Tip 8: Know Your Areas of Strength & Weaknesses
The Rheumatology In-Training Exam (ITE) is an invaluable tool to help you identify those areas on which you really need to focus.9 This exam is administered in March and results are returned to trainees within a couple of months, in plenty of time before you have to sit for the Board exam, usually administered every fall. Use the results of the ITE to help you flag areas where you should focus extra time, and conversely, identify topics where only a cursory review is warranted. If you scored in the 90th percentile in lupus, but only in the 30th percentile in metabolic bone disease, prioritize the latter as you plan your study schedule.
Additional Resources
I believe these eight tips are fairly universal, but recognize that a multitude of other resources and strategies could be helpful to some learners.
One of the most common questions I get asked is whether any of the formal board review courses are worth the money (typical costs exceed $1,000 for the course registration alone). Undoubtedly, for some individuals they are; however, recognize the breadth of rheumatology cannot be covered adequately in just two days of lectures. Additionally, these review courses should never be the sole mechanism by which Board preparation takes place, but rather an adjunct to the strategies I’ve laid out above. If you have the funds to attend one of these courses (or to purchase the content online), then go ahead. They can help solidify many concepts. However, don’t fret if you cannot get access to one, and indeed, most people who sit for the exam have not been exposed to these courses.
Many other resources exist online and are probably worth checking out at some point. Over the years the ACR Clinician Scholar Educator Award has resulted in several educational initiatives that are potentially useful in preparing for the Boards. Basic science modules, such as Rheum4Science, and clinical modules, such as Rheum2Learn, are available through the ACR website, and high-yield bullets of rheumatology knowledge can be found at www.rheumpearls.com. Other useful educational products and relevant CME content can be found on the ACR website.
Finally, some important dates for 2021 and 2022: This year’s exam date is Oct. 26; next year’s is Nov. 3, 2022. Registration for the Rheumatology Certification Exam this year closed June 15, and will open for next year’s exam on Dec. 1, closing June 15, 2022.
The earlier you register, the more likely you can select your preferred testing center. A lot of other helpful information regarding the exam can be found on the ABIM website.10
Good luck!
