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Strategies for Improving Board Scores After a Failed Pediatric Board Exam

Failed Pediatric Board Exam? We Have Strategies for Improving Pediatric Board Scores

If you failed the pediatric boards, it can be a devastating blow for pediatricians. The pressure to take the pediatric board exam can be immense. That is why Ashish Goyal, MD founded the Pediatrics Board Review® (PBR) after he failed the pediatric boards on his first attempt. Failing the pediatric board exam can definitely shake the confidence of pediatricians and their dreams of becoming board-certified pediatricians. Passing the boards is a crucial milestone for pediatricians, as it is a tremendous factor in their career advancement and their eligibility to practice at reputable hospitals and group pediatric practices.

In this blog post, we will explore the importance of test-taking strategies and how they can help us overcome failures and setbacks in the pursuit of success. We will discuss the importance of seeking support and guidance after experiencing a failed pediatric board exam. Embracing a growth mindset is key to this process. By testing different approaches and strategies, we can learn from our experiences and adapt accordingly. Additionally, surrounding ourselves with like-minded pediatricians who share our experiences and goals can provide valuable support and encouragement. This is especially true when participating in a community where we can learn from other's experiences and gain new perspectives.

Stay tuned to discover effective strategies to regain your confidence, enhance your knowledge, and prepare yourself for passing your pediatric boards. We have plenty of resources for pediatricians who have failed the pediatric boards and strategies for improving pediatric board scores.

Implications of Failing the Pediatric Boards

Career Setbacks and Concerns

Failing the pediatric board exam can temporarily delay career advancement for pediatricians seeking their board certification. While disappointing, setbacks are an expected part of professional growth. By learning from this experience, pediatricians can develop greater knowledge and skills that allow them to better serve patients in the long run. So, don't be discouraged if you failed the pediatric boards on your first attempt. Take a few minutes to reflect on the questions you struggled with and use them as an opportunity to improve. From first-time test-takers to those who have previously failed the pediatric boards up to 9 times with other board review companies, all have found success through PBR. The key is to maintain positivity and focus on continuous improvement.

Emotional Challenges and Self-Doubt

If you failed the pediatric boards, it can take an emotional toll on pediatricians. It's natural to feel disappointed, frustrated, or even embarrassed about a failed pediatric board exam. This can be especially challenging for pediatricians who have worked hard and prepared diligently. However, it's important to remember that your pediatric board results are not a reflection of your intelligence or worth as a pediatrician. Instead, they provide valuable feedback that can help you identify areas for improvement and guide your future learning. Self-doubt may creep in, making you question whether you're cut out for pediatrics or medicine in general.

During this time, it's crucial to acknowledge and process these emotions. It's important to ask yourself questions about the test and evaluate your scores. ABP is a key factor to consider. Surround yourself with supportive friends, family, and especially mentors who can provide encouragement and remind you of your strengths. These individuals can be instrumental in answering any questions you may have about the pediatric boards and helping you improve your scores. Remember that failure in the ABP test is not uncommon nor indicative of future success; many successful board-certified pediatricians have faced similar setbacks with their scores but persevered through proper guidance. There are plenty of helpful resources, study guides and test-taking strategies for improving pediatric board scores.

Opportunities for Growth and Improvement

While a pediatrician that failed the pediatric boards might feel like its a major setback initially, it also presents opportunities for personal growth and improvement. It's important to address any lingering questions about the ABP Initial Certification exam and develop a plan to tackle it successfully in the future. Take this experience as a chance to reflect on areas where you need further development and focus your efforts on strengthening those skills. Ask yourself questions about your development and use the ABP framework to guide your efforts.

Consider seeking additional resources such as study guides, online courses, or tutoring sessions to enhance your knowledge base in specific areas of pediatrics. Use this setback as motivation to work harder and prove yourself when retaking the exam. A failed pediatric board exam gives you firsthand experience with resilience and perseverance. It teaches you how to bounce back from failure and continue pursuing your goals despite setbacks. These qualities are invaluable in the medical field, where challenges are bound to arise throughout your career.

Strategies for Improving Pediatric Board Scores

Identifying areas of weakness and developing a targeted study plan

So, you've failed the pediatric boards. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us! The first step towards success is identifying the areas where you struggled. Take some time to reflect on your performance and pinpoint the specific topics or concepts that gave you trouble. Once you have identified these areas of weakness, you can develop a targeted study plan to address them head-on.

Here's what you can do:

Break down the content: Divide the subject matter into smaller, manageable chunks. This will help prevent overwhelm and allow for focused studying.
Prioritize weak areas: Determine which topics require more attention based on their weightage in the exam. Focus on these areas first before moving on to others. This is one of the most important strategies for improving pediatric board scores.
Seek additional resources: Look for study materials, textbooks, online courses, or video tutorials that specifically cover the topics you struggled with. These resources can provide alternative explanations and examples that may resonate with your learning style.

Utilizing resources such as practice exams and study guides

To improve your chances of success in your retake, it's essential to utilize all available resources at your disposal. For pediatricians that failed the pediatric boards, practice exams and study guides are valuable tools that can help reinforce your understanding of key concepts and familiarize yourself with the format of the test and how to answer board style questions.

Consider these options:

Practice exams: Take advantage of practice exams designed specifically for pediatric boards preparation. These mock tests simulate real exam conditions and allow you to gauge your progress while identifying areas that still need improvement.
Study guides: Invest in reputable study guides that provide comprehensive coverage of the exam content. These guides often offer tips, mnemonics, and concise summaries that can aid in retention and recall.

Seeking mentorship or tutoring to enhance understanding

Sometimes, seeking guidance from experienced individuals in the field can make all the difference in improving your understanding and performance. Mentorship or tutoring can provide personalized support tailored to your specific needs.

Here's how it can help:

One-on-one guidance: Working with a mentor allows for individualized attention and the opportunity to ask questions and clarify doubts.
Expert insights: Mentors, like Dr. Goyal, who have successfully passed the pediatric boards can offer valuable insights into effective study strategies for improving pediatric board scores, exam-taking techniques, and content review.

Implementing effective time management techniques

Time management plays a crucial role in maximizing your study efforts and ensuring you cover all necessary material before the retake. By implementing effective time management techniques, you can make the most of your available study hours without feeling overwhelmed or burnt out.

