Sesap

[Citrace]

Studying for the QE... people tell me SESAP is a good resource, but its demoralizing... Im getting 60-70% of the questions right in each chapter... is this good enough??? Or am I in danger here and should look for other resources...

Anyone use De Virgilio's board review question book?

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[ajimd]

Don't panic. I'm in the same boat...getting about 70%. I was wondering the same thing though...I think if we were knocking it out of the park (95%) each module, would there really be a need to study? Obviously I think the benefit is to go through all the responses and figure out why we got wrong the ones we did. For the most part, I hear that the QE is a bit more straightforward than some SESAP questions, but the concepts they test are the same.
What I'm curious about is the concepts that are no longer valid. For example, Xigris no longer being used in septic shock...etc. Are they still gonna ask and refer to it as being beneficial in sepsis...not sure

 

[blue2000]

Don't panic. I'm in the same boat...getting about 70%. I was wondering the same thing though...I think if we were knocking it out of the park (95%) each module, would there really be a need to study? Obviously I think the benefit is to go through all the responses and figure out why we got wrong the ones we did. For the most part, I hear that the QE is a bit more straightforward than some SESAP questions, but the concepts they test are the same.
What I'm curious about is the concepts that are no longer valid. For example, Xigris no longer being used in septic shock...etc. Are they still gonna ask and refer to it as being beneficial in sepsis...not sure

I think they pull questions on the exam that are controversial. When I took orals in spring 2011, I was very nervous that they would ask a question about indications for axillary node dissections, SLN. The breast question I got on the orals was very clear cut and did not address this issue at all.

 

[Buzz Me]

I've heard (from others who passed the boards last year) that SESAP 14's difficulty level is too high. Not reflective of the relatively easier, more-straightforward questions asked on the actual written boards.

That, and apparently 10% of the answers are wrong!

I'm also going through the written/aural Osler material and Cameron's.

 

[ajimd]

Wow, had not heard that 10% of the answers were wrong...seems high. I have run into a couple of controversial ones however...for example the Xigris question and a Traumatic whipple as the "best answer" on one question, but I guess there may be some very select indications for it.
Other thing I'm doing is going over my ABSITE stuff from last year. After that, I'm tapped

 

[Winged Scapula]

Remember guys...they aren't going to ask controversial questions or "cutting edge" stuff.

For example, they are not going to routinely ask about Z-011 and the management of axillary nodes based on that study (as referred to by blue2000 above). If *you* choose to get into such detailed stuff, expect them to probe further but in general, both written and oral boards are straightforward questions.

SESAP like any resource has questions/answers which are wrong or may be used in trial for the real exam but it is one of the best resources out there. If something doesn't seem right, use your other resources for verification.