Punished by ABEM for not doing orals in 2020?

[AlmostAnMD]

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Happy new year. Randomly checked a bunch of stuff this morning and among them found in my ABEM account a notice that, because I had not taken my oral exam in 2020 (nor had anyone) I have an LLSA assigned to me.

Am I reading this right? How and where do I get a pitchfork to correct this?

 

[deleted813736]

i think menards has some at 20% off if you go by the end of the day

 

[GeneralVeers]

Can't we just get rid of ABEM at this point? Why isn't graduating 3 years of residency enough?

 

[CliveStaples]

I assume it's an error, as I sat for written boards in 2020 (so would never have been eligible to take my oral boards until 2021) and also got the "you have an LLSA due in 2021" on my checklist, which should not be there.

 

[AlmostAnMD]

Can't we just get rid of ABEM at this point? Why isn't graduating 3 years of residency enough?

Well, written sort of makes sense. Orals less so. Also, I graduated in 2019 and remember nothing about oral stuff. I only know real medicine now not this fake BS we learned in residency for oral encounters lol

 

[GeneralVeers]

Well, written sort of makes sense. Orals less so. Also, I graduated in 2019 and remember nothing about oral stuff. I only know real medicine now not this fake BS we learned in residency for oral encounters lol

We don't need ABEM for a standardized written exam at the end of residency. The oral boards are complete garbage and should go completely. There is absolutely no value in them. The MOC is also pointless for practicing EM physicians and just a money grab.

 

[JacobMcCandles]

Can't we just get rid of ABEM at this point? Why isn't graduating 3 years of residency enough?

$$$$

 

[southerndoc]

Can't we just get rid of ABEM at this point? Why isn't graduating 3 years of residency enough?

We have talk of all the 3-letter residency programs that aren't fit to be programs and then you question why we have a board-certification process?

 

[GeneralVeers]

We have talk of all the 3-letter residency programs that aren't fit to be programs and then you question why we have a board-certification process?

So far I've not heard of issues with graduates of these HCA programs passing their boards. If you can prove that they have a higher fail rate, then I might reconsider my position that they aren't needed to weed people out.

 

[UrbanEM2]

ABEM is and always has been a joke of an organization that exists by overcharging already debt-ridden new attendings for certificates with little added value.

I was once told by an oral board examiner that ABEM oral boards were his favorite week of the year because of all the free food and lodging they get. Apparently there's a steak dinner that runs $200+ per head that ABEM covers them for. Not to mention, when I took my oral boards, I got there and saw some of the most incompetent attendings I've worked with as examiners. In no world should they have been certifying anyone.

In case you ever wondered why you were out of ~$5k to get a board certification, it's so these fat cats can eat fancy steaks and drink great wine on your dime.

I recertified a few years ago to keep active though I don't know when/if I'll work clinically. Probably won't bother next time around.

 

[Apollyon]

ABEM is and always has been a joke of an organization that exists by overcharging already debt-ridden new attendings for certificates with little added value.

I was once told by an oral board examiner that ABEM oral boards were his favorite week of the year because of all the free food and lodging they get. Apparently there's a steak dinner that runs $200+ per head that ABEM covers them for. Not to mention, when I took my oral boards, I got there and saw some of the most incompetent attendings I've worked with as examiners. In no world should they have been certifying anyone.

In case you ever wondered why you were out of ~$5k to get a board certification, it's so these fat cats can eat fancy steaks and drink great wine on your dime.

I recertified a few years ago to keep active though I don't know when/if I'll work clinically. Probably won't bother next time around.

When I did my oral boards, I was surprised when I saw the medical director from my prior job - such that, I kinda yelled, "Hey, Billy!", and then, in that moment, realized "whoops"! He was (and is) one of the most competent docs I've ever seen. My specific examiners? They didn't seem to actually work in the real world.

 

[Cinclus]

I sent ABEM a message about this today. Hopefully it's just an error and nobody's there over the holiday weekend to realize and fix it. Rather infuriating if not an error, though.

 

[AlmostAnMD]

They told me they're "working on removing the message."

They knew this message was going to get generated for a year come Jan 1 and did nothing. Speaks volumes about the organization for just not giving a crap.