How to Prepare for the Psychiatry Board Exam

For resident-fellow members who are taking the psychiatry board exam for the first time this year, studying for the exam can seem daunting at first. However, with the proper preparation, you will be sure to ace it.

While preparing for my first psychiatry board exam last year, I developed a few practices you might find helpful for getting through the next few months of studying:

• Make a schedule. When planning your study schedule, give yourself achievable goals such as doing 30 minutes of reading or questions a day. It is always more rewarding to feel like you accomplished something achievable than to say you are going to do 500 questions a day and end up doing none. This is just like creating a positive behavioral rewards program for yourself; make your goals achievable and treat yourself when you are done.

• Take advantage of free study resources. Resources for studying can get very expensive very quickly. Question banks, review books, and review courses can be more expensive than an all-inclusive tropical island vacation!

Find out what resources are available for free through your hospital’s library and use them. Many libraries have their resources online so you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home. I ended up using several excellent question books and general reference books, which were all available online through my library. Another great source for study materials is PsychiatryOnline, which is often accessible for free through academic institutions or training programs. With all the money you save on study materials, you can treat yourself to a well-deserved vacation after your exam.

• Practice video vignettes. The exam has videos with associated questions. To become more familiar with this format, check out the ABPN website, which features several video vignette examples for test takers. These videos can be accessed here.

• Find a study partner. Remember those “study dates” from college and medical school? They are just as relevant when studying for the boards. Finding a study partner will keep you motivated and help you stick to your schedule. Try teaching each other things, as it has been shown to help you remember concepts better.

• Practice as many study questions as you can. There are only so many ways you can test a certain concept. The more questions you do, the more likely you will remember the concept and answer it quickly and correctly. Answering simple questions quickly will save you time to focus on those more challenging questions or, better yet, complete the test early.

No matter how you study for the board exam, it’s important to remember that you have been preparing for this exam your entire residency. The wealth of patient experiences that you encountered during your training will frequently bring you to the right answer. During the exam, I often found myself thinking about past patients and how I managed them. Let your experience be your guide and you will do great. ■