boards

[mommax3]

It seems like a lot of people around here have been dealing with a SO taking boards lately. My husband is getting ready to leave for a review course (starts tomorrow) to prepare him for his oral boards, which are next Thursday. This feels significant because it is the last big exam in what you all know is a very long series. I am SO ready for it to all be over.

He is hoping to see some old friends at the review course and perhaps make (renew) some contacts for his post-military career. (and study A LOT, of course! ) It seems silly but I am a little nervous about being on my own with the kids for the next week and a half. This wouldn't have bothered me at all during residency, but I have more kids now, and they are older and involved in more activities, so it should be interesting.

We are also getting new flooring and a new toilet in one of our bathrooms, which should take place while he is gone......so if you could spare us all a thought or two over the next 10 days, it would be much appreciated!

Sally

[Phoebe]

Good luck to your husband on his upcoming boards! Oral? Yuck!!! I also hope your 1.5 weeks with the kids goes by quickly and uneventfully.

My DH just got home from taking his board exam last week. All I can say is Whew! 8O . I don't think I could handle one more week of his stress and complaining for time to study and not really using the time. Now for the nail biting months until we hear the results.

Jennifer

Re: boards

We are also getting new flooring and a new toilet in one of our bathrooms, which should take place while he is gone......so if you could spare us all a thought or two over the next 10 days, it would be much appreciated!

Sally

Well, you'll stay busy and things will be interesting, that's for sure!

I hope the week and a half passes quickly for you. That does sound like a long time. Hang in there!

[Amiens]

Sally-

I hope your week and a half alone with the kids goes well. Matt is going to take Step 3 of USMLE this spring-- he put it off as long as he could. So we are in the process of saving our pennies for Step 3 ($500) and for his Anesthesia boards which we have to pay for next August, which is around $2500. Of course this doesn't include the money we will have to shell out for his plane ticket and hotel room at the "satellite" city he will have to fly to to take his oral boards. We've heard there are something like 4 cities that the orals are administered. Maybe we will get lucky and it will be in Seattle.

Good luck to your dh! We will be doing that next year this time.

Crystal

Hi Crystal --
Step III has been put off here, as well!
I just wanted to let you know we paid $590 (not $500 ) and had to have the check received by Sept. 1 in order for him to take the test in 2003.
If you do both tests in 2004 save the receipts, etc because you might be able to take it as a deduction.
I don't know about you, but I'm not too excited about the step III studying. He's pretty worried because it's been so long since he has thought about some of the material like ob/gyn and stuff.

Only 4 cities for the oral boards -- yikes! This stuff gets SO expensive! I've heard but am not sure if it is true that step I or step II boards are now only given in selected cities because they involve actors as patients (I can't remember the phrase for it -- but simulated patients).

[Rapunzel]

Jon just finished step 3 and got his results back. Like others, he put off taking the last of the USMLE's until fairly late (this is now his third year of residency). He did study for step 3 but nothing insane - just made sure he read a few review books and studied up on the things he felt shaky on. His only concern was that he simply pass this hurdle (not particularly interested in getting high marks on this test) and he did. It seems like this was the easiest experience of all the major tests he's taken.

For some reason I recall we paid around $600 for step 3. Maybe the price has gone down? If so, then YIPPEE!

Good luck to all of your husbands in their test-taking!!

Jennifer

For some reason I recall we paid around $600 for step 3. Maybe the price has gone down? If so, then YIPPEE!

I guess I should be grateful for small things....but if the price went down it's only by $10! Just enough to cover the FedEx mailing expenses for us to get it there in time.

Just a tangential rant here, but how can it possibly cost $600 to administer a computerized test? Is it just that, compared to an SAT/ACT/MCAT, that so few people take the test and the costs can't be spread around as much?

[Amiens]

Matt was going to take the test last year. The anesthesia dept requires the residents to use one of their weeks of vacation for scheduling time off to take the test. So last year Matt scheduled his week off a month in advance, and then found out that it takes 2-4 weeks to process the application.

Matt checked it out the requirements and what not. The price of Step 3 has gone up. It is now $610, and that doesn't include the cost of sending it overnight as they would like you to. Matt's vacation has been scheduled, and he will be sending his app in I think Feb is when he decided, and will take the test in Apr.

