Part 3 exam

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Same here, because I've been procrastinating. I think it depends on where you are at in your training. Graduating students who are going into residency shouldn't need to study at all. Residents who have spent a whole year off service may need to pick up pocket pods and run through it for a day right before the exam (if you feel rusty). Upper years at programs that have offered decent training also don't need to study from what past and current residents at my program have said. I like to think I'll skim through pocket pods of re-familiarize myself with some angles/classification systems and procedures that are antiquated or hardly used...but in all reality I probably won't do that. I've thought the ABFAS in-training exams have been pretty darn easy the last couple of years, I imagine part 3 will have more poorly written questions on irrelevent material, but I can't imagine easily outscoring those national averages in the ABFAS exam won't translate to passing part 3 with minimal effort. We shall see...
 
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For a process that so many people have done, the whole Part 3 / starting residency paperwork is annoying.

I received conflicting information about whether I needed to take Part 3 or not (yes, I spoke to my director, my future co-residents, and people in the know). I eventually settled on Yes, I need it, but its not listed in the temporary licensing requirements paperwork I'm currently knocking out.

The Prometric monopoly on submitting our board scores is just dreadful. $35 and you either have to mail them or fax them and I guess hope it works out. A resident I recently spoke with told me they lost his stuff and billed him and he had to fight them to get it resent. That would just be the cherry on top.

My future state boards website is just junk. When I paid my non-refundable fees they told me I would be able to upload my paperwork to their website 24/7. There is no where to upload anything...

Prometric in theory won't let you sign up for Part 3 unless you've been approved by your state board. My state board seems to want proof I've graduated which I can't provide till after the sign up date.

I suspect all this crap will become trivial in the end and all these obstacles will melt away, but you would think that with as many people as have done it the whole thing would be easier. Someday we're going to be consumed by regular medicine and then hopefully all these nickel and dimers will disappear. Who am I kidding. I'm told the board exam 3rd year residents took today was like $2K.
 
Just want to get this overrrrr with already!! Any idea on recent pass rates for this obstacle? :artist:
 
If the state issues a temporary (training) license then part 3 isn't a requirement. Someone may tell you that you need it, including the state board, but they don't have to make it a requirement if they are not granting full licensure.

Either way, if you have the money and/or the desire to mess around with knocking it out before residency, that's what I imagine everyone who's been through it would recommend.
 
I think that's a pretty good explanation.

The exam was the usual junk/professional embarassment, but I thought it was significantly easier than part 2. In a shocking twist, all my images were visible. Third times the charm.
 
I had no problems with questions not showing up as I did in part 2, as AB said above. However I had 2 questions repeat. At some point the younger generation will have to unseat those who write the exam, and we will be better for it. I honestly believe they have the best interest in the profession and students in mind. However, that doesn't mean they are qualified. My experience through the previous three boards (especially part II and III) tells me the NBPME test writers had a very different education than I did. This examination should be written by residency directors/attendings and young podiatrists fresh out of residency - and written in the format of the USMLE. So until some of us graduating residents step up and take part, nothing will change. How could anything change? These are good people doing their best. Some might be upset and find these comments disrespectful. I get that, but if you have taken these exams recently, I doubt you disagree.
 
Only a handful of laughable questions and another handful of the "I know what the answer should be but none of these are great choices" questions.

Overall, this was actually probably the best written and most straight forward of the 3. Shockingly. Still, you could subtract Prometric's cut of the over half million $ this exam generates every year, give me the rest, and have either the same cut and past from pocket podiatry exam we have now...or, if I put any effort into it whatsoever, a superior test with actual case studies that requires 2nd or 3rd order thought processes. If anyone from the NBPME reads this, think about it.
 
FeeltheBern said:
I had no problems with questions not showing up as I did in part 2, as AB said above. However I had 2 questions repeat. At some point the younger generation will have to unseat those who write the exam, and we will be better for it. I honestly believe they have the best interest in the profession and students in mind. However, that doesn't mean they are qualified. My experience through the previous three boards (especially part II and III) tells me the NBPME test writers had a very different education than I did. This examination should be written by residency directors/attendings and young podiatrists fresh out of residency - and written in the format of the USMLE. So until some of us graduating residents step up and take part, nothing will change. How could anything change? These are good people doing their best. Some might be upset and find these comments disrespectful. I get that, but if you have taken these exams recently, I doubt you disagree.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
dtrack22 said:
Only a handful of laughable questions and another handful of the "I know what the answer should be but none of these are great choices" questions.

Overall, this was actually probably the best written and most straight forward of the 3. Shockingly. Still, you could subtract Prometric's cut of the over half million $ this exam generates every year, give me the rest, and have either the same cut and past from pocket podiatry exam we have now...or, if I put any effort into it whatsoever, a superior test with actual case studies that requires 2nd or 3rd order thought processes. If anyone from the NBPME reads this, think about it.
Click to expand...

I agree, the "case studies" presented are first order questions disguised with several sentences filled with buzz words. Second or third order questions are the only way to write an acceptable examination to appropriately license doctoral level education. Someday...
 
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