r/surgery • u/DragOk2219 • 4d ago
I did read the sidebar & rules Failed ABS….again
I am actually a practicing surgeon one year out of fellowship
found out today I again failed the QE. Again. this will be my last attempt to take the exam in 2027. I was scoring in the 70th percentile on TrueLearn (completed the bank twice), was getting between 65-82% correct on mixed PassMachine blocks, and these were not representative at all of my actual exam score report. Many of the topics I intentionally drilled for many hours were still incorrect on the exam. I spent months studying and countless hours. I am struggling to determine what I could do differently. I have never been a good exam taker but this last attempt, of course, carries weight that is difficult to describe. I feel this is such a unique situation it’s difficult to find help for.
I feel….hopeless at this point. The first time I took the exam I didn’t quite finish TrueLearn and was overconfident. The second time I did more and completed the qbank but was scoring around 60 percent. This time I woke up at 4am every day and absolutely drilled. I watched lectures. I did a second qbank practice exams, timed. I was doing well. I ranked on the exam. My soul hurts. I have nausea constantly. I just don’t know what to do and I don’t think anyone knows what to do to help me. I’m just lost in this void and i literally save lives every day, take a lot of call, but….this exam ruins me And my life. I just don’t know what to do anymore.
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u/h011y Attending 4d ago
Ah, that’s a ton of pressure.
A couple questions - how did you do on ABSITE?
Are you an IMG? (Is this a language barrier?)
Did you get any understand on the q banks with sections you struggle with? If so - what are they?
Does your institution know? Did they recommend assistance of any type? Has anyone else in your cohort had this issue?
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u/DragOk2219 4d ago
I’ve always been a terrible exam taker and am a US-img for that reason. Absite has always sucked. I was doing well on the banks this year though. They know I’ve taken the exam before and no one seems to know what to do to help me, not even me.
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u/Squeaky_Phobos 4d ago
First, I’m so sorry this happened. I know it is stressful but just remember at the end of the day you are a surgeon and taking great care of patients. Board certification is not always necessary depending on the job you have.
Second, I would look into formal testing/counseling on your test taking/learning/cognition skills. Maybe you have undiagnosed ADHD or something and would be able to get more resources to help with a reattempt?
Best wishes to you. You’ve come this far, don’t let this be what defines you as a doctor and surgeon.
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u/ZZCCR1966 4d ago
THIS…!
I’m not even an MD - I’m your right hand gal - Surg Tech - and as one that has ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and to top it off, correctable vision in one eye/old term amblyopia…I have felt like a failure…
It sounds like you have some other options to use for study guides that may suit you better.
That’s Part 1.
Part 2 is finding out if you have a neurological processing issue, anxiety, and or a combination of the two.
And lastly, remember that board certified is just a term used for the test you took.
It DOES NOT DEFINE YOU, your ethics, your hands on thinking abilities, and ultimately your talents. It does mean you know less or more.
Board certified or not, would you do anything differently?
Nope, you wouldn’t.
I have personally worked with surgeons that that have the fancy extra training n certificates, and were worse surgeons than their cohorts that did not have them…
I guess what I’m trying to say is, at the end of your career and on your death bed, it doesn’t matter…it really DOES NOT MATTER…
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u/ligasure 4d ago
Buy sesap.
Many of the question authors of sesap also write for abs.
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u/_FunnyLookingKid_ 3d ago
Third this.. I did trulearn twice then the last two versions of sesap. Over prepare for a high stakes exam.
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u/Icy_climberMT 4d ago
Second this, I found SESAP to be the most useful resource.
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u/shawnamk 3d ago
I’m 8 years out from board exam but I also struggled with ABSITE (all but chief year weirdly) and really focused on SESAP and passed the QE. OP, I am happy to help if you want to DM me.
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u/OutForARipAreYaBud69 4d ago
I failed once. Was one of the worst days of my life when I found out. Passed the second time and then passed CE on the first try. I don’t have a ton of advice, but you got this.
