2020 oral boards

[MikeMerk-MtS]

Is the Hoe better or UBP? Who bought extra mock oral test from UBP? UBP Ultimate package include 3 live mock online test, should i buy ultimate package? Or small package?

I didn’t do the UBP course but had the books. The books are solid but answers are not oral board friendly. I didn’t purchase any extra exams as I had access to actual examiners but if you don’t they are probably worth it. Find a co-resident you can practice with and just do as many cases as you can until you can predict the questions.

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[elmnt61]

Passed, thank god. I went through UBP books once this year and once last year (before my first exam was canceled from covid). I vocalized every answer. I didn’t do any formal mock orals, but talked to a coworker during cases a couple times.

Best of luck to everyone.

Feel free to PM with any questions!!

 

[TotesMalotes]

PASSED! Thank God.... I literally almost passed out when I saw the email for the results.

Study Plan:
November 2019 During Pain Fellowship:
JOB - Paid for skype exams only
UBP - Copied an old version and went through it twice with fellow resident
COVID HIT - Stopped studying
Early December 2020
Restarted JOB skype exams
Purchased Rapid Review <--- Extremely useful in crunch time to get the molasses out of your mouth
January 2021
Focused on Rapid Review
Went through all notes with resident buddy
February 4th - EXAM
REST OF FEB - STRESS/FEAR/ANXIETY/LOSS OF SLEEP/LOSS OF SANITY/KEPT REPLAYING STUPID THINGS I SAID - Prayer was the only option
March - Less stress as I accepted that I did my best and I truly left nothing on the table
March 9th - Results email

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL, I trolled these pages religiously looking for any edge I could get. All of your stories helped. Hopefully, this helps someone.

 

[JelloIsJigglin]

went over UBP couple times. did ABA sample exams with friends every night on zoom.
exam day went smoothly. questions were fair. No massive grilling or pimp sessions.
finished the day feeling fine.
for sure , I totally missed one of the key concepts on one of the grab bags.
I , too, got cut off on the third grab bag question for BOTH sessions.
Passed.

 

[waitwhat]

I suppose looking back I felt okay. Maybe I'm just perseverating on some dumb crap I said. The questions were fair for the most part. I probably could of answered somethings better but jumbled a little since I was nervous. I did the Ho course as well, went through old ABA, and probably did about 20 mocks and 10 with friends. FINGERS CROSSED

 

[Monterosso]

I highly recommend going over sample ABA stems with a colleague (and at least once with an examiner). The format of the orals boards is identical to the ABA stems (two sessions with the 3 additional topics with each). The type of questions match those of the oral exam (some general, some more specific) and similar types of complications.

 

[Thepassageofgas]

Just posting to a.) congratulate my colleagues here and b.) reassure people who don’t get through the third grab bag in both sessions: you can still pass. i am living proof of this

you don’t know the sinking feeling i experienced when the video feed cut out in the middle of the third grab bag in BOTH sessions. i was reeling. but this is points-gathering mission and if you mine enough points from the rest of the test, you’ll be okay, even if you’re slow like me

i honestly didn’t believe i passed until i fully went through the MOCA registration. Legit thought it was a mistake.

for reference, i did JOB. I did a poopload of practice exams with an examiner (he def made me cry lol).

feels so good to be done. hang in there you guys. you’ll soon be free of this yoke forever.

 

[banister]

If the examiner interrupts you multiple times to move onto the next topic, is that generally a good thing? Happened a couple of times during the justification of my decisions.

 

[Hork Bajir]

If the examiner interrupts you multiple times to move onto the next topic, is that generally a good thing? Happened a couple of times during the justification of my decisions.

Generally if the examiners interrupt you, it means one of two things: either you nailed the answer, got the points, and the examiners want to keep things moving… Or you are way off track, and they want to redirect you towards whatever question they actually want answered. Different examiners will have different styles in terms of frequency and aggressiveness of interruptions.

Other than expecting interruptions and not letting them fluster you, I don’t think you can read into things too much

 

[rocsux]

Trying to figure out when I can expect to get my 3 month notice. I graduated in Summer 2020 - are the people being given permission to register now 2020 grads or 2019 grads?

 

[bokbok]

I highly recommend going over sample ABA stems with a colleague (and at least once with an examiner). The format of the orals boards is identical to the ABA stems (two sessions with the 3 additional topics with each). The type of questions match those of the oral exam (some general, some more specific) and similar types of complications.

I completely agree with this. I went over UBP three times and did at least something every night with my study buddies ( full stems or a few grab bags) to make sure I was talking through answers out loud. The ABA sample stems might be tedious to go through but I feel like seeing those questions saved me on the exam. Good luck all !

 

[Peterluger]

I completely agree with this. I went over UBP three times and did at least something every night with my study buddies ( full stems or a few grab bags) to make sure I was talking through answers out loud. The ABA sample stems might be tedious to go through but I feel like seeing those questions saved me on the exam. Good luck all !

Where can we get these practice aba stems, or are you just referring to the pdf on the ABA website?

