Gentry King MD

• Proficiency Test vs Obstacle
• Very Difficult
• Recall and Analysis
• Study-able
If you study and pray…you will pass

Board Passing Rate
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
1 2 3 4
2007
2008
2009
2010
Feb Aug
53.42% 65.40%
54.10%
64.50%
46.20%
60.38%
71.28%
February
August

• Test Structure:
– 12 subjects: Basics and Clinical
– 2 weekends: Saturday and Sunday)
– “Tick the Box” multiple choice (4)
• Criteria to pass:
– Average of 75% through all subjects
– Not one subject below 50%

• Review Class: Pros
– Structured and Scheduled
(for people who lack the discipline)
– “Live” / Emphasized Pearls
– Mock Exams
(learn how to pace yourself)
– Handouts
– “Juicy” Lectures

• Review Class: Cons
– Not everything is high yield
– Not very flexible
– Can be boring
(not for people who sleep in class)
– Expensive

• Self Study: Pros
– Very Flexible
• Cons:
– Very easy to lose focus
– Can be expensive
– Retention can Be difficult

• Conclusion: Combination of both
• Review classes:
– UST: comprehensive vs indulgence
– UP: brevity
– UE
• *** Prev Med and Legal Med lectures from
UST / UE

• Approach:
– What is my goal?
(Glory vs Nightmare?)
– How solid is my knowledge base?
(what are my weaknesses?)
– How did I study before?
(learner vs crammer)
•
Learner: expansive stock knowledge
• Crammer: covers a lot of ground
•
OPTIMAL: Combination of both
– How hard am I going to study?
• Stay healthy
• Maintain weight!!!
"kelangan mo talaga mag-aral hangang sumakit ang puwet mo sa kakaupo."

• Methodology :
– When to start studying?
• Isolate/Focus vs Keeping Sanity
• Expect distractions
• Make a schedule
– When to study?
(simulate)
– How long will I study per subject?
( at least 2 readings per subject )
– Where to study?
(starbucks vs home)
– By system or by book?
Coffee or Tea?

• Study your weaknesses / most difficult subjects first
• Know a little of everything not all about something
• “Appreciate the forest before the trees”
(CHD)
• Stick to what works
(familiarity)
• Take notes only of things you will surely forget

• “The objective of studying for the boards, is to pass…not necessarily to learn…”
• “Studying will lower your threshold for recall..”

• Read/think like an examiner
(Ganong vs Guyton)
– “The most common…”
– “The characteristic lesion of dx is…”
– “The earliest change seen in….”
– “The fundamental defect in…”
– “The prototype disease of…”
– “The absolute contraindication to….”
– Tables, Diagnostic Criteria, Sensitivity/Specificity
• Know your examiners
• Know the history of the boards
• …You are all in this together!!!

• Reading Materials:
– Mama vs baby
– Reviewers
– Med School Notes
• Samplex
– Previous Boards
– UPEC (Prev Med, Legal Med)
***1 Reviewer, 1 reference, 1 samplex
***Keep in schedule, prioritize and move on

• Danger: 5/5 Difficulty: 9/10
• Main Reviewer: Snellito + Clinical Ana vs
Mama Snell
• Total days for first reading: 2 weeks at least
• High Yield Topics: Clinical Anatomy
• Difficult topics: Perineum, Head and Neck
• Dangerous topics: Basic Anatomy , Joints and
Musculoskeletal, Genitourinary histology.

• Danger: 5/5 Difficulty: 9/10
• Kaplan Biochemistry , UST handouts, 1st aid step 1
• 5 days to a week
• High Yield Topics: DNA/RNA , Carbohydrate
Metabolism, Lipid Metabolism, Metabolic
Integration, Urea Cycle
• Difficult topics: Purine and Pyrimidine
Synthesis and Metabolism, Protein
Metabolism, Hormones, Syndromes
• Dangerous topics: as above

• Danger: 3/5 Difficulty: 8/10
• BRS, Ganong
• 4 to 5 days
• High Yield Topics: Respiratory ,
Gastrointestinal, Renal,
Musculoskeletal, ANS
• Difficult topics: Special Senses, ANS
• Dangerous topics: Special Senses,
ANS, Deep Sea, High Altitude, Space

• Danger: 5/5 Difficulty: 7/10
• BRS, 1st aid step 1 , Kaplan, Robbins
• 4 to 5 days
• High Yield Topics: Cardiovascular, Respiratory,
Renal, Infectious, Neoplasia
• Difficult topics: Renal , Hematology, Immunology
• Dangerous topics: Immunology!
Renal,
Hematology, Inflammation, Neoplasia,
Environmental .

