2020 oral boards

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Passinggasbutnotboards said:
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.
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its average i believe. so you can bomb a stem and still pass
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I remember feeling bad, when we got to a few of those emergent situations, I knew the steps, but definitely fumbled over the order at which to do things.
 
Hey guys, some of us are getting invites to take the test later this year. I wanted to plan ahead - how many weeks should I allot to study (It's been a year since I did any anesthesia) if I'm not working a full time job? or how many weeks should I allot if i am working a full time job? Thanks!
 
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rocsux said:
Hey guys, some of us are getting invites to take the test later this year. I wanted to plan ahead - how many weeks should I allot to study (It's been a year since I did any anesthesia) if I'm not working a full time job? or how many weeks should I allot if i am working a full time job? Thanks!
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3-4 months of study, with at least 50+ practice tests taken. The majority of your study should be learning how to take the test, how it is formatted, and how to play "the game". Not studying hard science, assuming you passed written.
 
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i'm assuming you mean 3-4 months while working full time
 
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Took the exam a couple weeks ago and am still having dreams about it. I'm pretty sure I messed up a resuscitation and probably some other things. Do the examiners generally try to probe you further if you're missing a critical point? Funny thing is that for both stems, even with what I felt were sub-par answers they weren't questioning my responses much. At one point, I got prompted on what dose I would use for a drug and what I would do next if the treatment was ineffective, and the examiner just moved on after I listed my second drug of choice (looking back, both drugs were not first line treatments for this scenario). I keep wondering whether they were just letting me hang myself or they found my answer satisfactory and decided to move on. I got to the 3rd grab bag of both stems and then got purged from the session mid-sentence about 2-3 questions in. Didn't feel any aggression from the examiners.
 
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how are they preventing people from abusing the zoom? are they making you show share screen? Whats preventing people from just googling or having pdf during the dissection period
 
DilaudidDreams said:
how are they preventing people from abusing the zoom? are they making you show share screen? Whats preventing people from just googling or having pdf during the dissection period
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they watch your eyes and where you look. If suspicious, they could probably ask you to show your work station.
 
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does it mean results today
 
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Passed. Love how they made us wait the full 6 weeks this time around, slow roll torture at its best. Used UBPx2, ABA stems, UpToDate and mock orals with a buddy.
 
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Passed. I took 4/26 so very quick turn around for me. Was expecting another few weeks at least.

I’d highly recommend doing mock tests with Ho, well worth the money. The examiners and test overall were quite pleasant compared to what I was used to with Ho. His 4 day course is great too, I think much better then UBP.

I really didn’t have much time to prepare; found out in January about April. Started going through UBP early February, got sick and had family stuff March which completely killed my studying. Was very unprepared with 3 weeks to go; went through Ho’s 4 day crash course twice and did around 7 tests with him. The real thing like I said above I felt quite comfortable throughout.
 
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Has anyone who recently received results actually received the official result letter in the mail? They supposedly mailed them out June 1st....but so far, nothing.
 
Poohbear012 said:
Did you guys do old asa exams that are floating around? Thoughts? Anybody with any typed up answers of some kind? Just would like something to compare/guide/different perspectives etc
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If you have any oral board examiners at your institution you could always ask them to go through them with you as a practice/simulation.

I did UBP and Gupta for oral board review. Still waiting on results though.
 
Poohbear012 said:
Did you guys do old asa exams that are floating around? Thoughts? Anybody with any typed up answers of some kind? Just would like something to compare/guide/different perspectives

How long did u study and how many times did you go through ubp? Any practice exams with anyone? I got my exam rescheduled twice (once they cx cuz of covid, once I rescheduled due to personal reason). I suck at verbally answering questions and ubp though I'm reviewing for content am not sure is right thing for me and am just freaking out.
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Just found out I passed. I went through Board Stiff Too and Rapid Review Anesthesiology Oral Boards, each about 3 times. I studied 3-6 hours a day for 2 months. I didn't practice with anyone, but as I went through cases, I did practice saying everything out loud. As I went through each book the first time, I made a list of every topic I knew I needed to look up and be refreshed about (ACC/AHA guidelines, considerations for different types of neuro cases, etc). I felt that those two books covered basically every major testable topic, and I think I was well prepared to go through any case they threw at me. I felt that I had a "spiel" for every complication, and would be able to rattle it off without much thought, and know that it was a thorough answer. That being said, I hated the exam, and the incredible anxiety in the weeks leading up to it. For what it's worth, I was in a pain fellowship last year, so had gone basically 14 months without doing anesthesia. I would recommend these books, with a very strong recommendation for Board Stiff Too. Good luck.
 
