Studying for the boards

[viao]

Hi,

I know this may have been discussed in the past but when did people start studying for the boards? I am thinking of starting early so I can at least take some time off in the summer and relax but am trying to put together a general schedule? And then if you throw echo boards into the mix how does that play into everything?

Also, is it understood that most people start their first job AFTER taking the boards or do many start beforehand?

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[go lakers]

I am starting now (current third year fellow) by watching Mayo 2017 lectures.
Echo boards were a lot of work. If you're studying for both, would start studying over the next month or two depending on your knowledge-base.
From previous graduates, most started right away (primarily due to financial reasons) but some took a few months off before starting.

 

[Phospholipid]

How are you guys studying for the EKG/ECHO/Cath portion of the boards? Thx

 

[nlax30]

For general boards I probably seriously started review my last 3-4 months of fellowship. I had taken echo boards the year prior and honestly studying for echo requires you to pretty much review most of general cardiology so it was a lot of the basics (valvular disease, hemodynamics, etc...) I had covered in detail then.

 

[viao]

What question bank did everyone use (for general boards vs echo boards)?

When you say you started reviewing during last few months of fellowship, how many hours per day on average? I am trying to put together a plan and want to get the most effective/efficient resources together.

 

[nlax30]

I’m probably the last one who should be giving advice as I didn’t make any sort of formal plan and didn’t use a question bank.

I’ve actually never liked using question banks and pretty much stopped after step 2.

 

[HeartCardsDO]

I did Mayo videos when I took them, hafve to recertify soon and am planning to do the same. For the ECG section I did Okeefe, glad I dont have to do that part for the recert

 

[Scottish Chap]

Hi,

I know this may have been discussed in the past but when did people start studying for the boards? I am thinking of starting early so I can at least take some time off in the summer and relax but am trying to put together a general schedule? And then if you throw echo boards into the mix how does that play into everything?

Also, is it understood that most people start their first job AFTER taking the boards or do many start beforehand?

Recommend NOT using O'Keefe for the ECG section. It encourages you to over-code. Trust me - I have friends who were the top 10% of everything not take day 2 seriously only to find that the board certifying agency wanted another three grand out of them the following year. You should have 3-4 max codes for each ECG.

Day 1: fellowship + one good review book. I used the Mayo book and watched a few videos. Braunwald's Heart Disease question book was as close as I saw to the board questions (which are nothing at all like the ACC in service exam questions).
Day 2: Fellowship and consider using one of the commercial online ECG coding programs. They are tough, but they will prepare you. You will have around 40 ECGs, and plenty of time. Do not code anything that is not obvious (this section is negatively marked, and you'll be pay for it if you over-code). For the echo and cath sections, there are also commercial online programs that you can subscribe to. For these sections, you MUST code everything you see (LAA etc even if the case is clearly HOCM). You also MUST code the correct diagnosis (if you see bi-atrial enlargement, a thick LV, "speckled patterning", and transmitral and tissue Doppler c/w restrictive disease, you must comment on all of those things but you get most points for the diagnosis (amyloid). You get the idea...or pay the board again again the following year.

91-95% pass this exam, but finish strong.