ABEM examination – Getting Started

The second step for ABEM certification in Emergency Medicine is to take and pass the Qualifying Examination, also known as the ”ABEM exam.”

The ABEM examination is administered during one week in the fall each year at over 200 computer-based Pearson VUE testing centers in the United States and Canada. The exam contains approximately 305 single-best-answer, multiple choice questions.

To best prepare for the Qualifying Examination review the following sections:

•    Qualifying Exam Requirements
•    Getting Started
•    Before the Exam
•    At the Exam
•    Exam Content
•    Results & Scoring

These materials will provide you with the information you need to prepare for, attend, and take the Qualifying Examination.

Hippo EM and Med-Challenger

Residents are provided with a one-year subscription to both the Med-Challenger EM Program and the Hippo EM  Program. These are online self-study programs and 2019 LLSA Articles with >300 hours of clinical content and practice examination questions that residents can use as adjunct learning resources and to help prepare for the EM Certification Examination.

The objectives of the program are to provide comprehensive clinical and academic exposure to ensure a broad knowledge base and proficiency in management of acute and critical illness within the Emergency Department setting. We respect that residents are adult learners and we strive to be flexible in order to meet individual needs. Our teachers, including family physicians, Emergency Physicians and Specialists have largely been teaching our PGY-3 residents for many years and understand the unique needs of our EM residents. Our rotations take place in both tertiary care and community centres. We have a strong liaison with all departments hosting our rotations which ensures that the needs of our residents are met.

We have many surrounding communities whose emergency departments and Family Medicine offices are staffed by former residents from our program. Many of these physicians take part in our program as preceptors and as teachers in the academic sessions. We also have a strong liaison with the Department of Emergency Medicine and have the advantage of being associated with an excellent 5-year FRCP program which offers further flexibility in terms of academic opportunities for our residents.

Reference: https://familymedicine.queensu.ca/education/enhanced/emergency_medicine/hippo-em_and_med-challenger

ABEM Recertification Exam Content

The exam contains approximately 205 single-best-answer, standard multiple choice questions. Each question is in paragraph form with an answer set containing one correct answer and three or four incorrect answers.

The ABEM concert exam 2018 is divided into two sections or books, each is separately timed; the first lasts 2 hours and 5 minutes, and the second 2 hours and 10 minutes, with a 20-minute break between each section. The entire exam appointment takes approximately 5.25 hours to complete.

Each book of the examination consists of both pictorial and non-pictorial multiple choice questions. Pictorial questions refer to stimulus images such as photos of X-rays, ECGs, rhythm strips, pictures, etc. These images will be presented in a separate tab along with the relevant test question on the computer screen. You will not need to interpret ultrasound images for pictorial questions on the ABEM Recertification Exam. CT scans may be used as stimuli but for views of the head only.

ABEM selects questions for the exam based on how closely they align with the EM Model, as seen in the EM blueprint . While questions can originate from any content area within the model, some areas are routinely selected.


Reference:  https://www.abem.org/public/stay-certified/concert-exam/concert-exam-content

 

ConCert™ Examination 2018 – Getting Started

ABEM strongly suggests you review this information well in advance of your ABEM recertification examination day.

1. Ensure your Medical Licensure is in Good Standing

• Review the Professionalism and Professional Standing Requirement.
• Review the ABEM  Policy on Medical Licensure.
• If any of your licensure information changes prior to your appointment to take the ConCert™ Examination, please update the information through your ABEM MOC Personal Page.

2. Register for the Exam

• Register through your ABEM MOC Personal Page for ABEM concert exam 2018. 

3. Request ADA Accommodations at Least 8 Weeks Before Your Exam Date (if applicable)

• If you have requested accommodations under the Policy on Americans with Disabilities Act ABEM must schedule your examination appointment for you. Pearson VUE cannot work directly with you to schedule or change appointments if you are testing under special circumstances.

• If you need an accommodation for the ConCert™ Examination, please submit your written request immediately. There is limited seating for candidates testing under special circumstances and submitting your request as early as possible will help to ensure a seat close to your work or home.

Read More: https://www.abem.org/public/abem-maintenance-of-certification-(moc)/moc-assessment-of-knowledge-judgment-and-skills-(concert-)/concert-examination/getting-started-with-the-concert-examination

Become Familiar with the ConCert Exam

Key Features of the Exam

• You can register and take the exam during the scheduled ABEM recertification administration in years six through ten of your certification.
• Passing the ConCert Examination early does not, by itself, renew your certificate.
• Diplomates are not required to meet other MOC requirements to take the ConCert™ Examination. However, certification can only be renewed if all MOC requirements are met.

Exam Description

• Secure, proctored examination with limited access.
• The exam is administered at over 200 computer-based Pearson VUE testing centers around the United States and Canada.
• The exam contains approximately 205 single-best-answer, standard multiple choice questions.
• Each question is in paragraph form with an answer set containing one correct answer and three or four incorrect answers.
• The ABEM concert exam 2018 is divided into two sections or books, each separately timed. Testing time for the first book is two hours and five minutes, and for the second book is two hours and ten minutes.
• The entire exam appointment takes approximately 5.25 hours to complete.
• Questions focus on what the practicing emergency physician needs to know when treating patients.
• Questions are derived from The Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine (EM Model).
• Each book of the examination consists of both pictorial and non-pictorial multiple choice questions. Pictorial questions refer to stimulus images such as photos of X-rays, ECGs, rhythm strips, pictures, etc. These images will be presented in a separate tab along with the relevant test question on the computer screen. Sample Exam Question
• You will not need to interpret ultrasound images for pictorial questions on the ConCert Exam LLSA; CT scans may be used as stimuli but for views of the head only.
• Some of the questions on the examination are not scored and are used only to assure future question quality. These field test questions will not be apparent to the candidate. Including them on the examination allows ABEM to conduct research to determine if the questions are appropriate for scoring future examinations.

Read More: https://www.abem.org/public/abem-maintenance-of-certification-(moc)/moc-assessment-of-knowledge-judgment-and-skills-(concert-)/concert-examination/become-familiar-with-the-concert-examination

Correlation of the Emergency Medicine Resident In-Service Examination with the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine

The Basic Standards for Residency Training in Emergency Medicine of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) requires all osteopathic emergency medicine (EM) residents to annually participate in the Emergency Medicine In Service Exam.

Residency training programs in other specialties have demonstrated correlations between their specialty in-service examinations and passing future board certification examinations.  In 2009, the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM) began offering the option of taking Part 1 of the certifying examination to eligible EM residents in their fourth postgraduate year (PGY-4) of EM residency training. Prior to 2009 only EM residency graduates were permitted to participate in the In service examination.

We wish to demonstrate a correlation between the percentile score on the RISE with corresponding scores and the dichotomous outcome of passing or failing on the AOBEM Part 1 exam. We also sought to find a point whereby the likelihood of passing the AOBEM Part 1 was greatest. This will help residency program directors and residents gauge the progress a resident is making towards board certification.


Read More: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3952889/

Preparation for ABEM MOC

The ABEM recertification exam is not an easy exam to sit for, as it takes a lot of time and studying to prepare for the ABEM MOC Examination.

There are many online courses that help you prepare for this type of examination.

Likewise, the ABEMPrep online course gives you knowledge about emergency medicine questions mapped to the ABEM ConCert Exam. Brush and correct your answers as you go and review evidence-based rationales in the lectures for the correct answers.

ABEMPrep’s High yield text book has an excellent question bank with many difficult questions that prepares you for the ABEM examination