Oral boards 2019

[EBLoneStar]

Has anyone had it take more than 2 weeks to get results?

Took the exam July 27 (Saturday) and was expecting results today (16 days later; 2 mondays after my test day) but so far... nothing. This wait is torture!

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[rakotomazoto]

I stopped reading right there.



I took it and passed a bit over 2 years ago using UBP books I paid for. I also took my critical care boards and the advanced PTE in the same year, so I'm pretty sure I've spent more on review materials and exams than you could ever dream of. Luckily, I had the means where this wasn't a huge financial burden for me, but I'm betting you sound pretty callous about your whole experience to those fellows who are still living like residents (for whom a few hundred dollars is still a significant sum), or those who didn't have access to 6 board examiners in residency or a board examiner who's a current colleague.

Again, congratulations for passing, but you had what seems like an already good fund of knowledge plus a relatively "optimized" experience, so I would hate for the average examinee to get the wrong idea about the ease or cost of preparing for orals.

There is a culture of fear and anxiety around board exams and the review companies exploit this to their benefit. You accuse me of being callous, but you misunderstand. The point here is that residents and fellows should save their limited cash to pay for the exam and a simple review book or program. A few hundred for UBP (or whatever program you prefer) is sufficient. Don't waste thousands of dollars on the Cadillac version or buy multiple programs or expensive private tutors. If you have passed your other tests and completed residency, then you are already in good shape. Redirect your studies to the unique format of this test and you will pass it, too.

You don't need to practice with oral board examiners or pay vast sums of money to deal with this test. My other test scores all the way through suggest that my fund of knowledge is quite average. I still walked out knowing I had passed oral boards, too.

All of the hand wringing that sometimes goes on about these things is counterproductive. You seem to disagree, arguing that my experience is the exception rather than the rule. I am sure many others also feel that they only passed because of those fancy private tutor sessions or didn't sleep for six months to stay up and study or whatever.

That's great, continue to preach a sermon of doom and gloom. This will convince future residents to waste their time and energy while they go into an inappropriate panic about their prospects to pass.

My message is one of reassurance. You've got this. Calm down, save your money, and don't psych yourself out.

 

[vector2]

There is a culture of fear and anxiety around board exams and the review companies exploit this to their benefit. You accuse me of being callous, but you misunderstand. The point here is that residents and fellows should save their limited cash to pay for the exam and a simple review book or program. A few hundred for UBP (or whatever program you prefer) is sufficient. Don't waste thousands of dollars on the Cadillac version or buy multiple programs or expensive private tutors. If you have passed your other tests and completed residency, then you are already in good shape. Redirect your studies to the unique format of this test and you will pass it, too.

You don't need to practice with oral board examiners or pay vast sums of money to deal with this test. My other test scores all the way through suggest that my fund of knowledge is quite average. I still walked out knowing I had passed oral boards, too.

All of the hand wringing that sometimes goes on about these things is counterproductive. You seem to disagree, arguing that my experience is the exception rather than the rule. I am sure many others also feel that they only passed because of those fancy private tutor sessions or didn't sleep for six months to stay up and study or whatever.

That's great, continue to preach a sermon of doom and gloom. This will convince future residents to waste their time and energy while they go into an inappropriate panic about their prospects to pass.

My message is one of reassurance. You've got this. Calm down, save your money, and don't psych yourself out.

I tell you that pirating or getting a hand me down copy of UBP books and/or having access to board examiners is not quite possible for everyone.......and somehow that makes me a doom-and-gloom-please pay HO $5000 guy. Ok sure thing champ.

 

[JHT1003]

Has anyone had it take more than 2 weeks to get results?

Took the exam July 27 (Saturday) and was expecting results today (16 days later; 2 mondays after my test day) but so far... nothing. This wait is torture!

Hey. I emailed them today. Our results have been delayed and are planned to be released the week of August 19th. Hope this helps.

 

[EBLoneStar]

Hey. I emailed them today. Our results have been delayed and are planned to be released the week of August 19th. Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for the info!

I was thinking of calling them but decided instead to just obsessively check the website multiple times per day.. =)

I guess I can chill out and wait until next week.

How frustrating!

=(

 

[JHT1003]

Thank you so much for the info!

I was thinking of calling them but decided instead to just obsessively check the website multiple times per day.. =)

I guess I can chill out and wait until next week.

How frustrating!

=(

No problem. Glad to help and good luck!

