is anyone studying for the boards

[pedseye]

ok getting kind of nervous; just started studying for the real thing going over mass eye and ear and chern and wright. How is everone doing studing hard or just average. I have never been a good test taker so i am getting nervous. Any ideas. ANy websites. I have heard that there are programs that have old board question; anyone heard or seen this

thanks

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[Andrew_Doan]

I'm studying now too. I'm finding this book very helpful!

http://store.medrounds.org/shop.php?mode=Books&item=0071464395

Good luck!

 

[shiro1]

I don't know about collections of old board questions as this type of collection is really discouraged (if not ilegal). I bought review book after review book and took two board review courses--Osler and San Antonio, then later took a review course after I passed my boards as CME/review at Will's Eye. I'd say the Will's Eye was the most comprehensive, but none of them take the place of good old fashioned study. I found Chern's Ophthalmology Review manual to be the most concise review and used his Review of Ophthalmology, Pro-vision series and Ophthalmic Optics by Guyton (from the Will's Eye course) to review. Concentrate on nitpicky details like inheretance patterns, most common pathogens, treatments and PATH pictures. Like most people coming out of residency, my sight-recognition of pathology slides was abysmal and I'd recommend borrowing or buying a path book and studying these pictures carefully. They had quite a lot of them on my exam. Good luck!

 

[EyeFormation]

I took (and passed) the writtens last year (and should be preparing for orals now!). I thought that it was very similar to OKAPs, and that the anticipation outweighed the actual content. As always, there were some questions that were like "Huh!?!" and some that were extremely easy. Another book is Ophtho Notes by Randall Goodman. It is lots and lots of factoids. Probably overkill for the writtens, but nice if you need something different to use (I got sick of looking at Mass Eye and Ear/Chern and Wright). I also like Last Minute Optics by Hunter. Probably similar to Guyton.

BTW, Pedseye, am I correct in assuming that you are in Peds fellowship. If so, where? I am applying this summer for a Peds slot in 2007. I am currently in the Air Force as a general ophthalmologist. I would be interested to hear how fellowship is going for you (and pick your brain about programs).

 

[pedseye]

i feel i have hit a standstill as to optics. Every year i get lost i am reading last minute optics should i read it 2 or 3 times or move on to guytons. How is the academy book optics should i do thos questions. I really am deperate on optics.

 

[shiro1]

Optics is the bane of many ophthalmologists and except for the few who go on to TEACH optics they are a complete mystery. But, luckily, they don't expect you to do too much computations on exams. I think peds people seem to understand them the best, though... I think Guyton is better for review because it has questions that you have to work through, with explanations. I think the questions in Guyton are harder than on OKAPS or written boards. I remember thinking to myself "I don't need to know mirrors, I'll just concentrate on vergence and lenses, prentice rule, etc..." and what do you know, I had several mirror questions. Also I think I had the fish swimming in water question.... damn. I'm lucky that I passed. Remember, optics is just one over many topics that are covered. You just need to have a minimum understanding for written and for orals... well, they don't expect too much there. Just be prepared to answer the "unhappy glasses patient" question.

 

[ckyuen]

Andrew good suggestion on review books

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Hope your boards went well! The book I recommended above is a GREAT review!

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Little late, but good for next year OKAPs and Boards:

http://www.medrounds.org/ophthalmology-board-review/exam/

There will be more questions as I have several faculty and myself working on this project.

 

[mnyk2002]

anyone heard about, or used this material put out by doheny?

 

[Wolverine98]

I'm studying for the oral boards now.

Also look at the Provision series that the Academy puts out. The questions are VERY representative of what's on the real boards. Series II and III cover similar topics, but they do have different questions.

 

[7ontheline]

I'm studying for the oral boards now.

Already? Isn't it in June? I just signed up today. . .haven't even sent in my picture yet. What are you trying to do, stress me out?

 

[Wolverine98]

Already? Isn't it in June? I just signed up today. . .haven't even sent in my picture yet. What are you trying to do, stress me out?

You're ahead of me. I haven't signed up yet
My studying consists of reading journals while I bike or Nordic Track. I did it all through residency and fellowship, and it lets me feel like I'm getting studying done.

I forgot to mention, another thing that got me a few cheapies on the real boards is that starting a few days before the test, I flipped through and looked at every picture and read the caption. Then I flipped through Yanoff & Fine's pathology (great book) and did the same thing there. You'd be amazed at how often the identical pictures show up.

Dave