Stephanie Martin, MD, FACOG
MFM Course Director
Dr. Stephanie Martin completed her OB/GYN residency and MFM fellowship at the University of California Irvine Medicine Center. Her particular expertise is in obstetric critical care and complex maternal medical conditions, particularly cardiac disease.
Dr. Martin has authored multiple book chapters and articles on the topics of critical care obstetrics, maternal cardiac disease, maternal pulmonary disease and cardiac arrest, among other topics. She is a sought after speaker and has traveled internationally to give talks on these and other obstetric issues. In addition, she has been interviewed on Good Morning America and Fox & Friends.
Dr. Martin is well known and loved at ABC. She ranks as one of our top speakers for the general course. After receiving several years of feedback of a gap for a quality review for MFM, she was our logical pick for Course Director. Dr. Martin has carefully crafted an innovative course design, coupled with the perfect faculty to assure that we exceed your board prep needs.
For ABOG 2016 ORAL Exam Candidates
NOVEMBER Exam Candidates
It’s show time! A great way to pull it all together (or salvage what’s left if you procrastinated) is to take advantage of our Do or Die in Dallas private one-on-one sessions. Dr. Krishna Das, yeah - the lady who wrote THE book, Pass Your OB/GYN Oral Exam, will be in Dallas November 6th through 9th. She’s seen it all and can warm you up for your big day with last minute polishing (or cramming for some) through private sessions on whatever you need … mock orals, structured cases, etc.
With you every step …
The questions will come at you in rapid fire. Often times, the examiner will push you until you finally don’t know the answer. Don’t misinterpret this as failing the question. On the contrary, you probably passed it long before, but the examiner may simply want to explore the depth of your knowledge or at least reassure himself that you will acknowledge your limitations.
Let the last question go and focus on the question at hand. Do not let worrying about whether or not you got the last question correct distract you, and thereby compromise you getting a sure pass question correct. Remember, just 70%!
DECEMBER Exam Candidates
You MUST come to our November 16-20 Review Course! ---even if, or perhaps especially if, you’ve taken another review course or exam prep seminar. In just five sweet days, we will deliver a streamlined exam-focused review. Do you know that during the last 4 years at each of our courses we’ve covered 99% of the exam topics? There is absolutely NO WAY you can review a year’s worth of information in such a short time on your own. Furthermore, rest assured that the topics will be so fresh in your mind, it will be like pulling a rabbit out of your hat to recall the answer on your exam just two short weeks later!
A great way to finish strong (or salvage what’s left for you procrastinators) is to come to our one day Oral Exam Workshop. Don’t want to reinvent the wheel? Our Oral Exam FAQs itemize those questions most frequently asked for specific topics.
Half of your exam is structured cases. You can simulate the exam with our Structured Cases collection for ABOG Oral Exam. These are invaluable study guides that can be used for self-study or even more effective is to have others quiz you so you can practice out loud.
Did we mention mock oral exams? The number one regret of past candidates is that they wished they had taken more mock oral exams. It’s time to call in the “A” team, as in the ABC faculty. ABC offers Case List Reviews, Mock Oral Exams, and our signature, one-of-a-kind Structured Cases by phone. We can take it up a notch by offering eye-to-eye mock oral exams on Skype, but you’ll need to provide the glaring, white light.
The icing on the cake is our Do or Die in Dallas session. Dr. Zena Homan will be in Dallas. She can warm you up for your big day with last minute polishing (or cramming for some) with private sessions on whatever you need … mock orals, structured cases, etc.
With you every step …
Test Taking Technique:
Make sure you know ALL the categories on each summary sheet, not simply the ones you have applied. This is especially applicable to the Office case list, where you may have strategically dodged those dreadful primary care categories. EVERY SINGLE category is fair game on the test. Our Oral Exam FAQs can spoon feed you questions similar to those most frequently asked in each category.
JANUARY Exam Candidates
The exam is in two months – crunch time and holidays. You WILL and MUST budget time to spend with your family; remember them? Forewarned is forearmed, so don’t set yourself up for that guilt trip of studying vs. family. You can do both if you’re organized.