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Poohbear012 said:
Thanks for your reply. I'm surprised you only used those 2 books and felt ready. No old exams or practice mock with anyone?
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Board Stiff has about 35 cases with answers, and another 60-something cases without answers, which I went through slowly a few times, saying all of my answers aloud. I did look at a few practice exams a few weeks out from the test, but they seemed very similar to the cases I had already gone through, and I didn't spend much time on them. It's just my n of 1, but I did feel well prepared.
 
stsa84 said:
Board Stiff has about 35 cases with answers, and another 60-something cases without answers, which I went through slowly a few times, saying all of my answers aloud. I did look at a few practice exams a few weeks out from the test, but they seemed very similar to the cases I had already gone through, and I didn't spend much time on them. It's just my n of 1, but I did feel well prepared.
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Thank you and congrats!
 
I ended up practicing very frequently with a colleague. I didn't do any formal mock tests with attendings at my institution though I felt that I should have. I did do a mock with a board examiner in my CA-3 year which was about a year prior to my oral board test. Also found out today that I passed! hah such a great feeling.
 
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hiyaman said:
I ended up practicing very frequently with a colleague. I didn't do any formal mock tests with attendings at my institution though I felt that I should have. I did do a mock with a board examiner in my CA-3 year which was about a year prior to my oral board test. Also found out today that I passed! hah such a great feeling.
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Not gonna lie, you had me with the first half.

Congrats.
 
Only did UBPx2, mock oral with friends for all ABA sample cases, and 4 formal mock oral sessions with attendings.

Felt confident walking out of the exam, and thankfully that feeling wasn't wrong.
 
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Hi all! I'm taking my oral boards mid nov, wondering if anyone wanted to do zoom practice mock orals together since thats the format anyway and study buddies can help! let me know! thanks! :)
 
Question for those who have taken the virtual exam this year, regarding the OSCE portion:

Without giving any privileged info away of course, how is it set up in terms of the exam? Is there the oral board exam in the morning, and the OSCE in the afternoon, for example, with a break in between?

Also, the OSCE content outline from the ABA says ‘ Each OSCE scenario will address one of the following skills’, them A) Communications and Professionalism (including informed consent and ethical issues), B)Technical Skills (including interpretation of monitors, and interpretations of echocardiograms).

Does each person have one OSCE scenario (i.e. A or B), or two scenarios, (eg one from A and one from B)?

Just want to make sure I’m preparing for this part correctly, thank you!
 
JoelJoel84 said:
Question for those who have taken the virtual exam this year, regarding the OSCE portion:

Without giving any privileged info away of course, how is it set up in terms of the exam? Is there the oral board exam in the morning, and the OSCE in the afternoon, for example, with a break in between?

Also, the OSCE content outline from the ABA says ‘ Each OSCE scenario will address one of the following skills’, them A) Communications and Professionalism (including informed consent and ethical issues), B)Technical Skills (including interpretation of monitors, and interpretations of echocardiograms).

Does each person have one OSCE scenario (i.e. A or B), or two scenarios, (eg one from A and one from B)?

Just want to make sure I’m preparing for this part correctly, thank you!
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I had about a 2 hr break in between my SOE (morning session) and OSCE (afternoon).

There are several actual OSCE stations. I had:
1. Get consent.
2. Discuss Intraop complication.
3. Discuss delaying case with surgeon.
4. Discuss practice improvement project process.
5. Ethical conundrum.
6. TEE stations.
7. Monitor stations.
8. Maybe I'm forgetting something? I don't really think so.

