Mccqe P1

[skiordie]

I realize this isn't likely at the top of everyone's list of concerns at the moment with match day just days away now, but I've been thinking about dates to pick for my MCCQE P1 exam and I'm wondering if people who have been through this process could provide some insight in terms of how much time they felt was adequate for preparing for the exam, and whether the extra time you took to prepare was worth it (or whether you wished you had written on an earlier date). I realize  exam prep is highly variable depending on the person, but am interested in hearing what people who have written it thought!

[drake19]

I realize this isn't likely at the top of everyone's list of concerns at the moment with match day just days away now, but I've been thinking about dates to pick for my MCCQE P1 exam and I'm wondering if people who have been through this process could provide some insight in terms of how much time they felt was adequate for preparing for the exam, and whether the extra time you took to prepare was worth it (or whether you wished you had written on an earlier date). I realize  exam prep is highly variable depending on the person, but am interested in hearing what people who have written it thought!

I consider myself a veteran of board exams since in the US we take 3 board exams prior to graduation and a NBME exam with every basic-science course and rotation/elective for a whooping total of least 30 NBMEs

 

So here is my general 2 cents regarding deciding how much time you need - first you need to know which materials you are using (i.e. EXAM BANK, EXAM BANK, EXAM BANK, maybe-textbooks)....and you decide "how long will it take for me to get through this material to really see how much time you need"

 

Usually for all my board exams at least 4-8 weeks of intense studying

 

Again exam banks are key to success of any board exam see Albert Einstein school of medicine study that correlates UWORLD and board exam scores they also compared MCAT to school grades to board scores, etc. interesting study

 

In the US exam banks are really big - we have them for every specific rotation and every board exam and learning is done by reading solutions and taking notes from solutions. Uptodate (just the summary and recommendations is also great too) It's all about efficient prep. And since I have ADHD as an aside exam banks are so big in the U.S. that there was a huge scandal for the radiology-boards exam bank a few years back

[rmorelan]

Most people study for that test because they want to do well - I mean failing it is extremely rare. I really pushed for it for about 6 weeks and was just doing bits and pieces before.

 

Really it just not a hard test

 

One thing though - learn exactly how the grading works. You will see that some sections that are very easy are worth just as much as all of a very hard subject (pysch = all of internal medicine for instance - that is 40 pages in TO notes vs what 800+? Same with the ethics part etc except that is what 20 pages?).

 

Found exam banks useful just to really keep you awake really

[tigars53]

4-5 weeks study, with a above average grade.

Read the TNotes from cover to cover + some textbooks when there was something I did not understand well or for derm pictures.

Lots de QBanks. CanadaQBanks does the job, even if the questions are really long compared to the actual exam.

[skiordie]

Thanks very much for the responses! rmorelan - I can definitely see why it'd be important to have a handle on how the grading works, given the difference in required prep time for those of us who don't already have all the internal med material memorized (!). Was looking around on the MCCQE website, including the FAQ section and couldn't find the breakdown of how the different sections are weighted.

Anyone know where I can find this? Apologies if this info is more obvious than I thought and I missed it during my search.

[ploughboy]

I realize this isn't likely at the top of everyone's list of concerns at the moment with match day just days away now, but I've been thinking about dates to pick for my MCCQE P1 exam and I'm wondering if people who have been through this process could provide some insight in terms of how much time they felt was adequate for preparing for the exam, and whether the extra time you took to prepare was worth it (or whether you wished you had written on an earlier date). I realize  exam prep is highly variable depending on the person, but am interested in hearing what people who have written it thought!

 

Study for a couple of weeks before.  Write on the earliest date possible so that you get more vacation time after.   Stupidest test ever.

[NLengr]

Study for a couple of weeks before. Write on the earliest date possible so that you get more vacation time after. Stupidest test ever.

Nope. That would be part 2

 

Study a month. Don't touch medicine. Focus your effort on public health/clin Epi/ Canadian health system, Obs/Gyne, psych and peds. Maybe some surgery if you have time.

 

It's six equal parts. Medicine is just too much volume for 1/6 of the exam marks.

 

I would review acls. That was a few questions on my exam.

[ploughboy]

Nope. That would be part 2

Ya, you're right.  Part 2 is more ridiculous than part 1.  But part 1 is pretty bad.

[rmorelan]

Ya, you're right.  Part 2 is more ridiculous than part 1.  But part 1 is pretty bad.

Oh yeah part 2 is even more silly. Complete cash grab.

[MansionMD]

Deleted duplicate post.

[Karma]

I studied for 6 weeks, completely ignoring the internal medicine section and giving myself one week for a final revision of the material. I chose to do it as late as possible, but it's just personal preference. Many of my friends did it in the early dates and did great. So it's really up to you. 

[shikimate]

Do you guys think using UWorld is enough to study for both LMCC and CK? I am thinking of writing LMCC a few days before CK since LMCC appears to be easier to just pass.

[rmorelan]

what do you mean rmorelan?

 

it is an old test designed for the GP license. Except now we don't have GPs so it doesn't make sense. What is the point in testing people you KNOW are going to be pathologists in say depression screening? It is now just an annoying test where everyone is specific fields has to go back and learn how to do things again they will only have to do once on that test and never again.

 

Plus the test isn't even all that hard - the pass rate is through the roof. You cannot even do anything with the result of the test. Ok, so you passed. Now what? You don't have the right to do anything you weren't able to do before.

 

It would be better if they just removed it, and upped the cost of the end licence exam to be cost neutral for them. At least people wouldn't be spending weeks and weeks at the start of their on service rotations learning stuff that is completely irrelevant to their practise and the college still gets their money.