Half of your test is defending your case list. Send your case list NOW to your local/regional consultants or colleagues for recommendations in DEFENDING your case list:
|
Case List Component |
Reviewer |
|
OB |
MFM, generalist |
|
GYN |
GYN ONC, Urogyn, generalist |
|
Office |
Generalist, REI, FP, IM |
Make sure you give them a strict deadline, say two weeks; and set a date now to discuss their recommendations. The ABC faculty can also review your case list one-on-one at the fall courses or can provide a Case List Review.
Have you already taken a general review course? Do you have a huge syllabus, but still have no clue what’s on your test? Our November 16-20 Board Review Course is perfect for you neglected January exam takers. Even, or perhaps especially if you’ve take another review course, this will be so well worth your while, because for the past four years we’ve covered 99% of exam topics at each course. We offer a streamlined exam-focused review in only five days. This will leave no doubt as to what you need to study for your exam.
Given this is an oral exam after all, only half the battle is learning the content. If you can’t persuasively articulate, then well you’re up a creek without a paddle. Let us throw you another lifeline with our one day Oral Exam Workshop. We offer this valuable workshop in Charlotte, NC on November 15th, the day before our review course.
Half of your exam is the structured cases. You can simulate the exam with either our Structured Cases Workshop on November 16th in Charlotte, NC, or try our Structured Cases sets, as they are invaluable study guides that can be used for self-study. Even more effective is to have others quiz you so you can practice out loud.
The icing on the cake is our Do or Die in Dallas session. We’re bringing our best so you can be at your best. Dr. Quinn Peeper has decades of experience and will do whatever it takes to get you feeling confident just before your test. He can give you mock oral exams, test you with our signature Structured Cases, defuse those landmines on your case list, or even give you a crash lecture on a weak topic.
Subspecialty Fellows Sitting for their 2016 ABOG General Oral Board Exam
Now that your case list has been turned in, you recognize how much you forgot in your off-specialty subjects. That’s where they get the expression, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Our review course is IDEAL for fellows, as we tell you just what you need to know; then you can joyfully repress it again after your test. Even if your exam is not until January, there is A LOT to relearn - OK, for some of you, to learn.
We strongly recommend you come to our November 16-20 Board Review Course to gather all the material you will need for 99% of your test. A great way to grab the bull by the horn is to come to our one day Oral Exam Workshop on November 15th. Don’t want to reinvent the wheel? Our Oral Exam FAQs itemize those questions frequently asked for specific topics.
Half of your exam is the structured cases. You can simulate the exam with either our Structured Cases Workshop on November 16th in Charlotte, NC or try our Structured Cases sets, as they are invaluable study guides that can be used for self-study. Even more effective is to have others quiz you so you can practice out loud.
You can always reach out for a Case List Review on all or just your off-specialty sections of your case list for anticipated questions on your cases. Finally, we encourage you to tap into our Do or Die in Dallas which provides an opportunity for last minute polishing or cramming.
For ABOG 2017 ORAL Exam Candidates
You cannot apply for the 2017 oral exam until February 1, 2017. However, if you wait this long to enter cases you’re already EIGHT months behind, since case list collections started July 1– BIG MISTAKE! New this year! You must now enter your cases through the abog portal. So there’s no longer any excuse that you haven’t ordered your software.
For all GYN patients, start a habit of collecting H&Ps, operative notes, pathology reports and discharge summaries. For all OB patients, keep a file of the prenatal form, delivery notes, discharge summaries and postpartum notes.
Rest assured, we have Case List Construction Workshops scheduled as early as April 2017. 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. Start today in creating a good habit of collecting and entering cases.
Don’t worry about collecting patients for your office list yet. That will come later. For now, focus on the OB and GYN lists.
Finally, brace yourself for this one, but you do not need to study yet. No, that’s not a typo. OK, if you just can’t do that, then we are bringing back our Oral Exam Webinar. Designed and led by Dr. Diane Evans, she will put you on a regimented study plan to get through core topics from January to March. This is definitely a reality check to see the intensity that will be required later. However, she strategically ends in time to allow you to shift back to your case list, as you will now see it in a new light. Call 1-877-222-6249, as she is limiting the number of participants to assure an ideal student to teacher ratio.
