![]() ![]() ![]() Another great strength of OphthoQuestions is that users vet the questions in the comments section by citing information directly from the BCSC. OphthoQuestions was the Qbank that felt most similar to the OKAP and provided a scaled scoring system that accurately estimated my performance on the actual exam. I began by reading Kanski/Yanoff followed by Qbank books ending with OphthoQuestions as my benchmark. I shifted my reading to two books as a 2nd year resident –- Kanski’s Clinical Ophthalmology and Yanoff’s Ophthalmology.įor pathology, I only studied Eagle Pathology slides from Wills’ Eye. The proof is in the shrink-wrap where most of my BCSC books remain today! I simply could not read fast enough to complete the BCSC in time, much less sort through the endless sea of text for that tiny nugget of high-yield trivia on the test. This may come as a shock, but I also abandoned the BCSC altogether in my 2nd year. I wasn't upset with my 1st year OKAP score, but felt I could do much better if I simply refined my study strategy going forward.Īs a 2nd year resident, the most important change I made to my study strategy was to start reading and doing practice questions EARLY in the academic year (June). Unlike the USMLE Step exams, OKAP questions were shorter, straightforward and seemed to largely reward knowledge about basic eye trivia. For my efforts, I scored 78th percentile on my 1st year OKAP exam. AAO BCSC QUESTIONS FULLI believe I started going through OphthoQuestions about 2 months before the OKAP and completed somewhere between 50-70% of the Qbank (not even one full pass). I heard about OphthoQuestions as being a strong resource for test preparation, but didn't take it seriously in my 1st year of residency. ![]() Nevertheless, I took the bait, ignored my tried-and-true study habits and focused solely on reading the BCSC (finished only 5 books as a 1st year resident – plastics, cornea, glaucoma, lens, and retina) and attending lectures. I was always an independent/solo studier who would read, create study guides, and work through Qbanks on my own. Unfortunately, I can’t yet say that I am a "competent" ophthalmologist since the oral board exam is yet another two months away! But I am going to be as transparent as possible about my study strategy as well as how it impacted my OKAP performance in residency by year, followed by how I performed on the WQE.Īs a 1st year resident, I was told by senior residents and attendings, "Just read the BCSC and show up to lecture – you will do fine on the OKAP." Perhaps that worked for some individuals, but it was not at all how I was accustomed to studying in medical school. Not a natural test-taker, I didn't immediately score high on the OKAP, but by trial-and-error, I refined my study strategy to improve my knowledge-base and performance on both the OKAP and WQE. AAO BCSC QUESTIONS FREEWanting to rid myself of constantly feeling clueless, I endeavored early in training to consistently devote what little free time I had to learning the fundamentals of ophthalmology. The best times are still ahead!Īside from wanting to become a competent ophthalmologist, a huge motivator in studying for boards came from that empty feeling I often had as a 1st year resident when I saw an interesting patient only to realize I didn’t know anything about what I was actually looking at in the clinic or OR. When other ophthalmologists tell you that life gets better after training you should take them at their word. My wife and I enjoy introducing our children to local sports teams and activities around Lake Norman. My family and I now live in North Carolina where I work in private practice in the Charlotte area. I graduated medical school from the University of Iowa (2013), followed by residency (2017) and fellowship (Glaucoma, 2018) at Indiana University School of Medicine - both excellent training programs with many outstanding mentors. A little background before I delve into my strategy over the years. Based on previous Qbank performance, I was asked by OphthoQuestions to provide study tips for the OKAP/WQE exams. ![]()
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