would love your input.
Click to expand...


I'm confident if you tweak your strategy you'll pass. I know a lot people that read the MKSAP books and failed. I think they are too verbose.
I bet you're close to passing. I would keep BB3 as part of you curriculum and add the USMLE world questions. They really hard but helped me. Just remember to use them as a learning tool and NOT an harassment tool.
 
MikeErhmentraut said:
I'm confident if you tweak your strategy you'll pass. I know a lot people that read the MKSAP books and failed. I think they are too verbose.
I bet you're close to passing. I would keep BB3 as part of you curriculum and add the USMLE world questions. They really hard but helped me. Just remember to use them as a learning tool and NOT an harassment tool.
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Also, there is some debate here but the consensus is certain subjects are more heavily weighted. You need to ACE cards/GI/gen med and pulm..

But 1st things 1st, take a few weeks off to recover. I wouldn't jump back into the studying right away.. Spend time with the kiddo etc..
 
Momma_MD said:
So happy for all those that passed! I unfortunately did not. It was my second time. I started studying in January with mksap books. Did awesome review in June. Reviewed it twice and BB3 twice. Did mksap qbank only. I studied more this time around and took time away from my kids. I have never been a good test taker.

I'm devastated. Embarrassed to tell my workplace and not sure how to move forward. I know I have to pick myself up and start again but not sure how. Would love your input.
Click to expand...

Hey Momma_MD - I am so sorry to hear that. I agree with what a few others have said - I think practicing more questions will really help. As others have said...there are a lot of sources for questions. BB3 and Awesome review are great sources and you already have a leg up for the next time because you've gone through these.

There is a lot of information overload that happens. Especially when it comes to MKSAP books. Add on top of that other sources of studying and it becomes too much. We all then forget so much and it just gets hard to remember every little detail about every condition. A lot of people (myself included) are audio-visual learners and tend to remember information better when it's presented in a video format. Knowmedge is a really good audio video qbank. I know I was taking the exam and I recalled a lot of information because I was able to visualize the videos and PDFs I had printed out. I definitely wouldn't have been able to remember some of that information without the videos. Also, I have not tried Pass Machine but some here have suggested that it's a good source (though pricey!).

Lastly, I agree with @MikeErhmentraut - whatever you do... it's good to take some mental time off. Then start with a clear mind... review the ABIM blueprint and hit the ground running! 🙂 You can do it!!
 
Momma_MD said:
So happy for all those that passed! I unfortunately did not. It was my second time. I started studying in January with mksap books. Did awesome review in June. Reviewed it twice and BB3 twice. Did mksap qbank only. I studied more this time around and took time away from my kids. I have never been a good test taker.

I'm devastated. Embarrassed to tell my workplace and not sure how to move forward. I know I have to pick myself up and start again but not sure how. Would love your input.
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Sorry to hear 🙁 What were your thoughts on leaving the exam? Did you have enough time with the sections? Were you between two choices? What were your MKSAP %s?
You're still a doctor and we all know you can make it.
I think I would add QUESTIONS to your study plan. You need to see the same concept tested multiple different ways.
I would not repeat MKSAP books - waste of time. Keep BB3. Add Medstudy w/ Medstudy questions (I'm sure someone on this forum is selling them for cheap). I don't know that I personally can remember something I read in January/February all the way in August -- I think your knowledge has to be "fresh" still in May/June. Maybe add USMLEWORLD questions, although they were demoralizing for me since they were so hard. I really think that doing/repeating more and more questions and knowing explanations (and why you weren't correct) will help you get through this.
 
I am really humbled by all the support you all have given me. I think I will probably get pass videos to jump start my studying. Do more questions like everyone said and then reread and reread awesome and bb3. Maybe I just needed a little more time. Hoping my kids and husband will understand. Thank you so much for your support, I should have been more active here from the beginning. Glad I found this support!
 
Congratulations to those who passed! To those who did not pass, just pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and get back to studying. You can do it. Look back at prior threads from 2013 for advice from those that failed the first time and were able to pass on later attempts.

