With Our Performance Training System, Your Oral Board Preparation Is So Step-by-Step It's Actually Easier To Do a Good Job Than a Bad One - Read How


We have developed a new way for you to prepare for the psychiatry oral boards that is so complete, so easy to follow, and presented with such step-by-step detail, that it makes all other approaches - including our previous courses - obsolete! It's called the "Performance Training System" Beat The Boards! Course.

Every skill that is required on the Part 2 exam is addressed in the Beat The Boards! Course. This includes the performance skills needed for the live patient interview, the case presentation to examiners, the written vignette and the video vignette.

 You're job is simply to:
1) learn the steps as they are laid out for you and then
2) practice them at the live course until you feel confident you can repeat them at the exam. When we say we've done as much of the work as possible for you, we’re not kidding.

Please take a moment to read about our breakthrough course - with its “All the Way to Pass” Guarantee.  Here are the details of this 4-part course.  All Inclusive Part 2 Exam – Beat The Boards! Program

PART 1: “THE FAST TRACK” HOME STUDY COURSE

11 Audio CDs: Learn by listening to our step-by-step instructions on exactly what to do on the patient interview, on the presentation to the examiners, and on the written and video vignettes. Listen in your car as many times as you wish to these CD’s without taking any additional time out of your day.

4 DVDs: Observe four different Vignette Mock Exams. On each, a candidate is examined on three written vignettes and one video vignette. Learn what it takes to succeed on this new oral board exam format.

3 DVDs: Observe three different Vignette Mock Exams. On each, a candidate is examined on three written vignettes and one video vignette. Learn what it takes to succeed on this new oral board exam format.

3 DVDs: Observe three Model Oral Board Interviews with Presentations. We conduct three board style interviews and then present each case in detail. We then critique the performance.

7 Manuals: Review this proprietary written reference material on exam techniques. Read over 300 pages of step-by-step instructions covering every conceivable aspect of the exam performance. (These are the transcripts of the audio CD’s with additional study material included.)

Shipped This Week: When you call us and order your Beat The Boards! Course, we will ship the “Fast Track” Home Study Course to you this week. Turn your worries into directed study NOW. Do you have a good reason to wait?

PART 2: THE “BOOT CAMP” DAY

Join us for this highly interactive skill-building day practicing the most challenging exam skills under my direct supervision. This is just a sample of all the skills you master during this high-intensity day.

THERAPEUTIC ENGAGEMENT SKILLS: You learn how to engage patients therapeutically, even defiant, disorganized, or mute ones. If you do not master this skill, nothing else matters. Examiners are extremely sensitive to your approach to the "Physician-Patient Relationship," the first scoring category.

PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING SKILLS: You learn both to understand myriad aspects of the patient's psychological function, a favorite area of examiner questions, as well as justify the most sensible psychotherapy for the patient.

INTERVIEW MAPPING SKILLS: You learn to maintain a disciplined, well-paced 30 minute interview that is mapped out according to my mapping system so that you takes notes that actually guide your interview and presentation, that permit you to keep on time, and that make missing important informational areas nearly impossible.

PRESENTATION SYSTEM SKILLS: You learn how to organize your case presentation, formulation (that you need to know in two different formats), the differential diagnosis, and the management plan according to rule-based systems that virtually guide you into the correct presentation approach. Using our systems makes it actually more difficult to present incorrectly than it is to present in the most effective way.

VIDEO OBSERVATION & PRESENTATION SKILLS: You learn the most common mistakes to avoid in the video clip observation and learn the system that permits you to anticipate each of the examiner's questions - yes, they tend to follow a standard template.

VIGNETTE ANALYSIS & PRESENTATION SKILLS: You learn how to analyze the vignette at the time you are reading it so that you extract all the pertinent details. You also learn the little tricks the vignette writers use to trip-up the unsuspecting candidate. Then, as in the video clip, you learn how to anticipate the examiner questions.

HYPNOSIS: You may participate in our Hypnotic Performance Optimization Exercises to minimize your anxiety and perform to your highest ability.

PART 3: THE THREE MOCK EXAM DAYS

MOCK EXAM TRAINING DAYS: Immediately following the Boot Camp Day, you will stay and participate in 3 additional days of realistic mock-exam training under our expert faculty’s guidance. Gain exposure to an average of 36 written vignettes, 12 board-style video clips, and 12 different patient interviews. Every vignette and patient is different.

PATIENT INTERVIEW MOCK-EXAM: You receive one 75-minute patient interview mock exam. Oral and written feedback is provided.

