December 2022 Tip of the Month

For ABOG 2023 Certifying Exam Candidates

The application period for the 2023 certifying exam begins on March 1^st. However, if you wait this long to enter cases, you’re already EIGHT months behind. For all GYN patients, you should have a file containing each patient’s H&P, operative notes, pathology reports, and discharge summaries. For OB patients, their file should contain their prenatal form, delivery notes, discharge summaries, and postpartum notes. Don’t make it complicated - just enter the cases based on your clinical and common sense. Rest assured, Dr. Das will facilitate our Case List Construction during our Virtual April 2023 review course, which starts on the 18^th and concludes on the 23^rd. ABC utilizes e-learning tools and strategies to appeal to and meet the needs of all adult learners preparing for their OB/GYN certifying board exam. Each day is filled with focused didactic sessions on OB, REI, Primary Care, Oncology, GYN/Office & FPM.

For AOBOG & ABOG 2023 Qualifying/Written Exam Candidates

For ABOG folk, the $1600 application and examination fee are due by February 16th. An additional late fee of $360 will be applied from February 17^th until March 3^rd. No applications will be accepted after March 3^rd. For those of you taking your AOBOG exam, the $1175 examination fee is due by February 27th. The final application deadline is March 24th with an additional late fee of $352.50. If this is your first time taking the exam and you have historically performed at least average on your CREOG in-service-training exam, it’s now time to develop a study plan. Begin by doing some soul-searching to develop a realistic plan. Make sure to plan to take at least two days off to avoid burnout and start first with the MUST KNOW topics. Our Test Topics Manual is a good resource to show you the way. Although it’s helpful to plan the big picture for the whole year’s study schedule, plot only December with the specifics. You will need this as a starting point to get a better feel for how to better budget subsequent months’ study plans. Limit yourself to a clinical review and don’t forget to budget time for written questions on each topic. If this is at least your second attempt, you should have already implemented your study plan. If you have not done so, review the guidance above. By this time, you should have figured out realistically how to predict the time required to review a topic. Do more soul-searching to develop a realistic plan through June. We strongly recommend our Test Taking Skills Online Course if you have traditionally struggled with the written exam format. In just 2 months you can perfect our CQRPE test-taking methodology and test drive it on the January CREOG exam.

Test Taking Technique
The CREOG in-service training exam is an excellent resource to gauge your performance for the written board exam. Anyone, not just residents, can take the exam, and is STRONGLY advised for those who are repeating their board exam. Don’t worry…the results come only to you. Visit https://www.acog.org/Education-and-Events/CREOG for more information
For you, AOBOG folk the exam is from April 26 – April 28.
It’s always good to keep it all in perspective. Begin with the end in mind. Make sure you cross-reference to the AOBOG list of exam content before you launch or monitor your studying.
               GYN                      39-43%
               REI                        7-11%
               FPMRS                 6-10%
               Oncology               4-8%
               OB & MFM            34-38%

Chief Residents Planning a Subspecialty Fellowship

I know you’re excited to matriculate into your beloved subspecialty, but it’s time to also strategize for your general oral exam. Subspecialty fellows are permitted to select a minimum of 20 applied patients from their Chief resident year for their off-specialty case list. In other words, GYN Oncologists, REI and Urogynecologists will need an OB list and MFMs need a GYN list. Therefore, make sure you hold onto that residency log! 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 cases later. Also, the more categories you chose, the greater depth and breadth. Not only does this bode well for a first impression, but more importantly, assures that the examiner won’t run out of time choosing cases from your list. For prospective cases, keep a file of the following: for the GYN patients, collect the H&Ps, operative notes, pathology reports, and discharge summaries; for the OB patients, keep a file of the prenatal forms, delivery notes, discharge summaries, and postpartum notes. Don’t worry about the office patients at all, as you may compile these only during your fellowship. A word of caution – right now you are at your peak for general OB/GYN knowledge. Believe it or not, even one year 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 cool, esoteric, bizarre, once-in-a-career cases now will be a nightmare to defend later. Talk about bah humbug! Your greatest allies are your junior residents. If they can’t easily defend that case, then cease and desist and “go fish” for another.

For AOBOG 2023 Oral Exam Candidates

For those preparing for the April oral exam you may have to forego holiday presents, as your $3275 application fee is due on December 20^th (or when the maximum cap is reached). For those wanting to be well-prepared for the spring exam consider purchasing our Home Study Package. We provide 95% of current exam topics in our 42-hour lecture series. In addition, Dr. Adelowo and Dr. Das share over 2 hours of videos on AOBOG core topics, exam strategy, and defense.

Test Taking Technique
ABC’s OMM for the OBGYN question manual is designed specifically for our AOBOG candidates, covering topics for those preparing for their written, oral, or OCC osteopathic exam. It includes 25 multiple-choice questions, visual clinical scenarios based on osteopathic structural exams, and related OMT/OMM techniques. Click on the link for more details.   

ABOG Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

Part II: Lifelong Learning
All 45 articles are due December 15^th, even for those of you who also took your written exam this year. I know a rare few of you haven’t even done any. If you’re desperate, you need to pass 80% of 120 questions, so that’s only 30 of the 45 articles; however, you only get 25 Category I CME credits. Remember also that you must have enrolled in at least one practice module each year. If you have not, that can also be grounds to yank your certification.
Part III: Secure Written Exam
If you have not maintained at least an 86% average on your MOC articles and you’re about to enter MOC Year 6 in 2023, you must pass a written exam by December 15, 2023. Incredibly, you get FIVE attempts to pass the exam and can take it practically any day of the year!  Finally, the Board has acknowledged that an emphasis will be placed on both the Compendium and the articles. Attend our virtual April 19-23, 2023, Board Review Course for fun!  This is not the same type of review course from the past. Just as you’ve evolved and practiced evidence-based medicine, our course is designed for the adult learner, is exam-focused, and all lectures follow the national ACOG guidelines. Heck, you’ll walk away with loads of everyday practice tips, too.
You can do it … we can help!

AOBOG Osteopathic Continuous Certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology (OCC)

The recertification exam has been replaced with the (ARC) aka Advanced Real-time Certification. The good news is that it is an online assessment system allowing you to fulfill your OCC Component 3 requirements. Each year you are to complete 24 assessments.  Go to the AOBOG website for additional details. 

ABC Tip:
Consider attending our 5-day virtual review course on April 19-24, 2023.  This is not the same type of review course as 1in the past.  Just as you evolve and practice evidence-based medicine, our course is designed for the adult learner and all lectures follow the national ACOG guidelines. Even better, you’ll walk away with Category I CME hours and with loads of clinical pearls, too.

Royal College 2023 Exam Candidates

The holiday season has arrived, and you will probably want to spoil your loved ones. With the written exam being right around the corner in March and the applied oral exam in April, we recommend that you check out our Royal College products page to help you better prepare. We offer a variety of practice exams and mock orals tailored to help you pass both exams.