board exam prep Archives

How to Prepare for the ABIM Cardiology Boards

October 6, 2023 by Dr. Waqas Qureshi, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Cardiology Tags: board exam prep, board exam studying, cardiology board prep, cardiology boards

The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) was initially founded in 1936 to answer a public call to establish more uniform standards for physicians. It is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors to achieve high standards of care. It certifies 1 out of 4 physicians in the United States. There are more than 200,000 ABIM board-certified physicians across internal medicine and its 20 subspecialties. It is one of the 24 medical specialty boards that make up the… READ MORE

How to Study for the Boards: The Dos and Don’ts of Preparing for Your Medical Board Exam

September 25, 2023 by Gail Clifford, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Board Exam Tags: board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam studying

If you’re on the journey to becoming a board-certified medical professional, let me tell you firsthand how important passing the medical board exam is. I’ve been through this crucial phase myself, and I understand the pivotal role it plays in shaping your career. So, as your friendly board-certified physician, I’m here to share some personal insights on how to study for the boards, how a board review course can help, and how I conquered the board exams and helped my… READ MORE

Pass the Nephrology Board Certification Exam With a Nephrology Board Review Course

September 22, 2023 by Dr. Regina Lilly, MD, MPH Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam prep, nephrology board certification, nephrology board review

Every physician, no matter how qualified, needs to pass the Nephrology Board Certification Exam and they want to feel confident doing so. If you are planning to take the initial board examination after recently completing your fellowship or if you are preparing for the maintenance of certification (MOC) examination, you need to prioritize exam study time between your personal life and professional responsibilities. Physicians like you seek the most effective methods to study for the Nephrology Board Exam because there… READ MORE

Mastering The American Board of Internal Medicine Exams

September 20, 2023 by Dr. Rebecca Breslow, MD 4 Comments Categories: All Posts, Internal Medicine Tags: board exam prep, internal medicine board exam, passing internal medicine exam

Prepping for an Internal Medicine Board Exam? Get a comprehensive Internal Medicine Board Review Course from The Pass Machine to get your board prep on track. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Now that you’ve completed your Internal Medicine residency, it’s time to become certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). Though this process may seem intimidating, in this article, I’ll tell you exactly what is required. I’ll discuss the exam you’ll have to take and the continuing educational work you’ll need to… READ MORE

What You Need to Know to Pass the ABS Qualifying Exam

September 8, 2023 by Juanne Osigweh, MD, MPH, FACS 3 Comments Categories: All Posts, General Surgery Tags: board exam prep, general surgery, general surgery board prep, how to prepare for the general surgery board exams

Prepping for a General Surgery Board Exam? Get a comprehensive General Surgery Qualifying or General Surgery Certifying review course from The Pass Machine to get your board prep on track. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ So, you’re faced with the challenge of taking the ABS qualifying exam and, you’re wondering what’s the best way to prepare to ensure that you pass the first time around. The process of taking the ABS certifying exams can feel daunting and overwhelming, with so much to review in… READ MORE

How to Prepare for the ABA ADVANCED Exam

August 25, 2023 by Dr. Jason Barnes, DO Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Anesthesiology Tags: anesthesiology, anesthesiology board exam, Anesthesiology board exam prep, board exam prep

Prepping for an Anesthesiology Board Exam? Get a comprehensive ABA BASIC or ABA ADVANCED board review course from The Pass Machine to get your board prep on track. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The ABA ADVANCED Exam is the second written test that an anesthesiologist must take in the process of becoming a board-certified anesthesiologist through the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), with the BASIC Exam being the first test. The ADVANCED Exam is taken after graduation from an anesthesia residency. It is offered… READ MORE

ABA BASIC Exam: Everything You Need to Know to Prepare

August 11, 2023 by Dr. Jason Barnes, DO Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Anesthesiology, Board Exam Tags: anesthesiology, anesthesiology board exam, Anesthesiology board exam prep, board exam prep, board exam prep tips

