ABIM Exam Prep: Evaluating Top Test Prep Options for Busy Clinicians

Maximizing Your American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Exam Prep

Preparing for the American Board of Internal Medicine certification examination can feel overwhelming for busy clinicians, especially those finishing residency. Most physicians do not have the luxury of ample time to study for the exam, so it is essential to adopt an approach of test prep efficacy when searching for an online review company. With so many different modalities and companies, deciding which preparatory material most represents the exam and which material adds unnecessary or overly specialized information can take time and effort. Determining what form of information is the most time-efficient is essential. While most experts recommend practice with similar multiple-choice questions, some people do not absorb large amounts of information easily from the explanations and need other types of learning material such as readings, lectures, live instruction, flashcards, or other quick guides.

Although physicians are instructed uniformly during medical education, they have very different learning styles. Choosing the right type of material for you could mean the difference between passing and failing. It could have far-reaching career implications, so it is vital to research each type of test material instead of using the most popular or recommended material. It is also important to choose ABIM practice techniques that are compatible with your lifestyle. If you learn best with crash courses and books during medical education, you shouldn’t spend precious time and energy attending an in-person Internal Medicine refresher course, for example. The following will guide you through the most common and widely available online reviews, companies, and in-person options so that you can decide which course is best for you.

MKSAP and MKSAP Green: The Established

MKSAP is thought to be the “gold standard” for ABIM preparation. It offers comprehensive coverage, long and detailed explanations, and many ABIM practice questions (1400 for basic and 3000 for green). MKSAP provides a well-rounded view of content, and you can earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit. However, some people complain about the price of MKSAP, and others do not have the time to read chapters of information or long explanations for the questions. It does not have flashcards, a crash course, or quick questions. Despite being the most recommended exam prep aid, it may not suit those who require more targeted learning.

Rosh Review: The Versatile

Rosh Review offers several types of preparatory material, including a Qbank, a board exam simulation, and continuously updated content. The website provides many different types of learning content that would suit physicians with varying learning styles. Rosh Review also has an app, but reviews reveal that it needs adequate functionality, and several people have had issues loading content on the go. CME credit is available for 100 credits but requires a separate purchase. The website states the last updated content was in 2022 or 2023. They offer a money-back guarantee and a giant Qbank of 3000 ABIM practice questions. You can access lectures and a rapid review course if you buy the premium package.

Awesome Review: Online or In-person Lectures

Awesome Review is undoubtedly cheaper but is focused more on in-person and online lectures. It benefits those who need direct instructor interaction with in-person or online lectures. A board exam simulation is available, which helps target studies. However, Awesome Review only allows for 63 CME credits, and they do not submit them for you. It is rather expensive at $1195 for in-person or streaming lectures. Hotel and flights must be factored into the cost of the live Internal Medicine refresher course. This format benefits those who have difficulty motivating themselves to study, only want to take two long weekends to complete their review and prefer an instructor to interact with.

UWORLD: The Popular Question Bank

UWORLD focuses almost entirely on question-based exam prep with its robust Qbank. Their Qbank questions are representative of those on the ABIM examination. They pay particular attention to the correct answers and distractors, attempting to make them as complex and even more difficult as those on the actual examination. The writers at UWORLD focus on either question-writing or explanation-writing, which could create a disconnect in the learning flow. UWORLD is especially helpful for those who can increase their score by practicing Qbank questions because they represent the ABIM examination. However, it does not offer CME credit maximization, resulting in physicians studying separately for Internal Medicine CME and the ABIM examination. They also do not provide a free trial, which limits the ability to evaluate if a question bank is the proper form of learning. The price varies between $499 and $749, depending on the required time. UWORLD is perfect for those who learn through practicing Qbank questions but is limiting for others who need different forms of learning.

NEJM Knowledge+: Under New Management

Amboss recently purchased the NEJM Knowledge+. They offer high-quality medical content, lectures, practice ABIM practice questions, and journal articles. NEJM+ ensures access to the latest medical research, but access to alternative learning systems seems elusive. The website does not provide information regarding the size of the Q bank or the number of CME hours you can obtain. It does not mention a board exam simulation, practice tests, lectures, crash courses, or quick questions. It does come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which would not help if you did not pass the board exam. It does not come with a free trial, so you cannot see whether it suits your learning style. The price comes with a monthly option of $30 per month, and the Qbank costs $149-299, depending on the time required. Some students felt that the explanations to the questions might be lacking and had to use articles to do further research, which would not be targeted.

Board Vitals: A Large Qbank With Extra Costs

Board Vitals is a comprehensive board review website with an app. You can obtain 40 hours of CME credit that is not reported and costs an extra $20. The board exam simulation is another $20, giving you the impression that you are being nickeled and dimed. The QBank contains 1650 questions but does not have accompanying notes, quick questions, or flashcards for fast learning. It does have a pay now and start later option. It also does not have lectures or a crash course and appears to be directed towards those who learn with practice questions. Board Vitals does come with a guarantee but no free trial. It comes at a bargain price of $209-529, depending on your choice of options.

Medstudy: Popular CME Giant

Medstudy is popular with test-takers and has a robust Qbank of 1700 questions. They also offer 40 hours of lectures and up to 300 hours of Internal Medicine CME content, more than other test prep companies. However, they do not provide an app for on-the-go learning. They offer a practice tracker but, interestingly, no practice tests. Students can engage in quick-learning exam performance boosters such as flashcards but no crash courses or quick questions. They do not offer a money-back guarantee or a free trial; the price tag is $1599 for the lectures or $1297 for digital. The audio version is an extra $300, so you must pay more to study during a commute. Medstudy is a good option if you enjoy lectures or like to read the material from books.

TrueLearn: The Economical Qbank

TrueLearn is a Qbank of 1800 questions that costs $140-200, depending on the time needed. It does not offer an app, CME credit maximization, practice tests, flashcards, lectures, a crash course, or any other learning format. However, it does track your progress and has a money-back guarantee if you do not pass.

Brilliant Board Review: The Choice for Busy Clinicians

Brilliant Board Review is a newcomer to the test prep scene but has developed a fully functional app and features that accommodate learning between patients while in line for coffee or during a commute. They will also report Internal Medicine CME to state licensing boards for you, a service other companies do not offer. The Qbank is large enough to compete with more established companies with 1500 ABIM practice questions. The notes, crash courses, flashcards, and quick questions assist in knowledge retention without reading a long explanation. They also offer a money-back guarantee, several free classes for you to try, and lectures. The price is quite reasonable for the features at $999 for one year of access to everything, just the Qbank for $299, and just the core lectures for $699. Brilliant Board Review offers something for every type of learner, and they do it all from an easy-to-access app so you can learn from anywhere.

When choosing a company for test prep, remember that evaluating your learning and lifestyle is more important than the company's reputation. Only some students will benefit from doing hundreds of Qbank bank questions, and only some have time to commit to long lectures or copious amounts of reading. All the test prep companies put ample effort into high-quality, comprehensive content, and most offer guarantees that give you confidence in purchasing their product. In evaluating the best material for your needs, consider the types of learning material that have worked for you in the past, your budget, your time commitment, your preferred format, and the product's ease of use. A little thought and some background research will set you up for success on test day.