Does A Failed Pediatric Board Exam Mean You’re a Bad Pediatrician?
In my mind, the answer to the question to this question is a resounding NO! Have you heard that joke?
“What do they call the guy who graduates at the bottom of his medschool class?”
DOCTOR!
But what if you fail the pediatric boards? Our profession involves many high-stress situations, but the reward is meant to come at the end of the journey. Happiness. Fulfillment. A sense of accomplishment.
While I'm guessing that more than 95% of your fellow interns made it through residency, did you know that the ABP initial certification exam has been DESIGNED to fail up to 25% of pediatricians? I was shocked to find this out and wish I had a clue prior to taking the boards for the first time.
Why? Because I failed the pediatric boards by about 9 questions the first time I took it. Fortunately, I was able to turn everything around and blow away the boards the second time around. I am NOT a bad pediatrician, and I KNOW that passing (or failing) a board certification exam does not dictate your level of skill as a clinician
In fact, the two are so “unrelated” that I was able to increase my score on the second time around by over 130 points!
I’ve since helped pediatricians pass after failing as many as 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 times.
QUESTION: What do you call someone who passed the ABP initial certification exam after failing it 10 times?
ANSWER: A board-certified pediatrician!
The boards do require you to have a solid foundation of knowledge. But, if you don’t learn how to strategically play the “board game,” you will lose.
Also, if you're wondering about the implications of a failed pediatric board exam, consider reading the PBR article titled, “Could Your State REQUIRE Pediatric Board Certification To Practice?” While your livelihood may not be dictated by board certification just yet, the article will give you an idea as to where the country may be headed. If you haven't become a board-certified pediatrician yet, the article is a must read.
To conclude, I firmly believe that there is a lot more that goes into being a “good pediatrician” than board certification. Unfortunately, for many institutions board certification has become a must, and is therefore necessary for most pediatricians. That's what the Pediatrics Board Review is here for, and I hope you take full advantage of all the resources that PBR has to offer.
There's a Core Study Guide, a Q&A book, an online version of each, videos, audios, a picture atlas, and guidance on how to process board-style questions strategically!
And if you ever feel lost, we even a Discord community specifically for PBR members.
Have questions? Just contact us and fire away.
All the best,
Ashish & Team PBR