VIGNETTE MOCK-EXAM: You receive one 75-minute vignette exam in, of course, the new ABPN Format.




         Chicago, IL – April 8-11, 2010 – $2,391.00

   Philadelphia, PA – May 3-6, 2010 – $2,391.00 - EXAM CITY

   Little Rock, AR – May 31-June 3, 2010 – $2,391.00 - EXAM CITY

   Chicago, IL – Aug 12-15, 2010 – $2,391.00

   Pittsburgh, PA – Sept 27-30, 2010 – $2,391.00 - EXAM CITY

   Chicago, IL – Dec 2-5, 2010 – $2,391.00 - EXAM CITY

2010 Home Study - $1297.00

CATEGORY 1 CME CREDIT: UP TO 32 HOURS  Earn up to 32 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 CME hours by attending the full course.
 
    


Dr. Jack's FAQ's For Beat The Boards! Psychiatry Part II Exam Preparation Course

 

 

 

  • Q:I've never taken the Psychiatry Oral Boards. Should I invest in a Beat The Boards! Course or should I take my chances?
  • A: Yes, I think you should take the course and let me tell you why. Many course participants are psychiatrists who've never taken the oral board exam. They tell me they would not have passed their exam without The Beat The Boards! Part II course because during the course they caught and corrected mistakes they would have gone on to commit in the exam.

    The oral exam has an exceptionally high failure rate and requires performing in ways that differ from normal clinical practice. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. Also, many residency programs don't teach their residents the nuances of interviewing and presentation skills. It shouldn't be that way either, but it is. The Beat The Boards! Part II Course teaches you the fundamental skills that will make a dramatic difference in your level of skill, knowledge and ability to perform optimally. So yes, I strongly believe taking a Beat The Boards! Part II course is a worthwhile investment.
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  • Q: I, on the other hand, took the oral board exam twice already. I can't seem to pass. Is it even worth taking a Beat The Boards! Course?
  • A: Again, the answer is yes. I truly believe that it doesn't matter how many times you took the exam and failed. The Beat The Boards! Part II Course will help you pass. In the course we specifically focus on teaching you performance skills. You start by learning powerful yet simple Principles that will guide your actions. You then observe demonstrations of correct and problematic approaches. You continue your learning by practicing to handle difficult patient scenarios and presenting complex videotaped cases. And only then do you begin the mock exam days. When you take your mock exams, I guarantee you, you will receive an accurate, detailed, comprehensive critique of your performances and advice on correcting problem behaviors.

    If you've taken the oral boards and failed, I would like to talk to you about it. Together, we can sit individually at the course and debrief regarding your exam performance. It's important to diagnose what went wrong in order to correct it, preferably with surgical precision.
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  • Q: What do you think makes The Beat The Boards! Part II Courses so effective?
  • A: At the American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies, we realize that the oral board exam requires not only in-depth knowledge, but also a high level of skill and performance. As a performer you are in the same category as professional athletes, musicians, actors, or soldiers. It is this insight that has led us to develop a series of modules designed to guide you to optimize your skills in performing in the high stress situation of the oral board exam. We've had many clients who've taken other courses in which they spent thousands of dollars for mock exams but continue to make the same mistakes. No one ever taught them the fundamentals of the correct approach. Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
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  • Q: Convince me, how are The Beat The Boards! Part II Courses better than other courses?
  • A: The fundamental difference is that at the Beat The Board! Courses you train to perform optimally. As we've pointed out, the oral board exam is a performance. Imagine a musician saying, “If I read just one more book, I'll be able to play the piano.” It makes no sense. Based on the fundamental insight that candidates need precise training in order to perform optimally, we developed a highly engineered course to advance your performance skills. We don't spend much time on discussing, for instance, what's the right dose of olanzapine, and other basic knowledge areas. You can read a book much more cheaply to learn that. What you can't do on your own is learn to perform. And that's where we focus our efforts with you.

    In addition, the Beat The Boards! Part II course is the number 1 Oral Board Exam Prep Course, attended by 40% of all exam candidates.
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  • Q: What do you think are the best things about your courses?
  • A: I've outlined all the many features and benefits of the Beat The Boards! Preparation Courses on this website and already focused many of them in the above questions. So let me focus on the personal aspect that I think makes our courses so effective.

