June 2020 Tip of the Month

For ABOG 2020 Qualifying (WRITTEN) Exam Candidates

June is here!!! Where did the time go? Fortunately, ABOG has moved the exam to July 16th.  Now’s the time to quickly unload some ballast. We recommend you limit your studying to a review and solidify your strengths. Don’t study those topics whose questions you totally nailed or those about which you have no clue. Instead, review those subjects whose answers you narrowed down to two. Strive for 70% correct, as this will assure a pass.
You must practice with WRITTEN questions at the end of each study topic. Our Written Question Manuals, unlike many sources, is indeed categorized by subject so you can immediately test your acumen on a specific topic.  They are comprised of 1400+ questions, plus a narrative explanation for each answer along with references.
Now that you are less than 8 weeks away from taking the test, you need to increase your stamina. A perfect way to do this is with ABC’s Q Banks for the OB/GYN. These are computer-based multiple choice questions, sold in sets of 50 mixed OB/GYN topics. Each set is $40 or purchase all 6 sets @ $215.
Just as an actor wouldn’t give a performance without a dress rehearsal or an athlete warming up before the race, you also need a dress rehearsal. Our Practice Test, just like your exam, is 250 multiple choice questions, timed at 4 hours and then you’re kicked out. OK, we’re a softie, we’ll give you two shots at it.
You’re coming down the homestretch. You CAN do it. Kick in and sprint to the finish line and cross as the winner … and the prize?  Now you get to start collecting your case list!
You can do it, we can help.

Test Taking Technique:
Your exam will be held at a Pearson-Vue testing center. Call 1-888-235-7650 or go online to www.pearsonvue.com/abog to locate your testing center. We recommend you take a leisurely drive now to make sure you know where to go on July 16th. For an inside peek, you can take an online tour of a Pearson Professional Center at www.pearsonvue.com/abog. We strongly recommend you familiarize yourself with the conduct of the exam by taking the “computer-based testing tutorial”. For most, the hardest part of a computer-based test is not being able to use your pencil. However, you will receive a dry-erase board and marker. The tutorial also shows you how to mark your answers, and especially how to electronically highlight, underline, etc. In addition to navigation instructions, you can also take a demo test.
Just a head’s up for the day of the test.... you are not allowed a watch, but they have a clock on the screen.
There is no penalty for guessing, so answer ALL of the questions. If you have to wager a wild guess, then chose the SAME letter answer, as you statistically will get more correct.
Finally, DON’T CHANGE your FIRST answer … never.
GOOD LUCK!

ABOG Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Candidates

Part I: Lifelong Learning
ABOG just published the 2^nd quarter articles. Are you still working on the first quarter articles? Summer fun is just around the corner, so get as many articles done now to minimize guilt as you participate in family frolic.
Part I: Secure Written Exam
Those of you in MOC Year 6, you must have successfully read & taken the article quizzes with a passing grade of 86% or you must pass their written exam by December 16^th. We have a number of products to help you prepare for and pass your written exam. For those of you who have always tapped into a review course in preparing for your board certifying exams, you’ll no doubt benefit greatly by attending one of our five-day review courses being held September 16-20 and November 18-22. This is not the same type of review course as in the past.  Just as you evolve and practice 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 Category I CME hours and with loads of everyday practice tips, too.
ABOG has confirmed that emphasis will be placed on both the Compendium and the articles. So don’t you think the highest yield will be those MOC articles that overlap with the Compendium?
Still looking for more questions? Our Written Question Manuals provide an additional 1400+ questions, plus a narrative explanation for each answer along with references. Challenge yourself with the above written exam questions and show those young whippersnappers that you’re still scalpel sharp.
Oh, just in case you think you’re coasting after you pass your written exam, think again. You still have to read the 2020 articles. No rest for the weary!

For ABOG 2020 Certifying Exam (ORAL Exam) Candidates

Your examination fee of $1025  and case list are both due (abog.org) by August 31^st, 2020.  Unfortunately, the examination fee is in addition to the $840 application fee that you already forked over.
Case list collections end June 30^th. Won’t it be nice to have that monkey off your back? However, you still have to contend with the 800-pound gorilla in the closet. TOP priority is to enter your data. You cannot afford to get behind, as the first draft is never satisfactory. Send whatever you have NOW to your following local/regional consultants or colleagues for recommendations in CONSTRUCTING your case list:      

The ABC faculty can provide a Comprehensive Case List Review as well, but it is a first-come-first-served basis and we get overrun beginning about mid-June.
S-o-o-o much is riding on your case list. A well-constructed case list makes all the difference in defending it later. Take the time to do it right. For a complete step-by-step guide, order the 5^th edition of Pass Your Oral Ob/Gyn Board Exam by Dr. Das. For those of you who need a tutorial, we have our signature Case List Construction online. This is great whether you attended live or not, as you can keep replaying it until you get it right.
I know you can’t see past August 31^st, but you need to register for your review course. We suggest our September 15-20, course which is primarily designed for those taking their oral exam. If you discover later that you have a December or January exam, we’ll let you switch over to our November 17-22 course.  We’re not just a review course, but a BOARD review course, providing an exam focused review. Ideally, complement the content covered at the review course with an Oral Exam Workshop, devoted to defending your case list. However, don’t worry about studying at all this month. Your priority is to finish that case list. “Git R Done!”