 

[1halfMVsquared]

i took the test after sleeping 2-3 hours and driving overnight from chicago to north carolina after my flight was cancelled twice.

exhausted, rambled through, didn't overthink, controlled the narrative doing some pretty questionable things (e.g., pushed down the CICV pathway by saying I would have difficult airway equipment and induce a morbidly obese patient with non-reassuring airway). many of the grab bag questions were a blur in my mind and i doubt i got many of them correct..

still passed.
(this was a few years ago)

so don't worry.

i echo other people's opinion: UBP is the best study tool for this

Damn.. sounds like you did everything in your power to take that test. Epic success story for sure.

I used UBP x2, Yao, and the ABA oral practice exams. Practiced with colleagues once or twice each day for a few months. Only slept 2 to 3 hours the night before my exam due to the jitters. Afterwards, I had persistent feelings of defeat, guilt, panic, flashbacks, and probably met DSM criteria for PTSD lol. Fortunately I passed and now life can move on. Good luck everybody!

 

[coffeebythelake]

Damn.. sounds like you did everything in your power to take that test. Epic success story for sure.

I used UBP x2, Yao, and the ABA oral practice exams. Practiced with colleagues once or twice each day for a few months. Only slept 2 to 3 hours the night before my exam due to the jitters. Afterwards, I had persistent feelings of defeat, guilt, panic, flashbacks, and probably met DSM criteria for PTSD lol. Fortunately I passed and now life can move on. Good luck everybody!

i felt a bit of jitters after getting some sleep afterwards.
definitely did a double take when i logged in later and found out i passed.
but in my mind, i thought "hey if i failed this i have a good reason!"

 

[bqhealer]

Congrats to everyone who passed. I definitely want to do a prep course. Sounds like most people used the JOB courses? Any other recommendations for a prep course?

 

[Thepassageofgas]

Congrats to everyone who passed. I definitely want to do a prep course. Sounds like most people used the JOB courses? Any other recommendations for a prep course?

I used them, and I highly recommend their Track 1. I used their book and
Anesthesia and Coexisting Disease. And then got absolutely grilled week after week on Skype lol.

Full disclosure, I failed the orals first time (didn’t take a course, passed the OSCE tho).

Anesthesia and Coexisting Disease def became my favorite text book. Imho it’s a must-own.

 

[Peterluger]

Congrats to everyone who passed. I definitely want to do a prep course. Sounds like most people used the JOB courses? Any other recommendations for a prep course?

No, most people use UBP

 

[turnupthegas]

Does anyone get through all the questions and have enough time to sit around and shoot the sh**? Or do they just ask questions till time is up?

 

[1halfMVsquared]

Does anyone get through all the questions and have enough time to sit around and shoot the sh**? Or do they just ask questions till time is up?

They ask questions until the time is up. You will never know if you've finished the last grab bag or if there are questions remaining.

 

[anbuitachi]

They ask questions until the time is up. You will never know if you've finished the last grab bag or if there are questions remaining.

my examiners asked me even after the screen showed times up. they asked until the video cut off which was like 10+ seconds after it said times up. my examiner asked me l ike 3 questions after

 

[coffeebythelake]

my examiners asked me even after the screen showed times up. they asked until the video cut off which was like 10+ seconds after it said times up. my examiner asked me l ike 3 questions after

The examiners get dinged if they do not ask all the questions in allotted time. Thry feel a lot of time pressure too.

 

[coffeebythelake]

Does anyone get through all the questions and have enough time to sit around and shoot the sh**? Or do they just ask questions till time is up?

If you are fast and get through the designated questions, they may just ask you random questions to shoot the ****

 

[anbuitachi]

how long do these board certificates take to be mailed out?

 

[1halfMVsquared]

how long do these board certificates take to be mailed out?

About a week or so per their email

 

[wudabum]

how long do these board certificates take to be mailed out?

Got my subspecialty one today, still don’t have primary certificate yet lol

 

[Greenbayslacker]

Are you allowed to take notes during the exam?

 

[1halfMVsquared]

Are you allowed to take notes during the exam?

Yes, you are allowed to take notes. In fact, you are encouraged to take notes during the alloted prep time and grab bags.

 

[Baby1]

Failed :'( . Just hoping to take it again as soon as possibl

 

[Baby1]

I wonder how many people failed? How did they answered? What kind of questions they missed? were they running out of time? That will be helpful to know.

 

[anbuitachi]

where did you find thsi quote from?

 

[JoelJoel84]

For those who took the virtual exam recently, can you confirm this from the ABA site's OSCE guideline section about removing peripheral nerve blocks and venous cannulation?

"3. Application of ultrasonography (Identify relevant normal anatomy using ultrasonography)
Candidates who take the virtual APPLIED Exam will not participate in this skill station."

Leaving the technical stations to monitors and/or lung and TEE ultrasound?

Thanks!

 

[HereIbe]

For those who took the virtual exam recently, can you confirm this from the ABA site's OSCE guideline section about removing peripheral nerve blocks and venous cannulation?

"3. Application of ultrasonography (Identify relevant normal anatomy using ultrasonography)
Candidates who take the virtual APPLIED Exam will not participate in this skill station."

