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Monthly Archives: November 2011

Pediatric Board Review Course 2012

Pediatric Board Review Course 2012

The most efficient study guide in the world of pediatrics just got better. In 2011, the name changed to Pediatrics Board Review: Mnemonics, Free Board Review Questions and A First-Time Pass Guarantee! In 2012, the best pediatric board review course had a major revision.

The feedback has been amazing from 2011 test takers of the initial certification exam, as well as  2011 and 2012 test takers of the Maintenance of Certification exam (MOC exam) for the American Board of Pediatrics. Just check out the testimonials.

Click Here And Continue Reading...

What Is An RSS Blog Feed? How Do I Get Instant PBR Updates?

This is an RSS button

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If you love a website and the site happens to have an RSS feed, like this one, you can get instant access to any new posts. This does not mean you'll get spammed, or that you'll see every single comment that someone posts on the site. It simply means that when a new blog post is posted, you'll have access to it.
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Here's are two easy ways to get instant access to an RSS feed:
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  • EMAIL DELIVERY: Visit http://blogtrottr.com, type in the address of the feed (www.pediatricsboardreview.com), type in your email address and then check your inbox to confirm you really want the feed. Once you confirm, you'll be shown two feeds that you can subscribe to. Choose “www.pediatricsboardreview.com/feed“. That's it! Blog Trottr is great because it's simple, automated, and lets you subscribe for free. If there's a new post, you'll get it! Love it!
  • GOOGLE READER: This is more complicated and requires you to go and check your feeds when you're bored. It's kind of like having access to an endless message board. You have to create a Google account to use this service. Login to your Google account and then visit http://www.google.com/reader. Then click on SUBSCRIBE and type in the name of the website you are interested in adding to your Google Feed Reader. Or, if you have the RSS feed address (e.g., https://www.pediatricsboardreview.com/feed or http://feeds.feedburner.com/pediatricsboardreview), just type it in and hit SUBSCRIBE. That's it! You can then come back to your Google Reader account as often as you want to see what's new. I think this is great if you are going to be good about coming back to see what's new. For me, it kind of feels like I've created a stack of magazines and journal articles that “I'll get to eventually,” so it's not my preferred option.
Since I post new material almost every 1-2 weeks, I'd highly recommend using one of the above options to stay up to date with PBR.
 
Hope that helps!
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– Ashish

How Many AAP PREP Questions Should I Do?

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS (AAP) PREP DISCLAIMER

PRACTICE VERSUS STUDY – A BIG DIFFERENCE

I love the American Academy of Pediatrics PREP series of questions for PRACTICING test-taking skills, but NOT as a substitution for studying for the boards from a board-focused study guide.

The difference can be confusing! That is why it's IMPERATIVE that you understand my thoughts on why PREP questions are NOT the best study questions before you read the rest of this article. The gist is that it's almost impossible for any question bank out there to give you a comprehensive, board-focused review of what you need to know for the pediatric boards. Therefore, you should focus on one, primary study resource for the CONTENT, and then use question banks for PRACTICE of board-style questions.

THE REAL VALUE OF AAP PREP QUESTIONS – PRACTICE

Where does the real value lie in PREP questions as they relate to your preparation for the American Board of Pediatrics initial certification exam or MOC exam? Is it true, or a misperception, that you “must” go through PREP questions to pass the boards?

While I do feel that they are the BEST pediatric board review questions to simulate the boards, I also believe that ANY pediatric board review question bank will help you PRACTICE your test-taking techniques.

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I also believe that you SHOULD use other question banks to practice your skills as a test-taker so that you can gain exposure to a VARIETY of question styles and question writers. The ABP's questions were not developed by one person. They have been slowly created over decades by MANY question-writers, including myself.

Dr. Robin Scott, a PBR Alum, summed it up VERY WELL in her message below.

“I did not look at PREP at all. I passed the 2013 exam after multiple prior attempts by reading PBR, taking the [Test-Taking Strategies] course, and practicing hundreds of questions (from Board Vitals). I used questions just for practice, not for content. I asked Ashish about using other sources outside of PBR; I wanted to study/memorize all of MedStudy pediatrics. He dissuaded me. I was skeptical, but I had nothing to lose so I did what he recommended. That's my story, and I'm here to say it worked!”

– Dr. Robin Scott

PRACTICE

Again, PRACTICE is the absolute best reason to use any board-style prep questions. You must NOT confuse practicing test questions with building knowledge, but since we all have the desire to review the answers (discussed more in detail below), this particular series of questions is probably the BEST pediatric question bank you could use. The AAP's questions have likely been vetted to the nth degree, and you can usually be sure that the correct answer is correct. They also seem to be a good mix of short and long questions.

  • PRACTICE TIMING: Since the questions are often LONG, they are perfect for allowing you to work on your TIMING. Give yourself the same amount of time you'll give yourself on the exam. About 1 minute and 15 seconds per question. Once you have broken down and “processed the question” to the best of your abilities if you still can't narrow down your search to a single answer then GUESS, MARK IT, and GO on to the next question!
  • PRACTICE DISCIPLINE: It takes a great deal of discipline to move through questions at a regular pace. The more often you do it, the more likely this will become a habit for you. You must get comfortable with the idea of processing questions systematically so that you always have an endpoint to the question in front of you. Getting to that realization is CRITICAL in allowing you calmly move on to the next question without frustration and anxiety.
  • PRACTICE AVOIDING TRAPS: You have to be able to look for Click Here And Continue Reading...

Answer: Can You Name This Uniform Pediatric Dermatology Rash?

QUESTION: Can you name this rash?

CLUES: It might be described as a rash on the extensor surfaces, uniform in color without central clearing. It can scale, ooze and/or crust.

ANSWER: Find it below the image.

ANSWER

NUMMULAR ECZEMA: Coin-shaped eczematous lesions usually on the EXTENSOR SURFACE of extremities. As mentioned, lesions are uniform, without any central clearing and may ooze, crust or scale. Treat with steroids.

PEDIATRIC MNEMONICS: Click Here And Continue Reading…

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