Consider these tips:

Create a study schedule: Develop a structured study plan that allocates specific time slots for each topic or subject area. Stick to this schedule as much as possible to maintain consistency.
Use timers: Set timers for focused study sessions, allowing yourself short breaks in between to rest and recharge.
Prioritize high-yield topics: Identify the key concepts that are more likely to appear on the exam and allocate more time towards mastering them.
Avoid multitasking: Focus on one topic at a time rather than trying to juggle multiple subjects simultaneously.

Remember, failing the pediatric boards doesn't define your abilities as a future pediatrician. Following strategies for improving pediatric board scores with determination, targeted studying, and strategic planning, you can improve your chances of success in your retake of the pediatric boards!

Addressing the Perception of Failure

Challenging societal stigmas surrounding exam failures can be tough, but it's essential to remember if you failed the pediatric boards that doesn't define your worth or competence as a pediatrician. It's crucial to cultivate self-confidence despite external judgment and focus on personal growth rather than dwelling on past failures.

Cultivating Self-Confidence Despite External Judgment

It's easy to let self-doubt creep in. However, it's important to remember that even the most successful pediatricians have faced setbacks along their journey. Instead of letting negative thoughts consume you, focus on building resilience and cultivating self-confidence.

One way to do this is by reframing failure as an opportunity for growth. Rather than viewing a failed pediatric board exam as an issue of incompetence, see it as a chance to learn from mistakes and improve your knowledge and skills. Embrace a growth mindset that values effort and perseverance over immediate success.

Communicating Openly with Colleagues, Mentors, and Employers

It can be tempting to hide your exam failure from others due to fear of judgment or embarrassment. However, communicating openly about your experience can lead to valuable support and guidance from colleagues, mentors, and employers who have likely encountered similar challenges in their own careers.

Reach out to trusted colleagues or mentors who can provide advice based on their own experiences. They may offer insights into specific study strategies or resources that could help you better prepare for future attempts at the pediatric boards. Discussing your situation with employers can foster understanding and create opportunities for additional support during this time.

Focusing on Personal Growth Rather Than Dwelling on Past Failures

While it's natural to feel disappointed after failing an exam like the pediatric boards, dwelling on past failures won't help you move forward. Instead of fixating on what went wrong or comparing yourself unfavorably to others who passed, shift your focus towards personal growth and improvement.

Identify the areas where you struggled the most during the exam and use that information to ask yourself targeted questions. What specific topics or question types were challenging? Were there any time management issues? By pinpointing these areas of weakness, you can create a plan to address them effectively in future study sessions.

Remember, everyone's journey is unique, and success is not always immediate. The pediatric boards are known for their difficulty, with multiple hard questions designed to challenge even the most knowledgeable examinees. Highlight your progress and celebrate small victories along the way as you work towards achieving your goal.

Crafting an Effective Study Schedule

To increase your chances of passing the pediatric boards, find resources and test-taking strategies for improving pediatric board scores. This will help you manage your time effectively and cover all the necessary subjects. Let's explore some key tips for crafting an effective study schedule that suits your needs.

Balancing Work-Life Commitments

When creating your study schedule, it's crucial to consider your work-life commitments. You don't want to overload yourself with studying and neglect other aspects of your life. Find a balance that allows you to allocate dedicated time for studying while still fulfilling your responsibilities at work or school.

Allocating Time for Each Subject Area

The pediatric boards cover various subject areas, so it's important to allocate dedicated time for each one. Divide your study sessions into specific blocks for topics like cardiology, pulmonology, infectious diseases, and more. This way, you can ensure comprehensive coverage of all the content outlined in the examination.

Incorporating Regular Breaks

Studying for long periods without breaks can lead to burnout and decreased focus. It's crucial to incorporate regular breaks into your study schedule. Take short intervals between study sessions to relax and recharge. This will help maintain your concentration levels and prevent mental fatigue. PBR offers personalized study schedules for pediatricians based on their

Adapting Your Study Schedule Based on Learning Style

Everyone has a unique learning style, whether it's visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (hands-on). Consider how you learn best when crafting your study schedule. If you're a visual learner, incorporate diagrams or flashcards into your sessions. If you're an auditory learner, find audio courses for the pediatric boards and listen .

Utilizing Practice Questions and Core Study Guides

Practice questions are invaluable resources when preparing for exams like the pediatric boards. Incorporate them into your study schedule regularly as they help reinforce knowledge and familiarize you with exam-style questions. Make use of core study guides recommended by your program or trusted sources to ensure you cover all the essential topics.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Remember that your study schedule should be flexible and adaptable. As you progress through your studies, you may identify areas where you need more time or additional resources. Be open to adjusting your schedule accordingly to address any weaknesses or challenges you encounter along the way.

By crafting an effective study schedule that balances work-life commitments, allocates time for each subject area, incorporates regular breaks, adapts to your learning style, and utilizes practice questions and core study guides, you'll set yourself up for success on exam day. Remember to stay consistent with your schedule and track your progress regularly to gauge improvement in exam scores.

Moving Forward from Failure

You've gained valuable insights into the implications of failing the pediatric boards, strategies for improving pediatric board scores, and addressing the perception of failure, career opportunities, crafting an effective study schedule, and leveraging support by joining a new practice. Now it's time to take action and move forward from this setback.

Remember that failing doesn't define you as a person or a professional. It's merely a stepping stone on your journey to success. Embrace this experience as an opportunity for growth and learning. Just like a butterfly emerges stronger after struggling to break free from its cocoon, you too can rise above this challenge.

Now is the time to dust yourself off and get back in the game. Develop a clear plan of action based on the strategies outlined earlier. Create a study schedule that works for you and stick to it religiously. Seek support from mentors, colleagues, or online communities who can provide guidance and encouragement along the way. For more strategies for improving pediatric board scores, check out our blog on test-taking strategies and learn about how Dr. Goyal previously failed the pediatric boards and what he did to overcome my fear of the pediatric boards.

FAQs

Can I retake the pediatric boards?

Yes, you can definitely retake the exam if you failed the pediatric boards. Many professionals have faced setbacks before achieving their goals. Take some time to reflect on what went wrong in your previous attempt and devise a plan to improve your weaknesses.