• Danger level: 3/5
• Level of Difficulty: 7/10
• Memory: 60% Analysis: 40%
• Main Reviewer: MRS , Kaplan, 1st aid, CPM
• 1 week
• High Yield Topics: STDs , TB, Dengue,
Typhoid, Rabies, Schistosomiasis
• Difficult topics: Viruses, anti-virals
• Dangerous topics: Fungi/anti-fungals,
Ricketssiae and diseases that don't exist in the Philippines, Sepsis criteria

• Danger level: 5/5
• Level of Difficulty: 7/10
• Memory: 60%Analysis: 40%
• Main Reviewer: Summaries of both books, UST/UE reviewers , Samplex
• 4 to 5 days
• High Yield Topics: All of Jurisprudence , Sex
Crimes , Virginity, Child Abuse, Medico-legal aspects of identification, Medico-legal aspects of death ,
Causes of death, Special Deaths, Disposal of the dead body, Physical Injuries, Gunshot wounds,
Drowning, IQ.
• Dangerous topics: Gunshot wounds, Poisoning,
Jurisprudence Cases

• Danger level: 3.5/5
• Level of Difficulty: 8/10
• Memory: 60% Analysis: 40%
• Katzung and Trevor's, UST handouts , 1st aid Step 1
• 4 to 5 days
• High Yield Topics: ANS drugs , Anesthetics , Diuretics,
Anti-microbials, Anti-Seizure drugs, GI drugs
• Difficult/Dangerous Topics: Anti-Virals, Antineoplastics, ANS drugs, Anesthetics , Drugs of
Abuse, Anti-Arrythimics, Psychopharmacology,
Gonadal Hormones and Inhibitors.

• Danger level: 3/5
• Level of Difficulty: 6/10
• Memory: 50% Analysis: 50%
• No high yield reviewer available, otherwise:
Harrisons , Medicine Blue Book , 1st aid step
2, high yield internal medicine
• 4 to 5 days
• High Yield Topics: Infectious, Pulmo
• Difficult / Dangerous Topics: Rheuma, Renal,
OB and Pedia
(yes, you read that right)

• Danger level: 5/5
• Level of Difficulty: 10/10
• Memory: 65% Analysis: 35%
• No high yield reviewer available, otherwise: Surgery
Oc-Oc notes , Schwartz, Surgical Recall, Surgery
Clerkship , 1st aid step 2, Sabiston.
• 1 week
• High Yield Topics: first 9 chapters of Schwartz, Skin and Melanoma , Plastic Surgery , Breast, Thyroid,
Colon, Pediatric surgery , Glasgow Coma Scale,
Stomach, Pancreas, Head and Neck, Anatomy of the
Eye, Fluids

• Danger: 4/5 Difficulty: 9/10
• Nelson , Pocket Pedia , Immunization chapters of Del Mundo, UST tests
• 5-7 days
• High Yield Topics: Pulmo , Infectious, Breast
Milk/Feeding, Vaccination, TB.
• Difficult / Potentially Dangerous Topics: Endo ,
Rheuma, Neuro, Psychologic Disorders,
Growth and Development, Social Issues.

• Danger: 3.5/5 Difficulty: 7/10
• Oc-Oc notes , BRS, Blueprints
• 4-5 days
• High Yield Topics: Bleeding in
Pregnancy, Abdominal Pain in
Pregnancy, PCOS, Amenorrhea
• Difficult / Potentially Dangerous Topics:
Gynecology, Puerperium, Gyne Onco

• Danger: 5/5 Difficulty: 8/10
• Current UE notes, UST notes , Wikipedia, Philhealth,
First Aid step 1, Dra. Maglonzo's book, UPEC.
• 4-5 days
• High Yield Topics: Statistics, Environmental and
Occupational Medicine , Study Design, Family
Dynamics , Current Health Statistics, Health Laws ,
Community Medicine.
• Difficult Dangerous Topics: Environmental and
Occupational Medicine, Rats, Water, Shit and eggs...yes, eggs.

• Know where / how / how long it takes to get to the test center a few days before
• Bring food
(siopao) and coffee
• Get sleep the night before
• Possibility of poor testing conditions
(cold vs warm)
• Imodium, Paracetamol
• Biochem is the first test

• Taking the test / Testmanship
– Expect wrong grammar and wrong spelling
– Expect questions to be repeated up to 4x
– Some questions give clues to answers for other questions
• Do not forget your test permit
• 1 week grace period before clinicals

Never forget the most important part…
God

MD

“No greater opportunity or obligation can fall the lot of a human being than to be a physician.
In the care of the suffering he needs technical skill, scientific knowledge, and human understanding.
He who uses these with courage, humility, and wisdom will provide a unique service for his fellow man and will build an enduring edifice of character within himself.”
Dr. Tinsley Harrison