So I just got my results last week and I finally cleared the ABFAS Written Qualifying Exam on my second attempt. First time I went in pretty overconfident after residency and honestly got humbled — missed by about 40 points. This time I gave myself 14 weeks of structured prep and it made a huge difference.
The biggest shift was actually doing timed question blocks instead of just re-reading textbooks. I used an ABFAS practice test resource to simulate the real exam conditions and started tracking which domains I kept missing. For me it was always rearfoot/ankle reconstruction and the biomechanics stuff. I also leaned heavily on a solid study guide to build out a review schedule week by week rather than cramming everything at the end.
Anybody else going through this right now? Happy to share what exam tips worked for me on specific topic areas if it helps. The wait between attempts is brutal and I just want other people to not go through that if they can avoid it.