I'm happy to report that I passed. It sounds like I studied less than most on here, but I wanted to post my own situation since I think there are probably many out there similar to me:

- Steps scores: 230s (took both over the course of a year while my father was dying, so probably did not reach my potential)
- ITE %iles (PGY1 to 3): 27, 65, 90 (I think intern year suffered because of the dying father situation still)
- Study method: Read 1/4 of the MKSAP cardiology book, then gave up on MKSAP books. Did all the questions in MKSAP exactly once. I read every answer explanation, but not super closely. I sometimes looked up things further for questions I got wrong, but didn't go to great lengths to do this. I did about 20 questions on NEJM Knowledge+ and then decided I didn't like it as much as MKSAP. The day before the boards I read all of Board Basics. I woke up at 6am and sat in a chair and did not stop reading until about 11pm. I think reading Board Basics the day before was an amazing way to solidify so many key points in my brain. I got at least 10 questions (probably more) right because of reading Board Basics the day before the test. I guess I might have gotten them correct anyways, but the questions specifically triggered memories from reading it the day before.

I DO NOT recommend that most people use my study method. I generally test well, and my only "bad" tests in life were in the setting of having a dying father who I spent every day with at the time. However, if you generally test well, I guess you can use my study method as evidence that you'll probably be fine with a relatively normal amount of studying (a.k.a. not doing every review course, but still doing some questions and a bit of reading).

Again, congratulations to those who can put the boards behind them for the next 10 years! Also, did anybody notice that it popped up asking for us to sign up for MOC before even giving you the results??? They don't waste time taking our money!
 
Passed! 2nd time test taker.

Things I did differently:
1. Did not read the MKSAP texts.
First time around, read all the texts during the end months of Residency and up until one month before the test and took notes which I reviewed. Looking back I feel this was inefficient and also led to overall burnout with studying.

2. Took the test in the first slot available.
I feel that burnout was a major contributor of not passing the first time around. I took time off up until the test after Residency. My first month was strong and it tapered off toward the last month. This was significant to the point that I didn't truly study 2 weeks prior to the test. This time around I started studying about one month prior to the test and felt more confident going in even though I spent much less overall time studying.

3. Read BB3, repeatedly.
First time around I only thumbed through BB3 once the evening before the test and realized I should have looked at it multiple times.

4. Study partner.
Luckily I had a good friend from Residency who took the test this year with me. We only physically met up once about a week prior to the test and did about 200 questions together. We would read the question, discuss what exactly the question is asking in basic terms and then discussed all the answer choices and why they were right or wrong before answering the question. We also would text each other during the day with "pearls" that were essentially things we thought each other wouldn't know and would be relevant. 2 days before the exam I had about 200 "interactive" texts I reviewed which really helped. She also passed the exam.

I did still feel awful after the test, afraid that I failed again. I did notice that I had no time after my blocks whereas last time I was finishing blocks up to 20 minutes early.

It's interesting that I didn't pass the first year and had all the time in the world to study (3 months, no job) and I passed this time around with much less overall study time (little over a month) and working as a full time hospitalist.

Congrats to everyone that passed and to everyone that didn't, you will succeed!
 
Momma_MD said:
I am really humbled by all the support you all have given me. I think I will probably get pass videos to jump start my studying. Do more questions like everyone said and then reread and reread awesome and bb3. Maybe I just needed a little more time. Hoping my kids and husband will understand. Thank you so much for your support, I should have been more active here from the beginning. Glad I found this support!
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sorry to hear that you didn't pass. Last year I didn't make it myself, took a lot of time away from my 2 kids and wife. after the result came out I felt like a failure, like I didn't deliver what I was supposed to. I took Awesome review in June as well, read and re-read like 4x. Even the night before the exam I was up till 1am just reading until I tired myself to sleep. I also did MKSAP 16, Uworld and personal notes from MKSAP questions but none of that helped. I felt like Rahman's course helped the most and if it wasn't for that course I would have failed again. Just take a break before you start up again. i didn't start up studying until December. I made time to spent with my 2 kids, put them to bed at 8-9pm and studied till midnight almost every night. I made sure to go to the gym everyday and do what I normally do without letting the result of the test get to me. Just put it behind you what done is done you have to look forward to next year. If you have to skip a year just to save your status of being Board Eligible then I strongly suggest so.

