When do fellows take hematology and medical oncology boards?

[nets445]

Only a first year fellow here but I'm noticing that some of the upper year fellows are taking boards at different times. Some are taking just hematology this year, and the medical oncology the following year.

When do fellows usually take these boards? Are boards only offered 1 month out of the year like how Internal Medicine boards are (August)? Do some fellows take a job first and then take their boards? What if you fail the boards AFTER you had already started working as an oncologist?

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[gutonc]

After graduation. Most take them the August after graduation. Some will stagger them. Some (like me) are lazy and put it off for a year or so.

Take it before you lose your post-graduation job for not being BC.

 

[bobsmith]

I thought they were in August, too.

But unless I missed something, the initial certification exam was only available in November this year, and this appears to be the case for next year, too: Medical Oncology Certification Exam Dates | ABIM.org

 

[HoldTheCoffee]

Most people I know took it third year or upon graduation. The upside of doing it after graduation is that you can potentially get your employer to cover the cost.

In terms of failing it... pass rate is pretty high. Usually the people re-certifying are more stressed out than the freshly graduated fellows because those attendings are usually more silo'd in and not as caught up on everything. As long as you study a bit and are a reasonable test taker, you'll most likely be fine

 

[nets445]

After graduation. Most take them the August after graduation. Some will stagger them. Some (like me) are lazy and put it off for a year or so.

Take it before you lose your post-graduation job for not being BC.

Most people I know took it third year or upon graduation. The upside of doing it after graduation is that you can potentially get your employer to cover the cost.

In terms of failing it... pass rate is pretty high. Usually the people re-certifying are more stressed out than the freshly graduated fellows because those attendings are usually more silo'd in and not as caught up on everything. As long as you study a bit and are a reasonable test taker, you'll most likely be fine

Along the same lines, is it safe to assume that if there is controversy or debate between what is standard of care for a certain disease, then this won't be on the boards? (more relevant for onc boards). For example, there are many regimens one can choose for relapsed/refractory DLBCL after R-CHOP fails. Will the boards expect me to choose between R-ICE, R-DICE, R-DHAP, etc??

 

[Royster33]

Along the same lines, is it safe to assume that if there is controversy or debate between what is standard of care for a certain disease, then this won't be on the boards? (more relevant for onc boards). For example, there are many regimens one can choose for relapsed/refractory DLBCL after R-CHOP fails. Will the boards expect me to choose between R-ICE, R-DICE, R-DHAP, etc??

Take it after you graduate. Everything will be fresh in your mind still, and you will definitely not want to start studying again a year after you are already in practice.

They definitely won't ask you a question like that. They would expect you to know second-line chemotherapy followed by auto, but they certainly wouldn't have you chose between equally efficacious 2nd line regimens. All questions (that I can remember) were straight forward and the standard of care is the clear answer.

 

[CatFactorial]

Tomorrow!

 

[bobsmith]

Good luck everyone!

 

[oncodoc21]

Tomorrow!

How did it go? I was unsure about 30-35% of questions so am freaking out

 

[CatFactorial]

How did it go? I was unsure about 30-35% of questions so am freaking out

That about sums up my experiences (and those of my cofellows). I keep refreshing the ABIM physician portal and cringing.

 

[oncothromorphic]

That about sums up my experiences (and those of my cofellows). I keep refreshing the ABIM physician portal and cringing.

Its a little infuriating to think that after 10 years of medical training, a board that you don't legally need credentials form has our careers in their hands.

 

[Crafs338]

Only a first year fellow here but I'm noticing that some of the upper year fellows are taking boards at different times. Some are taking just hematology this year, and the medical oncology the following year.

When do fellows usually take these boards? Are boards only offered 1 month out of the year like how Internal Medicine boards are (August)? Do some fellows take a job first and then take their boards? What if you fail the boards AFTER you had already started working as an oncologist?

This is the first year abim allows to take 1 of the boards after 24 mo of training (3 yr) so I did that and presented the oncology boards on my third year, next year I will only focus on my hem boards