How long should I wait before retaking the exam?

The waiting period between exam attempts varies depending on your specific situation and jurisdiction requirements. Consult with your local medical board or certification body for accurate information regarding when you can retake the pediatric boards.

Are there any additional resources I should consider using?

Absolutely! In addition to studying materials provided by your medical school or residency program, consider exploring online resources such as question banks, review courses, and study guides specifically designed for pediatric board preparation. These resources can provide valuable practice questions and targeted content review.

Should I disclose my previous failure when applying for jobs?

While it's important to be transparent and honest in your job applications, disclosing that you failed the pediatric boards is a personal decision. Consider how it may impact your chances and weigh the pros and cons. If you choose to disclose, emphasize what you have learned from the experience and how it has made you a stronger candidate.

How can I stay motivated throughout my journey?

Staying motivated after you failed the pediatric boards can be challenging, but it's crucial for success. Set small, achievable goals along the way and reward yourself when you accomplish them. Surround yourself with positive influences, whether it's supportive friends or mentors who believe in your abilities. Remember why you pursued pediatrics in the first place and let that passion fuel your determination to succeed.

Failed Pediatric Boards? Find Success with Our Blueprint

If You Failed the Pediatric Boards, It’s Time to Study Smarter (Not Harder)

A failed pediatric boards attempt is devastating. Although I'm now the author of the Pediatrics Board Review (PBR) study guides, I failed the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) initial certification exam the first time I took the boards. I know what you're thinking, but before you throw yourself back into the depths of studying, here are two things you need to understand:

Failing the boards doesn’t make you a bad pediatrician.

Passing the general pediatric boards will have more to do with having a comprehensive strategy than studying harder. On exam day, examinees should focus on their exam scores and utilize a well-rounded approach to increase their chances of success.

After failing the pediatric boards, your chances of passing decline by almost 50%. Having helped pediatricians pass the boards after as many as NINE prior failed attempts, I'm confident that you can increase your chances of passing with an effective study schedule and the right study guides in place.

What Do My Pediatric Board Results Mean?

There are a number of factors that led to your pediatric board examination results being less than 180. It could be due to 1 factor or it could be due to 10 factors. Meaning, if you are only focusing on the board scores in isolation, you are likely to repeat your mistakes and fail again in the board exams. While you're familiar with some of the factors that can lead to success on your pediatric board exam, there are many that you probably haven't considered. One important factor is creating a study schedule to ensure you cover all the necessary material. By following a study schedule, you can increase your chances of achieving high scores on your exam. These scores will play a crucial role in shaping your future as a pediatrician. Before you begin studying, consider all of the factors that could have led to your failure and strategize around them to create a comprehensive pediatric boards study plan.

Success Factors Related to Passing the ABP's Pediatric Exam

Tailoring your study schedule is crucial for achieving high examination scores. Personalized preparation, with the guidance of mentors, can help mitigate the risk of failing the boards
The pass rate of your pediatrics residency program is directly linked to the risk of failing your examination board scores
Your USMLE Step 1 pass/fail scores in med school are related to your personal risk of failing
Your in-training exam scores are related to your personal risk of failing
Repetition of study content breeds reinforcement of difficult concepts
Your available time and the density of your study materials will impact your ability to have repetition, which can great improve your scores
Studying from multiple resources prevents repetition of your core resource and helps improve your understanding and scores
Board review questions should be used to assess your test-taking strategy, not build knowledge
Study sessions should be long and uninterrupted
Multimodal studying at key points of your board preparation is crucial
The ABP Content Outline and prior ABP score reports should not be the basis of your study plan
Sleep hygiene should be excellent
Personal, professional, and social obligations must be limited
Distractions must be eliminated in order to have “Deep Study”
The time of day when you study is critical
Abortive techniques for test-taking anxiety require practice
Investment of time, energy and money into success factors is required to pass

Study Schedule for Repeat Board Exam Test-Takers

This article outlines a detailed schedule that will help you pass the boards if you have failed the pediatric boards. Specifically, how to do so with materials that will help you (not fail you) during your next pediatric board exam. Remember, there are 3 pillars to passing the pediatric boards: Content, Test-Taking Strategy and Commitment. Your failure(s) on the boards may have been due to a lack of knowledge or a lack of test-taking strategy. For most people reading this, failure was a result of a combination of both. For many, the commitment to spend the time, energy, and money to help secure the pediatric knowledge and test-taking strategy need to pass the exam was also a major contributor.

The 16-week schedule provided below will give you the pediatric knowledge that you need to pass the boards. For help with test-taking strategy, poor attention to detail, falling for traps on the board exam, challenges with pacing and problems attaining high quality studying, the PBR article on test-taking strategy is a must read.

Throughout this study schedule, you’ll find references to the AAP PREP® series of questions. Note that while those questions are well-structured and thorough, you should use multiple question banks this year. Use each question to help you develop, or refine, your test-taking strategy. Do not use questions as a source of study material. You can learn much more about this recommendation in a PBR article on how to best use the AAP PREP® questions.

If you are a first-time test-taker, and you consider yourself a good test-taker, you have done well on prior board exams, and you come from a residency program with a high pass rate, then this schedule isn’t right for you. Read the PBR article discussing a less rigorous 14-week study schedule for first-time test-takers.

THE “ASHISH GOYAL” HIGHLIGHTER TRICK

Before you dive into studying, it's important to know understand how to best use a highlighter to increase your efficiency as you go through schedule. As a high-risk test-taker, you should aim to repeat your core material (the PBR Core Study Guide and the PBR Q&A Book) at least 5 times. With a little help, this is absolutely doable.

For each round of the material, highlight (or underline) only the areas you are interested in reviewing again. If you believe that you know something well enough to recall it on the day of the exam, don’t highlight it. If you believe you need to review at least 1 more time, highlight it.

How using different colors can aid in information retention and organization

For the first round, use a light-colored highlighter. In subsequent readings, switch to a slightly darker shade each time and focus only on the content highlighted in the latest round. If it wasn't highlighted in the latest round, skip it. There's no need to revisit familiar material and waste precious study time at this point in the process. In one of your later rounds of going through the material, you should skim through any information that has not been highlighted in the latest round.

