To those R2s, R3s, R4s, or attendings (ahem, Sess)

[DrQuinn]

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What exactly is this inservice exam like? From what I understand, all EM residents/interns have to take it. Are there three different levels of it? Or are the PGY1s taking the same tests as the PGY3s? How long does it take to get the score back? How long is the test?

And, more importantly, did you guys prepare for it?

I am getting my hands on Carol River's 2nd edition EM review text (I guess its at the 4th edition now).

Thoughts?

Q, DO

 

[EMRaiden]

The In-Service is a multiple choice exam covering every topic in Emergency Medicine, anything is fair game. It is a practice test for the Boards, written and managed by ABEM. PGY 1-4's take the same test, you are then compared across all 4 years and within your year. The best preparation for the In-Service, and the Written Boards, would be a careful plan of study throughout the year, revewing the major EM texts and supplemental reading...

...that being said I read the Rivers text, took the chapter tests and reread any chapter that I got bad score on... I would strongly recommend the box of cards from Rivers as well, I memorized them, and was pleased to find at least 10-15 questions that I knew just from the cards.

PEER-6 from ACEP was helpful as well. I'd recomend the computer version b/c you get instant feedback. The computer version also allows you to focus on specific content areas--- Trauma, Ortho etc...

Good luck.

 

[jazz]

i would consider getting the newest version of rivers. they just came up with a new one last year so the next one may be years off -- you could call and ask. it's right under 200 bucks but if it's the same one you're going to be studying off of for the boards-- you may as well get a head start.

peer vi is definitely useful too.

 

[Sessamoid]

I used the Rivers book for both written and oral boards. Good prep.

 

[DrQuinn]

Is it specific as to dosages of medications?

Thanks for the input.

Q, DO

 

[Sessamoid]

Originally posted by QuinnNSU
Is it specific as to dosages of medications?

Thanks for the input.

Q, DO

IIRC, except for ACLS/resuscitation meds, you don't have to know dosages of medications.

 

[DrQuinn]

Originally posted by Sessamoid
IIRC, except for ACLS/resuscitation meds, you don't have to know dosages of medications.

SAWEEEEEEEEET!

 

[doc1]

Could someone tell me where I could find this text? What is the title?
thanks, doc1

 

[Sessamoid]

Originally posted by doc1
Could someone tell me where I could find this text? What is the title?
thanks, doc1

http://www.emeeinc.com/emee2/

 

[jawurheemd]

If you know PEER VI inside and out, you'll do fine on the inservice -- the questions are very similar. I would do PEER VI and know it inside and out before anything else because you'll get the highest yield from it. At least I did.
-James

 

[DrQuinn]

Cool beans. I'm getting my hands on Peer VI, as well as Carol Rivers. Our program has us reading TIntinalli's each month (about 200 pages each month) so hopefully that will help.

Q, DO

 

[EMIMG]

There are different schools of thought on this. There are some people that state PGY-1s should not really prepare that much this way they can show more improvement in future years. Others disagree with this. Many people feel that if you get a passing score on this exam, you will have no problem with passing the boards.

As for studying, my personal feeling is that Rivers should not be your first book to read. My understanding is that this is a review book that will get you some extra points on some topics; however, without a fundamental knowledge of the topic, a review book does no good.

With that in mind, I would suggest reading one of the main texts (Tintinalli or Rosens) for the first year. Then focus on Rivers for the second year.

I know that Tintinalli is a very large book; however, as I tell all of our interns, if you were to just read 10 pages a day, you would have it finished by the inservice exam. (A little late to start on that now).

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Ten pages sounds so easy when you write it. Those pages are rather slow going though for me. I am rarely able to read ten pages of Tintinalli/Rosen a day. I have managed to keep up with Rivers so far this year (the book my program uses,) but I don't think I've read more than 30 chapters of Tintinalli in 6 months. Of course, I have read up on individual patients, but I rarely read the entire chapter when I do this.

My question for Quinn, and everyone else as well, is why are we studying specifically for this test? Shouldn't we just be learning EM and let the test be an indication of how well we're doing? That way, if we continue to do well on the in-service, we shouldn't have to do additional study for the boards. Am I wrong? Is there some benefit to getting some high score as an intern?

 

[DrQuinn]

I agree with you Despy...

However, since our Program is so new, and there are only six of us, I feel almost "gunner-ish" to prove something to our PD and to the other Programs. Granted, our program gets a little flak for having TeamHeatlh associated with it... so the last thing I would want is for us to do poorly when compared to other PGY-1s across the board.

That's pretty much my only motivation for preparing for it.

Q, DO

 

[ERMudPhud]

I never studied for the inservice. I just did my normal work and reading and used the inservice as a measure of where I was. This is also good because I think most people would agree that the inservice was similar to or easier than the written boards (the test that really counts). If you are smokin' on the inservice don't worry to much about the boards. If you don't do well on the inservice you might get some grief from your PD but otherwise it doesn't count for much

 

[Chris_Topher]

Our program ties moonlighting permission to inservice scores - 40% or you are going to stay at home.

What is an average score for an average intern?

 

[beyond all hope]

Our program heavily emphasizes inservice scores. All of the senior residents tutor the junior residents on how to do well on the inservice.

PEER VI is great but not particular aimed at the inservice. If you can, get your hands on a Vegas review book. That has the real information that you need. Rivers is good too but it's long to read compared to Vegas.

Obscure topics like DeQuevain's Tenosynovitis, Kawasaki's disease and Strychnyne (sp?) poisoning show up with surprising frequency on the inservice. It's all about Vegas, baby.

 

[Chris_Topher]

Can you clarify - what is the Vegas review? I am not familiar with this review book.