Official ABIM 2014 thread

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MontereyMD said:
ACP review course was good. The speakers, who have previously written a lot of the questions, focus on the important points and the high yield areas to study. They often hint at exam questions and what will and won't be asked. So it not only builds my confidence but it also distills the information overload into important facts.
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Thanks! I'm thinking of signing up then, it's only 3 days over the weekend (but an intense 3 days) plus with Conrad Fischer (who I think is an excellent teacher). And yes, there has been a lot of information overload for sure - I need to now focus on the high yield areas and the course would be a good review where you can't be distracted... lol - Really appreciate your input.

Best of luck on the exam.
 
Anyone else totally feeling like they just can't study anymore? OMG Its like dredging a hole at this point - I have zero motivation and the test is next Friday!!!
 
I am giving the test next and dont have any motivation either. Good luck to everyone taking the test in August.
 
Definitely feeling the burn out 🙁

Anyone have any recommendation for a practice test that is similar to the exam after one finishes MKSAP? Are there practice tests that are not the standard q bank?

Also, i tried the free trial of knowmedge- seems like very different types of questions than MKSAP. Thoughts?
 
Knowmedge is definitely different from mksap. Mksap tests broader knowledge but knowmedge tests single concepts. I like knowmedge using it for revising my concepts, reinforcing and building stamina for the exam day. Plus it's currently on a discount.
 
Yes, feel like can't read anymore, its been going on for a while. Not that I know everything but feel burnt out! Have exams on 18th the Monday, and was thinking of changing it to 8th or 13th. Cant decide if I should change the date or keep it on 18th. Please help!
 
@nope80 - They're both good. I've gone through all the Knowmedge questions and videos twice. I've also gone through the MKSAP questions. Currently practicing some of the MKSAP questions again and going over printouts from Knowmedge.

@DrSeattle - I know how you feel. I'm just about brain dead now. Need to just stay focused for a couple more weeks and we'll be through it! I'm actually taking today and tomm off. First time in a long time since I've taken a day off but I need it! Hang in there! 🙂

Also, I would just keep the original date. If you are burnt out... take a couple days and relax. Going back and forth on the date if you don't need to is extra stress. Plus if you get to the 7th and realize you need to go over some concepts... you'll be kicking yourself for rescheduling.
 
CorlSt said:
@nope80 - They're both good. I've gone through all the Knowmedge questions and videos twice. I've also gone through the MKSAP questions. Currently practicing some of the MKSAP questions again and going over printouts from Knowmedge.

@DrSeattle - I know how you feel. I'm just about brain dead now. Need to just stay focused for a couple more weeks and we'll be through it! I'm actually taking today and tomm off. First time in a long time since I've taken a day off but I need it! Hang in there! 🙂

Also, I would just keep the original date. If you are burnt out... take a couple days and relax. Going back and forth on the date if you don't need to is extra stress. Plus if you get to the 7th and realize you need to go over some concepts... you'll be kicking yourself for rescheduling.
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@CorlSt Thank you for the encouraging advice. last 16 days..... and done, hopefully for next 10 years. And hope to retire before I have to take another ABIM ha ha.. doesn't cost to hope 🙂
 
Well, I'm reading all my board review notes again, have gotten through some of them - its amazing how you put more info in and more falls out the back end LOL! I have been liking knowmedge right now because I think its sticking little factoids and making me recall info I'm sure will be on the boards so my vote is for knowmedge. UWorld stems are just too long for me now, MKSAP I keep open and I work through while doing the knowmedge and medstudy if you just keep doing those over and over again you'll eventually retain the concept. I HAVE 5 DAYS TIL TESTING - please pray for me, another fail will demolish my spirit. Saying prayers nightly for everyone here!!! :nailbiting::nailbiting::nailbiting:
 
Poety2 said:
Well, I'm reading all my board review notes again, have gotten through some of them - its amazing how you put more info in and more falls out the back end LOL! I have been liking knowmedge right now because I think its sticking little factoids and making me recall info I'm sure will be on the boards so my vote is for knowmedge. UWorld stems are just too long for me now, MKSAP I keep open and I work through while doing the knowmedge and medstudy if you just keep doing those over and over again you'll eventually retain the concept. I HAVE 5 DAYS TIL TESTING - please pray for me, another fail will demolish my spirit. Saying prayers nightly for everyone here!!! :nailbiting::nailbiting::nailbiting:
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Good Luck buddy. You will be fine, stay focused, don't think too much at this point, relax and just keep doing!
 