 

[RRTinCO]

Week 7.5 scores are up

 

[mochaice009]

I felt okay coming out but now keep thinking about the stupid things I said. I just want to pass and be done with this!

 

[caveat87]

I wonder if tomorrow will be the day we get scores from this most recent oral exam testing?

 

[gasserman]

The two week “timer” starts at the end of the exam week from what I’ve read and heard from others. I would think the earliest would be September 30th.

 

[mtu620]

If anyone still has their ho subscription or materials I'll buy them from you. PM me.
Thanks

 

[DM27]

If anyone still has their ho subscription or materials I'll buy them from you. Thanks

This just has me thinking of some Silicon Valley area Pimp getting into the new service subscription model...

 

[caveat87]

appears the ABA portal is down for maintenance. Good luck sept oral board peeps!

 

[Justice4all]

Passed OSCE . Take it seriously! Board certified!

 

[rightonn_dude]

Failed. I suppose nerves got the best of me? Felt knowledge was there.

Not sure why. I read UBP 3x, went through old ABA exams and did 10 mock orals. I stumbled through some parts of the sessions and remember a few mistakes but no clean kills. Can you lose points for being prompted? Or flip flopping on answers after realizing I said something stupid. I suppose eye contact could of been better. Made it all the through the grab bags. Really having trouble understanding why. For those who failed, does the paper in the mail help at all in understanding?

Considering doing a rescore which may lead to nothing.

 

[DocMcCoy]

What constitutes a “clean kill?” Do examiners let you go down the wrong path till you patient dies or are we referring to enormous mistakes that lead to auto fail? What kind of mistakes are we talking about?

Not feeling too great after my experience Wednesday and can’t get my mind off it. at least the thread is keeping me entertained

 

[rightonn_dude]

Not sure. I’m not sure if once you say something erroneously horrific, you’re done for or if you can still get points. One guy in my group his patient died.

Is “I don’t know” better than a wrong answer? One of my friends said “I don’t know” 10x and still passed. I don’t get it

 

[rightonn_dude]

Test day anxiety got the best of me. Practiced with others and I felt golden at the time. ****ing horrible. More lost time to studying.

 

[abolt18]

Not sure. I’m not sure if once you say something erroneously horrific, you’re done for or if you can still get points. One guy in my group his patient died.

Is “I don’t know” better than a wrong answer? One of my friends said “I don’t know” 10x and still passed. I don’t get it

I am still a few years from taking this test but I have explicitly been told that "I don't know" is a better answer than a random guess. Knowing your limitations and when you need to ask for help is as valuable as knowing what's stored in that brain.

Just sharing what's been shared with me.

 

[rightonn_dude]

UBP and o

I failed oral first time but passed 2nd time. I didn’t find the paper in the mail helpful. Basically you have scores in four parts, Pre-op, intraop, postop, and grab bag. If you received a poor score in preop or post op, you can narrow that down to the session. Intraop and grab bag scores are less helpful since you’re tested in those areas twice. I found the report for the OSCE more helpful since I remembered my scenarios. Then I just went on the ABA website to determine what folks were looking for in OSCE

UBP and JOB?

 

[MoMoGesiologist]

Not sure. I’m not sure if once you say something erroneously horrific, you’re done for or if you can still get points. One guy in my group his patient died.

Is “I don’t know” better than a wrong answer? One of my friends said “I don’t know” 10x and still passed. I don’t get it

I would imagine saying “I am not sure and would have to look that up or consult a colleague” is better than giving a wrong answer. One shows you have insight into your limitations and when to ask for help. The other shows you are unaware of what you don’t know and may make decisions on faulty knowledge and hurt a patient. At least this is what I think when I ask residents questions intraop and they give a wrong answer confidently...

 

[ckkdoctormom]