For my highly successful second attempt at the boards, I used these colors during each study pass:

Pale Yellow
Pale Pink
Pale Orange
Pale Green
Pale Blue

On your first pass, you might highlight up to 80% of the book in yellow. That's normal. By the 5th pass, you might only need to review 20%-30% of the content marked in green. In the final weeks, focus only on the blue-highlighted areas and go through those sections as many times as possible before the exam. This approach will help you curate your study sessions to concentrate on areas that are specific challenges for you, rather than wasting time reviewing familiar topics.

16-WEEK PEDIATRIC BOARDS STUDY PLAN OVERVIEW

This comprehensive study schedule includes both PBR books (Core Study Guide and Q&A Book) and AAP PREP ® questions. Set aside 500 hours to go through approximately 440 pages of core content and over 700 practice questions. Here’s the schedule breakdown:

Weeks 1-4: First round through the core content
Weeks 5-10: Second round
Weeks 11-14: Third and fourth rounds +/- practice exams (aka mock exams)
Weeks 15-16: Fifth round +/- a mock exam

As a repeat test-taker, the key to your success will be to read the PBR material at least FIVE times to establish familiarity, identify patterns in the material and promote strong reinforcement through repetition. The pediatric board exam focuses less on how much ‘knowledge’ you have, and more on your ability to select the right diagnosis or next step. By identifying the similarities and differences of diseases, you will get a deeper understanding of the material., and by learning test-taking strategy, you will be able to answer some questions with only limited knowledge.

Spend no more than 5 minutes on each of the 700 questions (an average of 75-90 seconds to answer each question and no more 3.5 minutes to review). At 5 minutes per question, that’s about 60 hours (700 questions multiplied by 5 minutes). Again, use this time to focus on test-taking strategy rather than focusing on trying to learn pediatrics by going through questions. As you get closer to the exam, decrease the time per question to 75 seconds since that’s what will be expected on the actual exam. You will spend the remaining 340 hours going through the PBR core content. Make sure you treat both PBR books (Core Study Guide and the Q&A Book) as core content that you must know. Okay… here we go!

FAILED PEDIATRIC BOARDS STUDY SCHEDULE WEEK #1 – WEEK #6: ROUND 1

Allocate 130 hours over 6 weeks in your study schedule (roughly 21 hours each week). The goal for the first 6 weeks is to read through everything carefully and make all the notes, drawings, and mnemonics you need to ensure complete understanding. Highlighting/underline/bracket only the areas that you think will need more review and repetition. Read the PBR article on creating mnemonics if creating mnemonics doesn't come naturally to you. Aim for an average of 18 minutes per page to cover approximately 430 pages of core content. Do any cross-referencing of facts needed but spend no more than 5 minutes outside of the PBR resources so you don’t get drawn into the black hole of Google. If you still struggle with some of the content, then post your questions in PBR’s private Facebook group.

Break up your studying with an average of 5 AAP PREP® questions per day to work on your test-taking strategy. At 35 questions per week, you should be aiming for 210 questions over this 6-week period. Questions will take about 3 hours of your time each week. This first 130 hours is crucial to anyone who has failed the pediatric boards. Approach this as a marathon, not a sprint.

FAILED PEDIATRIC BOARDS STUDY SCHEDULE WEEK #7 – WEEK #10: ROUND 2

After having gone through the book in painstaking detail once, the second round should be much quicker (approximately 86 hours). Aim for an average of 12 minutes per page. Like the first 4 weeks, break up your studying with an average of 5 AAP PREP® questions. Aim for 5 min per question, including the answer review. By the end of Week #10, you will have completed an additional 140 questions for a total of 350 questions.

FAILED PEDIATRIC BOARDS STUDY SCHEDULE WEEK #11 – WEEK #14: ROUNDS 3 AND 4

Stick to the schedule and stay disciplined. You should now be familiar with the PBR content, but continue reviewing the books a few more times to develop the solid knowledge base you’ll need to pass the exam. For the next 4 weeks, read the PBR materials 2 more times. Aim for approximately 10 minutes or less per page (roughly 72 hours per round). If the 3^rd read through takes 3 weeks, that’s OKAY because your 4^th and 5^th readings to be even faster. Also, there is built-in “cushion” time within this schedule.

For these two reads, focus on refreshing your memory of familiar topics and work to cement your knowledge of the difficult ones. If you're mentally struggling or have questions about the PBR content, reach out to members of the private Pediatrics Board Review Facebook Group or submit your questions through the PBR “ASK THE EXPERT” question portals. If you find that you are moving through the content faster than 10 minutes per page, consider using the extra time to review recently visited chapters to promote even greater repetition of the challenging topics.

Continue working on questions with an average of 5 AAP PREP ® questions per day. At this point, you may want to consider batching questions and doing 12-18 questions per sitting as you aim for your 35 questions per week. If you would like to do a mock exam before the exam, this would be a good time to set one up to work on your pacing and your test day schedule (more details below).

FAILED PEDIATRIC BOARDS STUDY SCHEDULE WEEK #15 – WEEK #16: ROUND 5

By the 15^th week, you should have made it through at least four rounds of the material. You should now have a solid foundation of the pediatric knowledge needed to pass the boards. During your 5^th reading, VERY quickly read the topics you know well to ensure your understanding is correct and continue to focus on the more challenging topics in depth until they’re cemented in your mind. The challenging topics should be easy to identify if you’ve been using different color highlighters for each successive reading.

Since you will primarily be reviewing the difficult topics, it’s possible that your average pace could be faster than the recommended 10 minutes per page. Use the extra time to hone your test-taking strategy, review recently visited chapters, or to do a mock exam. If your exam is within two weeks, the best thing you can do during this time is to repeatedly review the areas you are struggling with as many times as possible. That will be the key to your success.

Continue practicing your test-taking strategy on practice questions from the AAP and other question banks. By the end of the 16^th week, you will have done about 560 questions (35 per week x 16 weeks). That leaves 140 questions remaining to reach 700. By this point, you should be comfortably pacing at approximately 75 seconds per question, and you should consider doing larger batches of questions.