As far as the test itself, different people has different experience about the test. After reading Rahman's notes so many times I can honestly say that for about 70-80% of the questions I didn't finish reading the passage. I look for key words like complement levels, BMI, blood smears, lab results and etc.. The only questions that I read completely from beginning to end are the 1-2 sentence one. In my personal opinion the test is all about key words. If you can find what those key words are in the question you got the answer no doubt about it. I still remember some pleural effusion and CSF questions that gave only 1 important word/clue to help me pick the correct diagnosis. The passage itself was like 2 pages long but like I said I didnt read all of it. Bc of strategy on each block I finished 15-20 minutes early. On my last block I finished so early that i went back and review all 60 questions and changed a handful of answers from correct to the WRONG answers. don't do that btw. Some people on here will say to read the entire passage and think very critically and etc... and that's cool too i mean whatever works for you or for them. At the end of the day that test doesn't measure anything, it's not a measurement of how good of a physician you are, it doesn't say that it will save you from any stupid lawsuit, it doesn't praise you in anyway, it doesn't make more time with your family. These Board Exams are the biggest scam that ever happened to us physicians so just take a breath, pray about it and start again.
 
phisigman03 said:
sorry to hear that you didn't pass. Last year I didn't make it myself, took a lot of time away from my 2 kids and wife. after the result came out I felt like a failure, like I didn't deliver what I was supposed to. I took Awesome review in June as well, read and re-read like 4x. Even the night before the exam I was up till 1am just reading until I tired myself to sleep. I also did MKSAP 16, Uworld and personal notes from MKSAP questions but none of that helped. I felt like Rahman's course helped the most and if it wasn't for that course I would have failed again. Just take a break before you start up again. i didn't start up studying until December. I made time to spent with my 2 kids, put them to bed at 8-9pm and studied till midnight almost every night. I made sure to go to the gym everyday and do what I normally do without letting the result of the test get to me. Just put it behind you what done is done you have to look forward to next year. If you have to skip a year just to save your status of being Board Eligible then I strongly suggest so.

As far as the test itself, different people has different experience about the test. After reading Rahman's notes so many times I can honestly say that for about 70-80% of the questions I didn't finish reading the passage. I look for key words like complement levels, BMI, blood smears, lab results and etc.. The only questions that I read completely from beginning to end are the 1-2 sentence one. In my personal opinion the test is all about key words. If you can find what those key words are in the question you got the answer no doubt about it. I still remember some pleural effusion and CSF questions that gave only 1 important word/clue to help me pick the correct diagnosis. The passage itself was like 2 pages long but like I said I didnt read all of it. Bc of strategy on each block I finished 15-20 minutes early. On my last block I finished so early that i went back and review all 60 questions and changed a handful of answers from correct to the WRONG answers. don't do that btw. Some people on here will say to read the entire passage and think very critically and etc... and that's cool too i mean whatever works for you or for them. At the end of the day that test doesn't measure anything, it's not a measurement of how good of a physician you are, it doesn't say that it will save you from any stupid lawsuit, it doesn't praise you in anyway, it doesn't make more time with your family. These Board Exams are the biggest scam that ever happened to us physicians so just take a breath, pray about it and start again.
Click to expand...
Love this! Helps out things into perspective especially family life. I thought Rahman allows you to repeat his course if you failed. Just went on his site and couldn't find it. Anyone know?
Anyone think the pass machine videos will be of any value?
 
Hi-
I just failed for the second time.
First time: crammed 3 weeks, took Rahman Awesome course, completely overwhelmed: failed
second time: medstudy videos at my own pace, did MKSAP scored 65-70% 1x, and took the time to read up the answers and look up primary literature, in addition to MKSAP 16 updates- even knew stuff like new cholesterol and BP guidelines. Studied weekends from March and daily from June.
but I felt the actual exam was much trickier than MKSAP. I'm still not sure the answer to some of those questions. Questions felt either completely advanced or tricky in that there were multiple possible answers and it was hard to pick the best one. I knew all about murmurs, and JVP waves, etc and it didn't really help. I'm waiting for my score breakdown, but I would like a study partner.
I'm going to start studying from now and just do as many questions as possible. I made my own notebook with notes, but all the info felt jumbled in my head.
Anyway, any tips on qbanks or forming a study group?
Thanks for your help. congrats to everyone who passed.

By the way, after I took awesome course and failed: they don't offer refund, only reduced price to take it again. I took it in July 2013 with no airconditioning and it was long hours with a 1 hr commute to get to the course. In addition Dr. Rahman spoke so fast, I couldn't understand him. I will try to incorporate his notes into my studying though.
 
First of all, congrats to everyone who passed.
Failed and feeling very low. To make matters worst I am working nights. Loosing confidence how I can handle my prep for next year.
did MKSAP once 55-65, and revised few wrong questions before exam. Started the prep with awesome review.. It was helpful, but very fast. Did board basics 3 before exam.
I felt awesome review is for someone who is already read once, finished questions. It will be good revision tool. Pace is very fast.
Actual exam felt questions are tricky, def harder than MKSAP.
I never read MKSAP books or Medstudy
My first and second year inservice exam was ok, but third year inservice exam result was poor.
This time I am planning on reading MKSAP books with audio, revise awesome review notes, ?Medstudy to improve my knowledge base.
planning on taking Uworld may be knowmedge along revision of MKSAP questions
Any suggestions??
Looking for study parner
 
Hi Dr.Spee,

Sorry about the result. I am in similar situation. Looking for study partner.
Please reply to [email protected].