    The American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies faculty takes personal interest in you to make sure that your preparation is as effective and individualized as possible. We really get to know each other over the period of weeks or months between the time you register for the course and the time of your oral board exam. We see you all the way through!
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  • Q: Do I get CME credit for attending the Beat The Boards! Part II Course?
  • A: Yes. You earn up to 32 hours of Category 1 CME credit. Many hospital and group practice employers will reimburse you for your educational cost. If you're unsure whether your employer does, please find out. It may save you money.

    We recommend that if you're preparing for the oral boards you don't spend your educational money on a generic conference. Focus on your most urgent need, passing the oral boards, and attend the most highly attended course that will help you achieve that.
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  • Q: Is it better to take the Beat The Boards! Part II Course weeks ahead or immediately before the board exam?
  • A: I think it best to take the course early for the following reasons. By taking a Beat The Boards! Course early you will achieve a sense of control and efficacy as soon as possible. Why live with that feeling of uncertainty or helplessness. Take control NOW!

    By taking a course now, you will identify your strengths and weaknesses early. Remember you will receive verbal, written and videotaped assessments of your performance as well as learn the skills for interview and presentation self-assessment. So you will be able to deepen your skills over time. In addition, the performance anxiety control skills we teach need to be practiced to become strong and integrated into your approach.

    If you take the Beat The Boards! Part II Course early, you are eligible to take a Refresher course at the host city immediately before your exam for a much reduced tuition. About two thirds of our course participants who take an earlier course return for a Refresher course. In our experience this is a good approach. We see many returning participants whose performance is much improved from their original course.
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  • Q: What if I cannot take time off to attend a course and then take more time off to take my exam?
  • A: If you can't take time off twice, then taking The Beat The Boards! Course in the host city right before your exam is the best option for you. Many candidates take this approach to great benefit.
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  • Q: What do you think are the worst things about The Beat The Boards! courses?
  • A: They cost you money and take you away from your job and family for several days. Also, they're hard work.
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  • Q: Are your faculty members ABNP board examiners?
  • A: The American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry does not permit a board examiner to participate in any type of board preparation or review course, in order to avoid a conflict of interest. So no, none of our faculty members are current board examiners. It's just not an option. Many of our mock examiners are former board examiners, however, and all are hand-picked by us and have received training in The American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies examination techniques.
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  • Q: The oral board exam is a game of chance. Why bother with a course?
  • A: I strongly believe that preparation is necessary and effective. I wouldn't have wasted my time and money and your time and money if I didn't think so. Although the type of patient you will examine and the background of your examiners will differ, the fundamentals of a good interview and presentation remain the same. The Beat The Boards! Part II Course teaches you interview and performance strategies and “microskills” in detail. You will then perform well irrespective of the diagnosis of your patient or of the individual quirks of your examiners. You will learn mnemonic devices that will allow you to guide yourself through the exam. They are so easy and effective that even if you do get anxious, you won't skip a beat. And don't forget about the performance anxiety control skills you'll learn that make any possible anxiety you may experience manageable.
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  • Q: I'd like to talk with you about the board exam or about your board preparation course, but I'm afraid that if I call you're going to try the “hard sell” on me. Can I be sure you won't?
  • A: I give you my word that if you call us for advice or with questions, we'll give you our best advice and answer your questions and not try a “hard-sell” on you. We know that trying to push a product or service on you when you're not yet committed to making a decision will simply backfire. We want you as a client and ambassador of the terrific service we offer. So much of our success is built on excellent word-of-mouth referrals.
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  • Q: I've taken the oral board exam and failed. Frankly, I'd rather not have other people know. If I attend your course, isn't that letting the whole world know that I've failed?
  • A: This isn't a question I actually get asked directly very often, but it is one I believe is on the minds of many of our colleagues. So let me answer it. Our clients are a mixture of psychiatrists who have never taken the Part II exam and psychiatrists who have and failed. So by being our client, no one knows if you've taken the exam before or not.
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  • Q: What if after the course a fellow course participant wants to find out how the rest of us did on the board exam?
  • A: We don't divulge any information about you. So if after the course you're interested in finding out other participants' board outcomes, then share your contact information with them during the course. We won't share that or any other personal info about you to anyone.
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  • Q: I'd like to register for your course, but am hesitant to do so online. Can I pay another way?
  • A: Yes, there are several ways to pay. You can call us toll-free and give your credit card information directly to us. Or you can print out the registration page off the website, complete it, and send it either with your credit card information or with a check.

    Regarding direct online payment, rest assured that our registration is very, very secure. We use Authorize.net, a leader in the field of online payments. So when you register with us, it is actually Authorize.net you provide your credit card information to. Authorize.net then forwards that information to your credit card account.