[NLengr]

it is an old test designed for the GP license. Except now we don't have GPs so it doesn't make sense. What is the point in testing people you KNOW are going to be pathologists in say depression screening? It is now just an annoying test where everyone is specific fields has to go back and learn how to do things again they will only have to do once on that test and never again.

 

Plus the test isn't even all that hard - the pass rate is through the roof. You cannot even do anything with the result of the test. Ok, so you passed. Now what? You don't have the right to do anything you weren't able to do before.

 

It would be better if they just removed it, and upped the cost of the end licence exam to be cost neutral for them. At least people wouldn't be spending weeks and weeks at the start of their on service rotations learning stuff that is completely irrelevant to their practise and the college still gets their money.

The problem is if they got rid of the LMCC exams then the MCC wouldn't have any source of income, or role at all. And they aren't gonna let that happen. Those people will lobby to keep their jobs.

 

Basically, the LMCC is a round about make work project for the employees of the MCC.

[Renin]

I studied for 3 days for above average mark. By study I mean napped, and then I watched a lot of Star Trek. I was so tired because i just finished internal medicine block 3 days before my examination - so I mean, I guess I studied for medicine ... but didn't do much additional. Reviewed some lady parts and some kiddy stuff.

[keith_015]

Do you guys think using UWorld is enough to study for both LMCC and CK? I am thinking of writing LMCC a few days before CK since LMCC appears to be easier to just pass.

 

Exactly what I did. 

[rmorelan]

The problem is if they got rid of the LMCC exams then the MCC wouldn't have any source of income, or role at all. And they aren't gonna let that happen. Those people will lobby to keep their jobs.

 

Basically, the LMCC is a round about make work project for the employees of the MCC.

 

yeah I know and the family doctors don't care that much as they just take it at the end of their training with they college exam etc (as I understand it). Only the other specialties get punished.  

[Intly]

I just feel I need to outright ask it to make it 100% certain: For the MCCQe1, does the actual grade (numerical/percentile/percentage etc.) make any kind of difference in our lives as physicians or future applicants for IM subspecialties/fellowships in the future? Will we ever have to cite the grade or rank on any future applications? Will it serve any significant purpose as USMLE 1 marks do in the US?

Because if not, I really can't see a reason to cram to learn footnote information by rote just for a favourable mark, I'd rather read what would be pertinent for my future practice as I am completely sure I won't fail the exam in any situation...

 

[rmorelan]

I just feel I need to outright ask it to make it 100% certain: For the MCCQe1, does the actual grade (numerical/percentile/percentage etc.) make any kind of difference in our lives as physicians or future applicants for IM subspecialties/fellowships in the future? Will we ever have to cite the grade or rank on any future applications? Will it serve any significant purpose as USMLE 1 marks do in the US?

 

Because if not, I really can't see a reason to cram to learn footnote information by rote just for a favourable mark, I'd rather read what would be pertinent for my future practice as I am completely sure I won't fail the exam in any situation...

 

 

 

Nope. Zero impact.

[meds2015]

Hello,

 

I went unmatched this year and thought of writing the MCCQE 1 to strengthen my application. The problem is I can only write the fall session, which is late October. When do we get the results? Will it be too late to submit to CaRMS, which closes last week of November. Any advice on this would be helpful.

 

Thanks.

[2nd round for me]

Hello,

 

I went unmatched this year and thought of writing the MCCQE 1 to strengthen my application. The problem is I can only write the fall session, which is late October. When do we get the results? Will it be too late to submit to CaRMS, which closes last week of November. Any advice on this would be helpful.

 

Thanks.

Do they see the results of the MCCQE if you go unmatched but still write it? Or just that you have passed it....

[Freedom]

Do they see the results of the MCCQE if you go unmatched but still write it? Or just that you have passed it....

 

You transfer your results on the "Medical Council of Canada Examinations" section of the CaRMS application.

 

In addition... "Once I have shared my most recent results with CaRMS on the physiciansapply.ca "Examination Results and Document Sharing" page, the MCC will send CaRMS the standing, date and total score for the shared MCC examinations (e.g. MCCEE, MCCQE Part I, MCCQE Part II, CSC-FM, NAC), regardless of whether or not I was successful at the examination; and/or information regarding my shared pending MCC examination(s). CaRMS will update my application with the information received from the MCC, including MINC and LMCC numbers, if applicable.

 

I acknowledge that the score and standing for any examination I have shared, for which I am awaiting results, will be posted in my CaRMS Online examination section when available. Each MCC examination result will remain permanently in CaRMS Online unless an updated standing is retrieved from the MCC."

[icewine]

Any advice on how long to study for the QE2? I'm in general practice training so I don't think I'll have to spend too much time reviewing things but just wanted to get an idea from others who have gone through the exam.

[Intly]

I'm going through the MCC's objective page on their website but the thing is very hard to use to guide studying (because of the way information is arranged on the website): http://apps.mcc.ca/Objectives_Online/objectives.pl?loc=home〈=english

 

Does anyone happen to have a .pdf or .doc document that has the objectives listed in order in a simple text manner so that we can use it to study from without having to browse the website every time?

That would be a huge help, please don't hesitate to PM me, thanks! 

[Milk Carton Mugshot]

I am wondering who actually gets to see our MCCQE1 scores.

 

Do we have to share these with our residency program director, or is it simply a pass/fail kind of thing?

 

I'd prefer to just do the minimal studying, get it over with, and move on but I don't want my program director to think im an idiot when he sees my barely acceptable MCCQE1 score.