HOW TO SET UP PEDIATRIC MOCK EXAMS

While studying is a crucial part of passing the boards, getting familiar with the test environment is just as important for your pediatric board prep. If time allows, I recommend taking at least 1 mock exam before the actual exam. This will give you a good understanding of how the very long day of testing will go. You can consider taking one full exam in a day, or you can consider taking a half-mock exam one morning and another half-mock exam the next afternoon to gauge your energy levels at different times of the day.

Here are a few key tips to keep in mind when setting up your mock exam:

Use multiple question banks. Many different pediatricians across the country write questions for the boards. This means every question can have a different personality to it (I would know since I've written questions for the ABP too). Getting familiar with the many different ways questions can be written ensures that you will not get blind-sided on test day.
Recognize that taking a mock exam is about more than your score. It’s about understanding the challenges and barriers that come with a very long day, and then optimizing your behaviors to ensure that you are the best version of yourself from the beginning to the end. Start working on your test day habits now, and replicate them on test day.
Set up your exam block timer and the timer for your breaks exactly as the ABP sets them up. If you need help setting up a mock exam, be sure to read the PBR article on the exam structure of the ABP Initial Certification exam.

LEARN FROM OTHERS' EXPERIENCES

Watch the videos below to see how these PBR members overcame prior failed pediatric board experiences.

DR. STEPHANIE MOSES

Dr. Moses made the common error of studying from board review questions. Watch this video to see how ultimately passed the boards.

DR. YESSENIA CASTRO

Dr. Castro made the mistake of trying to use multiple resources to study. She failed five times but got a great new job and $20,000 more in her annual pay after passing. Watch the video below to see how she did it.

DR. KERRI LOCKHART

Dr. Lockhart passed every medical board exam until the ABP initial certification exam. She even failed once with PBR because she refused to invest the recommended resources. Watch the video below to see what happened after her third failed attempt.

The members above passed after attending PBR's Live Test-Taking Strategies & Deep Study Course. If you truly want the best chance of passing, learn about PBR's VIP Bundle that helped one doctor pass after NINE prior failed attempts.

Do you have the right resources and the commitment to do what is needed to pass the boards? If you follow the study schedule outlined above, and if you use the VIP Bundle to include a strong focus on test-taking strategy, then you will pass the pediatric board exam. The Live Test-Taking Strategies & Deep Study Course is included in the VIP Bundle, and it is an absolute must for every pediatrician who is at moderate or high risk of failing the boards.

The VIP Bundle also includes the No Brainer package, which includes PBR's multimodal study materials to help you build your fund of knowledge, an Online Test-Taking Strategies Course (a great warm up for your Live Test-Taking Strategies Course) and up to three 90-Day Personalized Study Schedules created by Team PBR. After filling out a questionnaire about yourself, your pace of reading, and your available days to study, Team PBR will take care of the rest.

Not a PBR member yet? What are you waiting for? Click HERE now and get ready to pass the pediatric boards!

HELPFUL ABP RESOURCES

Frequently Asked Questions About MOCA-Peds

The MOCA-Peds Assessment is an alternative to the American Board of Pediatrics Maintenance of Certification Exam. The Maintenance of Certification Assessment for Pediatrics Maintenance (MOCA-Peds) is now the most common way that pediatricians maintain their board certification. It is overwhelmingly preferred over the traditional Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam. However, the MOC exam and MOCA-Peds each have their pros and cons. You will learn about those in detail through this article. You will also learn a little bit about our MOCA-Peds study guide, called the MOCA-PBR Study Guide & Test Companion. MOCA-PBR will help you make your exam experience as painless as possible.

What is the Difference Between the MOC Exam and the MOCA-Peds Assessment?

The MOC Exam

The MOC is an exam that you only take once every five years. But, don’t let that lure you into a false sense of complacency. It is a grueling and intense exam that is similar to the initial certification exam. The major differences are that it consists of two blocks of questions rather than four, and like the initial certification exam, the MOC exam can touch on any topic in pediatrics. The exam is a proctored, standardized test that can take up to five hours to complete.

Based on our estimates, less than 2% of board-certified pediatricians choose to take the MOC Exam. While this shows that only a small percentage of pediatricians choose this option, the MOC exam might be a good fit for you if you have a history of passing your board exams without any trouble and you can schedule enough time to study for boards. This is also a good option for pediatricians and subspecialists interested in only taking one exam per 5-year cycle. The rest of your time can be dedicated to your practice, your patients, and your personal life.

The MOCA-Peds Exam

MOCA-Peds is the most common way that pediatricians maintain their board certification. Approximately 98% of board-certified pediatricians elect this option. Participants answer questions every quarter during the first four years of your 5-year cycle. Once you pass at least 12 quarters, you are not required to go through any additional MOCA-Peds questions for the remainder of your four years. If you do not pass at least 12 quarters within the first four years of your 5-year cycle, you must pass the MOC exam by the end of your fifth year. Unlike the MOC, MOC-Peds is not a proctored exam, and it can be taken anywhere you have a computer—at home, in the office, and on the go. Additionally, it’s open-book and open-computer.

Best of all, with MOCA-Peds, there are fewer surprises on the exam. The ABP publishes up to 45 Learning Objectives and 4 Featured Readings prior to releasing the first quarter’s questions. You will only be tested on topics related to those Learning Objectives and Featured Readings. That’s it. Questions for a given quarter may be answered all at once or one at a time. Most pediatricians find MOCA-Peds to be a convenient and flexible means to maintain board certification.

What Are the Learning Objectives and Featured Readings?

The American Board of Pediatrics chooses Learning Objectives and Featured Readings that they would like pediatricians to focus on for the given year. Although the objectives give you a direction for your studies, they can be somewhat vague. Nevertheless, pediatricians feel that having 45 vague topics to study is better than having to prepare for anything in the field of pediatrics (as you would need to for the MOC Exam).

Here are some examples of former Learning Objectives:

Evaluate a patient with tics
Evaluate and manage ear trauma
Provide guidance regarding family stressors (e.g., birth of a sibling, death, divorce, job loss, relocation)
Manage foreign body ingestion

Featured Readings are different. They typically represent a specific article or guideline that the American Board of Pediatrics wants you to become familiar with. Oftentimes the Featured Reading is one that covers changes in practice guidelines.