Dr.spee said:
Hi-
I just failed for the second time.
First time: crammed 3 weeks, took Rahman Awesome course, completely overwhelmed: failed
second time: medstudy videos at my own pace, did MKSAP scored 65-70% 1x, and took the time to read up the answers and look up primary literature, in addition to MKSAP 16 updates- even knew stuff like new cholesterol and BP guidelines. Studied weekends from March and daily from June.
but I felt the actual exam was much trickier than MKSAP. I'm still not sure the answer to some of those questions. Questions felt either completely advanced or tricky in that there were multiple possible answers and it was hard to pick the best one. I knew all about murmurs, and JVP waves, etc and it didn't really help. I'm waiting for my score breakdown, but I would like a study partner.
I'm going to start studying from now and just do as many questions as possible. I made my own notebook with notes, but all the info felt jumbled in my head.
Anyway, any tips on qbanks or forming a study group?
Thanks for your help. congrats to everyone who passed.

By the way, after I took awesome course and failed: they don't offer refund, only reduced price to take it again. I took it in July 2013 with no airconditioning and it was long hours with a 1 hr commute to get to the course. In addition Dr. Rahman spoke so fast, I couldn't understand him. I will try to incorporate his notes into my studying though.
Click to expand...
 
Momma_MD said:
Love this! Helps out things into perspective especially family life. I thought Rahman allows you to repeat his course if you failed. Just went on his site and couldn't find it. Anyone know?
Anyone think the pass machine videos will be of any value?
Click to expand...

Hi, Sorry about your result. I am in similar situation. Looking for study partner.
 
Ok, I am inspired to form a study group on skype. This is my goal:
Choose questions that people do individually and then go over them together.
Purpose of group is meant to supplement individual studying.
example: 1 week the topic is STEMI or heart failure: go over heart failure questions.
People should also bring the trickiest questions they've encounter to the group.
We just need to make a schedule. I think it's best to focus on high yield topics.
I don't think we should meet everyday. maybe 2-3x per week because this is meant to boost individual study.

If anyone has any tips on forming a study groups or this idea, let me know.
If you want to join, also let me know. We're going to keep it small with committed positive individuals. I'm located in the eastern time zone. I will send out positive quotes to the group as well. If you want to join, message me individually through the conversation feature of this forum. .
 
Hello everybody!!

Congratulation to all of you that passed!! I also did and Im very, very happy and excited!!

For a long time now, I was just a silent reader!! I got a lot of advices from here. I decided to post my experienced because I was not a top resident in my class and even my program director told me I was in danger.

My ITE scores were: 52, 50, 40, I never studied for them and I was not taking them seriosly at all. In my last meeding with my PD, he clearly said: You most probably will failed the test. This motivated me to study hard and do my best, but the true is I didnt started to study after graduation day. So I started to read and do questions from 6/18/2014. I did all MKSAP questions x1 (never read the books), but I spent like 2-3 hrs reviewing 50 block questions!That help me understad why and why not, plus gave me medical knowleadge. I had BB3 as my main book, and I wrote sooo..many important stuff on it. I read this book 3 times. I was in a difficult economic situation, so I couldnt affort going to a course- so my friend gave me her Awesome review notes and I read them 2 times.

Took the test 8/18/14 and I spend the whole day there!! I left the center knowing that I failed the test and I even started to have my plan for start studying. Thanks God I passed and still Im in disbelief. The test is very difficult, very tricky!! I think what help me was my focus those 2 months, I spent at least 10 hrs every day studying. I didnt start to work until after my test, I dont have family- although I sacrified my time with my fiance. Also Im planning my wedding- so was difficult for me dealing with this 2 differents types of stress.

My 2 cents are: MKSAP questions are a must! BB3 should be read at least 1-2 times. If you can afford a live course- go for it! I think Awesome Review was really good, and those notes help me so, sooo much!!

Congrats again to everybody!! We did it!!
 
Tomicita said:
Hello everybody!!

Congratulation to all of you that passed!! I also did and Im very, very happy and excited!!