nav83 said:
Hey guys, I took and passed my ABIM 2013 boards, so selling my MKSAP 16 books and Boards Basic 3 in Houston, can also thrown in some addt' board review books/mtrl for free. MKSAP is also you really need to pass the exam (16 actually does for certain sections have a lot more new mtrl/new questions), don't mess with Medstudy or too many different sources of review material. Email me at [email protected] with a serious offer for the book, you can look up prices for various MKSAP 16 packages on the ACP website. The books are like new, no highlights or marking.
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nav83 said:
Hey guys, I took and passed my ABIM 2013 boards, so selling my MKSAP 16 books and Boards Basic 3 in Houston, can also thrown in some addt' board review books/mtrl for free. MKSAP is also you really need to pass the exam (16 actually does for certain sections have a lot more new mtrl/new questions), don't mess with Medstudy or too many different sources of review material. Email me at [email protected] with a serious offer for the book, you can look up prices for various MKSAP 16 packages on the ACP website. The books are like new, no highlights or marking.
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ACP Board Basics 3: An Enhancement to MKSAP is on sale on Ebay now. Auction starts at 99 cents. Hurry, auction ends Aug 04, 2014 15:35:18 PDT (Pacific Daylight Time).
 
Poety2 said:
Well, I'm reading all my board review notes again, have gotten through some of them - its amazing how you put more info in and more falls out the back end LOL! I have been liking knowmedge right now because I think its sticking little factoids and making me recall info I'm sure will be on the boards so my vote is for knowmedge. UWorld stems are just too long for me now, MKSAP I keep open and I work through while doing the knowmedge and medstudy if you just keep doing those over and over again you'll eventually retain the concept. I HAVE 5 DAYS TIL TESTING - please pray for me, another fail will demolish my spirit. Saying prayers nightly for everyone here!!! :nailbiting::nailbiting::nailbiting:
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Prayers sent! 🙂 Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do great!
 
Taking on 18th August, can't wait to be done !
 
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Wish you all the best for the ABIM exams, starts on 7th....
 
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Poety2 said:
Well, I'm reading all my board review notes again, have gotten through some of them - its amazing how you put more info in and more falls out the back end LOL! I have been liking knowmedge right now because I think its sticking little factoids and making me recall info I'm sure will be on the boards so my vote is for knowmedge. UWorld stems are just too long for me now, MKSAP I keep open and I work through while doing the knowmedge and medstudy if you just keep doing those over and over again you'll eventually retain the concept. I HAVE 5 DAYS TIL TESTING - please pray for me, another fail will demolish my spirit. Saying prayers nightly for everyone here!!! :nailbiting::nailbiting::nailbiting:
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be confident and relax today. wouldnt cram anything else. i did that all the way till last minute and it made me more anxious. the info is stored in your brain , ,, now go retrieve it 🙂
good luck tomorrow!
 
Hey guys, good luck to everyone on the test!

I just wanted to get your census on what you guys are using for HTN management. I'm not sure if it's already been covered, but is the test going to cover JNC 7 or 8? Usually tests lag behind by a year, but considering this is a pretty major upgrade, and very specific to our specialty I figured it might be what we should know.

Any thoughts?
 
@RUbrown - Here's what the guys at Knowmedge say...

http://knowmedge.com/blog/im-board-review-jnc-8-blood-pressure/

Despite an outreach attempt to the folks at ABIM, the response I got was a generic “…We advise test takers to answer all questions according to their current understanding of clinical principles and practice. If ABIM determines that any question has been compromised by new information, that question will not be counted in your overall examination score. This information appears in the instructions at the start of every ABIM examination…

My recommendation is that given the adoption of these guidelines by large medical organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, you should start to use the updates for both the boards and the wards.
 
Well its done. I don't know if I passed to be honest, I made some really stupid mistakes things that I KNEW but under pressure I just didn't perform 🙁 I'm just glad its done for now - thank you so much for all the prayers and well wishes. I wish and pray for all of your successes!!!!
 
Congrats on being done, Poety2! Did the exam feel anything like the mksap questions?

Anyways... enjoy tonight and the rest of your weekend 🙂
 
Got 4 more days. What is more high yield: Review MKSAP q i got incorrect, USMLE world weak subjects, BB3, or pass videos?
Anyone?
 
Gave my exam yesterday. Did Awesome review and re-inforced the concepts with knowmedge. Did all awesome review notes in the last 4 days before the exam and I think that really helped me as the facts were in my mind. As mentioned before in the past this exam has nothing to do with practice it just tests you on the facts which can be pulled up on uptodate or any smart phone. I found the exam difficult, I think I knew 50% of the answers for sure, 30% I had narrowed down to two choices and the rest 20% I was clueless. Beware they will try to trick you, and they try really hard, if an answer is very obvious please go back and read the question again. I did not find a very easy question on the exam, dont want to freak anyone out but want to post the reality. This is my third time taking it so please pray for me that I make it through or else will have to go through a lot of embarassment at work. Fingers crossed and prayers for everyone out there taking it.
 
