Thursday, October 16, 2008

ABSITE Review Questions

A 76 year old male undergoing a trauma laparotomy is found to be significantly hypothermic when a temperature probe foley catheter is placed. Warm IV fluids are started, a heating blanket is placed, the room temperature is increased, and warm intraabdominal irrigation is started. What additional step will also lead to an improvement in this patient's condition?


a. Close the patient and go to the ICU
b. Change propofol to diazepam
c. Wake the patient up
d. Go to cardiopulmonary bypass
e. Start ECMO


Want to know the right answer? Find out at the ABSITE Review Course

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

USMLE Score Calculator

USMLE Score Calculator

The data used to create the calculators is obtained from the public domain and from our own pool of students who have completed the entire USMLE Review course. The sample size is approximately 4,000 and consists of US Medical Graduates and Foreign Medical Graduates. The score estimate provided above is based on a complex multivariate weighted regression analysis and estimated continuous probability distribution.

With the calculator, you are able to enter one or more test scores to estimate your performance on the USMLE. If you have taken the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment (CBSSA), choose either your most recent score or the average of your most recent scores if the exams are within the same timeframe. Enter only your raw score (out of 800), not the converted score (out of 300). Other testing services offer a 3 digit score or an overall percentage of correct answers. Enter your average percent based off a large (over 250 questions) pool of timed, single-use questions with no repeats.

As you move the sliders to the appropriate numbers, small icons on the graph will move to show your estimated performance as an overlay on a normal distribution. Your estimated three digit score is the X-axis, while the Y-axis is the Gaussian function. As you enter more scores, you will note that your score estimate (the black icon) will move around accordingly.

Both the estimator and calculator provide a USMLE 3 digit score, USMLE 2 digit score, and estimated percentile. The calculator also provides an overall standard deviation, which will vary depending on the number of testing services you have used. For information purposes only, an estimated pass indicator will glow red, yellow, or green depending on your overall performance. The yellow box to the right will provide some basic hints.

You are permitted to reset all of the data in the calculator, and to print its data for later use. We hope that you will enjoy the USMLE Score Calculator.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Great ABSITE Review Course♦

ABSITE Review Course

  • #1 selling ABSITE review course in the world and on Amazon.com.
  • Over 1,000 practice questions with detailed explanations - UPDATED AND REVISED.
  • The ONLY comprehensive surgery and ABSITE review course that follows the American Board of Surgery content outline.
  • Reviewed and trusted by program directors, faculty, and residents from top surgery programs.
  • Covers all major topics on the ABSITE and surgery boards with the high-yield review textbook and a comprehensive online review course.
  • New weekly reading course in surgery that follows key reference books in surgery (i.e. Sabiston’s, Cameron’s, and Greenfield’s). Includes reading summary, practice exams, slide presentations, and streaming lectures.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

www.clinicalreview.com

ABSITE Study Tips

How you study for the ABSITE depends on how much time you have available. Motivated residents who prepare in advance will benefit the most from the online review program and the enormous body of information available on the website. Regardless of how much time you have available, this entire review program is designed to be done piecemeal using the short periods of time you have available on call nights and in between cases. Each topic is designed to be covered in just a few minutes, and many residents report making good progress on the question bank by doing a few questions over lunch each day. Those who are on night float rotations or taking call report making good progress on the high-yield PowerPoint reviews.

Based on resident feedback, our recommendation is to keep the pocket version of the book with you at all times. It is a handy book to go through whenever a few minutes are available. This larger book is seen more and more in the hospital as the exam draws closer, but most residents recommend spending an hour every evening months in advance to review this book. While each individual study plan will be different, there are a few trends that we have noticed with high scorers:

  1. Use this book in conjunction with the online questions and your existing reference books
  2. Do at least a dozen questions and read through several topics every night
  3. Review the high-yield PowerPoint presentations a week in advance of your exam
  4. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses and focus on them accordingly
  5. Keep your notes and review material from year to year

Whether you are preparing for the junior ABSITE or the senior ABSITE, we recommend going through this resource in its entirety. Topics that have appeared on one exam more than another are marked appropriately. Topics that have appeared on recent exams or more than once are marked by stars. In addition, topics that the reviewers have deemed to be particularly worthwhile are also highlighted. It is important to reiterate that the purpose of this book is to help you become a better doctor and surgeon – your score on this exam should reflect your mastery of basic science and clinical medicine, and their application to the field of surgery.

Learn more about our high quality review courses for the USMLE and ABSITE. Our review courses include access to thousands of practice questions with detailed explanations, high-yield online and published textbooks, slide reviews, and audio/video lectures. Learn more about the USMLE review and ABSITE review, and visit our exam preparation website.

ABSITE Practice Questions - www.ClinicalReview.com

Interactive ABSITE Question Review Program


The only ABSITE resource to offer over a thousand carefully vetted questions and detailed explanations. REVISED AND UPDATED FOR 2009.

Questions cover concepts that have appeared on recent ABSITE exams and surgery board examinations.

Choose questions by subject area and repeat them as many times as you desire.

Our advanced learning interface adapts to your strengths and weaknesses to reinforce topics that you are weak in.

Sophisticated exam interface gives you instant feedback and detailed information at the end of your session.

Questions selected by surgery residents, university faculty, and program directors to best represent the content you will see on the ABSITE and surgery boards.

Complements the textbooks, slide reviews, and lectures to reinforce your knowledge in key subjects.

ABSITE Review - www.ClinicalReview.com

High Yield ABSITE Review Textbooks


The nearly 500 page Clinical Review of Surgery, ABSITE Edition follows the content outline developed by the American Board of Surgery.

A brand new Q&A Edition covers the top questions in each subject area, including detailed explanations for the right and wrong answers.

Special slide review covers all of the high-yield topics you need to know before the exam.

The High-Yield Edition can be printed from your computer and is the perfect last-minute review resource for the exam.

The 324 page Pocket Edition is the ideal review companion for residents who need a handy resource on the wards.

The Clinical Review of Surgery is the ONLY textbook that follows the content outline produced by the American Board of Surgery.

Full line of review textbooks for the ABSITE and surgery board examination to ensure that you are well-prepared for the exam.

Detailed table of contents, preface for each chapter, and useful index to help you organize your studying.

Continuously revised and updated based on YOUR feedback and from our staff of practicing surgeons, university faculty, and program directors.

Professionally edited and published. Available in hardcover or paperback on Amazon.com, your local bookstore, and from our online store.

ABSITE Review - www.ClinicalReview.com

ABSITE Review

#1 selling ABSITE review course in the world and on Amazon.com.

Over 1,000 practice questions with detailed explanations - UPDATED AND REVISED.

The ONLY comprehensive surgery and ABSITE review course that follows the American Board of Surgery content outline.

Reviewed and trusted by program directors, faculty, and residents from top surgery programs.

Covers all major topics on the ABSITE and surgery boards with the high-yield review textbook and a comprehensive online review course.

New weekly reading course in surgery that follows key reference books in surgery (i.e. Sabiston's, Cameron's, and Greenfield's). Includes reading summary, practice exams, slide presentations, and streaming lectures.

Dozens of hours of audio and video lectures that you can take with you on your iPod.

Validated, refined, and updated continuously based on your input and our staff of practicing surgeons, university faculty, and program directors.

Proven superior performance on the ABSITE with up to a 20% increase in scores.

Comprehensive learning management system to keep track of your scores and performance.

Compare your scores with others and estimate your ABSITE score.