Here is an example of a former Featured Reading:

Oskoui M, Pringsheim T, Holler-Managan Y, Potrebic S, Billinghurst L, Gloss D, Hershey AD, Licking N, Sowell M, Victorio MC, Gersz EM, Leininger E, Zanitsch H, Yonker M, Mack K. Practice guideline update summary: Acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. Neurology. 2019 Sep 10;93(11):487-499.

How Many Questions are in MOCA-Peds?

There are approximately 20 questions on every MOCA-Peds quarterly exam, so that’s a maximum of 80 questions per year. You are given five minutes to answer each question, which is enough time to search through your study guides—traditional books and online—to find the correct answers.

Each MOCA-Peds quarterly exam consists of approximately 20 questions, making it a maximum of 80 questions per year. You are given five minutes to answer each question. That is usually sufficient time to search for the correct answer in your study guide or other trusted resource. MOCA-PBR is the trusted solution many pediatricians turn to. It simplifies complex topics and provides an easy-to-ready summary of every assigned Learning Objective and Featured Reading. It even comes with a Quarterly Pass Money Back Guarantee.

What is the Passing Score for MOCA-peds?

MOCA-Peds is scored on a scale of 1 to 300, with a minimum passing score of 180. The exam uses scaled scoring, which means that the score is not based solely on the number of questions answered correctly. Instead, the American Board of Pediatrics assigns weights to each question according to its difficulty, with some questions being worth more than others. This method of scoring takes into account that some questions are harder than others and that no two quarterly exams are identical.

After going through the questions for a given quarter, your MOCA-Peds quarterly exam will not immediately show a scaled score. Instead, in January of each year, you will receive a section scaled score for the previous year broken down by quarter. Additionally, you will receive a cumulative scaled score that encompasses all the tests you have taken during the four-year window of MOCA-Peds.

Even though you do not receive a scaled score immediately from your quarterly tests, you will get a real-time score of the questions you answered correctly. While it’s impossible to know how your real time score will apply to your scaled score, the ABP says that generally a 75% or higher is needed to pass.

Does MOCA-Peds Count for CME?

According to the ABP, “MOCA-Peds is not currently eligible for CME credit, however, you can apply for CME credit directly through the American Medical Association for the completion of a MOC cycle.”

For over a decade, Pediatrics Board Review has successfully guided more than 10,000 pediatricians to board exam success, and we're eager to do the same for you. Don't wait any longer. Take the first step towards achieving your goals today.

Transform your board exam preparation with Pediatrics Board Review!

Your Ultimate Guide to Pediatric CME Credits

Physicians are always studying for something. Whether you’re taking your boards or continuing education, there are so many things to do and so many tasks to handle.

We see opportunities pop up for CME (Continuing Medical Education) credits all the time. Unfortunately, they’re never as convenient as they should be, and worse—they’re expensive, or they offer too few credits for too much work. Also, CME credits are not all the same! It’s hard to keep track of what counts as what.

We’re here to take all of the doubt and uncertainty out of CME credits.

What Are the Different Types of CME Credits?

There are two types of CME credits. They differ based on the way they’re administered and in the way that you’re required to report them. The categories are:

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
AMA PRA Category 2 Credits™

What’s the Difference?

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are the most commonly accepted form of CME credits. They are managed by the American Medical Association (AMA) and reward you with the Physicians Recognition Award (PRA). To earn these credits, physicians must engage in learning activities that have been accredited by one of two organizations: the Accreditation Council for Continuing Education (ACCME) or an ACCME-recognized state medical society.

There are many accredited providers of CMEs out there. The types of activities in which you can earn CMEs will fall under one of two categories: Live Activities or Enduring Material. As the name suggests, Live Activities are any activities that you attend in a live capacity. Enduring Material includes any activity that is not live and can endure over time. Meaning, the material appears in print or was previously recorded.

When you’re checking to determine whether an activity is certified for an AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, look for this statement:

“The [name of accredited CME provider] designates this [learning format] for a maximum of [number of credits] AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.”

What Are AMA PRA Category 2 Credits?

AMA PRA Category 2 Credits are sometimes referred to as “self-study” CME credits. These credits are given for activities that are not recognized as Category 1 credits. WARNING! Physicians are responsible for documenting and keeping track of all their Category 2 credits! You will not receive documentation about the CME credit from the accredited organization. Additionally, documentation should include the type of activity, subject matter, dates, and the number of credits claimed.

These activities must meet strict guidelines from the AMA definition of CMEs, comply with AMA ethical opinions, and not be promotional in nature.

How Many CME Credits Do I Need?

The total number of CME credits that you need per year varies from state to state, but the amount is typically 100 CME credits within a 1- to 2-year span. Check with your state medical association to get the exact number.

Acquiring 100 credits can be daunting! It can take multiple, week-long conferences to earn the required CME credits, or it could take countless 3-credit courses—taken over evenings and lunchtime seminars. CME credits are a necessity, but they’re far from convenient.

What is the Easiest Way to Get CME Credits?

The easiest way to get your pediatric CME credits is through the Pediatrics Board Review CME Edition of the All Access Pass.

Here are the benefits of getting CME through Pediatrics Board Review:

We make it extremely easy for you to claim your CME credits through our easy-to-use CME portal. You will go through a short assessment and get your credits immediately in an efficient, user-friendly manner.
We offer over 200 CME credits. You can mix and match between hardcopy books, an audio course, a video course and even live ASK THE EXPERT webinars. You can literally pick from our numerous formats to get exactly what you want. Remember, you typically only need 100 CME credits, so 200 is an abundance of riches. Also, you do NOT have to claim all of your CME at once. So, if you time your membership and CME activities appropriately, one 12-month membership can give you all of the CME credit you’ll need for TWO cycles of CME!
You don’t have to rush to get to an evening seminar or spend a week at a convention. It’s all right there in your hands, in your home, or at work.
The resources are proven to be effective and give you excellent continuing pediatric medical education. For pediatricians studying for the ABP Initial Certification exam, or the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam, our estimated first-time pass rate has been approximately 99% for many years in a row.
PBR’s lectures and webinars are designed by Dr. Ashish Goyal, a pediatrician who knows how to teach. The content is always provided in an easy-to-follow and easy-to-understand format, and PBR has frequently been praised for its ability to “simplify the complex.”
You get all the expertise, but with less reading, better understanding, and greater retention.
It comes with a 100% Money-Back First-Time Guarantee. We mean it.
Personalized support and camaraderie is available through a private, online forum of members of the PBR community.

