Recommendations on best ways to study for written and orals would be appreciated.
Anyone take Osler for oral Thoracic board prep?
Anyone take Osler for oral Thoracic board prep?
Thoracic Board Prep
- Thread starter 12-Blade
- Start date
D
deleted50541
For the written exam, you can't beat the review course Dr. John Doty runs each year in Salt Lake City at Intermountain. It's four days (the last day is really more of a 1/2 day) and covers the breadth of topics covered on the exam for the most part. The course fee ($700) includes the materials and food (breakfast and lunch). See their website for details: www.corereview.org. Based on the attendance, I think a majority of graduating residents and fellows take this course.
I also reviewed several different editions of SESATS with the caveat that the older additions include material that's clearly out of date. For clarification on topics, I'd also go back and review chapters in Sabiston's that I read during my fellowship. At the end of the day, I had a mound of flash cards I wrote and constantly reviewed.
In total, I probably spent about 4 months prepping for my written boards and really made an effort to put in an hour or two every day up until the test. I definitely over prepped for congenital (the questions were very straight forward). But my efforts were rewarded and I passed the written exam.
As for the oral exam, I am planning to take the Osler prep course in Chicago in June. I found this to be very useful when I did my general surgery boards. For now, I'm reviewing my flash cards again for general knowledge, going over my operative strategies for all the major topics, and querying other colleagues on their experience with exam.
I also reviewed several different editions of SESATS with the caveat that the older additions include material that's clearly out of date. For clarification on topics, I'd also go back and review chapters in Sabiston's that I read during my fellowship. At the end of the day, I had a mound of flash cards I wrote and constantly reviewed.
In total, I probably spent about 4 months prepping for my written boards and really made an effort to put in an hour or two every day up until the test. I definitely over prepped for congenital (the questions were very straight forward). But my efforts were rewarded and I passed the written exam.
As for the oral exam, I am planning to take the Osler prep course in Chicago in June. I found this to be very useful when I did my general surgery boards. For now, I'm reviewing my flash cards again for general knowledge, going over my operative strategies for all the major topics, and querying other colleagues on their experience with exam.
What did you use to make your flashcards? TSRA Review? Or were they just free-styled from various sources?
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2013
- Messages
- 11,526
- Reaction score
- 27,449
I used the Doty course along with SESATS for the written exam. For the oral exam I used Mastery of CT Surgery, Near Misses in Cardiac Surgery,
Cardiac Surgery: Safeguards and Pitfalls in Operative Technique, and Clinical Scenarios in Thoracic Surgery by Faber. I think these would all be good still, except the last one which was written in 2004, so it's out of date now. I see there is a TSRA Clinical Scenarios book from 2013 that would probably be worthwhile.
The best help I had was some of my attendings from training set up some mock orals with me on 4 or 5 afternoons to go over different scenarios that I might have. Just being able to talk it through was a big help.
Compared to general surgery boards (written and oral), I found the CT boards much easier. While I came out of the written thinking it went ok, it was definitely a relief to see the pass result. The orals really felt very straight forward and easy. There weren't really any trick questions.
Good luck.
D
deleted50541
Good tips. The TSRA Clinical Scenarios was useful and I don't think it costs much. I used that along with my notes from the Doty course to make my flashcards. The cards are pretty dense with info, but it helps me review quicker.
Thanks. That’s what I plan on using. I have used most of those resources throughout my training. Interestingly, I have heard the opposite about difficulty when compared to general surgery boards from friends. I’ll check that clinical scenarios book by Fabre out. Appreciate the feedback.
Yeah.
I think I will start working on flash cards. I took the Doty course a year ago while still in training so I can pull from those books again. Thanks.
The written is easy, not a problem.
The oral is difficult and will test your confidence.
I had no problem with the GS boards.
Written for thoracic fail rate isn’t that high. Where you will have trouble is if you’re cardiac and the thoracic folks get the sense of that. It’s a real thing, maybe people think it ain’t I don’t know. But if you’re cardiac heavy expect them to throw you a series of thoracic questions that go nowhere. Take the islet course and make sure you study up on ped cardiac. If you have that down and can parry the thoracic BS you’ll be fine.
The oral is difficult and will test your confidence.
I had no problem with the GS boards.
Written for thoracic fail rate isn’t that high. Where you will have trouble is if you’re cardiac and the thoracic folks get the sense of that. It’s a real thing, maybe people think it ain’t I don’t know. But if you’re cardiac heavy expect them to throw you a series of thoracic questions that go nowhere. Take the islet course and make sure you study up on ped cardiac. If you have that down and can parry the thoracic BS you’ll be fine.
D
deleted50541
Just a follow up for the CT folks in training/new grads. Passed my oral boards in June. Definitely relieved to have that over.
