Who Needs an ABSITE Tutor?
Residents with ABSITE Scores Below the National Average
Performance on your ABSITE exam is a strong indicator of ABS Qualifying Exam performance and is important in resident evaluation and fellowship selection. An ABSITE tutor can help you effectively prepare for your exam by identifying any poor or problematic study habits, as well as reviewing weak material and test strategy.
Individuals with Anxiety/Poor Testing Skills
If you historically have high test anxiety and/or are a poor standardized test taker, a couple of ABSITE tutoring sessions focused on strategy and wellness can be very beneficial to your success.
Individuals with a Previous Exam Failure
If you have previously failed any of the USMLE or COMLEX exams, you are at risk of poor ABSITE exam performance if you do not make major changes to your study habits. An ABSITE tutor can help evaluate where you went wrong last time and make sure that this time you have a successful outcome.
Physicians Who Have Been Out of Training
If you have been out of training for several years or you are currently training in a sub-specialty that doesn’t require the daily practice of some areas of general surgery, it is a good idea to consider an ABSITE tutor who can also help you prepare for the ABS Qualifying exam.
ABSITE FAQ's
What is the ABSITE?
The ABS In-Training Exam (ABSITE) is offered every year by The American Board of Surgery to current residents of general surgery. It is designed to measure the progress attained by general surgery residents in their knowledge of applied science and management of clinical problems related to surgery.
How is the ABSITE scored?
From the 250 questions on the ABSITE, an absolute percentage score and a percentile score are recorded. ABSITE test results are released directly to program directors and examinees are not allowed a copy.
How is the ABSITE administered?
The ABSITE consists of approximately 250 multiple-choice questions. Examinees have 5 hours to take the exam without any scheduled breaks, and the exam is administered online using each program’s own computer facilities.
How can an ABSITE tutor help improve my test score?
A tutor helps you focus on high-yield ABSITE topics while identifying gaps that slow progress. Personalized surgery tutoring improves retention of dense material such as anatomy, perioperative care, and critical care. Tutors also reinforce timing, pattern recognition, and question-stem interpretation, which strengthens clinical reasoning and can improve ABSITE score results over time.
Is tutoring helpful for second- or third-year residents preparing for the ABSITE?
Yes. PGY2 and PGY3 residents often benefit from targeted support as the exam becomes more clinically detailed. Tailored tutoring helps maintain percentile growth and prepares residents to pursue competitive fellowships, where strong performance on ABS exams is valuable. A structured ABSITE study plan keeps prep aligned with tested content as responsibilities increase.
What should I look for when choosing an ABSITE tutor?
Look for tutors who scored well on the exam and who understand the demands of surgical residency support. Effective tutors adjust pacing to rotation schedules, review practice questions in real time, and guide you toward the best ABSITE resources. Many residents also want advice on how to study for the ABSITE efficiently, and skilled tutors can provide focused study tips for surgery residents that refine overall general surgery board prep.
Exclusive ABSITE Videos Access
Receive access to a comprehensive, on-demand video review with your ABSITE tutoring purchase at no additional charge. These short modules, built by EMP tutors and in partnership with McGraw Hill, contain an original library of case-based video tutorials. Each video is anchored by carefully selected multiple-choice questions drawn from McGraw Hill’s ABSITE review materials. Rather than passively reviewing a topic, the resident works through a clinical scenario, engages with answer choices, and then follows the tutor through a structured explanation.
The video library spans fifteen themes covering what residents are expected to know on exam day:
- Colorectal
- Hernias
- Breast
- Liver
- Biliary
- Stomach
- Pancreas
- Endocrine
- Esophagus
- Anorectal
- Skin & Soft Tissue
- Fluids & Electrolytes
- Pre-Operative Care
- Trauma
- Critical Care
Our ABSITE video series features contributions from the following EMP tutor-educators, each bringing direct experience in surgical training and board preparation:
- Kevin Labadie MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
- Landon Riggs MD, Chief Resident, General Surgery, Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver, CO
- Iulia Barbur MD, PGY3 General Surgery Resident, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Alina Khil MD, ABSITE Instructor and former General Surgery Resident, University of California- San Francisco, Fresno, CA
- Joshua Insler MD, PGY2 Anesthesiology Resident and former General Surgery Resident, Yale University, New Haven, CT
- Coco Stewart MD, PGY2 Urology Resident, Sidney Kimmel Medical College–Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
- Project Lead: Rivka Stone MD PhD, Associate Professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami-Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
Read More…
ABSITE Resources for Students
Have a question about the ABIM or ABIM tutoring? Visit the Elite Medical Blog for a collection of articles written by our MD tutors covering a variety of popular topics.
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“Thank you to Elite Medical Prep and to my amazing tutor, Dr. Khil. My ABSITE score significantly improved this year after working with my tutor. She found the root cause of why I was missing questions and worked through them with me accordingly. She was patient and kind, and I never felt judged or embarrassed for missing a question. I learned test taking strategies in addition to content review. I cannot wait to work with her again for ABSITE 2026!”