ABFAS CBPS

[feets22]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I was wondering if anyone who has passed the ABFAS exam could give some advice/strategy on the CBPS portion of the ABFAS exam. I will be taking the exam in May and cannot seem to find a clear answer with regards to how this portion of the exam is actually scored. I know "things that harm the patient" count against you and "you should work up a patient how you normally would in the office" but that is about all I can find in terms of guidelines. Are there certain tests that people typically forget to order? For example, do you do a neurovascular exam on every patient? Do all preop patients get coags, CBC, BMP? Do all infections get a bone scan? Thanks in advance.

 

[Utvolsdpm]

I was wondering if anyone who has passed the ABFAS exam could give some advice/strategy on the CBPS portion of the ABFAS exam. I will be taking the exam in May and cannot seem to find a clear answer with regards to how this portion of the exam is actually scored. I know "things that harm the patient" count against you and "you should work up a patient how you normally would in the office" but that is about all I can find in terms of guidelines. Are there certain tests that people typically forget to order? For example, do you do a neurovascular exam on every patient? Do all preop patients get coags, CBC, BMP? Do all infections get a bone scan? Thanks in advance.

I’m still wondering this to this day since I’ve never seen it explained anywhere. The best thing I could find is board wizards. Helped for foot cert. Looks like I’ll be buying it for rra now too.

 

[CutsWithFury]

I was wondering if anyone who has passed the ABFAS exam could give some advice/strategy on the CBPS portion of the ABFAS exam. I will be taking the exam in May and cannot seem to find a clear answer with regards to how this portion of the exam is actually scored. I know "things that harm the patient" count against you and "you should work up a patient how you normally would in the office" but that is about all I can find in terms of guidelines. Are there certain tests that people typically forget to order? For example, do you do a neurovascular exam on every patient? Do all preop patients get coags, CBC, BMP? Do all infections get a bone scan? Thanks in advance.

Do board wizards. Buy all the tests and do them. You will pass

 

[DYK343]

I was wondering if anyone who has passed the ABFAS exam could give some advice/strategy on the CBPS portion of the ABFAS exam. I will be taking the exam in May and cannot seem to find a clear answer with regards to how this portion of the exam is actually scored. I know "things that harm the patient" count against you and "you should work up a patient how you normally would in the office" but that is about all I can find in terms of guidelines. Are there certain tests that people typically forget to order? For example, do you do a neurovascular exam on every patient? Do all preop patients get coags, CBC, BMP? Do all infections get a bone scan? Thanks in advance.

I shotgunned everything. Ordered MRI, CT, Xray, ultrasound for a single case.
I ordered every lab I could.
I put down as many diagnosis and treatments as I could including non op like PT, fuse ankle, ankle replacement etc.
Passed all first time with this method.

Always look at xray first before asking any questions for HPI.

 

[Feli]

The CBPS are pretty easy if you understand the format and the lists of choices. There are a few threads if you search CBPS by this forum, and nothing has changed.

Board Wizards is good. Probably not even necessary (ABFAS examples are fine), but it's not too expensive to get a much bigger question and cases bank. It's good to get reps with the CBPS format... you should study for many weeks, probably a couple months, even if you did well in pod school. It'll never hurt you to know more...

As mentioned, for CBPS, start with imaging tab, get and XR, MRI or CT or US or proximal XRs if appropriate... then go back to phys exam, labs, etc.

Do pulses on everyone, palpate or ROM etc on appropriate area (you will know from XR or images you did).

Do temp body and order ESR, CRP, cbc diff, blood culture, gram, wound culture, etc for every wound or infection as reasonable.

A1c for every diabetic or possible one. Bone culture for anything reasonable. Lymph notes for any tumor, infection, etc. Tetanus for open trauma or punctures. RA test or HIV or pregnancy or stuff like that as reasonably indicated ... just the basic stuff you learned in pod school. Don't get fancy until you know you've hit all of the basics, though... they give you plenty of choices for PE and labs and imaging - but not unlimited.

The only 'tough' parts are the surgery where you can only choose one or a few... but you won't have a problem unless you missed the diagnosis badly on the prior parts. You will do well.

 

[malleolusman]

Board wizards all the way. The MCQ bank isn’t bad either ; saw tons of pearls in there. B vitals is garbage.

BW for ABPM made abpm cert easy as heck as well. Not quite as robust as BW for ABFAS, but it gets the job done, anything that will make your life easier.

 

[CutsWithFury]

Board wizards is the way. Stop being cheap. Invest in your education and certifications.

 

[wakaflocka88]

It’s amazing this garbage test hasn’t changed. Errors, missing XR, bad spelling was rampant during all the ITE in residency and on the qualifying exams. Don’t over think the CBPS part. Each section has all possible answer choices listed in a scroll
Box. If it asks for up to 20 selections, scroll through and check them off. If your case is a cavus foot - you can probably tell me how you’d work it up orally. Same thing on the CBPS except have to navigate selecting your choices for each section.

 

[Pronation]

It’s amazing this garbage test hasn’t changed. Errors, missing XR, bad spelling was rampant during all the ITE in residency and on the qualifying exams. Don’t over think the CBPS part. Each section has all possible answer choices listed in a scroll
Box. If it asks for up to 20 selections, scroll through and check them off. If your case is a cavus foot - you can probably tell me how you’d work it up orally. Same thing on the CBPS except have to navigate selecting your choices for each section.

Oral is one of my strengths

 

[UNVME2]

I was wondering if anyone who has passed the ABFAS exam could give some advice/strategy on the CBPS portion of the ABFAS exam. I will be taking the exam in May and cannot seem to find a clear answer with regards to how this portion of the exam is actually scored. I know "things that harm the patient" count against you and "you should work up a patient how you normally would in the office" but that is about all I can find in terms of guidelines. Are there certain tests that people typically forget to order? For example, do you do a neurovascular exam on every patient? Do all preop patients get coags, CBC, BMP? Do all infections get a bone scan? Thanks in advance.

I didn't realize until after I took the new CBPS (and passed) that the ABFAS website has practice CPBS cases. I can tell you they are identical to the actual exam. I did board wizzard, etc. and didn't think they were as helpful as the ABFAS practice CPBS. When you're done with the practice cases it will allow you to print out a score report telling you what tests they were looking for to get the max points on each section. Things like checking vitals on patients you suspect of sepsis are often overlooked in the big picture (like the nurses do that lol) but ordering blood cultures, consulting endo for a diabetic with A1C over 12, etc are options you dont think about unless you know they are options. Good luck.