Took the Osler course, which I felt was not as good compared to their general surgery review. There didn't seem to be a well organized curriculum for starters. Several topics were covered multiple times, often at the expense of reviewing other areas that barely got lip service or had no discussion at all. Some of the faculty also didn't have great control of the room with topics going off course by audience discussion of zebra scenarios or arguing over differences in regional practice.
Overall, not great but it gave me the time I needed to get in the right head space for the exam. Other folks I spoke with had similar feelings. I wrote at length about these issues in my course evaluation that I hope improves it for others in the future.
I obviously can't talk about the specifics of the exam I received. But if you've done the general surgery boards then you know what you're in for. The atmosphere was tense among the group as expected. However, the examiners were all courteous and professional, the questions were fair and reasonable ones you'd expect, and the morning went smoothly without incident.
Took the Osler course, which I felt was not as good compared to their general surgery review. There didn't seem to be a well organized curriculum for starters. Several topics were covered multiple times, often at the expense of reviewing other areas that barely got lip service or had no discussion at all. Some of the faculty also didn't have great control of the room with topics going off course by audience discussion of zebra scenarios or arguing over differences in regional practice.
Overall, not great but it gave me the time I needed to get in the right head space for the exam. Other folks I spoke with had similar feelings. I wrote at length about these issues in my course evaluation that I hope improves it for others in the future.
I obviously can't talk about the specifics of the exam I received. But if you've done the general surgery boards then you know what you're in for. The atmosphere was tense among the group as expected. However, the examiners were all courteous and professional, the questions were fair and reasonable ones you'd expect, and the morning went smoothly without incident.
Last edited by a moderator:
Need help here, I apologize for using this forum. 4th year Gen surg resident applying for CT surgery in a couple of months. Interested in moving back to Houston, Tx. Any advice on top cardiac-track programs? Have hear some unfavorable stories about THI/Baylor. Any truths in this with respect to subpar graduates? I always had the notion it was a top-tier program. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.
D
deleted50541
I don't know much about the training programs in Houston, but don't recall hearing anything particularly negative about Baylor. The only Houston program I interviewed at was MD Anderson, which expressed a strong interest in training the next generation of leaders in the field. It seemed like a good program and I know two excellent surgeons who trained there, but it just wasn't what I was looking for.
On another note, looks like oral boards for this year have been pushed back again to early 2021. Interesting stats from last year's exam. 26% failed the oral exam in 2019, which is when I took it. For comparison, last year's general surgery first-pass percentage was 85%.
It was also a high for total number testing in the last 5 years at 158. 31 people failed the prior year, so that probably included a number of re-takers.
On another note, looks like oral boards for this year have been pushed back again to early 2021. Interesting stats from last year's exam. 26% failed the oral exam in 2019, which is when I took it. For comparison, last year's general surgery first-pass percentage was 85%.
It was also a high for total number testing in the last 5 years at 158. 31 people failed the prior year, so that probably included a number of re-takers.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2008
- Messages
- 1,897
- Reaction score
- 409
To everyone taking the Board exam. Good luck!
My primary resources have been:
- TSRA review of cardiothoracic surgery
- SESATS 13
- TSRA Qbank
- Valve guidelines (Nishimura)
- ACC/AHA NSTEMI guidelines
Additional materials
- Selected chapters (mostly stuff on TB, Lung infections, benign esophagus) from Pearson's, Mastery, and Hopkins Manual
- Selected chapters from Comprehensive Surgical Management of Congenital Heart Disease
- Uptodate: GERD
- NCCN: NSCLC, thymoma, esophageal CA
Primary materials that I skimmed: SYNTAX, NOBLE, EXCEL, STICH, STICHES, CABG Mod MR (CTSN), severe IMR (CTSN), National Lung cancer screening trial, NETT, CROSS
May have gotten too far afield with my resources. Have been trying to study for the last 4 months. Studied intermittently for the in service exam the last few years.
Fingers crossed...
My primary resources have been:
- TSRA review of cardiothoracic surgery
- SESATS 13
- TSRA Qbank
- Valve guidelines (Nishimura)
- ACC/AHA NSTEMI guidelines
Additional materials
- Selected chapters (mostly stuff on TB, Lung infections, benign esophagus) from Pearson's, Mastery, and Hopkins Manual
- Selected chapters from Comprehensive Surgical Management of Congenital Heart Disease
- Uptodate: GERD
- NCCN: NSCLC, thymoma, esophageal CA
Primary materials that I skimmed: SYNTAX, NOBLE, EXCEL, STICH, STICHES, CABG Mod MR (CTSN), severe IMR (CTSN), National Lung cancer screening trial, NETT, CROSS
May have gotten too far afield with my resources. Have been trying to study for the last 4 months. Studied intermittently for the in service exam the last few years.
Fingers crossed...
Last edited:
