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Finally passed my GI board exam after failing twice — here's what actually helped

by Nicole F. 495 views3 replies
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Nicole F.OP
May 27, 2026

So I finally got that passing score last month after two really humbling attempts. I'm a second-year fellow and honestly the first time I sat for it I thought my clinical experience would carry me through. Spoiler: it didn't. The GI exam is brutal if you're not systematically prepared, especially the motility and hepatology sections.

What finally clicked for me was switching from just reading review books to doing timed question blocks every single day. I found a solid GI practice test resource that mirrored the actual exam format — the explanations were genuinely useful, not just answer keys. Combined with the right study guide that organized everything by organ system, I went from a 58% on my diagnostic to a 79% on the real thing. That's not a fluke, that's structure.

For anyone gearing up, my biggest exam tips: don't skip IBD pharmacology (it's everywhere), and actually learn the Barrett's surveillance intervals cold. How far out are you guys and what's your current study routine looking like?

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Preethi N.
May 28, 2026
Congrats on passing! The third attempt after two fails takes serious mental toughness. I sat for mine in March and the hepatology section absolutely wrecked me the first time. What I wish someone told me earlier: the ERCP and EUS indications questions are more nuanced than any textbook makes them sound. Doing 40-50 questions daily for eight weeks straight was the only thing that got my brain to actually retain the patterns.
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Jordan L.
May 28, 2026
Barrett's intervals and H. pylori treatment sequences — memorize those cold and you'll pick up easy points. Also the pancreatic enzyme replacement dosing comes up more than you'd expect. Good luck everyone, the studying genuinely pays off.
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Chris D.
May 28, 2026
This is really encouraging to read. I'm about six weeks out from my exam date and panicking a little. Currently averaging about 65% on practice blocks which I know isn't where it needs to be. Did you find certain question banks were better than others for mimicking the real exam difficulty? I feel like some of the ones I've tried are either way too easy or weirdly obscure and it's hard to calibrate.

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