Prepping for an Anesthesiology Board Exam? Get a comprehensive ABA BASIC or ABA ADVANCED board review course from The Pass Machine to get your board prep on track. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I had not really heard of the ABA BASIC Exam until I matched into an anesthesia residency, and after some research, I recognized that this test carries the same weight as a Step/COMLEX. The ABA basic examination determines whether or not you will be able to continue your training in an… READ MORE

Pediatrics Board Review: How to Study for the Exam

July 7, 2023 by Jessica Johnson, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Board Exam, Pediatrics Tags: board exam prep, board exam study tips, how to study for the boards, pediatric board prep, pediatrics board review, peds board exam, peds board prep

The pediatric board exam is hard and is statistically getting more and more difficult based on the declining pass rate over the last 5 years. The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) General Certifying Examination is offered only once a year. So, if you don’t pass, this exam and preparing for it will preoccupy your mind for nearly a year before you have another shot at it. That’s why it’s important to have a solid plan in place for passing your… READ MORE

What Is “Irregular Behavior” on the USMLE? How Do I Avoid It?

April 21, 2023 by Simon Padanilam, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Board Exam, USMLE Tags: board exam prep, how to pass the USMLE, how to study for the boards, USMLE, USMLE exam prep, USMLE Step 2CK

Prepping for a USMLE Sexam? Try 200 free USMLE Step 2 CK practice questions or 200 free USMLE Step 3 practice questions from The Pass Machine to help get your USMLE prep on track. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What Is “Irregular Behavior?” The USMLE examinations are tightly regulated and have a high level of security in place to maintain the integrity of their content and ensure their value in assessing candidates for medical licensing. As a result, there are certain actions of examinees… READ MORE

Advice When Waiting for Your Medical Board Exam Results

November 8, 2019 by Jack Krasuski, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: american physician institute, board exam prep, jack krasuski, the pass machine, waiting for board exam results, waiting for test results

We’ve had tens of thousands of physicians take our board prep courses and this is what I learned about the weeks waiting for medical board exam results: there is a weak relationship between how you think you did on the exam and whether you passed. Hundreds of times, exam-takers have emailed me feeling terrible about how “horribly” they did, only to find out that they passed. It’s normal to leave an exam feeling uncertain or discouraged. This occurs because: Often… READ MORE

The Willie Sutton Board Review Strategy

September 20, 2019 by Robert Sheeler, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam study, board exam study prep, board exam study tips, board exam studying, board review test prep, bob sheeler, dr robert sheeler, how to prepare for the family medicine boards, prep for boards, prep for family medicine boards, the pass machine, willie sutton

Many of you know the quotation from Willie Sutton when asked why he robbed banks he replied: “Because that’s where the money is.” When seeing patients or studying for the board exam, it is equally true that time IS money. So you need to go where the money is! So, what conclusions does that lead to in terms of what are reasonable study aids you can use to focus your time efficiently? Courses and practice exams from American Physician Institute… READ MORE

Board Study Strategies and How You Learn

September 6, 2019 by Emil Ebner, DO Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam study tips, board exam studying, dr emil ebner, emil ebner do, how you learn, learning strategies, study tips for boards, what type of learner are you

The prospect of taking a board examination can be one of the most daunting endeavors in medical education. Regardless of your level of training, the time, money, effort, and stress related to board examinations intermittently become the primary focus of your life. Some individuals appear to be “great test takers” and can breeze through these exams with ease. On the other hand, some might appear to be “horrible test takers” because they struggle at every attempt. For most of us,… READ MORE

Ace the Board Exams: Tips and Tricks for Before, During, and After Board Exams

August 23, 2019 by Holly Smith, DO Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts, Board Exam Tags: board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam study prep, board exam study tips, board exam tips, do, dr holly smith, holly smith, the pass machine, what to do after board exam, what to do before the board exam, what to do during exam, what to do during my board exam

Let’s face it; the board exam is a one-day test. However, it is so much more than a one-day experience for medical students. No matter what your specialty, preparation for your board exam begins months to years before the test day. The experience of that day will live with you for months to years, even after you finish board exams. Here are some strategies to implement during your medical education, before, during, and after the exam to have the best… READ MORE

