Official ABIM Exam/study tools thread!

[jurassicpark]

23rd
Terrified as this is my last year to be board eligible. Must pass!

Best wishes! Kick gluteal and take names!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DrMetal]

23rd
Terrified as this is my last year to be board eligible. Must pass!

Can I ask why you waited so long?

 

[Shabeer]

Good luck to those of you answering today. I'm on the 22nd.

 

[futuredoctor10]

Just finished the ABIM.
Now the long wait for scores.

 

[jurassicpark]

Just finished the ABIM.
Now the long wait for scores.

Don't worry, the scores come out actually quite fast. I think by end of september/october?

 

[Residentdoc86]

Congrats to those who finished. Can you share your prep and exam experience?

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

Can I ask why you waited so long?

Cause everywhere I worked said I have time and not to stress about getting it ASAP, so I was newly married and decided to travel and have fun in my summers instead. Big mistake. Also I failed it once.

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

Just finished the ABIM.
Now the long wait for scores.

Congrats! Anything crazy, or straightforward? I’ve done 3 question banks medstudy, mksap and uworld. Hoping I see a lot of similar questions.

 

[jurassicpark]

Cause everywhere I worked said I have time and not to stress about getting it ASAP, so I was newly married and decided to travel and have fun in my summers instead. Big mistake. Also I failed it once.

I've known a few people who did exactly that and in almost your same predicament, one studying furiously right now. Best wishes.

 

[Shabeer]

I did mksap x2 and uworld + incorrects. I cannot wait until this thing is done. Here's to hoping for an exam that reflects the study material...

 

[DrMetal]

Cause everywhere I worked said I have time and not to stress about getting it ASAP, so I was newly married and decided to travel and have fun in my summers instead. Big mistake. Also I failed it once.

I appreciate your honesty. You deserved to travel and have fun...this is a stupid F-in test, after all one goes through....

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

I appreciate your honesty. You deserved to travel and have fun...this is a stupid F-in test, after all one goes through....

Your right. And if I don’t pass, I have to redo a year of residency to be board eligible again. F this.

 

[DrMetal]

Your right. And if I don’t pass, I have to redo a year of residency to be board eligible again. F this.

I hope you don't have to go through that. I think I'd rather just take my chances and try to find work as non-BCd physician. How exactly does that work, are there 1-year re-residency programs?

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

I hope you don't have to go through that. I think I'd rather just take my chances and try to find work as non-BCd physician. How exactly does that work, are there 1-year re-residency programs?

I have no idea. Haven’t even looked into that, but in my last 6 years of practice, hospitals and clinics are getting much more strict about hiring only board certified. So I imagine you would have to start your own practice. I’ve been studying daily since November so I’m hoping to dear God that I don’t have to go down that road. All the best to you as well! Work hard and conquer this!

 

[mediam]

I did mksap x2 and uworld + incorrects. I cannot wait until this thing is done. Here's to hoping for an exam that reflects the study material...

Also doing the same...working on incorrects on uworld now. Hope its enough! Good luck!

 

[Shabeer]

I have no idea. Haven’t even looked into that, but in my last 6 years of practice, hospitals and clinics are getting much more strict about hiring only board certified. So I imagine you would have to start your own practice. I’ve been studying daily since November so I’m hoping to dear God that I don’t have to go down that road. All the best to you as well! Work hard and conquer this!

If I learned anything from Tim and Eric, it's that anything is probable.

 

[kaycee18]

23rd
Terrified as this is my last year to be board eligible. Must pass!

Good luck my Friend.

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

If I learned anything from Tim and Eric, it's that anything is probable.

Thank you. The exam is tomorrow. Good luck to you as well as everyone else taking it!

 

[Shabeer]

Took today. Was OK and fair. Easier than MKSAP but I will say that Uworld is an absolute must and is far superior to passively reading Board Basics, at least for me.

Thank you. The exam is tomorrow. Good luck to you as well as everyone else taking it!

Good luck tomorrow. You will do well I'm sure. We are all rooting for ya.

 

[15Eoshpf]

So you guys think we will get results back end of sept/oct?

 

[Shabeer]

So you guys think we will get results back end of sept/oct?

I'm assuming October but apparently it has been rather sporadic over the past few years. I'm just hoping for favorable results, I really don't care when it comes back.

 

[XenophonMD]

What are you using for study? MKSAP?, UW?

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

Just took the exam earlier today. Most of it straight forward. Sometimes more info would help and sometimes way too much info given for something simple. Anyway, glad it’s over with. Now the long haul to October. Goodluck to everyone, especially those still taking it on the 28th.