For AOBOG 2020 ORAL Exam Candidates

The application & examination fee of $3275 for the fall exam is due by June 22^nd (or by June 29^th if you want to pay a late fee). The early bird did get the worm, as AOBOG may still be imposing a cap of 50 candidates for the September exam.  It’s a first-come-first-served basis so don’t dilly-dally. Applications for the Spring 2021 exam are available September 1^st.
After many years, AOBOG changed the traditional ten core topics in 2015, but also the exam administration. Some of the core topics now are very broad so it’s critical to conduct a thorough review. Our Home study Packages are a great way to assure that you’ve covered all your bases. You can also test drive the exam with our Oral Exam Webinar archives.
For those of you planning for the Spring, 2021 exam, I hope it’s obvious that it is not to your advantage to procrastinate. Come out running by starting your review with either our September 16-20 or November 17-22 Review Course. Our Oral Exam Webinar Archives, which was designed by a DO for DOs, reviews high yield exam topics in great detail.
You can do it, we can help.

Test Taking Tips:
Refer to aobog.org for the topics and conduct for the oral exam. The exam is still four hours, but the candidate will rotate hourly through three stations. The three stations will use scenarios developed from the topic list along with “visual slides, ultrasounds, video clips or monitor strips to introduce the essay type scoring.” You must obtain a minimum of 75 out of 100 possible points to pass a scenario and pass 9 of the 12 scenarios to pass the exam. Our Fourth Station product assures you know exactly what you’re walking in to.
With you every step…

Chief Residents Planning A Subspecialty Fellowship

Subspecialty fellows are permitted to select 20 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. Thus, make sure to 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 20 later. For those patients, 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 form, delivery notes, discharge summaries, and postpartum notes. 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 you can’t easily defend a case, cease and subsist and “go fish” for another.
You can do it, we can help.

Test Taking Tip:
DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR CASE LOG! As you gleefully skip out the door at the end of the month, take that case log with you. Otherwise, you get to make a special trip back in two years to visit all your good friends in medical records. Don’t expect them to wave their wand and magically make your chief resident log appear out of thin air. You don’t have to frame the darn thing, just stuff it away for safe keeping for later use.

Subspecialty Fellows Planning for their 2020 ABOG General Oral Board Exam

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.  Pass Your Oral Ob/Gyn Board Exam by Dr. Das provides an excellent step-by-step guide. Speaking of which, a well-constructed case list makes all the difference in defending it later. S-o-o-o 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 about mid-June.
I know you can’t see past August 31^st, but you need to register for your review course. The subspecialists LOVE our course because it’s a no-nonsense, stream-lined, exam-focused review. We have one right out of the gate from September 15-20 and then another from November 17-22.

You can do it, we can help.

Case List Construction Tip:
If you have not already done so, absolutely prioritize entering your off-specialty and office list. These will require more thought since they are out of your comfort zone. Don’t go nuts on your specialty case list – remember you’re sitting for your general boards. Also, don’t think your specialty will be obvious and somehow cut you some slack. The examiners receive only their section. So, for example, if you’re a GYN ONC, your OB examiners receive only your OB case list, so your list won’t be flashing neon lights announcing that you’re an oncologist. Assume nothing and prepare for everything.

For AOBOG 2021 WRITTEN Exam Candidates

The exam is almost a year away or April 16 – May 1, 2021.  What’s the hurry? Time to kick back and soak in the summer rays, right? Right, as long as you’ve consistently scored > 200 on your CREOG in-service-training exam. However, in order to avoid slipping into the clutches of lazy days of summer, keep the saw sharp by doing at least one question a day.
If at any time during your residency you scored < 200 on your CREOG in-service-training exam or you failed your board exam, you need to take some time off to recharge your batteries. However, you need to start strategizing on a study plan. Wouldn’t it make the most sense to cover those high yield exam topics? Our course syllabus covers 90% of exam topics. If you attend the November 18-22 Review Course, you will walk away with the priceless list. Additionally, schedule a  private consult to help you identify error patterns and how to fix them! Are you scheduled to sit for the November 9^th-14^th exam? Our September Prep Course is perfectly timed to review high yield topics and get the benefits of the test taking methodology. 

Test Taking Technique:
The only resource to predict your performance on your board exam is the CREOG in-service-training exam. Dig out your past scores. If your standardized scores were > 200, especially during your chief year, you have an excellent chance of passing your board exam ASSUMING that you continue to progress your learning at the same pace that you have these last several years. If your score was < 200, you must devise a plan to improve both your content and test-taking skills. So to put it quite bluntly, you must approach your CREOG in-service-training exam like it’s your board exam. What’s that old adage? “Trick me once, shame on you, trick me twice, shame on me.”
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 giving you the opportunity 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 coming to one of our 5-day review courses.  This is not the same type of review course as in 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.