Hello all,
I have been looking at different SDN threads since med school many years ago and finally just joined simply to respond to this thread. I found out Monday I passed my Oral Boards on the first attempt, and found prior posts here therapeutic for me to get through the agonizing 2.5 weeks between taking the test and getting results. You will likely feel nauseated after taking this test! You will feel like you probably failed! Hold onto hope, you very well could have passed.
Here was my MOA:
-took a break after passing written 7/2018, ordered Big Red, Ranger Red and Spiels from Jensen (Big Blue and prep course worked for me on writtens. Even though UBP and others seem more popular these days, I listened to my gut and I learn better from written texts and personal, live courses)
-started studying 1/2019, Big Red at least 30-60 mins a day (I know this is hard, but my biggest advice: EVERYday. Even 30 mins! It will provide a solid foundation to call upon and overpower your sympathetic nervous system during the real test! I was a heart-pounding, fumbling fool, but for some glorious reason, they still saw my knowledge. 100% sure it was because I memorized that giant book over 9 months) FYI: I am a full-time academic anesthesiologist and have a 2 year old, with a full-time working husband too: AKA, I mean no excuses, make time to study! You can't wing this exam, they are fully prepared to weed-out your BS.
-went to live Jensen course February and August, this was how I sealed my "talking test" skills along with Ranger Red audio. Listened to mock orals downloaded on my phone while driving and exercising.
Raleigh experience:
-went 2 days before test to get settled and centered, liked doing this
-my anxiety was even higher than I prepared for exam morning, even after solid preparation
-shuttle to airport, airport and flight home (and continued until results, haha...no, actually not joking ;-) ) I was sick to my stomach, replaying over and over all the things I wish I restated, clarified and didn't say. I forgot simple drugs and common pain procedure options. Most a blur, but clearly remember saying, " I don't recall a this time, can we please return to this?" which returned a kind of taken aback look from my junior examiner...inside, I was then distracted trying to remember some 3rd-4th line treatment drug names! ugh, somehow though: I recovered, and I passed!
Summary:
-yes, I think it is much better to say I don't know, than make up an answer that is likely incorrect. They want professional, honest, safe, competent colleagues. We are human, they too are human, and we don't know everything. They also know we are nervous, and such an unnatural environment and process...I am presuming all of this of course.
-please consider studying everyday while you prepare. It takes me longer to achieve excellence, which I've learned since college so I needed 9 months. Some of you may need just a couple months, but with consistency you will never get overwhelmed and burned-out (I think at least)

This has been a sacrifice for me, my family and friends, but now I sit here: done and free. I have my life back, and wouldn't have done it any other way. 9 months of grueling study schedules, boxes to check were SO worth what leisure I have now. I wish this beautiful feeling for all of you too!

 

[DM27]

For answers where I knew I was guessing but I had some sort of context or background to go on I would phrase my responses with qualifiers like "to the best of my recollection" or "as I recall". I don't remember if I was posed a question that I flat out couldn't answer, if that was the case I would have say I had to ask a colleague or check a reference etc (this would entail being asked about something I had absolutely no ground to even work off of like a drug I never heard of etc.).

Keep in mind the examiners have nothing to look at on their end beyond the stems, so there is a degree of gamesmanship where they may eventually get into territory where they aren't any more certain than you of the answer and will be judging you more on your poise and how your response sounds rather than the actual quality of its content.

 

[caveat87]

Recently found out I passed. my advice for future test takers:

-the stems in UBP were fairly representative of my actual test. answers in UBP, however, were far too wordy and I feel you would run out of time if you tried to answer questions to that depth during the real test. I also liked yao/artusio for prep. slow paced, long term studying over 4 months worked for me.
-practice (preferably with a current board examiner, a tutor, someone competent in anesthesia) and make sure they hold you accountable on exam timing. this is huge!
-develop an outlining strategy for the stem that you use consistently...this will help you anticipate questions, mgmt.
-if you have no idea tell them "I'm not sure" to be efficient with time but obviously there is probably a limit to this strategy. Examiners may prompt you or question your choices. Be confident and share your reasoning for your choices. If they offer you alternatives and they are reasonable (ie: wouldn't this work too...) i assume it is fine to agree with them if it is a reasonable choice (I count doing that at least a few times). However, if they make a suggestion that could be construed as dangerous explain that you would not agree to that because "xyz"

Don't try to cram for this and take prep for the OSCE very seriously as well. Look at whatever resources you can on the ABA site as well as review TEE images, u/s anatomy, etc.

 

[runap44]

Long-time listener, first-time poster.

I found out that I passed the exam this week, to my complete surprise. I initially felt great walking out of the exam center, but little by little my confidence eroded as I remembered more and more of the exam until I was completely certain that I failed. I'm sure that people in the future will turn to this thread like I did to find some comfort, so let me add on to the reassurances that it is not abnormal (maybe normal??) to feel certain you failed. I was looking at prep courses and test days for next year and started reviewing some of my weaker topics again. My advice looking back - don't worry about the test until you have the exam results and you're certain there is something to worry about - you probably passed.

