FPMRS Board Exam 2014 How to prepare for it?

FPMRS Board Exam 2014
How to prepare for it?
Sam Siddighi, MD, MS
Chief, section of FPMRS
Director of Fellowship Program FPMRS
Loma Linda University Health
FUUS 2014
Disclosures
• Financial Relationships
• Erudyte Inc: CEO • Intuitive Surgical : Proctor
• AMS: consultant
• Boston Scientific: funding to institution for research (I'm PI)
• EMED: funding to institution for research (I'm PI)
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Exam day
• June 27, 2014
• 8 am – noon (3 hrs 45 min)
• Pearson VUE
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Test‐taking Wisdom
• Read carefully
• Take your time
• Don’t just guess • old wisdom “choose C” is incorrect
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Test‐taking Wisdom
• Don’t spend too much time on 1 question
• Flag and come back
– Remember / learn new info
– Jogs memory
– Subconscious still working on it
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Test‐taking strategy
• Don’t change your answer UNLESS
• Reasons to change answer:
– “Aha” moment
– Misread question 1st time
– Learned something new
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Test‐taking strategy
• Not tricky
• Don’t over‐think
• Most current recommendations
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Test‐taking Psychology
• 2 choices similar  both PROBABLY wrong
• 2 choices opposites  one is PROBABLY correct
• Narrow down to 2 choices
– Think which of these is a worse answer
– Then pick the other
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Anatomy of question
• A‐type
– 1 best answer
– Most likely
– Least likely
• 4 choices
• Short vignettes 2013
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Question types 2013 exam
No
Yes
• CT scan
• Pathology slides
• MRI
• Photographs
• X‐ray
• Anatomy drawings
• Ultrasound
• Numerical calculations
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Exam morning
• 7‐8 hrs sleep
• Caffeine (if usual drinker ; don’t over‐do)
• Protein rich breakfast
• Take protein rich snack
• Dress in layers
• Don’t be late to testing center
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Pearson VUE testing center
• Two areas
– Check‐in desk and locker
– Cubicles with computer
• Security
– Cameras, palm prints, photo, 2 IDs
• One‐page agreement
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Calm your nerves!
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Topics they liked on 2013
• Neurophysiology
• Research and Biostatistics
• Pelvic anatomy
• POP‐Q
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Biggest Mistakes
• Procrastinating
• Not studying / understanding research
• Not emphasizing basic sciences
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Explanations are key!
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Study Mode
• FPMRSBoardReview.com
– Go through it twice
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Conceptualization of knowledge
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Increase your score
• Focusing on areas of weakness
• Board Exam mode
– Find areas of weakness
• Write down missed question #
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• > 1000 Questions & Detailed explanations
• Photos / Radiologic images
• Covers the topics
• Saves you time!
• 24/7 access
• Any computer or iPad
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After you pass board exam
• Module 4 – Up to date literature in FPMRS
– MOC articles
– Cochrane reviews
– Guidelines
• Module 5
– Business and legal aspects of FPMRS
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