As you approach your Pediatric Board Examination, your goal should not be to learn everything all over again. Now is the time to focus, review high-yield facts, become familiar with the exam format, and strengthen the areas that are most likely to make a difference on exam day.
1. Become Familiar With the Exam Format
One of the best things you can do before the examination is to become familiar with how the questions and testing interface will look.
I strongly recommend going directly to the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) online tutorials and practicing with the tutorial before your examination. This will help you become comfortable with the testing environment and understand how questions are presented.
American Board of Pediatrics – Online Tutorials
ABP Online Tutorials
Do not wait until examination day to become familiar with the interface. Spend some time practicing beforehand so that your attention on exam day can remain focused on the clinical questions rather than on navigating the computer.
2. Practice Multiple-Choice Questions
Continue practicing with multiple-choice questions. Read the entire question carefully, identify what the question is really asking, and then choose the best answer based on the information provided.
My Last-Minute Pediatric Question Bank uses multiple-choice questions and is designed to help you review important pediatric concepts while practicing your test-taking skills.
Remember: the goal is not simply to answer more questions. The goal is to understand why the correct answer is correct and why the other choices are not.
3. Focus on High-Yield Facts Now
At this stage, avoid trying to learn every detail in pediatrics.
Focus on high-yield facts.
Review:
- Important numbers and cutoffs
- Screening recommendations
- Vaccines and catch-up schedules
- Developmental milestones
- Classic presentations
- First-line treatments
- Important diagnostic findings
- Common complications
- Emergency management
- High-yield laboratory values
- Important medication adverse effects
- Frequently confused or “look-alike” diseases
When you see a number, age, percentage, dose, cutoff, or time interval in your review material, pay attention to it. These details can be very important in board-style questions.
4. Review Chapter 33 — The Last-Minute Review
If you have my Pediatric Board Study Guide, 3rd Edition, now is the time to review Chapter 33 — The Last-Minute Review.
This chapter is specifically designed as a final high-yield review. Use it to refresh the facts you need to have readily available in your memory before the examination.
Do not try to memorize an entire textbook at the last minute. Review smart, focus on high-yield information, and strengthen what you already know.
5. Do Not Neglect Developmental Milestones
Developmental milestones remain an important area to review.
Pay particular attention to the major developmental ages and the important milestones in:
- Social/emotional development
- Language and communication
- Cognitive development
- Fine motor skills
- Gross motor skills
The CDC’s current developmental milestone resources provide milestones from 2 months through 5 years, with milestone checklists organized by age.
Use the CDC’s Videos to Make Milestones Easier to Remember
One excellent way to review developmental milestones is to see them rather than simply read them.
The CDC provides a free Milestones in Action library containing photographs and videos demonstrating developmental milestones at different ages.
For example, the CDC provides videos showing developmental milestones at ages such as 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years.
CDC Milestones in Action – Photos & Videos
Watching these short videos can make developmental milestones much easier to visualize and remember.
6. Review AAP and CDC Recommendations
For the final review, make sure you are familiar with important current recommendations from authoritative pediatric sources, particularly the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and CDC.
Pay special attention to recommendations involving:
- Developmental surveillance and screening
- Immunizations
- Preventive care
- Common pediatric infections
- Screening guidelines
- Safety and anticipatory guidance
Focus on the information that is most likely to be tested rather than trying to read every guideline from beginning to end.
7. Your Final Days: Review, Don’t Panic
As the examination gets closer, avoid making major changes to your study strategy.
Review your high-yield facts.
Review your weak areas.
Practice questions.
Review your flashcards.
Review developmental milestones.
Review important numbers.
Review Chapter 33.
And most importantly, stay confident.
You have already invested a tremendous amount of time and effort into your preparation. The final days should be about bringing that knowledge to the surface—not overwhelming yourself with new information.
Prepare Early. Review Smart. Finish Strong.
The Pediatric Board Examination is challenging, but good preparation makes a difference.
Become familiar with the exam interface through the ABP tutorial. Practice multiple-choice questions. Focus on high-yield facts. Review important numbers and developmental milestones. Use the CDC’s milestone videos to reinforce what you have studied. Review Chapter 33 of the Pediatric Board Study Guide, 3rd Edition, and continue practicing with your question bank and flashcards.
Trust your preparation. Stay focused. Think positively.
You know more than you think.
Pass with confidence.
— Osama Naga, MD, FAAP
Author, Pediatric Board Study Guide: A Last-Minute Review
Last-Minute Pediatric