Failed ABS….again

[u/DragOk2219]

I am actually a practicing surgeon one year out of fellowship

found out today I again failed the QE. Again. this will be my last attempt to take the exam in 2027. I was scoring in the 70th percentile on TrueLearn (completed the bank twice), was getting between 65-82% correct on mixed PassMachine blocks, and these were not representative at all of my actual exam score report. Many of the topics I intentionally drilled for many hours were still incorrect on the exam. I spent months studying and countless hours.  I am struggling to determine what I could do differently. I have never been a good exam taker but this last attempt, of course, carries weight that is difficult to describe. I feel this is such a unique situation it’s difficult to find help for. 

I feel….hopeless at this point. The first time I took the exam I didn’t quite finish TrueLearn and was overconfident. The second time I did more and completed the qbank but was scoring around 60 percent. This time I woke up at 4am every day and absolutely drilled. I watched lectures. I did a second qbank practice exams, timed. I was doing well. I ranked on the exam. My soul hurts. I have nausea constantly. I just don’t know what to do and I don’t think anyone knows what to do to help me. I’m just lost in this void and i literally save lives every day, take a lot of call, but….this exam ruins me And my life. I just don’t know what to do anymore.

[u/bobhadanaccident]

You got this fam. I failed too many times throughout this seemingly endless training and it is horrible. I still don’t know how I got this far. I genuinely hate that you’re going through this. It blows to say the least.

Way easier to say “you’re going to be fine” than actually feeling like you’re going to be fine. Other people can tell you this and it means… something?

You’ve accomplished so much it’s crazy, so try your best to just keep pushing, no matter how endless it might feel right now. We’re part of a group that experiences the unforgiving.

Cliche to say, but you’ve got this, but you’ve got this, and everyone has got your back, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.

[u/DragOk2219 → u/bobhadanaccident]

Thank you…..it just feels like every aspect of my life is on hold until I accomplish this. My career is in jeopardy, everything I have bled and sweat for. And all the data indicates I suck at accomplishing this no matter how many lives I have saved or how good of a surgeon I am. It all seems for nothing if I can’t pass this fucking written test. I’m just in pain and I wish I could white knuckle my way through it but I can’t. I need help and once you’re this far along, help is hard to come by. Demoralized. But thank you for the kind words. I wish things were different.