Exploring Your Exam Prep Approach for Exam Success

From Internal Medicine Residency to American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Boards: Exploring Your Exam Prep Approach for Exam Success

Finishing an Internal Medicine residency program with the licensing boards looming ahead can be overwhelming. While your schedule might be lighter towards the end of your Internal Medicine residency, you might have little time for exam prep when caring for patients and attending to family responsibilities. It is an exciting time, but the joy of graduating is overshadowed by the need to pass a medical licensing examination. Most residents do not have hours or days to devote to Internist test preparation for the medical licensing examination, so board review efficiency is of the essence. Residents also need clarification about which kind of test prep is best. Many rely on their peers to recommend an exam prep strategy, but this doesn’t always equate to success on medical licensing examination day. Medical students and residents have different learning styles and often use several at any given time to succeed during medical education. Paying close attention to your time management, choosing a test prep method that works for you, and incorporating exam prep into your daily life can help you with physician exam mastery. It will also allow you to still have a life during the final months of Internal Medicine residency. Here are some tips to help you prepare for the ABIM examination.

Start preparing a year in advance

This is recommended but only sometimes necessary. Start ABIM test preparation during rotations, create an ABIM study schedule, and develop ABIM practice techniques such as working with a question bank. You can practice Qbank questions related to the rotation you are completing, which will help you on both the test and your rotations. If you haven’t done this, don’t worry. By designing your own board review boot camp, you can still attain a high score by prepping closer to the examination date.

Take advantage of breaks

Select test prep material you can take with you, such as an app with Qbank questions. During breaks between patients, waiting in line for coffee, riding the elevator, or at mealtime, you can practice Qbank questions, flashcards, crash courses, or quick questions to aid in memory retention and self-confidence. You most likely will not feel like studying when you get home from a long shift, but taking advantage of the small periods you have during the day can add up.
Aim to complete at least 1200 ABIM practice questions
This is the recommended number of Qbank questions to prepare for a standardized medical licensing examination. The more ABIM question dissection you can perform, the easier it will be to see through the test writers’ intentions. This will not only help you learn the information but also help you think logically and critically through clinical reasoning challenges.

Use your commute

Audio material easily accessed on an app can turn commuting time into learning time. You can also use it while at work or taking a walk, freeing up your time at home to relax.
Use easily digestible material when you are fatigued
Sometimes, during Internal Medicine residency, you cannot muster the mental energy to read through long ABIM practice questions and explanations. Think about how you learned as a medical student. You probably used flashcards or one of the quick synopsis clinical information book series. Use test prep material containing flashcards, quick ABIM practice questions, or crash courses to help absorb material quickly during breaks and increase your board review efficiency.

Don’t neglect self-care

Internal Medicine residency is a form of chronic stress. Unfortunately, contrary to what we are taught, this physical and mental rigor can affect the hippocampus and impede memory. 2 Using shorter exam prep intervals can help free up your time for other pursuits you can use to care for your body and mind. Make sure you sleep as much as possible, exercise, and engage in activities that relieve stress, such as yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation. Ensure you maintain your social life and connections and do not become isolated while preparing for a medical licensing examination. One helpful method for exam anxiety management during or before a medical licensing examination is the 4-7-8 breathing method, popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil. If you feel stressed, breathe in for 4 slow counts, hold for 7 slow counts, and breathe out for 8. Repeat this exercise 4 times. This will help you relieve anxiety during an examination so that you can focus on the correct answer.

Learn your learning style

Do you learn best with lectures, practice ABIM practice questions, audio material, or online board review courses? Do you need Internal Medicine Refresh courses with an instructor, or do you learn best by applying your knowledge with clinical knowledge questions? Do you like visual material, or can you learn by listening to audio material? Do you need a buddy to quiz you, or do you cover more territory studying individually? Residents tend to advise each other on which ABIM test preparation strategy or online board review course works best. It is essential to tailor your exam prep to your individual learning style and not follow the advice of those who have taken the ABIM examination before. It is also a useless endeavor to ask them what kinds of ABIM questions were on the ABIM exam or for other ABIM test preparation tips. You cannot rely on their memory; the test makers are wise enough to avoid repeating the same Qbank questions. Assume all the material is on the test. It would be best if you used your individual strengths and learning styles.

Don’t scroll when you can study

The adage of Internal Medicine residency, “Don’t stand when you can sit, don’t sit when you can lie down, don’t lie down awake when you can sleep,” also applies to exam prep. Don’t look at social media when you can easily open a board prep app and review Qbank questions. You can do a few quick clinical knowledge questions or flashcards. Social media is designed to steal your time and attention, so don’t let it. It is essential to have an easily accessible app with all your test prep material to spend time learning that you would have otherwise wasted looking at pictures of an acquaintance’s cat.

Choose a test prep company that fits your lifestyle

Choosing a test prep company wisely is essential when you are a busy resident. Price, ease of use, access to an app, audio material, lectures, flashcards, quick questions, and an emphasis on question bank optimization are all vital exam performance boosters in a test prep company. Choosing a company that will help you track your progress and provide board exam simulations is also important. Choose the material you can take with you so you will still have time for your life while completing your Internal Medicine residency and studying for the boards. Board review efficiency is critical when completing residency and choosing a test prep company.

Navigating the transition from Internal Medicine residency to ABIM physician board certification is an essential rite of passage to becoming an Internal Medicine physician. Still, it does not have to be overwhelming. You can quickly achieve a high score with a personalized and strategic exam prep schedule that aligns with your lifestyle and learning style. Begin your preparation early, integrate exam prep into your daily activities, use easily accessible materials, and prioritize self-care to help you balance clinical practice and success on the ABIM exam. By designing your test preparation time and considering the type of test prep material you need, you can feel confident on test day and progress to the next career phase.

Guerrasio J, Nogar C, Rustici M, Lay C, Corral J. Study Skills and Test Taking Strategies for Coaching Medical Learners Based on Identified Areas of Struggle. MedEdPORTAL J Teach Learn Resour. 2017;13:10593. doi:10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10593

Is Stress Bad or Good for Memory? | Psychology Today. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/neuroscience-in-everyday-life/201812/is-stress-bad-or-good-memory