 

[XenophonMD]

Just took the exam earlier today. Most of it straight forward. Sometimes more info would help and sometimes way too much info given for something simple. Anyway, glad it’s over with. Now the long haul to October. Goodluck to everyone, especially those still taking it on the 28th.

Congratulations!

 

[Residentdoc86]

can't wait for it to be over. taking it on the 28th.

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

can't wait for it to be over. taking it on the 28th.

Goodluck. I found that it sticks very faithfully to the blueprint. Tons of cards pulm and GI questions. I think if you studied well, you will find it straightforward. Best of luck

 

[Sapien3]

Can’t wait to be done with this test! Lol
My co-fellow was able to finish by 2 pm. I heard the abim tutorial is helpful and has many calculator(even lights criteria). Planning to go through that.

My source has been mksap 17(1st pass), and board basics. Reading only board basics now. I am hoping to get good night sleep before the test day.

Good luck to all those taking on 28th!

 

[Sapien3]

Done with the test. IMO exam was not straight forward. I utilized almost all my time (120min) for each block. Marked about 16-18 ( I know! That’s a lot of “oh I am not sure-Qs”) Qs in each block. Ended up changing answers multiple times. I am confident about 60+% Qs.

Retrospective thinking - I wish I had reviewed and revised Board Basics better. That would have helped more.


Hope the people who went to board prep courses shift the curve to the right and drive up the passing scores! One of my batch-mate mentioned 50% of exam Questions were very similar to board-prep course Qs.


Anyhow, good luck to all with this long ass wait till the results!!

 

[DrHoffy]

Took it today . I’m brain dead. I have never omitted a question until today. I was in my first block and just about to submit my last answer and the time ran out. Usually I have plenty of time! This test I took the full 2 hours per block.
I had at least 5-6 questions I flagged.
I have taken it before without passing and I didn’t remember there being so many exhibits like this one
I’m taking the DO boards next week ( which is what I should of done my first year out; since our program was so late in getting the option to take the Abim.). So I have another week to brush up on weak points I discovered !
Good luck to everyone who took this beast of an exam!

 

[Sapien3]

Ok. So the previous year I have seen like scores above 370 as pass. Max score seems 800. I don’t understand how we are scored.

I heard(I know I should stop talking to people) getting 70% questions right will get us a pass. This I find is ridiculous because how would score of around 400/800 would equate to 70% correct answers.

Check the graph ( from sample ABIM report) - it is not a normal distribution. However, it appears like 40 percentile (see picture)and above would pass.

Thoughts?


PS: I know this is PTSD (post-test stress disorder). Just thinking out loud. Opinions appreciated.

 

[Shabeer]

Ok. So the previous year I have seen like scores above 370 as pass. Max score seems 800. I don’t understand how we are scored.

I heard(I know I should stop talking to people) getting 70% questions right will get us a pass. This I find is ridiculous because how would score of around 400/800 would equate to 70% correct answers.

Check the graph ( from sample ABIM report) - it is not a normal distribution. However, it appears like 40 percentile (see picture)and above would pass.

Thoughts?


PS: I know this is PTSD (post-test stress disorder). Just thinking out loud. Opinions appreciated.

All I see in that graph is a lot of failure. It doesn't make sense to fail that many examinees.

Edit: Actually, it does many sense to fail that many from a business perspective. I checked the ABIM website and they are very clear that a specific score exists for passing and it is not affected by any curve.

I think everyone has PTSD after any of these high stake exams.

I will pass along that, in this case, UWorld is an absolute, absolute, absolute must. I cannot emphasize it enough. The interface and questions that they have is spot on with the material that was tested (at least in my case). I found MKSAP 17, which I did twice, to be a complete waste of time except for 1 question which I may have gotten wrong anyway. Board basics was helpful but I do not retain information passively. I would prefer to get a question wrong and evaluate my faulty reasoning or lack of knowledge than just sit reading a book with the expectation that I will miraculously recall and synthesize everything on test day. Just me. Anyway, only time will tell in a few months. Who knows, maybe I'll be back next year and all of this will be me just bloviating.

 

[blacksheepwall22339]

Ok. So the previous year I have seen like scores above 370 as pass. Max score seems 800. I don’t understand how we are scored.

I heard(I know I should stop talking to people) getting 70% questions right will get us a pass. This I find is ridiculous because how would score of around 400/800 would equate to 70% correct answers.

