The Boards
In case you're wondering, I have proof that there is a God. The proof? Out of four hundred candidates, it was V. who was assigned to sit next to me during the Boards exam. For those of you who don't know, V. is my best friend at work. She's an endocrinologist/internist. We both had to recertify (she in Endo, I in General Internal Medicine) and we both had the jitters.
The recertification process is relatively new. Only docs who were board-certified after 1989 have to do this; in other words, V. does not have to recertify in Internal Medicine, only in Endocrinology (she finished her Endo fellowship after '89). I sat the Boards the first time in 1993, which means that I'll have to go through this once a decade for the rest of my professional life. Having done it, though, I can say that it's no longer something to be dreaded. Hopefully it will eventually become a relatively routine process, though it will always be a pain. By the end of the whole thing, V. and I were thinking about what would be going on in our lives next time around:
"The next time we do this, David [her son] will have his learner's permit." So will my niece, for that matter.
We took the test in Pasadena, in the city's big Exhibit Hall; her husband's office is five minutes away. We each had to complete three modules, each lasting two hours consisting of sixty questions. When we were done, we staggered out and drove to Bob's office, where he took us to a Mexican restaurant a block away and we consumed margaritas and a platter of appetizers.
At least it was only one day; the first time you certify it's a two-day test, eight hours each day.
That was bad.
posted by Dr. Alice at #
