Oral board

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Did you make a killing error?
Completely misdiagnose a common problem, in the face of multiple hints from the examiners?
Fumble like a ca 1 with a route scenario?
Babble so long and incoherently that they couldn't complete the exam?
If not, ya' won't likely be back next year.
Go celebrate like a rock star!
 
I felt the same way. Look up the old thread that I started 🙂. I passed. It was a very difficult wait and I was sure I failed and I still can't believe I passed but I did. Most likely you did too. Go have a drink and relax. "The waiting is the hardest part."
 
In 2012 87% of first time takers passed. In last 5 years around 85-90% of first time takers pass. Just remember these stats as you wait for your results. The odds are in your favor.

Know also that about 95% of first time takers feel like they did not perform well or they failed immediately after taking the exam.

In short the vast majority of examinees are not going to feel confident after the exam, and the vast majority will pass.

Lastly, as the days turn into weeks during your wait, you will probably feel WORSE than you do now because you will have replayed Q and A in your head multiple times going over what you feel you should have said. When this happens just remember the above stats.
 
Just took it yesterday. I slept worse the night after the exam than I did the night before the exam. Too many things running through my head that I would have liked to have changed.🙁
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm just trying not to think about all of the stupid things I said.
At least I didn't make any killing mistakes.

Does anyone know how long it takes to get the results?
They told us by June 1st, but 6 weeks seems like a long time.
I seem to remember people hearing back sooner last year.
 
I took the exam last October. Even today, I am still certain I failed. Somehow the ABA STILL has not realized they gave me someone else's passing grade.

It may not make you all feel any better at this point, but I'll tell you how mine went.

My examiners asked me questions equivalent to "what is my favorite color?" This threw me off and I would respond something like "uhhh... deeerrrr.... uhhh... red?" And they would respond "You REALLY think that's my favorite color EVERY day of the week? What about Thursdays? And if red is my favorite color on Thursdays, then what is the square root of purple?" It really was like I studied for the wrong test in the wrong language.

They sighed at my answers.

They rolled their eyes.

One played on a freaking IPAD and threw in a few occasional looks of disgust while the other asked questions.

This story is not fictional. Neither is the fact that they accidentally gave me someone else's passing grade. 95% of you are probably looking up where next April's exam will be held. Try not to think about it and realize that there is a strong chance that the ABA might also accidently give you someone else's passing grade too.
 
4 weeks from the first monday the test was offered, the results should be in your ABA online account. so if you take it friday, it should be less than 4 full weeks.
 
Yo GabbaPentin said:
They sighed at my answers.

They rolled their eyes.
Click to expand...

One of my examiner did that to me too. It seemed unkind.

Just about every day between my exam and the score release, I thought of something else I wished I'd said differently.


Best of all, when scores were released and I logged into the web site to learn my fate, the first thing I saw was a link to information regarding the next exam, square in the middle of the welcome page. I was sure that meant I failed. Still not sure if it was just a glitch during the minutes/hours right after they updated the web site with scores, or if the ABA was just making the most of its last opportunity to troll me.
 
Yo GabbaPentin said:
I took the exam last October. Even today, I am still certain I failed. Somehow the ABA STILL has not realized they gave me someone else's passing grade.

It may not make you all feel any better at this point, but I'll tell you how mine went.

My examiners asked me questions equivalent to "what is my favorite color?" This threw me off and I would respond something like "uhhh... deeerrrr.... uhhh... red?" And they would respond "You REALLY think that's my favorite color EVERY day of the week? What about Thursdays? And if red is my favorite color on Thursdays, then what is the square root of purple?" It really was like I studied for the wrong test in the wrong language.

They sighed at my answers.

They rolled their eyes.

One played on a freaking IPAD and threw in a few occasional looks of disgust while the other asked questions.

This story is not fictional. Neither is the fact that they accidentally gave me someone else's passing grade. 95% of you are probably looking up where next April's exam will be held. Try not to think about it and realize that there is a strong chance that the ABA might also accidently give you someone else's passing grade too.
Click to expand...

