I failed my test/exam/boards… now what? [practical advice for next steps]

Today’s inane image of the day:

Foliage from last year when I was in a wedding and decided to go on a solo hike. I do not recommend doing this after it has rained, the trail is slippery, you have zero phone service, and no one else was in the parking lot.

If you’ve stumbled across this entry, it is likely that either you or someone that you care deeply about has failed some sort of examination. It may be a low-stakes or a high-stakes one. It may be in the setting of a course, or it may be in the setting of a medical board examination. Either way, there is something so disarming about failing an exam. It really cuts deep. I am going to make the generalization that most people who are seeking advice after failing an exam are those who typically haven’t encountered this challenge before.

Either way, you are here and seeking advice on how to move forward.

Read more

How I studied for the ABA [anesthesia] critical care medicine board exam/certification

Today’s inane image of the day:

I took my anesthesia critical care medicine board examination on October 9, 2021 – a significant delay from my graduation from my fellowship in June 2020 because of pandemic restrictions. It was a different experience studying for this exam because I was working as an attending at that point and this board exam doesn’t have as “straightforward” of resources to use [e.g. BASIC/ADVANCED/ITE = TrueLearn + review book]. Also, it feels weird to have to study for yet another exam when you’re finally DONE with training.

Read more

ERAS preference signaling, supplemental application, strategies for Match 2023

Today’s inane image of the day:

For the 2022 Match, the ERAS application included a “supplemental” portion that introduced something called preference signaling. 3 specialties participated in this pilot [though ENT started this starting with the 2021 Match cycle] and this year, this program is expanding to additional specialties [16 total]… including anesthesia.

Read more

How I *actually* studied for the ABA Applied Exam [anesthesia oral boards] & practical advice

Today’s inane image of the day:

Back in January 2021, I posted about my plans for studying for the ABA Applied Exam [a.k.a. anesthesia oral boards, the-scariest-board-exam-ever, etc]. They were really involved and intense and lofty plans. Like any human, I did not actually follow through on all of them, but hey, all that matters is that I passed [cue applause, firework emojis]. Now, I figured it was a good time to impart all of my wisdom on you as you embark on your journey of tackling this beast of an exam.

Read more

Love letters [vs. letters of intent], rank order lists and the match

Today’s inane image of the day:

Detroit view at night from Ford
New Year’s Eve at Henry Ford. [I started writing this post back in 2016 but never finished; it felt fitting to leave the image].

Introduction

It’s getting to the time of year where medical students across the country have interviewed [though, this is a weird interview season with the pandemic and the virtual format and all…] and are starting to ask themselves: Where do I see myself living/being/working for the next 3-7 years?

I still remember the feeling of utter exhaustion from interviewing, but also this sense of impending doom about how I was going to navigate the waters surrounding sending a love letter to my top program, how I would rank programs, and whether ranking SEVENTEEN programs would be enough to match [remember, I was in the INAUGURAL CLASS of a BRAND NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL that everyone assumed was in California]. Now that I’m a few years out, have sat on recruitment committee meetings, and have heard the advice from other program directors surrounding these exact questions, I feel that I’m in a place to provide some insight and advice to all of you.

Read more

How I’m studying for the anesthesia oral boards [ABA APPLIED exam]

Today’s inane image of the day:

Introduction

I was supposed to take the oral boards in June of 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic totally derailed those plans. After being canceled and anxiously awaiting news from the ABA about how I would take my exam, I was finally notified a couple weeks ago of my date. The ABA APPLIED exam will be VIRTUAL for 2021; I have been assigned an April 2021 date.

Usually I would wait until I’ve passed an exam to provide information about how I’m studying, but I wanted to share my process earlier this time since this exam is so different from any other board exam we’ve taken. I disagree with comparing it to the USMLE Step 2 CS [clinical skills] – sure, parts of the OSCE are similar, but the actual Standardized Oral Examination [SOE] portion is in a format we haven’t encountered during prior board exams.