Nellie- we are going to save our receipts for the $3110 we will be spending. It can be taken as a tax-deduction as it is cost accrued to further or required by Matt's career. We also heard that Step 1 & 2 were going to include "practicals." CU-Health Sciences was a practice city before the board decided to do it. Matt was none to happy about the implementation of the new section for the boards, as he feels the med students don't get enough teaching on patient exam skills. (Don't even get him started- he could go on for a while when it comes to the preceptor program, etc.)

I agree to how can it cost $610 to administer an exam? Let alone- how can it cost $2500 for an oral practical as well as a computerized standardized exam (which I might add is administered at the school)?!

[Rapunzel]

Jon's boards are going to cost us $2800 - $700 for each of the three sections and $700 for some sort of application fee. On top of that we have to pay $600 for his Massachusetts medical license. So, if you count step 3 which we paid for a while back Jon will have ponied up $4000 over the course of residency for his exams (step 3 and boards) and his license. 8O It is truly amazing how much residents are charged for these things given their incomes! Perhaps some of that government money that goes to fund their residency positions should be reserved to pay for these expenses??? It's a ton of money for a resident that is for sure....

Jennifer

Crystal -- it sounds like Matt checked out all the details on registering for step III, but I would do it sooner than later. Eric couldn't believe that he had to have everything in by 9/1 in order to take the test in 2003. I don't know if the spots filled up or what.
As far as the medical license, is it required to get one with the state just because you take Step III? I am hoping not because we will be moving about 6 months after Eric takes the test. I think he would get the license for moonlighting purposes but otherwise he doesn't "need" it. Jennifer -- is Jon getting the license for moonlighting or is it required?

re: the taxes....that is why I have been such a be-yatch about Eric signing up for the boards in 2003. I believe that your work related deductions have to exceed 1% (or 1.5%?) of your income before the expense becomes deductible. Since we have a bunch of derm interview related expenses in 2003, he can combine these and get more out of the deduction. If we waited until 2004, the $590 for the boards wouldn't be enough to meet the requirement. As long as we have to pay for this anyway, I hate to miss out on the deduction.

I can understand why Matt feels that physical exam skills can be lacking....but I don't like the solution of required physical exam testing with the boards. As I understand it, there are/will be a VERY limited number of locations where this test will be administered. I think I heard that it will be given in 4 places. ?? CU didn't make the cut even though the did a lot of trials on the physical exam tests. So, as if the test isn't already expensive enough, a medical student will have to travel and stay in one of 4 locations to take the boards.

These expenses are so frustrating!!

[fluffhead]

Each state has its own rules regarding licensing. Some require it as part of the step 3 application fee.
The interesting thing we found out was that you can apply with one state to take the exam, yet actually sit for it in any other state. So if it makes no difference to you which state gets your results, just find the one with the cheapest fees, and sit for it wherever.
Check my facts before committing to anything

[DCJenn]

Jennifer- (Rapunzel)

The Air Force should bve reimbursing you for the costs of the tests....double check.

My husband had the Peds boards last Monday and Tuesday. I'm so glad they're over. Now we wait until January 15 for the results. We have submitted for reimbursement though- I'd like to that that $1220 back in the checking account.

Jenn

[Amiens]

Nellie-
Matt would do it sooner than later, but after his application is processed he has only 90 days to take it, before he has to reapply again. Matt is planning on doing it during his April vacation time. Ridiculous if you ask me. To sit for the exam in 2004 he has to have his stuff in by 9/1/04, which makes sense- it takes 2-4 weeks to process the app, and then another 2 weeks to mail it back, and then they give you a 90 day grace period to take the exam.

That is crazy about the new USMLE exams. I am so glad Matt finished before that was even implemented.

Jennifer- I hear you on the state medical licensing fee. We had to pay for it out of pocket Matt's first year here in WA- I think it was $600. Luckily the program pays for the renewal.


Crystal

[Rapunzel]

Jenn, the AF does reimburse for the board exams (eventually - it seems to take forever to get $$ from those people). However, the military told Jon point blank they absolutely do not pay for his licensing fees! I wonder why?

Jennifer

[SueC]

On the topic of boards, my husband just found out a few weeks ago that he passed his IM boards that he took in August!!! He will eventually take boards in pulmonology and critical care, so I'm not breathing too huge a sigh of relief, but it is nice to have one set out of the way at least!