How to Prepare: Unlike the written board, where you have been practicing the format through taking standardized exams in multiple-choice format for your entire life, most residents are much less familiar or comfortable with the oral-board style questioning. This may play a large factor in why performance is always significantly lower on the CE than the QE. Practice any way you can. Use a friend or colleague to help review scenarios. Reading scenarios or watching/listening to others demonstrate how to respond can be beneficial but actually working through a scenario aloud yourself is the only true simulation of the exam. If you do not have access to anyone able to practice scenarios with, there are options through review courses to purchase mock oral simulations. These, however, are expensive and it should be noted that the use of review courses themselves is debated. Although many (if not the majority of) residents will use a review course such as Osler, there is no high-grade evidence to demonstrate any improved outcomes with their use. Outside of simulation, the most frequently recommended review book is Dimick’s Clinical Scenarios in Surgery with other general surgery textbooks to supplement as needed.

The O.R. Strategy:

• Start a Dedicated Study Period 2-3 Months in Advance
• Practice Scenarios Aloud as Often as You Can
  • Use Your Co-Residents (Consider Setting Up a Regular Planned Group Day/Time)
  • Use Faculty or Mentors
  • Use Your Significant Other (May Require Training to Ask Questions Appropriately)
  • Use Friends
  • Use Anyone Capable and Willing to Work with You
  • Consider Purchasing Additional Mock Oral Sessions Through Commercial Review Courses
• Use Our Oral Board Review Book Throughout Your Dedicated Study Time
• Primarily Concentrate Your Study Efforts on a Solid Review Course
  • Pause the Scenarios as Questions are Asked and Practice Delivering Your Own Responses Before Listening to the Given Response
  • *Osler is One of the Most Frequently Referenced But there are Many Other Options Such as SurgBoards (Our Favorite) or Behind the Knife (Great for in the Car)
• Use Our “Review of Surgery” for High-Yield Rapid Review of Subjects to Supplement
• Use Textbooks, Published Literature, and Society Guidelines Only for Particular Subjects You Want to Review but Avoid Dedicating an Inordinate Amount of Time to These In-Depth but Inefficient Resources
• Avoid ABSITE Review Books – The Minutia Tested on ABSITE is Often Outside the Scope of Oral Boards