How Can I Best Use My CME Budget?

We make it easy to maximize your CME budget by giving you the best value for your money. Whether it’s a question involving how to pay, who should pay, or even custom documentation needed to get approval of the CME purchase, we can help you.

Plus, we can customize your rebate to help you maximize your budget, your method of payment, your professional expenses for your tax return, and more! Rebates range from $100 to $2000.

Can I Also Get ABP MOC Points for Participating in CME Activities?

With the All Access Pass, you not only get AMA PRA Category 1 credits, but if you are board certified, then you are also entitled to ABP MOC Part 2 Points. PBR’s CME activities qualify you for both requirements with one product.

Can I Split Up the All Access Pass Into More than One Year?

Yes! The CME Edition (of the All Access Pass) offers over 200 AMA PRA Category 1 credits. If you only need some of these credits for your current accreditation cycle, you can save the remaining credits for the next cycle—as long as it’s within 12 months of your membership’s start date.

So, for example, if you only need to earn 100 credits this year, then you can use the CME Edition of the All Access Pass and claim 100 CME credits this year, and claim the remaining 100 credits in January of next year's cycle.

Conclusion

You need your CME credits from somewhere, so why not get them in the most convenient way with a Money Back First-Time Pass Guarantee? Plus, you may be entitled to a $2000 rebate! So, what are you waiting for?

Click Here & Claim Your CME Credits Now!

Pediatric Board Study Tips for Pediatric Residents

A pediatric residency is three years, and during that time you can lose a lot of the good study habits and test-taking skills that you gained during medical school. And let’s face it—when you’re in your residency, you’re not always hitting the books. You’re probably working 80-hour weeks during your residency and it can seem impossible to get any studying done for the pediatric boards.

But there are small habits that you can get into during your residency that will better prepare you for your pediatric boards—little things that may not seem like much at the time, but they really do make a difference.

It’s easy to procrastinate and push the boards to the back of our minds because they’re not coming up right away. This is a bad strategy. The boards will happen at the end of your residency, and when they do come, you’re going to wish you had spent more time preparing for them.

So what can you do to study for your pediatric boards during your residency?

Studying For Your Pediatric Boards During Pediatric Inpatient Rotations

When you’re doing an inpatient pediatric rotation, you’re often moving at a frantic pace. You’re probably working with eight to ten patients, moving from one to the next (and the next and the next…). Here’s what you can do. Stop for a moment, maybe 1-3 minutes, to study the biggest problem with each patient.

You don’t even need to sit down at a computer. In the hall, pull up the PBR study guide on your phone and search for their primary condition, read a brief synopsis on the topic, or dive a little deeper if you have a problem that’s stumping you. This micro-studying approach will take very little time, but by the end of the shift you will have familiarized yourself with board-relevant information that you can also share during morning rounds to amaze your attending physician.

This process alone will put you ahead of 90% of the pack because most pediatric residents put off studying for their boards until the last possible moment. Then comes the mad scramble to relearn everything they’ve forgotten and learn about many new disorders they never even had the opportunity to encounter during residency.

Studying For Your Pediatric Boards During Elective Rotations

Pediatric board study tips for when you are on elective rotations revolve around using that time to read through at least one full chapter. There are some sections of the pediatric boards, like infectious disease, for example, that are in-depth and require some major study. While you’re working on an elective rotation, you’ll have more time to devote to entire chapters of the study guide—especially when it’s related to the elective rotation you’re working on. So, while you’re doing cardiology, study your pediatric cardiology chapter. While you’re doing a neonatology rotation, study your neonatology chapter.

It’s easier to learn about cardiology while you’re surrounded by cardiology patients and a cardiologist. It’s easier to learn about infectious disease while you’re immersed in an infectious diseases rotation and you have an attending physician to discuss topics with every day.

Maintain Your Studying Skills and Develop Test-Taking Skills

Test taking is about knowing the material and having good test-taking skills. You have to know the information, be good about time management, understand the question formats, and recognize patterns. While in medical school, you were a studier because that was your one job. Once you’re deep into residency, it can become very difficult to establish good study habits due to fatigue and distractions from your real job.

Since the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) initial certification exam will be the hardest exam of your life, it’s important to put in the right amount of time and effort to pass the exam. To best prepare, first off, use our Risk Calculator. This will determine your risk profile for failing the boards and provide a clear plan based on that profile. Here are some of the danger signs we look for in the Risk Calculator:

A history of struggling to pass ANY medical board exam
A history of board scores that are usually lower than the national average
Residency training at an “at risk” residency program
And there are more. (You can find our entire list of risk factors here.)

Once you know your risk profile, you can choose a study method that’s best for you. Our study guides emphasize three things: Content, Technique, and Commitment. All three are essential for you to pass the pediatric boards. You must know the content inside and out, which means that even a moderate amount of studying throughout your residency will help immensely. You must develop good testing technique, which means taking the time to understand how to process different types of board-style questions and then practicing your new test-taking skills until you master them. And, you must have the commitment to follow through with these things throughout your residency.

A three-year residency may seem like a long time to prepare for your boards, but it’s only useful if you are steadily doing some work during those years. This is not a test that you can cram for at the last minute.

Studying is Easier With a Partner

We know, through experience, that studying is considerably more effective if it’s done with a partner. So, we’ve prepared our programs with a considerable discount if a fellow resident signs up for our study guides with you. You’ll both have the benefit of our efficiency-driven study tools and materials, all for a lower price. Plus, you’ll have a partner to bounce ideas back and forth, get immediate feedback, quiz one another, and have much needed moral support. There’s no underestimating the value of a good study partner.

Make Use of Your Book Fund

If a book fund is available to you through your residency program, you can use those funds with Pediatric Board Review to get our courses and study guides. We are very accustomed to working with department staff to get orders processed quickly. This is a great way to maximize every dollar at your disposal!

Stretch Your Studying Over Years

If you’re a PGY1 or PGY2 needing access for multiple years, you can also get massive discounts through PBR. So, not only are you getting the benefit of starting your studying early during the early years of your pediatric residency training, but you’re able to save money too! It’s a win-win.

