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Preparing for Boards

The Department of Internal Medicine takes great pride in its residents. We make it a priority to ensure our residents are well-prepared and equipped for examinations and boards.

Resident In-Training Examination and ABIM Certifying Examination Preparation Plan

University of Kansas, Internal Medicine Residency Program

Ensuring that our residents are prepared for the American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying Examination (ABIM-CE) upon completion of residency is a top priority. We have developed a detailed longitudinal board preparation plan that begins in internship. Based on our programmatic performance on the ABIM over the past two years, we believe this longitudinal approach supports the needs of all of our learners - despite differences in learning styles / testing approach.

University of Kansas ABIM-Certifying Examination Pass Rate

Exam Pass Rate
Fall 2022 Exam 100%
Fall 2021 Exam 92%
Fall 2020 Exam 100%
Rolling Data:  2020-2022 97%

The following is our educational curriculum and a detailed list of tools that we use to facilitate the acquisition of medical knowledge through residency training:

Validated Assessment Tool (~45 items, North Carolina State University) that identifies residents' individualized learning style across 4 spectrums.

  • LSI assessment completed by all residents on Educational Prescription
  • LSI assessment available for all residents if desired
    • Semi-annual notification of availability as resource tool

ACP's Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program is a long standing preferred resource for board preparation for Internal Medicine physicians.

  • The program provides a full text and digital copy to each resident in intern year.

The ACP Board Prep Curriculum is a collection of online slide sets that help residency programs prepare the next generation of internists to pass the ABIM certification exam. Developed by the American College of Physicians and reviewed by generalists and subspecialists to ensure quality, this innovative board preparation course from the ACP combines academic excellence with the flexibility of a program that is available On Demand. Our Internal Medicine faculty deliver this content to our residents on a near weekly basis utilizing an audience response system in a small group format.

Physician Education and Assessment Center, Johns Hopkin's - 2-3 modules scheduled per ambulatory block = 30-35 modules completed each year.

  • Following the completion of six modules, performance for PGY3s on this curriculum significantly correlates with ITE performance.

Intentional scheduling of board review time every ambulatory (+1) week with required MKSAP submissions:

  • PGY1, PGY2 and first six months of PGY3 year - 1 BR session per ambulatory week
  • PGY3 year - final six months of training - 4 BR sessions per ambulatory week
  • 20 MKSAP questions assigned per session = 520/R1s, 520/R2s, 860/R3s = 1900 MKSAP questions completed over three years of training
  • Learning Specialist:
    • Meetings for targeted board prep planning
    • Practice tests
  • Formal Board Preparation Courses supported with professional days
  • Graduate Writing Specialist - Available to assistance in writing of application items such as personal statements or other elements of fellowship applications
  • Career Specialist
  • Educational Counseling Support - Available for assistance with concerns such as test anxiety

Semi-annual meetings with program mentors

  • ITE performance
    • Discuss literature based correlation with ABIM performance
    • Discuss targeted follow-up on ITE question content missed
  • Performance expectations for ITE (>50 percentile rank) and ABIM board exam
  • Review board preparation plan
  • Educational Prescription outlined if ITE national percentile rank <30*
    • An evidence based ITE and Board Preparation Prescription Plan is outlined for any resident with ITE percentile rank <30 and is tailored to address the resident's unique learning style and PGY year.
    • Our programmatic data on the success of this Educational Prescription Program (as measured by ITE percentile rank improvement and ABIM board pass) has been presented in abstract at the national APDIM meeting
KU School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
Internal Medicine
Mailstop 1022
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160
Phone: 913-588-6000
Fax: 913-588-3995