when to take step 3

[WHOIZME]

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Hello,

Im currently an intern, and was wondering when do most residents in anesthesiology take step 3. Did most of you knock out your intern year? If so, in the middle, towards the end of intern year? And if not, whens the latest to take it during residency? Is passing step 3 required to start CA-1 year? What do you guys reccomend?

Thanks!

 

[rsgillmd]

Hello,

Im currently an intern, and was wondering when do most residents in anesthesiology take step 3. Did most of you knock out your intern year? If so, in the middle, towards the end of intern year? And if not, whens the latest to take it during residency? Is passing step 3 required to start CA-1 year? What do you guys reccomend?

Thanks!

You're an intern and your anesthesia program hasn't mentioned anything? That's strange.

One of the best pieces of advice I was given was to take it as early as possible. I took it at the beginning of September of my intern year. This is when the general knowledge is still most fresh in your head, so you have to study less. Also it allows you to focus on studying anesthesiology (in your CA-1 and on years) or for whatever rotation you happen to be on in your intern year.

It doesn't matter what state you take the exam in. Just pay your money to Connecticut or some other similar state that doesn't have a stupid experience requirement to take a written test.

Shortly after I started my CA-1 year my program made it clear we needed to have passed Step 3 by December of our CA-1 year in order to advance to CA-2. From hearsay alone many programs are doing something similar.

 

[Foodie]

For our residency program, we were required to have passed step 3 (not that it's hard to do, it's a piece of cake after steps 1 and 2) prior to starting CA-1. I took mine in March of my intern year, during a cushy elective. It was nice to get it over with so I could concentrate on studying anesthesia afterwards.

Also nice to see the patients whose disease processes you've studied already when you're in the OR.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

My program didn't comment on Step 3, either.

They told us to just have it done by midway through CA-1 year at the latest. Most upper levels in my program take it intern year.

 

[proman]

The policy frequently comes from the GME office. A lot of places require it to advance to PGY3, no matter the specialty. I think the ABA requires it taken before you can register for the written exam (can't remember).

 

[lord_jeebus]

I would take it as early as possible as your brain will leak out much of what you learned for Step 2, which is a very similar test.

I found it convenient to take it during my ER month, which I believe is a requirement for all of us. There is a lot of overlap in content between what you see in the ER (true emergencies + urgent care BS) that also happens to make up the majority of Step 3.

 

[epidural man]

Hello,

Im currently an intern, and was wondering when do most residents in anesthesiology take step 3. Did most of you knock out your intern year? If so, in the middle, towards the end of intern year? And if not, whens the latest to take it during residency? Is passing step 3 required to start CA-1 year? What do you guys reccomend?

Thanks!

Do it next week if you can.