Subspecialty Boards Pass Rates

[coomasie blue]

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Do the pass rates for 2008 first time takers in Heme (93 %) and Derrmpath (98%) and forensics (100 %) seem inordinately high?

The rumor has been that dermpath boards is a hard test but a 98% pass rate is amazing. Is that because gunners get dermpath or has the testing and teaching standardization in fellowships across the board contributed to this?

Heme as well ....

http://www.abpath.org/2009ABPExaminer.pdf

 

[pathstudent]

Do the pass rates for 2008 first time takers in Heme (93 %) and Derrmpath (98%) and forensics (100 %) seem inordinately high?

The rumor has been that dermpath boards is a hard test but a 98% pass rate is amazing. Is that because gunners get dermpath or has the testing and teaching standardization in fellowships across the board contributed to this?

Heme as well ....

http://www.abpath.org/2009ABPExaminer.pdf

Those pass rates are no different than USMLE step 1, in fact they are even more lenient. It goes to show you that boards really aren't that hard.

What about the pass rates for peds path and chemical pathology?

 

[coomasie blue]

Those pass rates are no different than USMLE step 1, in fact they are even more lenient. It goes to show you that boards really aren't that hard.

What about the pass rates for peds path and chemical pathology?

The difference with Step 1 is that you get a score. Boards is just pass/fail.

I'm only surprised because of the rumors about how difficult these tests are supposed to be ... especially derm.

 

[psychforme]

100% of the people going into derm pass Step 1. 98% probably with a score above 240.

 

[Cyton]

100% of the people going into derm pass Step 1. 98% probably with a score above 240.

derm maybe but definitely not dermpath....

derm doing dermpath maybe but not path doing dermpath....

 

[yaah]

100% of the people going into derm pass Step 1. 98% probably with a score above 240.

Dude, we're not talking about Step I.

 

[KluverB]

100% of the people going into derm pass Step 1. 98% probably with a score above 240.

I would wager that 100% of people getting into any residency have passed Step 1 (or the DO equivalent, I suppose).

 

[SLUsagar]

I would wager that 100% of people getting into any residency have passed Step 1 (or the DO equivalent, I suppose).

having just taken AP/CP boards, i'm now a firm believer that if you fail Step 1 (not get a low score, i mean FAIL), you seriously ought to re-evaluate your decision to finish med school. Yeah medicine or peds/etc. boards likely (read: DEFINITELY) aren't as difficult as our path boards, but still, if you can't succeed in the initial round of standardized, pretty straightforward exams, you might be best suited elsewhere. Bold? yeah, but i don't care, that's how i feel.

 

[levels x3]

This thread needs a warning up front. Having also just finished the AP/CP boards earlier this week, I should not have looked at the 2007 and 2008 pass rates for the primary exam...Now I'm feeling even worse...

 

[yaah]

This thread needs a warning up front. Having also just finished the AP/CP boards earlier this week, I should not have looked at the 2007 and 2008 pass rates for the primary exam...Now I'm feeling even worse...

Yeah, but look primarily at the pass rates for "First time" test takers. And then remember that probably AT LEAST 10-20% of path residents you personally know are more likely to fail than you. Then you feel a little better.

 

[levels x3]

Ha...I know, but the boards have a way of putting you into a glass half-empty frame of mind...just need to relax.

 

[green mantis]

Looking at the results, I'm surprised to notice that BB/TM was the "hardest" subspecialty exam to pass. I'm glad to be part of the 81%.

The pass rates do seem high to me, but I'm not complaining. Maybe the ABP is "nicer" to those people who take the subspecialty exams because they've already worked us over during AP/CP?


----- Antony

 

[Torsed]

Dude, we're not talking about Step I.

Screw Step 1. I'd like to send the NBME a truck load of colonic contents.

 

[LADoc00]

This is a HUGE departure from the ABP's historical pass rates, which for heme is recorded as only 72.9% for first time takers from 2000-2004. In the late 90s I believe the rate was even lower (like sub 70% but I dont have that data anymore).

IMO, this doesnt bode well, for a multitude of reasons I will let you figure out.