Check the graph ( from sample ABIM report) - it is not a normal distribution. However, it appears like 40 percentile (see picture)and above would pass.

Thoughts?


PS: I know this is PTSD (post-test stress disorder). Just thinking out loud. Opinions appreciated.

I don't think this makes sense.. ABIM releases stats and the last two years there was a 90-91% first time pass rate.
I took it yesterday too, thought there was information missing needed to answer questions, thought two answers were reasonable for a lot of questions. Felt terrible, but then again I have felt terrible after every single standardized examination I've ever taken. In all likelihood, we passed.

https://www.abim.org/~/media/ABIM%20Public/Files/pdf/statistics-data/certification-pass-rates.pdf

 

[medstudent20162016]

I took the test this cycle as well. Read through board basics x2, MKSAP Qbank plus redid all wrong ones, and UWorld and redid the wrong ones. Agree with above, felt like some questions needed more information or 2 answers could be right. Finished each block with about 30 minutes left and reviewed marked questions. Long 2-3 month wait....

 

[IDrules]

Took it yesterday. Felt awful. Too many questions that could have come down to 2 answers and a few that were completely out of left field. I did uworld x2 and incorrects, MKSAPx1, MedStudy books and board basics and I honestly felt the questions were completely different from both qbanks. Definitely going to be an agonizing wait

 

[Sapien3]

Thanks for all your response guys!!

Good to hear that I was not the only one who felt ****ty post-test. Hahaha

Yeah, definitely felt that there was quite a bit of missing information in the vignettes and making it difficult to narrow down answers.

Hoping to pass! Good luck to all.

 

[cher25]

Took it yesterday. Felt awful. Too many questions that could have come down to 2 answers and a few that were completely out of left field. I did uworld x2 and incorrects, MKSAPx1, MedStudy books and board basics and I honestly felt the questions were completely different from both qbanks. Definitely going to be an agonizing wait

I echo your sentiment. I thought I would feel relieved that the studying was over but instead I left with this awful feeling. I studied really hard for the test and still found myself struggling between 2 very plausible answers for a reasonable chunk of the exam. Not to mention the random crap on the exam. Hopefully we all fall on the right side of the curve. Now the wait...

 

[Rongy_Dringus]

I echo your sentiment. I thought I would feel relieved that the studying was over but instead I left with this awful feeling. I studied really hard for the test and still found myself struggling between 2 very plausible answers for a reasonable chunk of the exam. Not to mention the random crap on the exam. Hopefully we all fall on the right side of the curve. Now the wait...

Ya I hear you guys... I’ve been studying for about a year just about daily and I came out feeling pretty confident but I’m starting to really doubt myself and having moments of serious anxiety...I really hate that they do this to us. I mean they know the answers already right? Technically they could tell us right at the end if we passed, especially since it’s not adjusted/curved. Fml

 

[Animalcules]

The exam infuriated me. There is no way someone with any knowledge of question design reviewed this exam.

 

[DoubleBogey]

Seeing the kubler ross stages play out here - I took the exam 2 years ago and felt the same (minus the anger).
Most people pass and move on - with current MOC you don’t have to take the exam again if you don’t want to (knowledge check in every 2 years).
Good luck!

 

[jurassicpark]

Seeing the kubler ross stages play out here - I took the exam 2 years ago and felt the same (minus the anger).
Most people pass and move on - with current MOC you don’t have to take the exam again if you don’t want to (knowledge check in every 2 years).
Good luck!

Even then, looks like the ABIM is changing the game again after the massive backlash from the general population. I cannot imagine those poor docs who after X amount of years got their board cert stripped away from them, their admitting privileges, their insurances, etc.

 

[DrMetal]

Even then, looks like the ABIM is changing the game again after the massive backlash from the general population. I cannot imagine those poor docs who after X amount of years got their board cert stripped away from them, their admitting privileges, their insurances, etc.

What we really need to do is get rid of board certification altogether , as a credential of any sort. It's a 'made-up' credential that we physicians created and now dangle as a carrot over ourselves.

Do lawyers/accountants/engineers maintain a 'board certification' (re-take a test every 2 or 10 years)? I think not. They pass their bar/CPA/PE exams, do continuing education, then they're judged on the merits of their practice. Now these are pretty important jobs. I care about my legal/financial stability, and about the stability of the bridges I drive on.

Make an exit test for trainees in their residency programs, get rid of BC, beef up CME, then judge a doctor on the outcomes of his/her practice. That's enough!