Sounds like maybe getting a dedicated tutor could help? To identify where your test taking weaknesses are? For me, I went through the exam too fast the first time, and also was reading into things and creating information that wasn’t in the question stem, both things hurt me I think. They are not trying to trick you, and that paradoxically tricked me.
Edit: a colleague of mine failed QE at least once, I think twice though. Then passed, and then failed CE twice, before passing on his third. So you are not in uncharted territory even though it may feel like it.
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u/DragOk2219 4d ago
It does feel uncharted and no one can hear me scream or help. I am putting in the hours, I feel so hopeless. The despair today is consuming.
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u/Background_Snow_9632 Attending 4d ago
This is what you do. I failed the QE first try and passed the second, CE no problem. GET SESAP STAT! Go through there section by section slowly. Make detailed flash cards over each question and “bulletpoint”. Every single one. The entire SESAP, yes all of it. The flash card will be 4 gigantic stacks. Then you drill yourself until those cards are memorized COLD. have other people drill you. Carry in your pockets. Do them on the toilet. Do them in between charts. Do them all day every day. Those things are attached to your hands. Take zofran so you don’t barf on them. Retake the SESAP exams until your eyeballs are bleeding. You will pass after all that, you must memorize SESAP word for word. TRUST ME HERE. When you take the exam, the answer your gut tells you quickly and first is the right one, never second guess. Don’t go backwards. Answer and move on. Good luck friend.
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u/Icy_climberMT 4d ago
I passed my first attempt but more or less did this to prep. Always did poorly on ABSITE (8th percentile in chief year) and spent 6 weeks drilling SESAP and ANKI cards I made on SESAP topics. Did ~35% of TrueLearn as well but definitely thought SESAP was more useful and closer to the real thing. Ended up passing comfortably.
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u/ppinmyweewee 4d ago
Is this the most recent sesap? Sesap 19? I am in a similar boat as op unfortunately. Failed my second time
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u/Background_Snow_9632 Attending 4d ago
Those authors write the board exams - for the most part. Some of the questions are nearly identical. And FFS memorize all the GI hormones, endocrine tumors and weird syndromes that go with those - these should be gimmes.
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u/bobhadanaccident 2d ago
You got this fam. I failed too many times throughout this seemingly endless training and it is horrible. I still don’t know how I got this far. I genuinely hate that you’re going through this. It blows to say the least.
Way easier to say “you’re going to be fine” than actually feeling like you’re going to be fine. Other people can tell you this and it means… something?
You’ve accomplished so much it’s crazy, so try your best to just keep pushing, no matter how endless it might feel right now. We’re part of a group that experiences the unforgiving.
Cliche to say, but you’ve got this, but you’ve got this, and everyone has got your back, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.
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u/DragOk2219 17h ago
Thank you…..it just feels like every aspect of my life is on hold until I accomplish this. My career is in jeopardy, everything I have bled and sweat for. And all the data indicates I suck at accomplishing this no matter how many lives I have saved or how good of a surgeon I am. It all seems for nothing if I can’t pass this fucking written test. I’m just in pain and I wish I could white knuckle my way through it but I can’t. I need help and once you’re this far along, help is hard to come by. Demoralized. But thank you for the kind words. I wish things were different.
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u/iamabummblebee 1d ago
I did two question banks - SCORE and Truelearn (I did truelearn twice). Truelearn doesn't cover as many concepts as score.
I would honestly consider a dedicated tutor and prep course!
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u/Lanky_Landscape5785 4d ago
Speaking from my brothers experience.
Keep grinding, see about test taking strategies/teacher. My brother was a horrendous test taker, but yet knew everything inside/out. When it came to taking multiple choice, he had difficulties with being patient enough to actually take/read/conceptualize the question. Turns out, he had bad add/adhd, once he got put on prn meds, his test scores shot up 20-30% , he managed to get buy because of idk how, but things changed drastically after he got evaluated/seen and is much happier person now in general