Hi all. I just found out I failed the GS qualifying exam. I'm shocked but more disappointed in myself because I know how high the pass rate is. My ABSITE scores ranged from 30-50th percentile and I was doing well on TrueLearn practice questions before I took the exam. I honestly am not sure what happened. I did SESAP (partially) and TrueLearn to study. Has anyone been through this and have advice on how to move forward to study hard for the next exam cycle? Does our residency program get our scores? Any advice/guidance would be appreciated.
Need advice
- Thread starter ms1234
- Start date
Smurfette
Gargamel always had a thing for blondes.
Staff member
Administrator
Volunteer Staff
20+ Year Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2001
- Messages
- 4,975
- Reaction score
- 4,395
Sorry to hear that.
Do ALL of SESAP and read through all the explanations, even on the questions you got right. SESAP is done in the style and using the "thought process" of the QE. IIRC, my program told us SESAP was high yield and that the grads who failed typically did significantly less SESAP questions than those who passed. I would recommend to keep going through SESAP questions on a regular basis to keep up knowledge and identify your weaker areas and then step up the intensity/studying once the exam approaches again. Especially if you are doing a fellowship and aren't as exposed to 'full scope' GS any longer. Mix in TrueLearn questions as well. If you get more detailed info from ABS on how you did, note which focus areas you did well on and which you did poorly on and adjust accordingly.
Yes, your program will know. Pass rates of grads (including 1st time pass rates) are tracked. You can find historical pass rates listed by program for both the CE and the QE.
Try the surgery forum for more info.
-Check this thread for a study guide one member posted
-this thread is a bit outdated, but you might find some pearls. Same here. The exams, when referring to an institution like medical boards, don't change as much as the study resources do (nowadays, resources are more online/less in-person/less written materials)
-this thread is the main one for the oral boards (CE).
Will also say that one of my residency classmates initially failed the QE and is now a pediatric surgeon at a major children's hospital. A couple failed the CE the first time around and also had no long term problems with being successful in their careers. So focus on passing next time and just realize this is simply a bump in the road but not insurmountable by any means.
Thank you so much for the reply and advice.Sorry to hear that.
Do ALL of SESAP and read through all the explanations, even on the questions you got right. SESAP is done in the style and using the "thought process" of the QE. IIRC, my program told us SESAP was high yield and that the grads who failed typically did significantly less SESAP questions than those who passed. I would recommend to keep going through SESAP questions on a regular basis to keep up knowledge and identify your weaker areas and then step up the intensity/studying once the exam approaches again. Especially if you are doing a fellowship and aren't as exposed to 'full scope' GS any longer. Mix in TrueLearn questions as well. If you get more detailed info from ABS on how you did, note which focus areas you did well on and which you did poorly on and adjust accordingly.
Yes, your program will know. Pass rates of grads (including 1st time pass rates) are tracked. You can find historical pass rates listed by program for both the CE and the QE.
Try the surgery forum for more info.
-Check this thread for a study guide one member posted
-this thread is a bit outdated, but you might find some pearls. Same here. The exams, when referring to an institution like medical boards, don't change as much as the study resources do (nowadays, resources are more online/less in-person/less written materials)
-this thread is the main one for the oral boards (CE).
Will also say that one of my residency classmates initially failed the QE and is now a pediatric surgeon at a major children's hospital. A couple failed the CE the first time around and also had no long term problems with being successful in their careers. So focus on passing next time and just realize this is simply a bump in the road but not insurmountable by any means.