Leaving the technical stations to monitors and/or lung and TEE ultrasound?

Thanks!

Confirmed. There is no nerve block or cannulation section, or identification of structures related to that section. That section will not be included. Everyone will have both the TEE and monitors sections. My understanding is that lung ultrasound will not be included until they’re done with the delayed “2020” examinees.

 

[smjsmj]

Anyone else feel awful after taking this but still pass? How hard is it to schedule a retake if you fail?

 

[MikeMerk-MtS]

For those who took the virtual exam recently, can you confirm this from the ABA site's OSCE guideline section about removing peripheral nerve blocks and venous cannulation?

"3. Application of ultrasonography (Identify relevant normal anatomy using ultrasonography)
Candidates who take the virtual APPLIED Exam will not participate in this skill station."

Leaving the technical stations to monitors and/or lung and TEE ultrasound?

Thanks!

Yes, this station no longer exists. But asking you how you would do a nerve block during the oral exam is fair game.

 

[Monterosso]

The examiners get dinged if they do not ask all the questions in allotted time. Thry feel a lot of time pressure too.

I agree with coffeebythelake in that the examiners have a lot of content to get through (identical format to the ABA practice stems).

Thus, in your preparations I recommend not only practicing with other people, but get used to *talking fast* in these practice sessions. Concise, quick answers will only help you get through all the questions for this time-limited exam.

 

[Greenbayslacker]

Anyone down to do some zoom mocks together this weekend? PM me

 

[tweekin19]

If anyone has the exam coming up soon and wanted to run over some mocks some time next week LMK.

 

[Greenbayslacker]

That sucked

 

[Cumberland_Doc]

Just finished. Both stems were reasonable. A few random questions thrown in. Cut for time on the second stem on 3rd of 3 additional topics. Fingers crossed.

 

[nimbus]

At least our board exec compensation is not the worst.

These Med Board Execs Make Triple a Practicing Doc's Salary

Infographic shows highest compensation, widest gaps for ABMS member boards

www.medpagetoday.com

 

[deleted697127]

At least our board exec compensation is not the worst.

These Med Board Execs Make Triple a Practicing Doc's Salary

Infographic shows highest compensation, widest gaps for ABMS member boards

www.medpagetoday.com

View attachment 334353

Hard to really draw conclusions from this but part of me wonders if we pay for what we get. Maybe we should consider paying someone to be a leader. I’m not sure it’s something to be proud of to be grouped with plastics, derm, and urology for compensating our national representation poorly. Plastics and derm are also losing turf battles for lucrative procedures. Meanwhile, peds, IM, and FP are seeing increased compensation with health care reform...

 

[Iso4ane]

Hard to really draw conclusions from this but part of me wonders if we pay for what we get. Maybe we should consider paying someone to be a leader. I’m not sure it’s something to be proud of to be grouped with plastics, derm, and urology for compensating our national representation poorly. Plastics and derm are also losing turf battles for lucrative procedures. Meanwhile, peds, IM, and FP are seeing increased compensation with health care reform...

Funny, I just read an article about this. Salary is/can be a poor marker of effectiveness. Sometime, you have to pay more to get someone who is effective.

 

[nimbus]

Hard to really draw conclusions from this but part of me wonders if we pay for what we get. Maybe we should consider paying someone to be a leader. I’m not sure it’s something to be proud of to be grouped with plastics, derm, and urology for compensating our national representation poorly. Plastics and derm are also losing turf battles for lucrative procedures. Meanwhile, peds, IM, and FP are seeing increased compensation with health care reform...

It’s the ABA, not the ASA.

 

[Iso4ane]

The weight of the wait is raising my BP.

 

[1halfMVsquared]

The weight of the wait is raising my BP.

Literally the worst part

 

[turnupthegas]

Exam results up. I passed! Alexa play “Life is Good”

 

[Iso4ane]

I injured myself today. But I found out I passed, so all things considered, It was a good day.

 

[turnupthegas]

Keep your head up - you’ll get it next time. The test is horrible. I did the Ho Course thought it was very helpful. Went through it almost 3x. I did the mock orals with the practice examiners as well as Ho. I think he’s tougher than the exam, so I found it helpful. Spent quite a bit of money but worth it.

 

[Passinggasbutnotboards]

Took orals today....phew, brutal.

Does anyone have a clue how the grade the stems? I feel as though I did really well on one stem and absolutely bombed the other. Any chance it'll average out?

The one I bombed is killing me as now looking back, I think I knew everything they were asking cold....I just had no idea they were asking it haha. They were very intimidating, and it threw me off my game big time.

 

[JOHNBROCHILL]

I took orals last month and felt I bombed the first stem. I also did not finish the 3rd grab bag, but then did very well with the second set of examiners. I remember the examiners pushing me in a certain direction and I responded with a trailing off sentence of "Yeah I suppose, perhaps, that could... potentially... be a possible diagnosis.." They definitely got to me.

I replayed some things I said over the next few weeks and realized I stated a few things confidently that were just wrong. I should have done more mock exams. Last week I started researching what prep course I should take. This week I found out I passed. Good riddance. Who the hell knows with that test.