FAQs
How Do I Get Ready for the Blood Bank Part of the Pathology Board Exam?
Or, "Help! I'm drowning in advice!"
When I was a pathology resident, back in the days when the AP/CP board examination was given in huge hotel conference rooms, I heard probably 10,000 different pieces of advice regarding taking the boards. Some of the stuff that I heard was obviously ridiculous, like "I heard that one year they made every answer choice B!" Unfortunately, some of the other stuff kinda sorta made sense, and I had a hard time separating the garbage from the good stuff. Obviously, if you are taking the test, you really need to know what to believe, so I'd like to offer the words that follow. What I have written below is just based on my own experience and that of others that I know and trust that have taken the exam. I am going to limit my comments to the Blood Bank portion of the CP part of the boards, but most of what I have to say should apply to all sections.
What do I study? There are so many blood bank textbooks and so many opinions about which is best! I have no idea where to start!
Great place to start! As you know, there are a multitude of Blood Banking textbooks out there, ranging from really basic all the way to so advanced that many blood bank physicians would struggle to understand them. I really advise you to be smart about this. In my opinion, you need to get your hands on something that you can read easily and understand. Many of those advanced texts, quite honestly, "swim in the deep end of the pool" with information far more detailed than you need! For that reason, I always recommend that you start with the AABB Technical Manual, currently in its 16th edition. Now, I'll be honest: The Tech Manual, historically, wasn't the easiest-to-read book in the world! The editors and authors of the more recent editions, however, have gone the extra mile to make it a MUCH better book! It covers the basics in a straightforward way, and it goes to a depth that should put you in pretty good shape for the exam. Second, I recommend that you check out the latest edition of AABB Standards (the 26th edition is currently in force). This is not a book designed for light reading, but you won't find a better place to quickly review blood bank regulations. Finally, if you want an excellent and inexpensive blood banking textbook, I recommend that you consider either Transfusion Medicine, 2nd edition, by Dr. Jeff McCullough (published in 2004), or Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis, edited by Drs Hillyer, Shaz, Zimring, and Abshire at Emory University (published in 2009). Both of these books are excellent, and are readily available on Amazon.com for a shockingly small price! That is a free endorsement, by the way; I get nothing if you buy either one and had nothing to do with either book's publication.
Are your lecture notes sufficient for studying for the blood bank part of the boards, or do I need to read other stuff?
People ask me this one a lot, and the question always makes me uncomfortable! Some of you know that I have prepared a set of review notes that I use when I lecture for the Osler Institute Pathology Review Course (you can find the most up-to-date versions here). Many of you have said very kind things about how complete the notes are, but I have to be honest and tell you that I never intended them to be used as the only source for someone preparing for boards! I wrote them with the idea that you should use them in conjunction with some of the resources outlined above rather than as your one and only resource. I've had some people tell me that the notes were all they used and that they passed, and I've had a few angry e-mails from people telling me that the notes were all they used and that they did not pass! My advice: Prepare well, using all the resources at your disposal, including, if you want, my notes.
How does the test work?
As I said above, I took my AP/CP exam in the old days, with paper and pencil and a large hotel conference room. However, I did take my blood bank/transfusion medicine boards on a computer at the American Board of Pathology headquarters in Tampa. I can give you a general idea of how it all works, but for the most up-to-date info, you should go straight to the source, and check out the ABP's candidate information page. For the clinical path portion of the boards, there are sixteen different topics that are covered, of which blood banking/transfusion medicine is one. If the test holds true to form, there are about 360 total questions in clinical pathology, about half "written" and half "practical." You have your own workstation, where questions are posed to you on a computer monitor, and you answer them by clicking your choice with the mouse. No big deal!
How can you do antibody panels on a computer screen?
The first time someone asked me this, I thought they were kidding! But so many people have asked, I thought I'd address it. No, you don't have to bring a dry-erase marker to do cross-offs on the computer screen! My understanding is that the panels are printed in a booklet where you can mark to your heart's content, and then click your answer on the screen. Again, no big deal!
My friend said he heard that the boards were really hitting (fill in the topic) hard this year! Is that true?
Please do yourself a huge favor and don't listen to things like that! The truth is that there are 16 CP topics, each of which will, in general, be covered in pretty significant detail. Please remember this: People coming back from boards or people who took boards in previous years are NOT going to be objective. First, remember that some of them are your competition; they may actually hate you and deliberately steer you wrong! Second, and (hopefully) more likely, memories are always skewed toward individual strengths and weaknesses. For example, after I took my AP/CP exam, I would have stated in complete seriousness that at least half of the CP questions were related to Microbiology, and I would have said "the boards are really hitting micro hard this year!" The truth is that I HATED micro (still do), and I have always felt very weak in it. By contrast, my immediate recollection was that there wasn't a SINGLE blood bank question on my boards! Obviously, both memories were wrong.
Incidentally, a friend of mine came up to me after the same exam that I had taken and was moaning about how hard the boards were hitting blood bank that year! True story!
I'm scared! What if I don't know any of the answers? I want my mommy!
Let's just file this one under the heading of "really unlikely." In my view, you need to go into this test understanding that everyone, and I mean everyone, who takes the boards has the feeling at one point or the other during the exam that they are a complete and total idiot, and that they are going to fail this test and embarrass themselves and their training programs! You are not alone! All those confident-looking people around you are probably just better than you at faking how they really feel! Everyone feels like throwing up when they take the boards! Please, just stay calm. You do know some of the answers, and if you have put in the time to study beforehand, chances are pretty good that you know enough to pass!
Can you tell me what is going to be on the exam?
Absolutely not, and neither can anyone else! As I said above, expect all topics, blood banking included, to be covered in significant detail. Transfusion Medicine is a big topic, and there are a lot of facts from which those who write test questions may choose. There are really no shortcuts to just putting in the work and time and studying as much as you can. Sorry!
To illustrate this fact, I have received e-mails from people who claim that either A) NONE of what I covered in the review lectures was on the exam, or B) ALL of what I covered was on the exam! The views expressed at both extremes are hard for me to believe, of course. I don't claim to have special knowledge of what will be on the exam, but I do try to focus on the most important stuff in the lectures and notes. But, please understand that no one can predict with any degree of certainty what will be asked.
A final word
Let's be honest; there's just no way that taking the pathology board exam is going to be a pleasant experience for you (unless you are more than a little stupid!). If you are getting ready for boards, you are in for a period in your life that will be difficult and will stretch you to your limits and beyond. But, there aren't many things better in your professional life than receiving a skinny envelope from the American Board of Pathology that contains a letter starting with the word "Congratulations"! Hang in there and don't give up! You can do it!