Written Exam 2013 Scoring Discussion

[doctorFred]

Just thought I would consolidate bits and pieces of other threads so we can discuss/vent specifically in regards to the scoring, results and overall difficulty of this year's exam.

To echo a sentiment I've read elsewhere, I'm someone who usually excels on standardized tests with minimal studying, and I barely passed (<80%). I almost paid dearly for my flippant preparation, and I suspect that others were not so lucky (within a standard of error, I could have easily not passed) I agree that the exam felt a bit more like internal medicine than the inservice exams I took as a resident.

Unless I'm way off, I would wager the overall pass rate will be less than 95%.

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[RustedFox]

+1 above. I passed with an 80%, and studied kinda diligently.

Way more IM.

 

[Groove]

I didn't read at all. Personal issues ($divorce$) earlier this year with some post residency fallout but nothing that I felt sig impacted me from a mental standpoint. I focused on questions and did nothing but Rosh Review, about 4-500 out of the 1000 question book and rushed through PEER VIII (~2000 total). I did not review incorrect answers. I took a fairly leisurely approach and did those questions over about a 2 months period and did not really change pace much as I neared the exam. I scored 78%. I felt that was fair considering the amount of effort that I put into it as I certainly could have studied harder. I've taken ITE cold turkey before and passed so I assumed I would pass the exam at the very least though I would not recommend that strategy for new test takers. I was a fairly middle of the pack test taker in my residency class. If I had it to do over, I would have definitely studied harder and done more reading. I think if you do nothing but questions, and do enough of them, you should definitely pass. I was hoping for an 80 or above. Rosh Review is relatively new so I was somewhat gambling in using it for the majority of my questions and study source, but I thought it was fairly reflective of the real thing. (I have no financial ties whatsoever to them btw... There may be better test banks out there.)

I felt as if there was a lot of IM content, but I thought it was, in general, a fair exam. I don't know how the curve is broken down, but there can't be too many people with 90+ as 78 as a PGY3/4 gives you >95% pass rate.

 

[vengaaqui]

As a current resident using RoshReview to study for the inservice, how were you guys doing on that coming into the exam? Or, on your inservice exams?

 

[doctorFred]

I did a similar approach. The majority of the 1200 questions book, half of PEER VIII (ran out of time), and occasionally took notes in First Aid, but didn't realize use it much close to test time. But again, very leisurely pace over about a month. I would have started earlier and made sure I completed Peer VIII in it's entirety.

 

[The Buff]

Just to add a slightly more hopeful outlook: I actually found the test to be pretty much what I expected. I am a pretty good test taker overall. I only used Rosh to study in the month before the test. I had done PEER VII/VIII in the past year or so, and the 1000 question book once during residency. I got the same score on the real thing as I did on the inservice this year (91%). Some of the questions were out of left field/IM-centric, but it is a standardized test, what do you expect?

 

[Groove]

As a current resident using RoshReview to study for the inservice, how were you guys doing on that coming into the exam? Or, on your inservice exams?

Rosh had me at 70% total correct with projected score of 82. Pass rate <97%. With my experience, I would say give yourself a +/- 4 margin with the projected score. I don't think the percent is supposed to correlate to the ITE % scores.

 

[doctorFred]

FYI, just noticed that for 2013, first time test-takers from EM residency programs had a cumulative pass rate of 89%. This seems quite low - having more than 10% of your eligible, residency-trained physicians fail their written examination is troublesome. But maybe that's just me.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

FYI, just noticed that for 2013, first time test-takers from EM residency programs had a cumulative pass rate of 89%. This seems quite low - having more than 10% of your eligible, residency-trained physicians fail their written examination is troublesome. But maybe that's just me.

I thought the pass rate is usually around 90-91%.

 

[doctorFred]

I thought the pass rate is usually around 90-91%.

Unless I'm mistaken, the historic pass rate is in the 93-94% range. 89% may not be too far off, but it jibes with my impression that this year's written exam was hard.

 

[pinipig523]

My score was within a point or two of my final inservice (90 range). I didn't study as well for the ABEM as I did for the inservice but I had more "experience" - though not sure if that helped because ABEM written is so odd.

 

[pagemmapants]

I thought a large number of the questions came way out of left field. I went through all of PEER VIII and passed the post-PEER test with ~85% correct, read through FA for the EMB. Felt pretty confident. Still passed, but too often I found myself staring at the screen going "wtf....". I consoled myself while leaving the test by realizing that for the majority of the wtf questions I would still have not covered that specific material even with an additional month of studying, because it was so far out of range of the "recommended" topics. And there was at least 1 question where the diagnosis/treatment pairing is only supported by case review literature - no RCTs or any other prospective studies. I know because I got pissed off and looked it up in my car afterward. I can only assume that was one of the "throwaway" questions.