As for how much damage you can sustain on the test and still pass, I will say I made a major mistake on a grab bag (what I would consider a kill shot). On my second stem, I didn't even realize the overall pathology the complications revolved around in the clinical scenario until I thought about it two days later. I had ordered a treatment that was contraindicated - another kill shot. I also answered 2-3 knowledge-based questions on the seconds stem wrong or incompletely, and had to say "I don't know" once. Despite all this, I passed, and you probably did too.

Some advice for the exam:

- Practice. The most key portion of prep for this test is 1) having knowledge and 2) getting regular consistent practice to apply it. Your depth of knowledge has to meet the occasion; you might be able to pick out the mechanism of methemoglobinemia on a multiple-choice exam, but now you have to explain it. After knowledge, seeing enough exams so you ANTICIPATE likely critical events, complications, and acing commonly tested questions (like "What is ideal PEEP?") is key. If you have good relationships and people willing to give you a test, (ab)use them. Make sure you have objective people that will give you constructive feedback and be able and willing to tell you if you need significant improvement. Practice talking about anesthesia topics - teach residents what DDD pacing is, tell your dog about the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia - you need to be able to concisely explain complex topics on the spot.

- Use the information given to you to guide your diagnosis and management. This is especially important for additional topics. If you have a diagnostic dilemma or critical event think about what limited information you know about the patient - they probably gave you a HUGE clue in the stem, you just need to apply it. This probably sounds obvious, but when you're in your 5th grab bag and have been pounded by 4 examiners sometimes you lose focus.

- Develop endurance. I took a lot of practice exams, but I found that my mind tired out outlining the second stem and I didn't give it as much effort as I should have. This was a mistake. Realize that you prob only have 8 minutes or so to outline the second stem, and you still need to have the mental acuity to give it your 100% effort, even if you bombed the first session.

- Take your time. My personal tendency is to speak fast and immediately. If you're like me, practice during mocks about taking the time to THINK before you speak. You're going to be nervous on test day, so practice slowing down. You will likely get some easy, knowledge-based questions that you can rattle off (DDx for hypoxia or how to treat VAE), but most of the test will revolve around complex and abnormal conditions. SLOW THINK these areas and be okay with a 3-4 second silence if you need it. This is an exam, not a bar conversation - take your time and be okay with any awkwardness. You can't really take back anything dumb you say, but if you do, correct it immediately.

Realize you probably are not going to finish the exam and no one gets let to leave before the bell chimes. I reached the third grab bag in each test but didn't get to finish my answer to the third or fourth question for that area, which I think is normal. If you really ace it, you may find yourself talking in-depth about an arcane topic for 5 minutes until time runs out.

I will say I thought the test was extremely fair - everything on there was fair game and had a number of clinical clues to help you go the right direction. During the second session, I felt like I was under attack and was reactive instead of proactive to questions and giving incomplete answers (likely due to my poor preparation). I got so bogged down by the specific questions they were asking I forgot about the patient as a whole. I would try to anticipate a possible session of quick-fire examination to get used to this - despite my many practice tests, I never felt like I had to face conditions like that.

Good luck, and remember: YOU PROBABLY PASSED.

 

[IMGASMD]

Columbus, you really came on a Monday in October?! Does ABA observe Columbus Day?

 

[DocMcCoy]

Scores up. Didn’t even get an email notice

 

[rvantrump]

9/25 exam date. Passed! Like others above, was questioning whether I passed until results came out.

 

[DocMcCoy]

9/25 pass here too. What a **** show.

 

[jeesapeesa]

Passed.

Took the Michael Ho course and registered around 4 months prior to the exam. The course was a great combination of lectures and exams (Skype/phone/facetime). Took around 30 practice exams with his examiners in total. The first month or so I did all the videos in my spare time. I work in private practice but granted I have no kids and am single so my time was very flexible and finished all his lectures within the first month and a half. I started practicing with his examiners starting the second month -- about 1 or 2 practice exams a week until about a few weeks before the actual exam where I upped it to about 2-3 per day. During the last month I felt did gained enough knowledge to just work on talking and refining my tone and being more fluid with my answers. In all honesty with all the practice I felt that I killed the exam when I walked out of the testing center, but like everyone else you start to think of stupid things (VERY LITTLE THINGS) you might have said wrong and my confidence decreased until today. Trust in the process and trust in yourself. One of the examiners looked like she was browsing through the internet while the junior was asking me questions and wasn't even paying attention.

