How to Study for ITE Internal Medicine: Everything You Need To Know

The IM-ITE was developed by a committee of 11 physician authors with Internal Medicine expertise. It is a “practice exam” for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification exam.

Administered from the second half of August and the first half of September to every medical resident in an Internal Medicine residency training program; August 20, 2020 – September 9, 2020 (skipping Labor Day on September 7, 2020).

Residents can assess themselves (identify strengths and areas for improvement). And program directors can assess their program and tailor educational opportunities around resident performance.

IM-ITE Content and Structure

Any topic in Internal Medicine (subspecialties included) is fair game. So make sure you cover everything when you study. Fortunately there isn’t a penalty for guessing and there is no way to fail.

How Many Questions Are on The Exam?

Approximately 300 questions (50 questions per section) over 9 hours (includes a 60-minute lunch break, several 10-minute breaks, along with a tutorial and post-exam survey).

How Long Do I Need to Study for the PGY-1 ITE?

It is recommended that you do not stress yourself out studying for your IM-ITE. This test is supposed to gauge your current knowledge base and guide your educational curriculum for your current training year (and beyond). It can also assess progress as you advance in your training from one year to the next.

Top 3 Things You Need to Know If You’re Taking The IM-ITE Exam

1. Mandatory for medical residents in Internal Medicine training program; by and large, programs will schedule rotations to accommodate participation, and it is included in the duty-hour reporting
2. Because it is web-based, programs can provide the test using local computers or laptops without resources such as specialized testing centers. For example, the chief proctor is usually a staff member within the program who provides access codes, monitors test sessions, and troubleshoots on test day.
3. Results come back to the programs 4-6 weeks after the exam window: each individual’s report includes number of questions correct, educational objectives of questions missed, and national percentile rank against other peers in the same training year (ex. PGY-2)

Recommended Study Schedule

Below we have a day-by-day, hour-by-hour suggested Internal Medicine ITE study schedule to help you prepare for exam day. Monday through Saturday, you’ll want to stay focused on your studies and residency. Give yourself an evening out at least once, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your sleep. And give yourself a break on Sunday to run errands, have lunch with family or friends, watch some TV, etc. You’ll need time to recharge before your busy week starts all over again.

To get a copy of this detailed IM-ITE study schedule template, you can download it from Google Sheets.

Resources:

https://www.acponline.org/featured-products/medical-educator-resources/im-ite