Psych In training exam prep

[greatsurg]

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Greetings, I need advice on how to prepare for my ITE. I have no psych rotations until next year, currently in Medicine.

 

[Sushirolls]

Know the politics of your program, how much do they emphasize this test as important? If not, don't sweat it. Keep doing what you are doing.

This test is pointless and has no correlation to board to pass rates, and is clinically useless. It's simply a numeric data point for Program Directors to brag about to their co-horts at other programs.

Complete waste of time and full of hype.

 

[Merovinge]

Greetings, I need advice on how to prepare for my ITE. I have no psych rotations until next year, currently in Medicine.

If those are your actual STEP scores, you need to go have as much fun as possible and completely forget about the test. Many programs actually emphasize growth on PRITE rather than raw scores, so even if your idea of fun is studying for PRITE I would not push hard intern year. Generally, your senior residents will have a stockpile of old PRITEs, you know the drill by now that practice questions are the best way to study statistically speaking. But please, just go relax, medicine rotations are stressful and you should not feel the need to study psych after a 12 hour day.

 

[oldiebutgoodie1211]

If those are your actual STEP scores, you need to go have as much fun as possible and completely forget about the test. Many programs actually emphasize growth on PRITE rather than raw scores, so even if your idea of fun is studying for PRITE I would not push hard intern year. Generally, your senior residents will have a stockpile of old PRITEs, you know the drill by now that practice questions are the best way to study statistically speaking. But please, just go relax, medicine rotations are stressful and you should not feel the need to study psych after a 12 hour day.

where do u see his step scores?

 

[adiradirim]

In order of highest efficiency and yield:

1. Past tests, more recent the better
2. PRITE Ninja Question Book
3. PRITE Ninja Study Guide

 

[clozareal]

where do u see his step scores?

In his/her signature.

 

[NickNaylor]

I was on the PRITE editorial board for 2 years, so I can reveal a bit behind the curtain.

First, I would agree with trying to figure out how, if at all, your PRITE scores affect your standing in your program. At my program, they were entirely irrelevant assuming you weren't in the <10th percentile. Beyond that, no one really cared. More than anything, it was a way to get a very rough sense of topics that you may want to study a bit more on.

The test is constructed to cover a variety of topics, however diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions are the largest topics. The cornerstone reference texts (especially Kaplan and Sadock) are the primary sources for question material, so if you really wanted to go nuts, going through a reference text like that with a focus on topics that you don't know about would probably be "the gold standard." There are always going to be completely off-the-wall questions included on the exam that you either know or don't (e.g., very arcane topics, historical questions, etc.) that aren't worth trying to study for.

Ultimately, I think the best preparation is just trying to learn as much as you can about your patients and read things relevant to them (e.g., reading about schizophrenia diagnosis, epidemiology, and treatment strategies when you have a patient with schizophrenia). Actually pay attention on your rotations and be actively engaged in learning as much as you can. Supplement with past exams if you want to actually "study," but I never specifically studied for the PRITE and did pretty well. I thought the board exam was easier than most of the PRITE exams quite honestly.

 

[J ROD]

I used Psych Genius and it took me from bottom 1/3 to top 1/3. Now, I did not exactly try the first couple of years. My program cares about it for moonlighting so 3rd year I tried. Made top 10. We could only moonlight 4th year. The exam itself is perhaps the worst standardized test I have ever taken. Many things are irrelevant. Not good for board prep. Just a waste of time except as an academic exercise. I also advised interns to not bomb it but also do not do very well because then it leaves you little room to improve. I would advise purposely not to study especially since it appears based on step scores you are a good and probably much better standardized test taker than almost all psych residents. Just learn as you go because intern year is hard enough.

 

[greatsurg]

Thank you guys. Definitely appreciate your input

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Know the politics of your program, how much do they emphasize this test as important? If not, don't sweat it. Keep doing what you are doing.

This test is pointless and has no correlation to board to pass rates, and is clinically useless. It's simply a numeric data point for Program Directors to brag about to their co-horts at other programs.

Complete waste of time and full of hype.

The ACGME mandates that we objectively test residents' Medical Knowledge annually. The PRITE's available, so most of us use it. Smart residents take it, learn from it, and use it to guide their self study. Bitter residents grouse about it and post comments like that above.

All I know is that I was never surprised by which grads failed the ABPN exam on their first try, Their test-taking skills were amply foreshadowed in four years of PRITE underperformance.

(And believe me, none of us waste our time bragging to our fellow PDs about our residents' PRITE scores. We'd rather talk about our kids and craft beer.)

 

[Sushirolls]

I am indeed bitter, but an attending, not resident. My PRITE scores trended down over 4 years. My ABPN exam passed with no problem.

ACGME mandates it, sure, I understand PDs are in a bind and must comply. But taking it to the next level of tying moonlighting to it, or having other consequences connected to it, I do take issue and feel sorry for residents in those programs.

If there is a publication out there that shows strong correlation of PRITE to ABPN board exam scores, I might just be a believer. The last time I recall this same discussion popped up on SDN a few years back, there wasn't much correlation, which beckons the question why are we forcing a non-evidenced based educational modality upon residents? Is it to prepare them for the pain of their future of MOC, to further indoctrinate them into that rouse?

The data for PRITE = ABPN board exam should be strong and convincing and the very first thing PDs present to new interns for reasons to prepare for it. It should speak for itself and be clear. One should only have to say, here's the data, now help yourself, study for this and improve your odds of passing fresh out the residency gate - no other sticks or coercion needed.

There was the ABIM set back in Chicago with their lawsuit, but I hope they appeal and make some headway on the MOC. I know there are other cases going against other boards MOC. Presuming some day reason prevails and MOC falls at the graces of the courts, I hope the in service exams are targeted next.

I gained more experience and learning from moonlighting than PRITE and this was echoed by various class years from my program.

 

[Mass Effect]

All I know is that I was never surprised by which grads failed the ABPN exam on their first try, Their test-taking skills were amply foreshadowed in four years of PRITE underperformance.

I don't know, I did poorly on PRITE every single year and I passed boards on my first try. The boards were much easier than PRITE. I think you nailed it on test-taking skills though. People sometimes fail PRITE not for lack of knowledge but lack of test-taking ability. The questions can be silly. The ABPN exam is much easier. At least in my experience.

 

[Mass Effect]

When I was an intern, a PGY 3 told me your best bet is just to do your best intern year. Don't study. No one cares about the interns since they've had so little psych and also if you do poorly intern year, you'll be praised for all the improvement PGY 2 year.