Written/Oral boards

[ESU_MD]

What do people think about taking the written boards Aug 14, then hitting the 1st oral board session Sept 21? I think I'm gonna do it.

Alot of people tell me I'm crazy, but my theory is you are never more ready for the boards then your last day of gen surgery residency.

There are later dates and I know alot of people wait 6months til after the writtens.

- another theory, no one studies til a few weeks before the boards anyway(deadline phenomenae)

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[Winged Scapula]

The oral boards are a different animal than the written and is actually more of a knowing how to take the test rather than the information itself.

That said, there is no reason you can't be ready by September if you have been trained and prepared for this type of exam.

 

[tussy]

I did this - actually it was a bit of a race to get into that sept oral session as a lot of people wnated to just get it over with. Also, you've already studied all the details for the written and they are fresh in your head, and it only takes a few weeks to go thru practice oral questions. Very good to study for the oral with a partner or group - give each other questions and critique your "examanship". It's more about how to do the exam than the actual information.

Go for it. It's great to get it over with.

 

[Dr. Z]

I would agree with getting it over with ASAP. That is what I did and I felt the momentum from the written exam helped to propel me through to the orals. Plus, I did not have orals hanging over my head.

 

[droliver]

Definately doable.

Get your hands on some of the old oral board exam narratives floating around. They give you an idea of how to direct your prep for that, which is MUCH different then how you prepare for the written.

If you still fresh from the writtens, I'd strongly encourage a course like Osler's for the orals and you may not need to do much additional studying. Just sitting in that course and listening to the scenario's gone over is valuable IMO