Two Titles for the Family Medicine Board Review

Book Title: Fast Facts for the Family Medicine Board Review

Book Author: Frank J. Domino

Publication Information: Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, 2017, 219 pp., $54.99, paperback

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Book Title: The Family Medicine Board Review Book

Book Author: Robert A. Baldor

Publication Information: Philadelphia, Wolters Kluwer, 2018, 351 pp., $84.99, paperback

Passing the family medicine boards is a necessity that every graduating resident, as well as the rest of us in family medicine, faces every 7 to 10 years. I should know–I just took them for the third time in my career. For most of us, the boards are not getting any easier. However, using these two review books as a 1-2 tandem can make the task much more manageable. In his book, Fast Facts for the Family Medicine Board Review, Frank Domino offers approximately 1,300 factoids organized smartly into the same categories that the test covers: pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, surgery/emergency care, and general facts. Each page has a short question on the left-hand side and a short answer on the right-hand side. The physical setup of the page allows the reader to cover the answer with a hand or a slip of paper and test his or her knowledge question-by-question and page-by-page. It is easy enough to make marks in the book to return to unknown facts at a future sitting. The book occasionally asks the same content using a different question, which at first seems annoying, yet helps solidify important concepts through repetition.

The Robert Baldor book, The Family Medicine Board Review Book, takes a different approach, but one that works well when combined with Domino’s book. The questions are in chapters organized into the same categories as Domino’s book. Baldor has created approximately 1,800 multiple-choice questions in American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) format to teach the reader high-yield facts. With this format, the reader is learning in a style that is very practical for the test. The questions are generally well written and there is a short answer section that explains the why behind the answer with a reference to a well known resource (eg, article from American Family Physician). This book also benefits from having a photo section that includes EKGs, radiographs, and skin lesions. While there are only a few images on the actual boards, this brief review of images is fun and increases the reader’s confidence with such questions. Lastly, Baldor has a must-know fact on every other page in a highlighted box.

Both books have excellent introductions that are worth reading. The authors offer calming words about the test, but more importantly explain how the test is organized and some test taking strategies. Baldor goes into more detail about common error types that test takers make; this metacognitive insight will help readers as they review practice questions to think about not only what they got wrong but why they got the questions wrong, and how to get a similar question right in the future. Baldor’s book has a study grid in the back where one can record progress and what type of errors they are making. He also explains the ABFM Board Certification process and the exam itself. Both books have detailed indexes so it is easy to find an answer about a specific topic.

A unique feature of both books is that they come with free downloadable access of the 
ebook version onto multiple devices (at the same time) including your computer, laptop, tablet, and smartphone. For those who need to squeeze in studying during commutes or free time, this convenience is very helpful.

The cost of these books is a small price to pay for senior residents and practicing physicians to prepare for the boards. Many online or in-person courses can cost 10 to 20 times more. The books cover a great deal of material. Of course, they do not review everything that is on the exam; however, they strategically focus on the bread and butter topics that test designers like to cover. While I did find a few minor errors in the book, both authors encourage letting them know so that they can make corrections for future editions. These books make what could be a painful process much less painful. In fact, Domino writes in his introduction, “Smile! You now have all of the skills and knowledge to succeed at the [ABFM] certification examination.” Maybe not all of the skills and knowledge, but you will be well on your way, and the authors even offer advice about what to do when you have no idea about a question. After using these resources, having no knowledge for a question will be a rare event. I know—the books helped me pass my test!