Physics Board Review Course

[thompa]

Hello everyone!

As most of you know, Patrick McDermott authors one of the main physics textbooks for rad onc residents. This past weekend Pat put together a 2-day, intensive, physics board review course at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI.

This was the first time Pat has done this, which is why it wasn't broadly announced before-hand. It was opened up to other residents in the state of Michigan. This year was the pilot version.

It was a phenomenal, high yield review. Included a 160 page color study guide with several hundred practice questions, as well as a full practice exam with answers at the end. Pat would first give a focused lecture-style walk-through of a topic, and then we would answer a bunch of practice questions, and then review answers and Pat would address any questions or confusion. I got a lot of clarity about what topics/concepts I'm doing well with, and which ones need more work. Definitely lessened my anxiety about this test (rad bio is a completely separate animal...).

I'm under the impression that my department considers this a success, and is planning on offering it again next year. It is anticipated that course registration will be open to any resident registered to take the physics board exam next year. Sorry to my current PGY-4s who didn't get the luxury of this review opportunity! But for everyone who taking the exam next year, you've got a new, high quality board review course taught by the guy who writes the book. Pat's also thinking about publishing the study guide, but that hasn't been finalized.

Good luck to everyone taking boards this year!

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[RO28]

Anyway he would consider making some of the review information, particularly the practice questions/test available for those taking the test this year? This will be my third time taking the exam and I absolutely cannot think about having to take it again next year. I will happily pay for the material.

 

[GapCalc]

RO28, can you turn on DMs? Thanks.

 

[RO28]

Gapcalc, I think I did? Let me know if it still doesn't, or how I can turn them on

 

[evilbooyaa]

I would also be interested in any materials as a current PGY-4 who has zero desire to take physics more than once. This would certainly be a very welcome resource.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

RO28, can you turn on DMs? Thanks.

Please share

 

[RO28]

@thecarbonionangle I don't have anything, I was hoping the OP would share resources from the McDermott course.

 

[GapCalc]

Please share

Just gathering info, nothing to share. Sorry!

 

[scarbrtj]

What’s crazy is that no matter how bad the teaching is at your program, or how “dumb” you think you are at rad bio or physics, just a few day course by a great teacher and well done study guide can cover over all this and get a person to passing. Which means, and I have said this before, a one week course or thereabout could teach the residents all they need to ace the rad bio and physics sections (recent developments may have torpedoed this logic for rad bio but even so). Which means in a perfect world the ABR should just put these course materials at every residency and tour these teachers and their classes around the country on a rotating basis.

 

[RickyScott]

What’s crazy is that no matter how bad the teaching is at your program, or how “dumb” you think you are at rad bio or physics, just a few day course by a great teacher and well done study guide can cover over all this and get a person to passing. Which means, and I have said this before, a one week course or thereabout could teach the residents all they need to ace the rad bio and physics sections (recent developments may have torpedoed this logic for rad bio but even so). Which means in a perfect world the ABR should just put these course materials at every residency and tour these teachers and their classes around the country on a rotating basis.

...or a bunch of recalled test questions.

 

[thompa]

I had a discussion today with the principals involved (mainly Dr. McDermott). All of this material is planning to be published, so unfortunately there's nontrivial copyright concerns about releasing the study guide. It's doubtful anything will be formally released/published until next year .

But scarbrtj is pretty on-the-nose. As a field, we really need more high-yield educational resources. Especially for all of us who don't have a databank of recalls to rely on. Pat knows this, and is trying to fill the gap in physics. I'm not sure a one-week course would be enough if you were trying to learn from scratch everything that might be on the physics boards. I think people might struggle to keep up moving that fast (I certainly would), again assuming no prior medical physics teaching. Now whether or not the scope of what's on this test is actually necessary to be a good practicing rad onc...that's a different conversation, and I think most of us would argue it's overkill.

Speaking personally, the questions in Pat's book are pretty similar to what was in the review course (pretty sure many were right from the books). If you haven't done 'em, that's a pretty good chunk of questions. A bunch of them are new from the last version as well, so if you've got access to both versions of his textbook it's a sizable number of practice questions.

 

[RO28]

Hey @thompa thanks for following up and inquiring, I really appreciate it!

 

[thecarbonionangle]

I had a discussion today with the principals involved (mainly Dr. McDermott). All of this material is planning to be published, so unfortunately there's nontrivial copyright concerns about releasing the study guide. It's doubtful anything will be formally released/published until next year .

But scarbrtj is pretty on-the-nose. As a field, we really need more high-yield educational resources. Especially for all of us who don't have a databank of recalls to rely on. Pat knows this, and is trying to fill the gap in physics. I'm not sure a one-week course would be enough if you were trying to learn from scratch everything that might be on the physics boards. I think people might struggle to keep up moving that fast (I certainly would), again assuming no prior medical physics teaching. Now whether or not the scope of what's on this test is actually necessary to be a good practicing rad onc...that's a different conversation, and I think most of us would argue it's overkill.

Speaking personally, the questions in Pat's book are pretty similar to what was in the review course (pretty sure many were right from the books). If you haven't done 'em, that's a pretty good chunk of questions. A bunch of them are new from the last version as well, so if you've got access to both versions of his textbook it's a sizable number of practice questions.

True and so sad. The physics “study” guide is completely useless. They did not even bother...

 

[whitchco]

Just want to echo what was said above. I had the privilege of attending Pat's course this year and it was outstanding. I agree that you glean the most from the course if you come into it with some basic knowledge and studying under your belt - there is simply no way to move through all the material and answer questions within 2 days if you don't have the fundamentals down already. For me, it was nice to get a fresh perspective from an educator outside of my own department, and to identify which topics I need to focus on leading up to the boards. I would strongly recommend attending this course in the future if your program supports your attendance!