Read more

How to study for the ABA [American Board of Anesthesiology] ADVANCED exam

Today’s inane image of the day:

My usual study setup – I cannot study at home for the life of me [having food, a couch, a bed and a television in close proximity makes it impossible for me to focus].

[Updated 9/2022 with updated TrueLearn discount ($25 off!)]

Introduction

For those of you at the beginning of your residency trying to plan for future exams, please start with my guide to studying for the ITE and my entry on studying for the ABA BASIC exam, first. Then make your way back here when you’re a CA3.

If you’re a CA3 or a graduate about to take the ABA ADVANCED exam, you’re in the right place.

Some basics about the ADVANCED exam

After graduating from residency, you’ll take the ADVANCED Exam. It focuses on clinical aspects of anesthetic practice and emphasizes subspecialty-based practice and advanced clinical issues. We’ll assign you an exam date after you register and can only change your assignment for religious observance, military commitments and medical accommodations.

https://theaba.org/staged%20exams.html
Read more

How to study for the ABA [American Board of Anesthesiology] BASIC exam

Today’s inane image of the day:

Caption: Legit all of the resources I used to study for the BASIC. Admittedly, I didn’t finish all of the things here, but I only advocate/recommend products I’ve purchased and used myself.

[Updated 9/2022 with TrueLearn discount for $25 off!]

Introduction

First and foremost, check out my original article on all of the resources for the in-training exam (ITE) and BASIC exam. If you opened that entry and immediately thought, TL;DR… or you only care about how to study for the BASIC exam, this is the entry for you.

Some basics about the BASIC

From the ABA:

The BASIC Examination, the first in the series of exams, will be offered to residents at the end of their CA-1 year. It focuses on the scientific basis of clinical anesthetic practice and will concentrate on content areas such as pharmacology, physiology, anatomy, anesthesia equipment and monitoring.

https://theaba.org/staged%20exams.html
Read more

Behind the drape [reflections on starting anesthesia training & tips for success]

Today’s inane image of the day:

As my Transitional Year internship progressed, my anxiety about starting my first year in clinical anesthesia increased exponentially. By June, I was frantically searching the depths of the internet for resources [e.g. how does one DO anesthesia!? what IS anesthesia?] to prepare for the mysteries that lie behind the drapes. At the end of my internship, I felt comfortable entering senna/colace orders, the periodic ABG [arterial blood gas] stick, and pontificating about my differential diagnosis in a SOAP [subjective, objective, assessment, plan] note, but the thought of being able to safely anesthetize a patient for surgery made me nauseous. I also started second-guessing my decision to pursue anesthesiology; during my TY year, I thoroughly enjoyed my inpatient medicine months and was prepared to switch to medicine if I didn’t end up liking anesthesia. Looking back, I can see now that I would have been happy doing a medicine residency, but I’m definitely happier and overall more satisfied in the field of anesthesiology.

Read more

How to study for the ITE, BASIC, and anesthesia

Today’s inane image of the day:

My bookshelf. Just kidding. This is our MGH Anesthesia Library bookshelf. Note how clean the Harrison’s binding is…
An updated, detailed version of many things in this post in VIDEO form! And I share my ITE scores, too…

[Entry Last Updated 9/2022 w/new TrueLearn discount code for $25 off!]

It’s that time of year when new residents are roaming hospitals across the country. As a result, I’ve received an influx of emails, texts and in-person requests for advice on how to study as an anesthesia resident. There are plenty of posts on the SDN Anesthesia forum as well as blog entries from my esteemed colleagues [e.g. Rishi Kumar, AnesthesiaHub]. However, this time last year when I was looking for real advice and guidance on how to study for daily clinical practice knowledge, the ITE and BASIC, I didn’t find anything satisfying online. Scrolling through SDN and asking my colleagues led me to recognize that like the USMLE Step 1, there are a plethora of resources but only a fraction of the amount of time necessary to really digest it all. Eventually, I just committed to a plan and sort of stuck with it – this entry attempts to explain that plan and some resources I thought were helpful.

Read more