It’s no secret that companies are constantly analyzing their websites’ search traffic in order to offer content that will help their sites’ visitors get exactly what they need. Lately we have noticed that our visitors are searching for more information about the benefits of AAFP Board Review. In an effort to offer valuable, relevant information to our users, we’d like to address the benefits of board review and what we offer through NEJM Knowledge+.

Your web search may have led to you to this blog. Perhaps you are a physician or a resident with questions about AAFP board review. Are you searching for an effective study plan as you prepare for an upcoming board exam? Maybe you are looking for a stronger study strategy or considering different ways to earn CME and AAFP Prescribed credits. Either way, knowing more about the benefits of AAFP board review can help you formulate a plan for continuous learning that is efficient and effective.

Diversity in AAFP Board Review Options Reflects the Variety of Learning Styles

Online learning platforms, live courses in exotic locations, streaming video, boot camps, flash cards, study groups, audio downloads, and more! With all these choices, how does a busy medical professional decide how to prepare for a board exam or earn continuing medical education credits? You will make this decision on the basis of many factors, including your past successes and failures, the time you have available, and your resources.

Live courses at luxurious resorts may sound appealing — part of the appeal is the locale, opportunities to socialize, and the other fun stuff after hours — but the prices often reflect all these extras. Not to mention that a live course takes you away from your practice and your family. By contrast, online learning places AAFP board review at your fingertips, on your schedule.

Cognition and education research suggests that most learners benefit from interactive methods rather than the passive delivery of information relayed during lectures. For this reason, many board review products offer multiple learning methodologies: practice exams, access to journal articles, several styles of questions for you to answer, and a collection of case studies.

Online Board Review Is an Effective Use of Your Time – Learn on Your Schedule

For the busy physician, integrating learning opportunities into your routine can be a successful study strategy for AAFP board review. Spending a few hours each week reading journal articles, reviewing cases, and assessing your knowledge is more effective and less stressful than intensive, test-oriented study.

The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) provides exam study guidance [PDF] in addition to general and specific study tips [PDF]. As their report highlights, “there is still no substitute for a well-designed and executed study plan”; therefore, a “review program may be best when you lack the time or energy” to organize your own study plan. Board review makes efficient use of your time because you can do “ongoing learning activities” anywhere — at home, during your commute, or when you’re on call. An online AAFP board review program like NEJM Knowledge+ Family Medicine Board Review contributes to both general and specific study strategies. With Recharge, you can quickly access twenty questions served up to refresh your knowledge and combat memory decay. And because we offer the convenience, flexibility, and mobility of using Family Medicine Board Review on your desktop, tablet, or smartphone, you can truly conduct your own AAFP board review anywhere, anytime.

Get Credit for AAFP Board Review and Meet Your Certification Requirements

There are several types of CME and many ways to earn them. Board review programs and courses allow participants to earn CME credits through what the American Medical Association refers to as “enduring materials.” These are alternatives to live learning materials that continue to exist over time and can be accessed anytime and from anywhere. NEJM Knowledge+ Family Medicine Board Review lets you earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ as well as American Association of Family Physician (AAFP) Prescribed credit or AAPA Self-Assessment CME credits as needed. We track the CME you earn while answering questions, allowing you to concentrate on earning the credit without having to monitor your progress.

It’s Not Just About the Exam

Board review helps improve your practice of medicine, because the content you work with while studying —cases, references, primary sources, and so on — are relevant to your clinical practice. Participating in board review supports your practice, advances your competency, and improves patient care. When you engage in this kind of continuous learning, you’ll likely see case studies that speak directly to patients under your care. The best board review will build your professional confidence and proficiency while sharpening your skills using evidence-based learning materials. Look for board review programs that are continuously updated based on new guidelines in standards of care.

Clinicians can also supplement board review with independent study, such as rereading a journal article after treating a challenging patient. According to research in cognition and education, connecting your practice to study materials is a surefire way to absorb and retain valuable information.

Your Exam Score Will Reflect Your Dedication to Continuous Learning

When it comes time to focus on the exam itself, the previous hours and credits you have banked are an investment in exam success and content competence. A board review program takes the worry out of your having to create a unique mechanism for studying. Experts have created the programs; all you have to do is schedule regular time to study — and then study, of course. Many board review courses include opportunities for simulating the experience of taking your certification or recertification exam. Questions are modeled after real exam questions and your answers are timed, getting you into the right mind-set for the real thing. A good board review program will provide immediate feedback on your answers. Did you answer the question correctly? How can you reinforce your knowledge and proficiency?

How NEJM Knowledge+ Can Help

NEJM Knowledge+ uses adaptive learning technology designed with cognition algorithms that tailor your learning to your needs. Adaptive learning technology continuously assesses the subjects you know and identifies the areas where you need reinforcement. It then delivers questions based on what you know already, what you need to study more, what you are struggling to master, what you think you know better than you do, and what you might be forgetting. One size does not fit all when it comes to learning style and practice area.

The NEJM Knowledge+ products feature all the board review benefits we’ve talked about in this article:

  • Case-based questions delivered in varying formats to optimize learning and retention
  • Key learning points and detailed feedback on each question
  • Robust, continuous progress and performance reporting
  • Ability to earn AAFP Prescribed credits, AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and AAPA Self-Assessment credits for Physician Assistants
  • Simulated exam environment with timed practice exams
  • You set the goals and timeline; these products get you there
  • Identify the learning objectives you need to work on
  • Rigorously reviewed and edited by generalists and specialists alike
  • Determine your level of confidence with the materials
  • Bite-sized questions (not long chapters) for free moments
  • Desktop, smartphone, tablet platforms

Plus the NEJM Knowledge+ board review products offer additional benefits:

  • Questions and learning materials guided by your board’s blueprint
  • The ability to search questions you have seen already
  • 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year customer support
  • Free access to New England Journal of Medicine articles, including many reviews and cases, cited in the references
  • A refund if you’re not completely satisfied

NEJM Knowledge+ has invested the time and work for you. NEJM Knowledge+ Family Medicine Board Review is a comprehensive, personalized learning experience that provides immediate feedback on your progress, your strengths, and your challenges. Learn more by watching this brief demo and you’ll see how NEJM Knowledge+ can help you realize the benefits of AAFP board review.