Tips and Tricks for ABEM EMCert Module Exams

Exam Prep

• Use a review course for a good overview and a good searchable reference/slide deck. I like the courses from The Center for Medical Education.
• The exam is open book. There is no need to memorize anything. The exam will sometime test esoteric clinical points, but you’ll be able to look these up.
• Give yourself about 8 to 10 hours for exam prep.

Taking the Exam

• Use a computer with a big monitor or with two monitors. The key here is to be able to load the exam in one window and your reference sources in another window and have both on the same screen.
• Print out or download the Key Advances.
• Resources to bookmark or keep easily accessible: Uptodate, MDCalc, Key Advances, Google and slide decks from the review course.
• Keep some snacks at your side. The exam will take 2 to 3 hours. ABEM recommends completing the test in one-sitting.
• You have plenty of time. Don’t rush. Look up things you don’t know. You’ll get 4 hours to complete 50 questions.
• Expect some questions in a different subject than your exam module. For example, I had a few urology questions in my neurology module. And, I had pediatric rashes in my trauma module.
• Have fun. It’s not a hard exam.