CREOG In-service training exam participants

Well, the exam is not for another eight months. If you scored > 200, regardless of your PGY year, then you’re in pretty good shape. It’s going to get hectic with the end of the residency year coming up and everyone preparing to move up in rank.
If you scored < 200, that means you’re below the mean. Although CREOG will not reveal statistics, we have found that your performance level, regardless of your year, will continue. In other words, you PGY3s cannot use the excuse of being post call or on the Oncology service as the reason for poor performance. You need to be proactive to improve your score during your chief year. If you have scored < 200, or worse yet < 190, all three years, you need to take corrective measures to improve your test-taking skills. To simply study more is probably not the solution. Our Test Taking Skills Online Course will teach you the test-taking methodology, provide CQRPE questions and strategy videos by Dr. Das. Just give us a call.
ABOG no longer reports the score for the written board exam. Unfortunately, now the only predictor of your performance is your CREOG score. Therefore, you must take it very seriously. Our November 18-22 course is the perfect time to prepare your assault and nail the exam in January.
You can do it, we can help.

Test Taking Tips:
Don’t discard your CREOG in-service training exam performance report! You now know your strong and weak topics. Come up with a plan to fill in those weak topics. Don’t let these upcoming months of opportunity slip away.
With you every step…        

For Canadian Royal College examination: 2021 Written and Oral

For those sitting for 2021, we will start giving you advice and tips in the upcoming months. 

FPMRS 2020 Qualifying (Written) Examination Candidates 

June is here and your qualifying exam is around the corner (July 16, 2020). With your approval from the boards, by now you should have scheduled your examination with Pearson VUE to guarantee a spot on your examination day.  As you are in the process of rounding up your fellowship responsibilities and planning graduation, do not forget the importance of this critical step in your subspecialty board certification. The examination will be a computer-based structure in the form of multiple-choice questions with single best answer.  Test your knowledge and understanding of topics as outlined in the published Guide to Learning in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.  You should have an in-depth familiarity with the topics in this document. Practice Questions………. Practice Questions…………… We have put together a great high yield question bank which you can access through the link to our Written Question Manual. We have over 550 FPMRS written questions.

Some other examination day logistics to keep in mind –

• Duration of Examination – 3 hours and 45mins (you are allowed to leave the examination if you finish earlier than the allotted time)
• Two forms of Identification needed for admittance to the examination
• Use of personal electronic devices are prohibited during the examination time.
• Candidates can take unscheduled breaks not exceeding 10mins during the examination.
• Candidates who are lactating may request a 30mins break and extension of their examination (provided they have already notified ABOG of their request for this provision by now (90 days before the exam))

FPMRS 2021 Certifying (ORAL) Exam Candidates (April 12-16, 2021)

Application is now open online for registration. The final day for the application for the 2021 Certifying examination is July 31, 2020. ABOG has eliminated all late fees this year due to COVID-19. You will need to complete the required verification of hospital privileges form at the time of your application which you will need to email or faxed to the Board office. Candidates will receive an email confirmation once the application is approved by the Board.
You should be familiarizing yourself with the case list entry system at this time and start working on case list entry. The earlier you start this process, the better. Enter cases as you go from now through the deadline. You can also start having sections of your case lists reviewed by colleagues and mentor.
We are ready to get you prepared for this examination…..Register now for our November FPMRS Review Course in Charlotte NC Nov 20-22, 2020.

MFM 2021 ORAL Exam Candidates

Can you believe that you’re less than a year away from being a board-certified MFM? You’re entering the last leg of a marathon, and this part of the race sets the stage for everything that comes next. By now you should have applied and paid the fee for the exam but if you haven’t, don’t worry – you can still apply up until July 31,2 020. This year ABOG is waiving late fees due to COVID-19.  Make sure to set some extra money aside, there’s a second fee due in September.

The next big deadline coming up is for turning in your thesis. You should send your thesis around to your co-authors and mentors for feedback, or to anyone else you trust for advice on this topic. Remember to check the ABOG Bulletin for the formatting requirements. One detail that can be hard to come by is the thesis affidavit, which is a document that your fellowship program director has to sign. Remember that summer is a popular vacation time, so ask early and you will be ready to go! The thesis deadline is September 30^th at 5 pm.

REI 2021 ORAL Exam Candidates

By now you should have applied and paid the application fee for your exam. If you have not, the deadline to apply for the 2021 is July 31, 2020. This year ABOG is waiving all late fees due to COVID-19.

While you are waiting to hear if your application has been accepted, the next deadline that is coming your way is for thesis submission. This deadline is Sept. 30, 2020. You should send your thesis around to your co-authors and mentors for feedback, or to anyone else you trust for advice on this topic. Remember to check the ABOG Bulletin for the formatting requirements.