Cancelling ABIM

[biologyBS]

Just graduated IM residency, busy with fellowship. Wanted to delay taking my ABIM by one year... I keep reading that we are board eligible for 7 years and that canceling ABIM last minute does not have huge repercussions other than loss of 30% registration fee. I guess my questions are:
1) Are there any repercussions other than having to study for an extra year
2) Where is it stated that we are board eligible for 7 years? I am trying to find it on the ABIM website but cannot

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[gutonc]

Just graduated IM residency, busy with fellowship. Wanted to delay taking my ABIM by one year... I keep reading that we are board eligible for 7 years and that canceling ABIM last minute does not have huge repercussions other than loss of 30% registration fee. I guess my questions are:
1) Are there any repercussions other than having to study for an extra year
2) Where is it stated that we are board eligible for 7 years? I am trying to find it on the ABIM website but cannot

1. Absolutely not. No concerns other than money.
2. You can find the policy here.
"As of July 2012, the American Board of Internal Medicine considers all internal medicine and subspecialist physicians who have met the standards for Board Certification in general internal medicine or any of its subspecialties to be “Board Eligible” in the relevant specialty for a period of seven years. The seven-year period of Board Eligibility shall begin upon the candidate's successful completion of the initial certification requirements in their field or July 1, 2012, whichever is later. During the period of Board Eligibility, the candidate may apply for the certifying examination in the relevant specialty. If the candidate does not become board certified during the seven-year period of Board Eligibility, the candidate will no longer be deemed “Board Eligible” and may no longer represent himself or herself as “Board Eligible.”"

 

[biologyBS]

Sweet! I had a hard time finding it. Thank you!

 

[Ubba]

As someone in your shoes, I'm furious that the ABIM is such a group of ***holes that they make August the only month to take this exam. It has been a real distraction from fellowship, rendering the first couple of months minimally useful and edifying due to the stress of "having" to pass it this go around.

 

[biologyBS]

I agree. This would be have been much more palatable if it was akin to step 3 scheduling year around. I'm on inpatient this month and nearly do not have enough time to study. The fact that we are expected to learn oncology which is like learning a whole new language + additional stress of BS things I don't really care about anymore is quite infuriating.

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

Some fields take their boards toward the end of residency which I think would be better. Just make it in April-June and PGY3s are eligible.

 

[gutonc]

Why not take it PGY5 year? I think it's ridiculous how obsessed people are about getting it done in first fellowship year.

 

[CatFactorial]

My N=1 account: Took ABIM boards after 1st year. Studying for medicine on top of fellowship was a bitch, but doable.

 

[Ubba]

Why not take it PGY5 year? I think it's ridiculous how obsessed people are about getting it done in first fellowship year.

Most fellows are going to want to focus on heme/onc rather then flow-volume loops and urine anion gaps. We also aren't BE in heme or onc until we pass ABIM, so the earlier it's over, the more certain we are that we can, for instance, take one of the specialty boards in PGY-6.

 

[gutonc]

Most fellows are going to want to focus on heme/onc rather then flow-volume loops and urine anion gaps. We also aren't BE in heme or onc until we pass ABIM, so the earlier it's over, the more certain we are that we can, for instance, take one of the specialty boards in PGY-6.

You make it seem like I'm talking out of my a$$ without any experience. I was one of those fellows. Took IM board PGY5 year. Allowed me to really focus both on my 1st fellowship year AND have some time to focus on the things I hadn't learned well enough during residency when studying for my boards. It was a much lower stress experience for me doing it that way than if I'd done it straight out.

 

[Ubba]

You make it seem like I'm talking out of my a$$ without any experience. I was one of those fellows. Took IM board PGY5 year. Allowed me to really focus both on my 1st fellowship year AND have some time to focus on the things I hadn't learned well enough during residency when studying for my boards. It was a much lower stress experience for me doing it that way than if I'd done it straight out.

Glad it worked that way for you. I know that all the residents in my class going into fellowships got it over with this year, but it's interesting to learn that some intentionally delay it. Most of us also calculated that it would be easier to get moonlighting gigs with the BC.

 

[gutonc]

Glad it worked that way for you. I know that all the residents in my class going into fellowships got it over with this year, but it's interesting to learn that some intentionally delay it. Most of us also calculated that it would be easier to get moonlighting gigs with the BC.

I moonlighted starting the 4th month of my fellowship without ABIM and nobody cared.

I'm just trying to point out that every year people come on SDN and bitch about having to study for and take the IM boards while getting hammered on their Cards/GI/CCM/Whatever fellowship, and I'm offering a reasonable option that most people don't know about and nobody advocates for.