For a long time now, I was just a silent reader!! I got a lot of advices from here. I decided to post my experienced because I was not a top resident in my class and even my program director told me I was in danger.

My ITE scores were: 52, 50, 40, I never studied for them and I was not taking them seriosly at all. In my last meeding with my PD, he clearly said: You most probably will failed the test. This motivated me to study hard and do my best, but the true is I didnt started to study after graduation day. So I started to read and do questions from 6/18/2014. I did all MKSAP questions x1 (never read the books), but I spent like 2-3 hrs reviewing 50 block questions!That help me understad why and why not, plus gave me medical knowleadge. I had BB3 as my main book, and I wrote sooo..many important stuff on it. I read this book 3 times. I was in a difficult economic situation, so I couldnt affort going to a course- so my friend gave me her Awesome review notes and I read them 2 times.

Took the test 8/18/14 and I spend the whole day there!! I left the center knowing that I failed the test and I even started to have my plan for start studying. Thanks God I passed and still Im in disbelief. The test is very difficult, very tricky!! I think what help me was my focus those 2 months, I spent at least 10 hrs every day studying. I didnt start to work until after my test, I dont have family- although I sacrified my time with my fiance. Also Im planning my wedding- so was difficult for me dealing with this 2 differents types of stress.

My 2 cents are: MKSAP questions are a must! BB3 should be read at least 1-2 times. If you can afford a live course- go for it! I think Awesome Review was really good, and those notes help me so, sooo much!!

Congrats again to everybody!! We did it!!
Click to expand...

Those were you're percentiles and he thought you'd fail???!!! He's crazy or just mean. They're average, doesn't mean you'll fail.
 
Dr.spee said:
Hi-
I just failed for the second time.
First time: crammed 3 weeks, took Rahman Awesome course, completely overwhelmed: failed
second time: medstudy videos at my own pace, did MKSAP scored 65-70% 1x, and took the time to read up the answers and look up primary literature, in addition to MKSAP 16 updates- even knew stuff like new cholesterol and BP guidelines. Studied weekends from March and daily from June.
but I felt the actual exam was much trickier than MKSAP. I'm still not sure the answer to some of those questions. Questions felt either completely advanced or tricky in that there were multiple possible answers and it was hard to pick the best one. I knew all about murmurs, and JVP waves, etc and it didn't really help. I'm waiting for my score breakdown, but I would like a study partner.
I'm going to start studying from now and just do as many questions as possible. I made my own notebook with notes, but all the info felt jumbled in my head.
Anyway, any tips on qbanks or forming a study group?
Thanks for your help. congrats to everyone who passed.

By the way, after I took awesome course and failed: they don't offer refund, only reduced price to take it again. I took it in July 2013 with no airconditioning and it was long hours with a 1 hr commute to get to the course. In addition Dr. Rahman spoke so fast, I couldn't understand him. I will try to incorporate his notes into my studying though.
Click to expand...


Hi Dr. Spee -

Really sorry to hear that.... I completely sympathize. I've had tests that have continuously tripped me up. It's really aggravating but hang in there. You have a head start on next year and I'm sure you'll pass! 🙂

Maybe just a couple suggestions.
1. Try Board Basics - it's more high-yield and directly focused towards ABIM as compared to MKSAP books
2. Definitely practice more questions. Many of my friends and residents used Knowmedge and UWorld (see my previous post). Almost everyone that passed used a 2nd qbank in addition to MKSAP. I think that's important. Also, check out the Knowmedge blog post from today. if you didn't pass the exam.... they'll give you a $100 coupon for their qbank. It seems like it doesn't matter whether you used them to study or not. You'll just have to email them the proof. http://knowmedge.com/blog/abim-internal-medicine-board-exam-results-2014/
3. I didn't have a study partner but I know others have. If you can make your schedules match and you find a really good study partner that's on pace with you...then I think it's a great way to stay motivated! 🙂
4. Lastly, definitely check out some of the posts here throughout the year. It gets dead at times but sometimes people give some really good suggestions and helpful ideas on studying. It also will just keep you motivated! 🙂

Best of luck... I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!
 
Last edited:
You all realize that BB3 is basically just "Baby MKSAP", right? It would be awesome if you could purchase that with the MKSAP Q Bank. I thought the MKSAP books were a waste of time...mostly because they were so dry I fell asleep virtually every time I tried to use them.
 
gutonc said:
You all realize that BB3 is basically just "Baby MKSAP", right? It would be awesome if you could purchase that with the MKSAP Q Bank. I thought the MKSAP books were a waste of time...mostly because they were so dry I fell asleep virtually every time I tried to use them.
Click to expand...