Board Exam Prep: Picking The Best Module

August 7, 2019 by Robert Sheeler, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam modules, board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam study prep, board exam study tips, board exam studying, bob sheeler, dr robert sheeler, how to study for board exam, how to study for my boards, modules for board exams, picking the best module, the pass machine

Okay, I can’t resist. Since I used to be a Magician – “Pick a module, any module, don’t let me see which one.” If you are right out of training and your residency includes Obstetrics and a lot of hospital rotations, you might actually be able to pass any module you choose. But if you have been in practice for a while, and your interests have narrowed, then your knowledge base has probably narrowed as well. If this is the… READ MORE

Board Prep: Five Tips to Fit Studying Into the Busy Physician’s Life

July 18, 2019 by Oreoluwa Ogunyemi, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam study prep, board exam study tips, board exam studying, how to study for my boards, how to study for the boards, the pass machine, tips for board exams

As a physician, you have a lot on your plate—a full clinic, a pile of dictations, an office meeting you are leading, followed by overnight call and a paper that you have been meaning to write for a few months. Whew! Where are you to find time to study for your boards? Well, medicine is a balancing act, and you will need to recreate that harmony to fit board studying into your busy physician’s life. Embrace Multitasking We all have… READ MORE

How to Recognize “Zebras” on the American Board of Family Medicine Exam

Prepping for your Family Medicine Board Exam? Get a comprehensive Family Medicine Board Review Course from The Pass Machine to get your board prep on track. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Family Medicine boards present multiple-choice questions that are fair and clinically relevant with pride. Simply meaning, they are not trying to trick you. Most of the case vignettes present a patient with a common form of the condition or disease, as these common forms are the ones assessed and treated by most… READ MORE

Dark Alley’s and the Internet When Studying for Your Boards

June 26, 2019 by Robert Sheeler, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam, board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam study prep, board exam study tips, board exam studying, bob sheeler, dr robert sheeler, how to study better, the pass machine

No, I’m not talking about the “dark web” or anything controversial. I’m talking about something that is much more subtle and potentially devastating to your board review strategies – the allure of more interesting things you will encounter while looking up answers you need. I treat looking up a fact I need while studying for the boards like going into a dark alley. I increase my alertness, look around for what I came for, grab it, and get out quick.… READ MORE

How Stress Can Ruin Your Board Scores

June 7, 2019 by Robert Sheeler, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam prep, board exam prep tips, board exam test preparation, bob sheeler, exam stress, how to, how to reduce stress for exam, robert sheeler, stress and boards, stress relieving tips, the pass machine

Stress can you ruin your board scores. It sounds like a cliché, but actually, it is true! Stress leads to fight, flight, or freeze scenarios. When our autonomic nervous systems are out of balance, we can go into overdrive or we can freeze up completely depending upon whether the adrenergic nervous system or the parasympathetic nervous system is over-activated. Neither one of these is helpful for a good outcome in your test scores. Acute stress and chronic stress can both… READ MORE

Pump Iron for Your Board Exam

April 17, 2019 by Robert Sheeler, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: blood flow to the brain when working out, board exam prep, board exam study prep, board exam study tips, board exam studying, bob sheeler, boosting brain cells by working out, does working out improve studying, HIIT for studying, robert sheeler, study tips, working out helps you study, working out improves studying

I think you should pump iron for your board exam – both literally and figuratively. A board exam is unlike almost anything else we encounter in our busy daily work as physicians. It requires several hours of extended, high performance to interface with the material presented, interpret it, and come up with the answers they are looking for. To succeed in an environment like this, I suggest it is highly relevant to practice up to this level of intensity of… READ MORE

Levels of Board Exam Questions

March 28, 2019 by Jack Krasuski, MD Leave a Comment Categories: All Posts Tags: board exam, board exam prep, board exam questions, board exam study tips, how to study for my boards, sample board exam questions

One way I’ve found categorizing board exam questions helpful is to view them in a hierarchy of three levels, each one building on the previous one and requiring a more use of one’s clinical judgment. My three levels are: Know It → Recognize It → Decide It Now let me explain, and I promise this will be practically helpful and, I believe, comforting even in preparing for your board exams. KNOW IT This lowest level of question relies almost exclusively… READ MORE