Speaking of which, a well constructed case list makes all the difference in defending it later. Sooo much is riding on your case list. Take the time to do it right. The ABC faculty can provide a comprehensive case list review as well. Send whatever you have NOW, as it is a first-come first-served basis and we get overrun starting in mid June.

Come to one of our case list construction workshops scattered throughout the country. We’ll show you how to raise your case list head and shoulders above the other candidates.

You can do it…we can help.

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Case List Construction Tip

With you every step…

ABOG no longer reports the score for the written board exam. Unfortunately now the only predictor of your performance is your CREOG score. You must take it very seriously now. Our November 14-18 Course is the perfect time to prepare your assault and nail the exam in January.

Only ONE MONTH LEFT to complete your collection of cases. At this point, you must be up-to-date with all of your past entries. The clock is ticking. You must enter cases no later than EVERY WEEK now.

Ideally, right after you dictate your operative or delivery notes, then complete the hard copy of the case list form. Once a week, then enter this data into your case list software. At this point you should have three fourths if not all of your office patients selected. Plan to complete all 40 categories by end of May. Remember you can apply only one or two patients per category.

You should now have three binders for each of the three sections, OB, GYN, and Office. For each GYN patient, compile their case list sheet, H&P, operative note, pathology report, and discharge summary. For all OB patients, keep a file of the prenatal form, delivery note, discharge summary, and postpartum note. For the office patients, file the case list sheet, appropriate copies of the office visit(s) and supporting labs, imaging studies, etc.

If you have been using the ABOG case list software, chances are you are now appreciating why your predecessors grumble they would have never used it. Don’t fret — it was helpful to at least get you familiar with the process. However, if you want to take full control over the optimal construction, we recommend you customize your own software.

Rest assured, this is really pretty easy. Come to one of our case list construction workshops, that are scattered throughout the country. We’ll show you how to raise your case list head and shoulders above the other candidates. For those who are OCD, order your copy of Pass Your Oral Ob/Gyn Board Exam by Dr. Das for a complete step-by-step guide.

Before you are all consumed with finishing your case list, be proactive and register for your fall review course now. Our September 5-9 course is strategically just after you turned in your darn case list. If your exam is in November, you will need to come out running. We’re not just a review course, rather a BOARD review course, to provide an exam focused review. Ideally complement the content covered at the review course with an Oral Exam Workshop devoted to defending your case list.

Speaking of which, a well constructed case list makes all the difference in defending it later. Sooo much is riding on your case list. Take the time to do it right. The ABC faculty can provide a comprehensive case list review as well. Send whatever you have NOW, as it is a first-come first-served basis and we get overrun starting in mid June.

Your goal is to review and incorporate your reviewer’s recommendations by June 30. Don’t worry about studying at all this month. Your priority is to finish that case list. “Git R Done!”

You can do it…we can help.

Case List Construction Tip

Regardless of your case list software, simply putting words in ITALICS, BOLD, CAPITAL LETTERS, and Underline can make all the difference. Go the last mile and use shadowing to highlight your columns or categories. The ultimate formatting tool to optimize your organization are • bullets.

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You need to do some soul searching and accept that you simply will not be able to cover all the topics on your study plan. Have you finished the MUST KNOW topics? Our Test Topics Manual is a great resource, as it lists high yield topics and the expected test questions. Revise your study plan weekly and begin to discard those low yield topics. Plan to FINISH ALL, yes your ENTIRE review THIS month, as June will focus on strengthening your strengths.

YOU MUST PRACTICE WITH WRITTEN questions at the end of EACH study topic. That’s easier said than done, since most sources aren’t indexed. We have two solutions that achieve this but from different angles. Our Written Exam Webinar, is the perfect complement to the review course. The written questions follow the lecture topics, PLUS cover those “other” critical topics in the Test Topics Manual that we didn’t cover during our five days. You complete 20 questions privately, then our faculty lead an interactive discussion of the answers, using our signature test taking skills strategy. The webinar has already started, but goes up to the week of your exam. You can access previous sessions in our archives to help you catch up. You’ll walk away with about 500 questions.

Of course, why reinvent the wheel? Check out Written Exam Recollections Manual as well as Are U Smarter Than A Board Examiner? that are based on past exam question themes. They are indexed as well and will give you another 800 questions.

Since the test is computerized, ideally practice with tests of this same format. When was the last time you’ve practiced this format? It certainly wasn’t with the CREOG in-service training exam, was it? We recommend you try out the computerized diagnostic tests that are offered through our link with Jolley Test Prep Services. Not only will you get your score, but the computer will also analyze why you missed the questions. Better yet, it will search for error patterns and make recommendations for corrective action.