Yup... but realized that way after I got the MKSAP books. 🙂
 
will be taking IM boards for first time in aug 2015.
I plan to read medstudy multiple times from now on until july then board basics multiple times in july
Concurrently, solve MKSAP Qs.
what do you guys think about this plan ?
 
Hey all... I passed as well! Here to share my study plan (though not necessarily recommend it):
MKSAP Qbank x2.5: March, July, August
Knowmedge QBank x2.5: April, June, August
UWorld QBank x1.5: May, August

That's it. I did have the MKSAP books that I kept as reference for when I wanted some additional information after reading a question... but I certainly didn't use them as textbooks and read through them.

I picked 3 qbanks at the beginning of the year. Started studying in March (actually wanted to start in February but got busy with personal stuff) and did 1 qbank a month. I kept a steady pace and practiced questions everyday. For days where I didn't get much done, I'd use the weekend to catch up. In August, I went through the most important sections in each qbank (cardiology, gastro...).

All 3 qbanks are tough and different. If you take the time to read the questions and explanations carefully (including ones you get correct), I think it's really high-yield. I think MKSAP is a must for anyone. As someone here said, it's very authoritative. UWorld is solid and difficult as always. They have their typical trick questions in there but overall a good source. Knowmedge - I really liked. Wasn't sure I was going to go with them but my Chief suggested it so I got it. Glad I did... the platform is really unique, the questions are very different from MKSAP and UWorld and force you to think differently. Also, the videos and printouts are really good.

Overall, I don't know if my strategy would work for everyone. I am an advocate for practicing lots of questions and repeating them. But when you do... make sure to read the question and explanations - and don't skim the explanations of the ones you get correct. Reading reinforces key words that you should pick up when you take the actual exam.

Wishing all of you the best. Thank you for this board - I checked it often though never wrote.
 
wonder whats the highest possible score on ABIM is?
anyone here scored or know someone who score that well?
 
Dr.spee said:
Hi-
I just failed for the second time.
First time: crammed 3 weeks, took Rahman Awesome course, completely overwhelmed: failed
second time: medstudy videos at my own pace, did MKSAP scored 65-70% 1x, and took the time to read up the answers and look up primary literature, in addition to MKSAP 16 updates- even knew stuff like new cholesterol and BP guidelines. Studied weekends from March and daily from June.
but I felt the actual exam was much trickier than MKSAP. I'm still not sure the answer to some of those questions. Questions felt either completely advanced or tricky in that there were multiple possible answers and it was hard to pick the best one. I knew all about murmurs, and JVP waves, etc and it didn't really help. I'm waiting for my score breakdown, but I would like a study partner.
I'm going to start studying from now and just do as many questions as possible. I made my own notebook with notes, but all the info felt jumbled in my head.
Anyway, any tips on qbanks or forming a study group?
Thanks for your help. congrats to everyone who passed.

By the way, after I took awesome course and failed: they don't offer refund, only reduced price to take it again. I took it in July 2013 with no airconditioning and it was long hours with a 1 hr commute to get to the course. In addition Dr. Rahman spoke so fast, I couldn't understand him. I will try to incorporate his notes into my studying though.
Click to expand...


For me the key was multiple Q banks with only medstudy as my resource for information. I studied so much that I really tried to make it fun, like challenge myself to know x,y,z about so many diseases. The nurses I worked with went through hell with me quizzing them and pimping them even though they and I both knew they wouldn't know - they were really trying to encourage me to pass this time around so I wasn't a bear for another year lol. Incorporate the studying into all your patients for differentials and think of tests you would order for every routine diagnosis. The 3 different Q banks - Uworld, MKSAP and Medstudy are so different they really help you with angles. Believe it or not, reviewing the questions from your review course may be best - I had a lot of difficulty with the whole gun shot information overload from my review course (Unique Review)

I wish you all the best - you will succeed 🙂
 
For those of you that did not pass this year (and I know fewer of you will post here though you will read), give yourself a couple of months to grieve. I know what it feels like. I did not pass the 2012 exam by two questions, and came from a top flight medicine program with a great training history and success on the ABIM exam.

