Graduating Chiefs: Studying for ABS QE?

[HouseHead]

Been a minute since I was a regular... Quick survey: of those of you who are graduating or graduated in the past few years, did/will you take the QE straight out of residency? If so, what did you use to study?
My program peoples reassure me that the QE will be easy for me, but that doesn't stop me from stressing out about it... Especially since I had hoped to get a jump on reading for fellowship.

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[ThoracicGuy]

Been a minute since I was a regular... Quick survey: of those of you who are graduating or graduated in the past few years, did/will you take the QE straight out of residency? If so, what did you use to study?
My program peoples reassure me that the QE will be easy for me, but that doesn't stop me from stressing out about it... Especially since I had hoped to get a jump on reading for fellowship.

Given the time limits on taking and passing the two exams, it makes sense to take it right after finishing. Plus it would only get harder the further out you are....

 

[SLUser11]

Been a minute since I was a regular... Quick survey: of those of you who are graduating or graduated in the past few years, did/will you take the QE straight out of residency? If so, what did you use to study?
My program peoples reassure me that the QE will be easy for me, but that doesn't stop me from stressing out about it... Especially since I had hoped to get a jump on reading for fellowship.

The general rule of thumb, which is unofficially endorsed by the ABS, is that you "take it early, or take it often." That means that pass rates decrease as you get farther out from your GS training.

It's tough to balance all of the competing interests when you start a new fellowship. You are meeting new people and you want to impress them with you work ethic and knowledge. You are performing new cases that require more reading as well. For this reason, I've always recommended to my residents that they start studying for the QE in June. Of course, moving forward this will be less of an issue, as the ABS and subspecialty boards have agreed to start fellowship in August, and give the ABS QE prior to the start date.

Also, please look at these other threads of interest: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/the-boards.754294/page-2 (posts 86 and 91)

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/abs-certifying-exam-aka-oral-boards.885969/#post-12063496

 

[ThoracicGuy]

The general rule of thumb, which is unofficially endorsed by the ABS, is that you "take it early, or take it often." That means that pass rates decrease as you get farther out from your GS training.

It's tough to balance all of the competing interests when you start a new fellowship. You are meeting new people and you want to impress them with you work ethic and knowledge. You are performing new cases that require more reading as well. For this reason, I've always recommended to my residents that they start studying for the QE in June. Of course, moving forward this will be less of an issue, as the ABS and subspecialty boards have agreed to start fellowship in August, and give the ABS QE prior to the start date.

Also, please look at these other threads of interest: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/the-boards.754294/page-2 (posts 86 and 91)

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/abs-certifying-exam-aka-oral-boards.885969/#post-12063496

When did this change for fellowship take place? I think that's a great idea to allow focus on boards.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

It's still actively kinda sorta happening.

Some specialties and programs are (shocker) not playing particularly nice in the sandbox about it. Lots of hand-wringing about how they will cover the gap month (i.e. old fellow graduates June 30, new fellow doesn't start til Aug 1).

The QE moves to july in 2016.

I'm guessing CT surgery is probably one of the hand wringers here...

 

[doc05]

Been a minute since I was a regular... Quick survey: of those of you who are graduating or graduated in the past few years, did/will you take the QE straight out of residency? If so, what did you use to study?
My program peoples reassure me that the QE will be easy for me, but that doesn't stop me from stressing out about it... Especially since I had hoped to get a jump on reading for fellowship.

If you've been reading throughout residency, the QE is pretty easy. Kind of like the ABSITE.