Uggh Joe - my second time, I will pray for you - I think I felt about the same as you - I just wasn't "sure" about very many questions. Some yes ,very straighforward, others - not so much at all. And others, Iwas like waht is this? LOL
 
Poety2 said:
Uggh Joe - my second time, I will pray for you - I think I felt about the same as you - I just wasn't "sure" about very many questions. Some yes ,very straighforward, others - not so much at all. And others, Iwas like waht is this? LOL
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the ones you werent sure about will probably be thrown out 🙂
so you're good!
 
did people think there was an even distribution of topics?
 
Congrats on being done!! Did you guys think the concepts were similar to BB and MKSAP questions?
 
Somewhat similar to mksap. Didn't do board basics but there were so many things in the exan its hard to say if one source dominates
 
anyone signed up for Awesome Review and already took the exam? was the review relevant?
 
MKSAP and USMLE most reflected the questions that I saw on the exam, I felt they didn't give anywhere near the amount of information they do in the MKSAP questions to help you find an answer - it was more like WORLD in that sense.
 
Congratulations for the people who finished their exams, have a fun weekend !!
Anyone took exams, could you please comment on the Awesome review notes, is it helpful material?
 
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joedoc123 said:
Awesome review was helpful
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How many times did you go over the notes?
I finished MKSAP books and questions plus I finished USMLE World prior to the Review. At the Review he said to use just his notes and I wasn't planning on going over USMLE World bc I found a lot of info very misleading and even more confusing. This is my 3rd time going over the notes it's a lot to cover and I can't say that I recall everything.
 
how many questions and blocks are there on the exam? Can't find this info.
 
Any one interested in studying with a partner, I am looking for a partner to study with, if any one is interested please reply.
 
People who gave the exam please share your experience .. Any important tips and topics... Focus areas..
 
Just took the exam 8/8.
I felt USMLE World was NOT reflective of the exam at all.
I also felt MKSAP was not too reflective either but was probably the closest thing.
There were tons of questions that were one sentence long. Such as "The most common adverse reaction of DRUG X is XXX"
If there is ONE high yield resource, I would focus on Board Basics 3 on the last 1-2 weeks and read ALL OF IT from cover to cover.

Does anyone know the % of questions needed to pass the exam?
When do scores come out?
 
Ihateverbal said:
Just took the exam 8/8.
I felt USMLE World was NOT reflective of the exam at all.
I also felt MKSAP was not too reflective either but was probably the closest thing.
There were tons of questions that were one sentence long. Such as "The most common adverse reaction of DRUG X is XXX"
If there is ONE high yield resource, I would focus on Board Basics 3 on the last 1-2 weeks and read ALL OF IT from cover to cover.

Does anyone know the % of questions needed to pass the exam?
When do scores come out?
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congrats on getting throught it.
i agree completely.... Usmleworld is a waste of time/money. bb3 is very good before the exam.
relax now ... its over....,,, scores probably by mid september.
 
Ihateverbal said:
Just took the exam 8/8.
I felt USMLE World was NOT reflective of the exam at all.
I also felt MKSAP was not too reflective either but was probably the closest thing.
There were tons of questions that were one sentence long. Such as "The most common adverse reaction of DRUG X is XXX"
If there is ONE high yield resource, I would focus on Board Basics 3 on the last 1-2 weeks and read ALL OF IT from cover to cover.

Does anyone know the % of questions needed to pass the exam?
When do scores come out?
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input.
 
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Yes I heard BB3's Don't be tricked and test questions are the most important of all! I have not taken the exam so don't know how much it matters....
 
Exam was pretty much like the in-service exam. Questions were on the same topics as those are in the in-service. I feel in-service is the closest you can get to exam pattern.
 
All the people I talked to, who had taken the exam in previous years, said it's easier than the inservice.
 
Took the exam today. I feel it is pretty straight forward (or Am I being tricked?).
I did MKSAP and Rahman multiple times, and felt pretty well prepared to answer those questions.
 
MCATTT said:
Took the exam today. I feel it is pretty straight forward (or Am I being tricked?).
I did MKSAP and Rahman multiple times, and felt pretty well prepared to answer those questions.
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Thank you for your input, Thats all I am doing too. Do you think you had enough time to finish all questions in block 3 and 4?
 
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