That's a pretty accurate description. Even if you go on a tear and think you're killing the questions, you get violently derailed. If you're lucky, and you will be, they won't fail you for mixing up some stuff on alpha stat and pH stat ABGs and that you didn't know the IM dose of roc or atropine in your coding difficult airway patient, with MH, that they say you can't view anything with the fiber, and is now in laryngospasm, and the LMA won't seal, and he's a baby so cutting the neck isn't really an option, and oh by the way the jet ventilator was broken earlier today so it's not on the emergency airway cart, with the surgeon screaming that it's an emergency and he's going to die in your ear.
Lube up, brace yourself, and take it like a man!
I've had colleagues say they didn't finish all the questions and they still passed. 👍
 
I took it Friday. After the downward spiral of my 2nd session, I highly doubt I passed. The grab bags were ok, but that 2nd main stem hammered me, and noticeably rattled me. My answers did not reflect the clinician I am. I don't get rattled; I just don't. They made it happen though.

Maybe they'll mess up and give me somebody else's passing score. Otherwise I'll need next year's exam dates to know when to schedule my vacation, and spend another lovely week off away from work.
 
Salt Creep said:
I took it Friday. After the downward spiral of my 2nd session, I highly doubt I passed. The grab bags were ok, but that 2nd main stem hammered me, and noticeably rattled me. My answers did not reflect the clinician I am. I don't get rattled; I just don't. They made it happen though.

Maybe they'll mess up and give me somebody else's passing score. Otherwise I'll need next year's exam dates to know when to schedule my vacation, and spend another lovely week off away from work.
Click to expand...

see you in the "I Passed" thread in about 3 weeks.
 
Salt Creep said:
I took it Friday. After the downward spiral of my 2nd session, I highly doubt I passed. The grab bags were ok, but that 2nd main stem hammered me, and noticeably rattled me. My answers did not reflect the clinician I am. I don't get rattled; I just don't. They made it happen though.

Maybe they'll mess up and give me somebody else's passing score. Otherwise I'll need next year's exam dates to know when to schedule my vacation, and spend another lovely week off away from work.
Click to expand...

If you got through the grab bags, you probably passed.

My experience was similar to Yo Gabba's. I even had to argue for a minute with the examiner who was doing the eye-rolling and sighing over whether or not I said fentanyl or sufentanil at one point. It was bad. I still passed. You will pass.
 
The ABA Online Portal will be undergoing maintenance on Tuesday, May 7 beginning at 8:00 AM ET.

If you have any questions, please contact the ABA Communications Center at (866) 999-7501.
Click to expand...

Oh crap, scores are being posted! 😱
 
Mine were withheld. Anyone have this problem. I called the office and they basically said "we don't know anything about anything. Wait for the letter in the mail".
 
I passed after my 3rd attempt. Finally ! 🙂
 
I passed. End of long road. Congrats to those who passed.
 
I passed!!!!!! also my third attempt, thank God! i cant believe it! i am so happy! all of this studying has made me a better physician and anesthesiologist, but i am happy to be done.
 
To God be the glory. I am now board certified by the aba. Long time coming. Best wishes to all!!!!
 
Passed....next up CCM Boards!
 
I passed, so happy to have this test behind me. Now just need to figure out what i need to do next (besides living on cloud nine for the next few weeks) 😀
 
Congrats all. Four short years and hopefully I'll be able to post "I passed" on an oral board thread. 🙂
 
Congrats to all who passed the orals. The orals are the last big professional hurdle that we have to overcome. To those who did not pass I say keep the faith and wait until you get your letter from the ABA. The letter will give you an indication as to what went wrong. The areas where you were weak are pointed out. These may be knowledge or oraganization for example.

Failing the oral ABA exam is not the end of the world. Many of us have been there and we all survived.

Cambie
 
Last edited:
CambieMD said:
Congrats to all who passed the orals. The orals are the last big professional hurdle that we have to overcome...

Cambie
Click to expand...

You know, this struck me earlier today...such an ecstatic feeling as training winds down!
 
MeaCulpa said:
I passed!!!!!! also my third attempt, thank God! i cant believe it! i am so happy! all of this studying has made me a better physician and anesthesiologist, but i am happy to be done.
Click to expand...

Third attempt pass? Holy ****! Now THAT has to be the absolute best feeling in the world. Congratulations!
 
Congrats all. I think passing this test last year is the only time in the past 20 years I have matched the excitement my daughter gets when she sees a cool bug on the ground. Downright giddy. Good luck to those still waiting.
 
Thanks. It is an amazing feeling of a ton of bricks lifted off my shoulders.
 
Also I have a ton of oral board prep stuff up for sale message me for the list and bargain basement prices
 
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