Preparing for ABSITE before residency starts

[Mo_117]

Hi all,

After a year of research with at a university program and a much more optimistic interview season than last year, I'm hoping to be starting surgical residency this July. I want to continue my exam score trend from the steps and score very highly on the ABSITE. I was wondering what suggestions anyone has for material a medical graduate working in research would find useful for both acing the ABSITE and just generally coming into day 1 of residency with a knowledge level that would put me ahead of what my attendings will be expecting of a PGY-1. I already bought The ABSITE Review by Steven Fiser. Any other review books, textbooks that surgical residents need to read, or Qbanks you guys can suggest that will get me primed on the material but not be uselessly beyond my level as a graduate who hasn't started residency yet?

Thanks!

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[Apollyon]

You can't take an ITE without actually being in training, which you are not, yet - or, at least, in my day, in a different specialty, was true.

It's infinitely superior to actually learn material, vs just memorizing up to test. Don't worry - the ABSITE will come to you! Good luck!!

 

[Mo_117]

I just wanted to get a head start since I have some free time. I'm an IMG and have aspirations for very competitive fellowships so I need all the help I can get and scoring 90-95+ will go a long way.

Thanks for the advice though!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Moving to the Surgery forum where you will get more helpful advice.

 

[Apollyon]

And here I am, thinking that "you can't take an in training exam until you are in training" was the most helpful of all!

 

[CBG23]

And here I am, thinking that "you can't take an in training exam until you are in training" was the most helpful of all!

That is a fallacy. One only covers a fraction of what is on the ABSITE through clinical rotations, especially in the first 6 months or so of intern. So, a lot of prep, especially as a junior will be learning and memorizing stuff that one hasn't seen.

Whether or not one SHOULD utilize their remaining free time before residency starts is another question altogether

 

[thedrjojo]

There are a million threads on this.

If you can get access to surgicalcore (SCORE), that is your best bet. But that's tied to a residency usually so if you match,you can ask if they can give you access early.

Truelearn question bank was very popular in my residency, but I did worse relying on that than on SCORE.

I would say you can be a test subject for us. The Dimick book https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1496349075/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile is phenomenal for oral boards preparation, but I suspect it will be great for junior residents learning to care for patients, and maybe very useful for absite... So if you wanna use that for the next year and report back your absite scores, have at it!

 

[TiredGenSurgRes]

If any one is interested in True Learn Absite Review. They can have the discounted rate until end of July 2019 through this link:

https://mbsy.co/wHRnW