Rcpsc Im Exam

[RadCdn]

Hey Guys,

 

I am beginning to think about how I'm going to prepare for the RCPSC IM Exam in May 2018. I have no idea how to prepare for this. For the most part, I have always used my US preparation (USMLE steps) to pass the Canadian exams (MCCEE, MCCQE1). Anybody have any advice on how to prepare?

 

Also, if there are any IM residents preparing for this exam in Ottawa, it would be great to meet up and maybe form a study group to keep ourselves in check. Looking forward to hearing from people here.

 

R

[bentobox1234]

MKSAP

[RadCdn]

Is MKSAP sufficient? I've heard this test is brutal. And I've also heard that people in IM Canadian residencies have study material that is passed from year to year. I don't know how much of this is true...

[A-Stark]

MKSAP is not sufficient. There are mountains of old questions going around and reviewing them is essential. ESSENTIAL!!!

 

I'll say it again... old questions... essential!!

[JohnGrisham]

MKSAP is not sufficient. There are mountains of old questions going around and reviewing them is essential. ESSENTIAL!!!

 

I'll say it again... old questions... essential!!

Seems like it would be hard for someone doing IM residency state-side to get access to those, no?

[A-Stark]

Seems like it would be hard for someone doing IM residency state-side to get access to those, no?

 

 

You'd need contacts but not impossible. Certainly harder. 

[NLengr]

MKSAP is not sufficient. There are mountains of old questions going around and reviewing them is essential. ESSENTIAL!!!

 

I'll say it again... old questions... essential!!

That's the key to any and all RC exams.

[RadCdn]

Thanks for the help guys. Do any of you guys have some contacts you can provide me by private message? I appreciate the help. I've been out of Canada for a very long time. 

[leviathan]

Would suggest doing a Canadian IM board review course. There's a few offered out there in Toronto, Ottawa etc. You could also join up with study groups if you have contacts at any of the IM programs in Canada. This exam is a very different beast than the ABIM so you'll need special prep for it. 

[A-Stark]

The main Toronto review course is very expensive, but you can purchase the course materials and website access separately (also saves on flying/staying in TO). 

I found my study guide helpful close to the written exam as a general review, but it does not in any way whatsoever replace doing the old questions. You MUST review the old questions extensively. 

JAMA Physical Exam series and possibly the review course videos are probably enough for the OSCE (along with practice!). 

[NLengr]

Do you guys have an osce with standardized patients and stuff?

 

Our "OSCE" was actually a scenario based oral exam where an examiner fired questions at you for 16 minutes (or a single visual recognition station with images, intra-op pics, physical exam pics and path slides). No standardized patients. No physical exams. Curious what other specialties do.  

[rogerroger]

RC exams = do practice questions. 

Get ready to be burned if you ignore this fact. 

FYI: I think this applies broadly for most if not all Canadian board exams. 

[A-Stark]

Yeah it's full OSCE format with a surprising amount of SPs, comprising maybe half the stations. Most of the time the examiner is still asking a lot of specific directed questions, but it was much less of a straight oral exam than I'd expected.