ABOS Boards Part 2: How to Prepare for Test Day-ABOS Boards Part 2: How to Prepare for Test Day (5)

ABOS Boards Part 2: How to Prepare for Test Day (5)

Pdf Summary

This document, authored by Dr. Ryan Rauck, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, outlines strategies for effectively preparing and presenting clinical cases during orthopedic surgery board exams.

Key points include:

1. <strong>Writing the Case Summary</strong>: The initial portion of the case summary is read aloud directly to examiners, necessitating careful preparation. It should succinctly include all pertinent information such as patient demographics, injury details, initial treatment, complications, and outcomes. Dr. Rauck provides an example of a left proximal humerus nonunion case, detailing treatment steps and postoperative complications with management. Following this, additional narrative detail can be presented addressing satisfaction, complications, successes, and areas for improvement.

2. <strong>Exam Preparation</strong>: Candidates should thoroughly review the exam rubric and anticipate potential questions about each case, including relevant literature. Special attention is given to cases with complications — understanding recognition, prevention, and alternative management strategies is crucial. For example, managing humeral shaft fractures involves knowing indications for operative intervention, approaches, fixation options, nerve palsy considerations, and thromboprophylaxis.

3. <strong>Practice and Feedback</strong>: Presenting cases to colleagues or senior partners and noting their questions help refine knowledge and responses. Organizing key questions and answers for each case into files aids focused review.

4. <strong>Utilizing Technology and Resources</strong>: Uploading case summaries and rubrics into AI tools like ChatGPT can help predict examiner questions. Literature searches on platforms such as OpenEvidence provide evidence support for clinical decisions.

5. <strong>Presentation Approaches</strong>: When presenting, one may choose either to state the facts and allow examiners to lead questioning or to proactively guide the discussion.

6. <strong>Exam Day Logistics</strong>: The oral exam involves staying in one room while multiple examiners rotate through, evaluating three cases over four 25-minute sessions.

Overall, Dr. Rauck emphasizes meticulous case preparation, understanding of complications, evidence-based decision making, and practicing presentation skills as key to success in orthopedic case examinations.

Keywords

Orthopaedic Surgery Board Exams

Clinical Case Presentation

Case Summary Writing

Exam Preparation Strategies

Complication Management

Orthopaedic Literature Review

Practice and Feedback

AI Tools in Exam Prep

Presentation Techniques

Oral Exam Logistics