Over the last decade, PBR has helped over 10,000 pediatricians prepare for their board exams. We’re excited to help you on this journey!

Click Here & Learn More About Our Study Guides & Resident Packages!

What To Expect From the Pediatrics Board Exam

The pediatrics board exam is an essential component of your career in pediatrics, but, as with any standardized test, there’s more to the board exam than simply memorizing answers to thousands of questions. Successfully passing the exam comes from having a solid command of medical knowledge and test-taking strategies. This includes knowing what to expect on the day of the exam and doing everything possible to have a methodical approach to the big day.

So, here are some things that you can expect from Pediatrics Board Review (PBR) to help you prepare for your initial certification exam. For information on the ABP Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam and MOCA-Peds, please visit our recertification page.

Risk Calculator Quiz

While the American Board of Pediatrics provides the ABP General Knowledge Self-Assessment, do not assume your results will act as a true indication of your ability to pass the initial certification exam. This assessment is more appropriate for the ABP Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam, not the initial certification exam.

PBR’s free, online Risk Calculator Quiz will help you understand your risk profile of possibly failing the pediatric board exam and will place you as either low, moderate, or high risk.

Knowing your risk profile for the initial certification exam will give you a plan for how to move forward with your pediatrics exam. For example, pediatricians in the low-risk group will use the 300-hour study plan in the PBR Efficiency Blueprint, while those in the moderate-to-high risk groups will use the 500-hour study plan. Your plan will not only differ in how many hours you need to set aside for studying, but also how many times you'll review the material and whether improving your test-taking strategies should be a key point of focus.

In fact, we believe so strongly in the PBR Board Certification System that we offer a 100% Money Back First-Time Pass Guarantee.

For all of the risk categories, we have provided structure and guidance that will help you get to your goal of passing your pediatrics board exam. We help you with time management, community support, and we have a proven track record of success.

Did you know that PBR has helped pediatricians pass after as many as seven failed attempts? We even helped one pediatrician pass on his tenth attempt!

We can help you too.

What Should You Expect from the Pediatrics Board Exam?

If you've never taken the exam before, you can go through a short tutorial before the exam begins. PBR members are trained to go through the ABP tutorial BEFORE the exam day. Keep in mind that this tutorial is technically for the ABP MOC exam. Initial certification exam test-takers SHOULD go through it because it’s almost the exact same tutorial seen on their exam day. The slight difference will be around the number of blocks that the tutorial mentions for the exam (the initial certification exam has four blocks rather than the two mentioned in this tutorial). Going through this tutorial before your exam can remove one point of stress at the beginning of a very important day.
According to the American Board of Pediatrics, you must arrive for your pediatrics board exam at least 30 minutes before your scheduled test time. If you arrive late, the test proctor may actually bar you from entering to take the exam, meaning that you'll have to pay a rescheduling fee and take the exam the following year.
When you arrive at the testing center to take your pediatrics initial certification exam or maintenance of certification exam, you'll initially be scanned for prohibited electronic devices and will need to show a valid ID to be admitted into the testing center. You'll be given a secure storage locker to stow away your personal belongings and effects. You'll also have to turn your pockets inside out to ensure that you're not carrying prohibited items, and you’ll be asked to roll up your sleeves to show that you're not wearing a wristwatch. After that, you'll be given two laminated note boards and two markers. Immediately before you enter the exam room, you'll be asked to sign your name and document the time.
After you've signed in for the exam, someone will escort you to a workstation where the exam will take place. You will be allowed to take in your photo ID, your storage locker key, earplugs, the two laminated note boards, and two markers. If you would also like to take something else into the room, you can check the Prometric pre-approved items list.
During the ABP initial certification exam, you will have four examination sections and 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete each section. PBR offers more in-depth advice on how to manage your time during your ABP exam.
You'll be monitored at all times while you're in the facility, and all testing sessions will have audio and video recorded. Testing advisors will also periodically walk through the exam room to monitor for any irregular behavior.
If you need any assistance, you can raise your hand for help. If you encounter a hardware or software problem while taking your exam, it's important to leave the message on your screen so that an exam official can determine the source of the error. You shouldn’t lose any testing time and your score shouldn't be affected because of any technical problems, but must communicate any such problems to a testing official as soon as possible.

If This Sounds Daunting, We Can Help!

So much of passing your boards comes down to not only your knowledge of medicine, but to your ability to take standardized tests under the very artificial environment mentioned above. This includes the development of your test-taking strategy, and it also includes understanding the many ways to optimize your test-week schedule, your test-day schedule, and yourself. PBR helps in all these areas with a team-based approach led by Dr. Ashish Goyal. Dr. Goyal is PBR’s author and he has coached members to success after as many as nine failed attempts.

Want to skyrocket your scores and get the greatest bang for your buck? We recommend:

PBR’s No Brainer Bundle

Increase your chances of board success to 95% with ALL of our pediatric knowledge base resources. You will get access to our hardcopy books, online editions of the books, audio course, video course, access to live ASK THE EXPERT webinars, a digital picture atlas, our Full Online Test-Taking Strategies Course, and even three 90-Day Personalized Study Schedules created just for you by Team PBR. The No Brainer is the BEST way to leverage your study time for maximum results.

What Else Can I Do?

One of the fastest ways to improve your chances of passing the pediatric boards is to develop your test-taking strategy. This isn’t a skill that everyone has, but Dr. Goyal can help you develop it.

Dr. Goyal will teach you how many questions are in each section and what kinds of questions to expect. He has also identified three major categories of questions that every ABP question will fall into, and he’s created algorithms to help you process each category of questions. He’s also discovered shortcuts to help get questions correct by identifying answer choices that are similar, opposite, contain “hard stop” words, contain “hedging” words, and those that are meant to leave you wondering why it feels like there are multiple correct answer choices.

You will learn all of this through PBR’s test-taking strategy courses. These courses have repeatedly been the key to success for professionals taking medical board exams, and they’ll help you too.

So, if you would like help preparing for your pediatrics board exam, look to the leader in this field here at Pediatrics Board Review (PBR). From helping you build your fund of knowledge the right way, to helping you with all the ins and outs of your exam day, we can help you pass your exam the very first time or your money back — guaranteed!

Become a “No Brainer” Bundle Member Today!

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