Not necessarily in that order, but my TEE and monitor stations were last.
 
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JoelJoel84 said:
Question for those who have taken the virtual exam this year, regarding the OSCE portion:

Without giving any privileged info away of course, how is it set up in terms of the exam? Is there the oral board exam in the morning, and the OSCE in the afternoon, for example, with a break in between?

Also, the OSCE content outline from the ABA says ‘ Each OSCE scenario will address one of the following skills’, them A) Communications and Professionalism (including informed consent and ethical issues), B)Technical Skills (including interpretation of monitors, and interpretations of echocardiograms).

Does each person have one OSCE scenario (i.e. A or B), or two scenarios, (eg one from A and one from B)?

Just want to make sure I’m preparing for this part correctly, thank you!
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One thing to note, is how long the break is dependant on the assignments for the day, but ASAIK, most people had at least an hour between the two sessions. Second, some people have their OSCE first, some have it second.
 
DocVapor said:
I had about a 2 hr break in between my SOE (morning session) and OSCE (afternoon).

There are several actual OSCE stations. I had:
1. Get consent.
2. Discuss Intraop complication.
3. Discuss delaying case with surgeon.
4. Discuss practice improvement project process.
5. Ethical conundrum.
6. TEE stations.
7. Monitor stations.
8. Maybe I'm forgetting something? I don't really think so.

Not necessarily in that order, but my TEE and monitor stations were last.
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This sounds kinda stupid
 
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Canceling case. Key word: patient safety. Just trying to keep the patients safe. Someone screwed up, and I’m trying to un-screw it.
 
Anyone take their boards Week 13 8/30/2021-9/4/2021? Still no results yet despite last week being week 6 (under the impression scores always released 4-6 weeks).
 
Oof I thought it was 4-6w as well :/ thanks for the heads up
 
What's weird is that one of my friends took it in the period immediately prior to yours (8/21ish) and got turn around in like three weeks. Apparently results have been coming out on Tuesdays fwiw.
 
Passed. Must be graded in batches - I took my 3.5 weeks ago.
 
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Yeah, I was pretty recent as well. I didn't want to say anything until I got the scores in case I wildly misread the situation, but I thought overall it was pretty fair and straightfoward, particularly the OSCE, which is slam dunk if you just read the content outline
 
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shepardsun said:
Yeah, I was pretty recent as well. I didn't want to say anything until I got the scores in case I wildly misread the situation, but I thought overall it was pretty fair and straightfoward, particularly the OSCE, which is slam dunk if you just read the content outline
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Pass and done :)
 
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Passed!! Now goodbye student doctor network, a big stressor of my life the past 13 years 😂
 
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Passed! Thank goodness. So glad it’s over
 
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Passed! Also thought it was fairly straightforward and felt somewhat good afterwards.
 
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Passed as well. I did not feel good "walking" out of that or that it was straightforward. Glad it is all over now.
 
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thetuman said:
Passed as well. I did not feel good "walking" out of that or that it was straightforward. Glad it is all over now.
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End result is the same, my friend. Congratulations!
 
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Passed! First thought after logging off was "I think I passed that," but plenty of second guessing over the last few weeks. So relieved to be done.
 
Passed as well! I started studying about a month and a half before my test date (which in retrospect, was too late because I felt it wasn't enough time and I was essentially cramming and going nuts) initially with UBP, however I found that I wasn't retaining much or really using my brain. Felt like I was memorizing answers that were too long and didn't adapt to the actual situation like if they asked you a variant of a question. Instead, I went on SDN and read about Dr ho. He is expensive, however but worth it. I bought Dr Ho's four day course, which I found extremely useful. I could hear his voice in my head. I did 10 mock exams with him and he is super tough. He makes you really learn the material, adapt to challenges/variant questions, and work on your style as well. He will go above and beyond to help you pass. He was testing with me until like 10:30 p.m. at night. I am someone who responds well to someone pushing me like that, so please know you won't get coddled, however on test day you won't regret that you prepared like that.
 
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