 

[JerseyBoy406]

What we really need to do is get rid of board certification altogether , as a credential of any sort. It's a 'made-up' credential that we physicians created and now dangle as a carrot over ourselves.

Do lawyers/accountants/engineers maintain a 'board certification' (re-take a test every 2 or 10 years)? I think not. They pass their bar/CPA/PE exams, do continuing education, then they're judged on the merits of their practice. Now these are pretty important jobs. I care about my legal/financial stability, and about the stability of the bridges I drive on.

Make an exit test for trainees in their residency programs, get rid of BC, beef up CME, then judge a doctor on the outcomes of his/her practice. That's enough!

Amen! The greedy ABIM is in a serious lawsuit about MOC, and they’re going to lose in my opinion based on a lot of things. 2 of which are: if MOC is so important, why are there tons of pre-1990 LIFETIME certified docs who don’t have to do ANY MOC? And, they have become a de facto regulatory board which is usurping the authority of ALL of the duly appointed state medical boards which, in FACT, are the only legal authorities to govern us. Thank about that!!!

 

[DirectorP32C]

Any estimates/thoughts as to when the results will be posted this year?

 

[mediam]

Any estimates/thoughts as to when the results will be posted this year?

Ive seen my friend’s report email sent on Oct 5th, and i heard other colleague got results before that.


QUOTE="Raryn, post: 20365137, member: 201009"]No. No it wasn't. It hasn't been Oct 8 or earlier for the last 2 years.

Again, to quote my table above, this is the first reported results for every given year (all data from SDN):

2017: Monday, October 23 @ 1014am (results rolled out over about 4 days with no rhyme nor reason to the order)
2016: Saturday, October 15 @951 pm (snafu on the website as results rolled in over the next 12 hours or so)
2015: Thursday, October 8 @ 817AM
2014: Monday, October 6 @ 1059AM
2013: Monday, October 7 @ 323 AM (seriously)
2012: Thursday, October 4 @ 814 AM
2011: Wednesday, November 2 @ 1033 AM
Unable to find 2010, but it was prior to November 9
2009: Tuesday, October 20 @ 540PM

[/QUOTE]


Found this on another post...also looks like last years results rolled in around Oct 18th...hoping for sooner rather than later

 

[Dr9211]

Anybody has any idea what percentage of correct answers are required to pass boards. I know it might vary little bit from year to year or even from same year with different set of questions. But still there might be a estimate

 

[Shabeer]

Anybody has any idea what percentage of correct answers are required to pass boards. I know it might vary little bit from year to year or even from same year with different set of questions. But still there might be a estimate

Rumor has it that the cutoff is 65% correct. The ABIM clearly states that a certain number correct is required, but I don't know if any evidence exists to suggest a specific number

 

[DrHoffy]

Well I took both the do and md boards and they were completely different exams. I literally can’t find any info on when the DO boards release their results. Anyone know? The end of the exam said 8 weeks.
Anyone else also take the AOBIM boards.?

 

[premedk]

I echo your sentiment. I thought I would feel relieved that the studying was over but instead I left with this awful feeling. I studied really hard for the test and still found myself struggling between 2 very plausible answers for a reasonable chunk of the exam. Not to mention the random crap on the exam. Hopefully we all fall on the right side of the curve. Now the wait...

Yup felt the same way. Narrowed down to two and then just guessed, hoping for the best. Was scoring "above average" on uworld by the end of my study period, like the 55-60th percentile on timed blocks of 60. But those questions had enough clues to pick the right answer. Looking through past threads and talking to previous examinees this was a hard tester than other years. Honestly, don't even know how to study for those super vague questions. It seems like they don't curve which means I bet there will be a lower pass rate than previous years.

 

[Animalcules]

Yup felt the same way. Narrowed down to two and then just guessed, hoping for the best. Was scoring "above average" on uworld by the end of my study period, like the 55-60th percentile on timed blocks of 60. But those questions had enough clues to pick the right answer. Looking through past threads and talking to previous examinees this was a hard tester than other years. Honestly, don't even know how to study for those super vague questions. It seems like they don't curve which means I bet there will be a lower pass rate than previous years.

It's an excellent money making scheme.

 

[Recertifier2019]

I am wondering if there is a sample block or at least some sample questions by ABIM that we can practice on at home before the real exam.

I’m doing MKSAP but I want to familiarize myself with what the actual screen looks like, to become comfortable with clicking the buttons etc on the real screen.

I couldn’t find anything on the ABIM website except the tutorial. If you’re aware of any practice questions provided by the ABIM, can you please post the link?