It took me 3-4 months to accept that this was a misstep and not reflective of who I am. Once I was over that, I resolved to understand what the ABIM was telling me. They were sending me a message in my score breakdown, and I had to accept responsibility for it. I studied (first time) for maybe 3.5 weeks speed reading BB/MKSAP and doing MKSAP questions only. I scored in the 80th percentile on the general medicine section (weighted heavily), around the middle on most other section, but got killed on ID, GI, and rheumatology, and this lead to a failing score. Read my previous posts to see my strategy second time which, in hindsight, was probably overkill. I used ONE main source (Medstudy books, and CDs) and spent a month going over each area of medicine 1.5-2 hrs weeknights, and really trying to LEARN. In the last 5 weeks, I did only questions (Medstudy and USMLEWORLD). It was enough to secure me an extra 17 points on the exam and pass comfortably. On my retake, GI and rheumatology were my strongest sections. Hand on heart I'll tell you I did not read the Medstudy section on "general medicine" (though I did some questions) because I knew I was okay with that and also I knew that ABIM states an applicant's score statistically will not change year-year. My score on that section second time around was 2 points less.

Like the MCAT and the U.S. clerkship shelf exams, the ABIM exam has a very steep drop off and most people 'cluster' not too far above the pass mark; just a few extra questions can push you from the 30th percentile to the 55th percentile. The pass mark is there for a reason, and they want competence in ALL areas of medicine. Those that scrape through (you know who you are 🙂) by smoking the medicine section and maybe a sub-section (in which they are doing their fellowship) and score in the 30-40th percentile in all other sections are truly lucky. The exam is not designed to be passed this way.

Whatever you did last year, change your strategy. It did not work. Most people who take this test a third time will admit they did the same as the previous year, just more of it. Don't be another statistic and don't line the pockets of the agency. Change your strategy. Accept that the exam tests 'something', and then resolve to give it the respect it deserves. It's a test, and you made it this far so will make it through. I wish you all the best of luck.
 
MCATTT said:
Passed!!
Happy to be done. Congrats everyone!

My strategy as follows:
1. Read board basics about two times and did all MKSAP 16 questions (read the answer explanation thoroughly, took notes) in preparation for Rahman's Course.
2. Took Rahman's course, paid really good attention during his sessions. Read his books cover to cover and looked up anything that I didn't understand. Followed his twitter daily reviews.
3. Followed Knowmedge's daily twitter reviews (these guys are awesome by the way).
4. Read Rahman's x 3 more times before the exam. Finally took the test and felt I was over-prepared.

If you didn't make it this time, don't get discouraged. The test is really doable. You just have to put time and effort into it and not brush it off. I did well on my first and second years in-service exams, but did terrible on my third year in-service. My percentile went real bad. That was my wake-up call. Take the test seriously and start studying early. You will be fine.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
I completely agree. I wasn't really active on Twitter until I started studying for the exam. @Knowmedge makes really good use of it. They have a couple of daily questions and also a 10-question hour-long session every Sunday at Noon EST. It helped jog my memory on a lot of concepts. During the hour, they tweet out slides like this one I found high-yield for remembering diagnosis and treatment of Asthma.
Knowmedge Asthma.jpg
 
Hello everyone. You are all awesome. I've been silently reading for the past two years. This is my second attempt at the exam....I was not successful. I've read the books and done the questions. My spirits are low, but I'm very motivated to start reading and revising again. I'm looking for a study partner or study group on the east coast. Please message me if anyone is available. Thanks and have a great Sunday.
 
ABIM2013 said:
For those of you that did not pass this year (and I know fewer of you will post here though you will read), give yourself a couple of months to grieve. I know what it feels like. I did not pass the 2012 exam by two questions, and came from a top flight medicine program with a great training history and success on the ABIM exam.

It took me 3-4 months to accept that this was a misstep and not reflective of who I am. Once I was over that, I resolved to understand what the ABIM was telling me. They were sending me a message in my score breakdown, and I had to accept responsibility for it. I studied (first time) for maybe 3.5 weeks speed reading BB/MKSAP and doing MKSAP questions only. I scored in the 80th percentile on the general medicine section (weighted heavily), around the middle on most other section, but got killed on ID, GI, and rheumatology, and this lead to a failing score. Read my previous posts to see my strategy second time which, in hindsight, was probably overkill. I used ONE main source (Medstudy books, and CDs) and spent a month going over each area of medicine 1.5-2 hrs weeknights, and really trying to LEARN. In the last 5 weeks, I did only questions (Medstudy and USMLEWORLD). It was enough to secure me an extra 17 points on the exam and pass comfortably. On my retake, GI and rheumatology were my strongest sections. Hand on heart I'll tell you I did not read the Medstudy section on "general medicine" (though I did some questions) because I knew I was okay with that and also I knew that ABIM states an applicant's score statistically will not change year-year. My score on that section second time around was 2 points less.