You can do it…we can help.

Test Taking Technique

Refer to the ABOG Bulletin on how those 20 patients are selected. To be on the safe side, we recommend you collect at least 30, so you can strategically select the final 20 later. For those patients, keep a file of the following: for the GYN patients, collect the H&Ps, operative note, pathology report, and discharge summary. For the OB patients, keep a file of the prenatal form, delivery note, discharge summary, and postpartum note. Don’t worry about the office patients at all, as you may compile this only during your fellowship.

A word of caution — right now you are at your peak for general OB/GYN knowledge. Believe it or not, two years from now, your knowledge base will regress to that of an intern. Yes, it’s true: if you don’t use it, you lose it. So those really cool, esoteric, bizarre, once-in-a career cases now will be a nightmare to defend later. Your greatest allies are your junior residents. If they can’t easily defend that case, then cease and subsist and “go fish” for another.

You can do it…we can help.

Test Taking Technique

With you every step…

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You can download your application for the October 2012 exam beginning on July 1. This exam is usually a walk in the park for generalists practicing both obstetrics & gynecology. The breakdown of the OCC exam is as follows:

You can do it, we can help.

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ABC has a Comprehensive MOC Manual that summarizes past articles and especially those questions that overlap. We think it will be easy to predict the exam focus later.

You can do it…we can help.

If you neglected to collect cases in your off specialty from your chief year, you must get back to your residency institution to gather those cases AND enter them into your software. GYN Oncologists, REI and Urogynecologists will need an OB list and MFMs need a GYN list. If you currently have to take call for these off services, you can use those cases.

If you are retrospectively collecting cases, go with your comfort zone. Dang, how could you have forgotten so much in such a short time? Unfortunately, it’s true: if you don’t use it, you lose it. Go with the bread-and-butter cases. Remember this is your general boards. We recommend you chose those cases that reflect high-yield topics. Our Test Topics Manual and the #1 guide, Pass Your Oral Ob/Gyn Board Exam by Dr. Das will be an excellent step-by-step guide.

You can do it…we can help.

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Test Taking Technique

With you every step…

Our BOARD Review Course April 11-15 is perfect whether you’re just trying to pull all those months of studying together or if you procrastinated and trying to control your panic. We will review 82 subjects in 44 hours over five days, which historically covers 90% of exam topics! Our faculty are especially knowledgeable in written board exam trends and conclude each lecture with written questions.

YOU MUST PRACTICE WITH WRITTEN questions at the end of EACH study topic. We recommend you try out the computerized diagnostic tests that are offered through our link with Jolley Test Prep (JTP). Not only will you get your score, but the computer will also analyze why you missed the questions. Better yet, it will search for error patterns and make recommendations for corrective action.

The ACOG PROLOG series are excellent for their explanations of the answers, although the questions are not the most representative format of board questions. Finally, you can only ask so many questions on a topic. Predictably some questions are recycled. So learn from previous exam takers and order our Written Exam Recollections.

You can do it…we can help.

Test Taking Technique

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We recognize that there is precious little time to wade through the volumes of material. That’s why our April 11-15 course provides an exam focused review in accordance with the latest ACOG clinical guidelines. We will review 82 subjects in 44 hours over five days, which historically covers 90% of exam topics! Our faculty are especially knowledgeable in written board exam trends and conclude each lecture with written questions.

You must be candid as to what you can/cannot accomplish on your study plan. Have you finished the MUST KNOW topics? Our Test Topics Manual is a great resource, as it lists high yield topics and the expected test questions. We suggest you shift to those topics that we don’t have time to cover at the course. These include statistics, ethics, genetics, safety, practice and liability management.

Don’t forget YOU MUST PRACTICE WITH WRITTEN questions at the end of EACH study topic. Our Written Exam Webinar, is designed to perfectly complement the April course. We will blast you with written exam questions based on those high yield subjects with the answer discussion led by our esteem faculty mentors. Since the test is computerized, ideally practice with tests of this same format. ABC, in collaboration with Jolley Test Prep Services offers computerized diagnostic tests. Also, don’t reinvent the wheel. Our written exam recollections manual has about 500 questions reconstructed from past exams. You can bet that some will be recycled for your exam.

For those who have traditionally struggled with written exams, failed the written board exam, or did not score at least 200 on your CREOG in-service exam, you cannot continue with modus operandi. It didn’t work before, so why set yourself up for the same outcome? We have found that knowledge is rarely the problem. You couldn’t have made it this far is that was the case. It’s typically a processing problem. The Jolley’s have a brilliantly simply and effective PROCESS with proven success. Their test taking workshop is offered at our April course.

You can do it…we can help.

Test Taking Technique

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