Bottom line is: practice. Ho's examiners all had different styles and they were very helpful. I would just write down all their suggestions and pick which ones I thought were most important. Ho himself will grill you beyond recognition but I honestly believe he's harder than the exam.

 

[Shinkansen]

Passed.

I bought UBP books from a co-resident that had passed, plus I did the Michael Ho 4 day crash course. I did the UBP books on my own, taking notes. I did multiple practice orals with whoever would do them with me. In Ho's course, I got extra practice with his examiners but I didnt purchase any thing beyond what was included in the course. I took my exam Sept 26 and started really studying August 1st

The OSCE was silly. I studied the day before and memorized the TEE views/images, the US views/anatomy, and looked over QI projects. Thats it, the rest is making sure you are a reasonable human being who has done anesthesiology before.

The oral portion went as others have said: first stem I felt like I knocked it out of the park, said 'Im not sure' maybe 2-3 times but overall felt confident. By the second stem I was spent from the mental effort and fight or flight from the first stem. I fumbled with the main pathophysiology, and I didn't say some key things because I was cut off and I lost my train of thought later when they kept circling back to a manifestation of what I hadn't said. Felt pretty sure it was a kill shot and have been dreading it all 2.5 weeks.

I felt well prepared and knew 90% of what was asked or what they were getting at. I just stumbled a bit with verbal execution due to stress/tiredness.

IMO the key, as others have said, is practice practice practice talking these things out. They will expect you to be precise and quick with your answers, or else they'll cut you off and move on.

Hope everyone got good news.

 

[DM27]

After retroactively reading some of the older parts of this thread I'll echo the concept that you don't need to spend vast sums of money on test prep for this exam unless you are in a situation where you do not have anybody to practice with.

The main determinants of your ability to pass this exam ultimately boil down to your fund of knowledge, the amount you've practiced/your ability to verbalize your thoughts, and luck the day of. Each of these is unfortunately represented fairly equally, though an immense amount of one or two of these can make up for a dearth of another.

The UBP books are an excellent source of knowledge presented in a faux oral board stem manner, but they do not represent a good way to take the exam (much too verbose and extreme overkill on prep for most patients) and as a result these are by no means some sort of "secret sauce" to passing the exam. However, they are useful as an easily accessed collection of relevant case-based info and helpful tips (compared to reading through all of something like Yao).

I obtained the UBP PDFs as bootlegs, I studied with a group of 4 friends who had all obtained these as well (each from different sources) so they are definitely possible to find. These were mainly used as study references and we utilized the stems but many of the explanations in the stems are somewhat eye-roll inducing if you try to actually say them.

The best source of practice stems was the old ABA practice stems, which are also all floating around on the internet (same story which 3/4 had obtained them independently from different sources). These stems look almost exactly like the stems the examiners use for the test (and it's very possible they once were), the caveat is that they do not have any sort of explanation or answer, so they are purely a good example of the stems you will see and the types of questions you will be asked, but they will not give you any sort of knowledge you may be missing. They are also obviously old, you'll occasionally see a reference to Halothane or Thiopental. If you do any ABA practice stems with a faculty examiner, they often use these stems which I am talking about.

Two people whom I know well failed the exam. Both of them were excellent residents and when I practiced with them did not have any obvious problems with how they responded to stems. I also practiced with some other residents who fared much worse than them on our practice exams who passed. From a knowledge end, the two individuals I know were not blowing away their ITEs, but were consistently >50th percentile. One of them did the Ho course (had an academic stipend from fellowship) and said he/she received universally positive feedback and was told they'd have no issue, this individual also had oral board examiners where he/she did fellowship who echoed this sentiment.

Both of these people retook it the following year's session, prepared somewhat minimally because of their attending schedules (which was worrying), and passed.

The tl;dr of this is basically the main thing that matters is that you prepare a lot for the exam in terms of actual face-to-face (or skype) practice so that you will develop "test taking reflexes" for this exam that will save you in the event of among the core competencies of knowledge, practice, and luck, that the luck should fail you on exam day, and that you don't need to spend a lot of money to do this.

 

[SCgal]

I used JOB for practice exams and thought that their examiners were amazing! They go the extra mile to provide explanations even not related to the case. As far as knowledge, I used UBP books (great source for knowledge). I did do some exams with UBP examiners and thought they were not as good. No grab bag questions with UBP.