Like the MCAT and the U.S. clerkship shelf exams, the ABIM exam has a very steep drop off and most people 'cluster' not too far above the pass mark; just a few extra questions can push you from the 30th percentile to the 55th percentile. The pass mark is there for a reason, and they want competence in ALL areas of medicine. Those that scrape through (you know who you are 🙂) by smoking the medicine section and maybe a sub-section (in which they are doing their fellowship) and score in the 30-40th percentile in all other sections are truly lucky. The exam is not designed to be passed this way.

Whatever you did last year, change your strategy. It did not work. Most people who take this test a third time will admit they did the same as the previous year, just more of it. Don't be another statistic and don't line the pockets of the agency. Change your strategy. Accept that the exam tests 'something', and then resolve to give it the respect it deserves. It's a test, and you made it this far so will make it through. I wish you all the best of luck.
Click to expand...


I agree you need to do reasonably well on all the sections however some subjects do take priority. I can comment more when I get my score but you do need to ACE gen med/cards and GI to pass IMHO.
 
Dr.spee said:
Ok, I am inspired to form a study group on skype. This is my goal:
Choose questions that people do individually and then go over them together.
Purpose of group is meant to supplement individual studying.
example: 1 week the topic is STEMI or heart failure: go over heart failure questions.
People should also bring the trickiest questions they've encounter to the group.
We just need to make a schedule. I think it's best to focus on high yield topics.
I don't think we should meet everyday. maybe 2-3x per week because this is meant to boost individual study.

If anyone has any tips on forming a study groups or this idea, let me know.
If you want to join, also let me know. We're going to keep it small with committed positive individuals. I'm located in the eastern time zone. I will send out positive quotes to the group as well. If you want to join, message me individually through the conversation feature of this forum. .
Click to expand...



Hi there, all these posts are so helpful I have been reading silently and was compelled to join in, you guys are so kind and helpful. I read everyone's post and am in the same situation. I failed for the first time this time on the boards, I took the unique board review, did MKSAP 16 but not all of it. I would be very much interested in the study group and some serious motivation right now I am demoralized. please any tips would be appreciated. Kindly send me some contact information so I can get in touch with you guys.

Thanks!
 
MikeErhmentraut said:
I agree you need to do reasonably well on all the sections however some subjects do take priority. I can comment more when I get my score but you do need to ACE gen med/cards and GI to pass IMHO.
Click to expand...


That makes a lot of sense, do you think I should change anything to be honest I feel I didn't study well if you read my earlier post. The review coarse was too fast paced for me I was able to do his notes only twice. I was thinking of doing the whole of MKSAP 16 questions, Board Basic, another question bank like Medstudy or NEJM and repetition. any takes on that? I don't think I can take another review coarse.
 
INTMEDMD08 said:
That makes a lot of sense, do you think I should change anything to be honest I feel I didn't study well if you read my earlier post. The review coarse was too fast paced for me I was able to do his notes only twice. I was thinking of doing the whole of MKSAP 16 questions, Board Basic, another question bank like Medstudy or NEJM and repetition. any takes on that? I don't think I can take another review coarse.
Click to expand...


Check out my earlier post for strategy but I would suggest BB3/MKSAP questions/USMLE world questions. I found Awesome Review to be too fast past. I would read a BB3 section, then do the corresponding questions in USMLE world and MKSAP.

The world questions are hell but helped me pass IMHO..
 
MikeErhmentraut said:
Check out my earlier post for strategy but I would suggest BB3/MKSAP questions/USMLE world questions. I found Awesome Review to be too fast past. I would read a BB3 section, then do the corresponding questions in USMLE world and MKSAP.

The world questions are hell but helped me pass IMHO..
Click to expand...


Thanks, I think I will do as you have advised. Start of will BB3/MKSAP 16 Q's subject wise, will purchase USMLE world once done with all this and do those questions as well. If I get the awesome notes do you think that is good enough , like I said I dont think I can sit thru another live coarse.
 
INTMEDMD08 said:
Thanks, I think I will do as you have advised. Start of will BB3/MKSAP 16 Q's subject wise, will purchase USMLE world once done with all this and do those questions as well. If I get the awesome notes do you think that is good enough , like I said I dont think I can sit thru another live coarse.
Click to expand...

The review notes are enough. I don't think it's worth the time to sit through a week long lecture. The awesome review notes are good but I felt BB3 helped me more.
 
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