For ABOG & AOBOG 2017 WRITTEN Exam Candidates
The board exam is in 6 & 7 months respectively. For you ABOG folk, the application and $1470 application and examination fee was due October 16th. You can still apply up to November 18th by paying a late fee. Thereafter, you can pay an even steeper fine, but no applications will be accepted after December 18th. Come December 19th, you can no longer sit for your 2017 exam. For those of you taking your AOBOG exam, the $1175 examination fee is due by February 22nd.
ABOG no longer reports your objective score on the exam. So folk have no idea if they sailed through or missed passing by one point. So unfortunately, now the only correlate is the CREOG in-service-training exam. If you’re a chief resident, you must use this as a gauge to predict board performance, so you must/should prepare for this.
For those wanting to score big on their CREOGs or to explode out of the gate for your written board exam, come to our November 16-20 Board Review Course. This is an excellent opportunity to gather your exam-focused study material and let us put you on a customized study plan for the next six months.
For AOBOG 2017 Oral Exam Candidates
For those preparing for their April oral exam, if you really want to get a head start, come to our November 16-20 Board Review Course. Did you know that our syllabus even highlights EACH core topic? We also have an evening session that puts each core topic under the microscope and painstakingly goes through potential exam topics.
You may have to forego holiday presents, as your $3275 application fee is due January 18th, 2017. Happy New Year indeed! Bah humbug!
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, Family Planning and FPMRS will need an OB list and MFMs need a GYN list. Therefore, 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 forms, 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.
Subspecialty Fellows Planning for their 2017 ABOG General Oral Board Exam
You can now sit for your general oral boards anytime during your fellowship. However, you can only take the general oral boards once during your fellowship. You will need all three case lists - OB, GYN, and Office. GYN Oncologists, REI, Family Planning and FPMRS will need an OB list and MFMs need a GYN list.
ABOG Maintenance of Certification (MOC)
Part II: Lifelong Learning
ALL 45 articles are due December 15th. 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, rather than 35 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 - YIKES!
For those of you in your third year, you should have started the Safety Course. You cannot enter it until you have completed 60 questions from the 1st or 2nd quarter articles. The Safety Course is accessed only on-line, so if you’re one who likes to print out the articles and questions, you’re out of luck.
Part III: Secure Written Exam
For those of you in MOC Year 6, you must pass a written exam by December 15th, 2016. We have three products to help you prepare for and pass your written exam. For those of you who have always tapped into a review course in preparation for your board certifying exams, you’ll take great comfort in our five day November 16-20 Board Review Course. This is not the same type of review course from the past. Just as you’ve evolved 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 loads of every day practice tips, too.
Our Annual MOC Manuals summarize each of the articles for the last five years AND have written questions. Think of them as Cliff notes, as they will save you oodles of time. You are also accountable for Safety and Professionalism. Remember you completed the Safety course in your third year, but you could not print out the articles. Fortunately, ABC had the foresight to create a Safety Course Manual as well.
Finally, the Board has acknowledged that an emphasis will be placed on both the Compendium and the articles for your exam. Oh, just in case you think you’re coasting after you pass your written exam, think again. You still have to read the 2016 articles. No rest for the weary!
The written exam is on the computer. Many of you have never taken an exam on the computer, and it’s not the same as a beloved written book. Your old friend, the pencil, is obsolete. Do not wait until the day of the exam to discover this. Go to www.pearsonvue.com/abog ahead of time for a tutorial to familiarize yourself with how to take an exam on the computer.
If you’re still not one to be ill-prepared, try our computerized questions. Go to www.americasboardreview.com > written exam > test question bank > jolleytestprep.com/store > OB/GYN Diagnostic Tests. Many of the questions were based on the MOC articles and are formatted like your ABOG board exam. The best part is that each question has a narrative explanation of the answer for instant gratification.
Unlike most computer banks that require a year-long subscription, the ABC bank is a pay-as-you-go. You may simply need only one bank of 105 questions to feel comfortable. It’s no coincidence that your exam is only 100 questions!
AOBOG Osteopathic Continuous Certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology (OCC)
Big change this year. The proctored written exam is no longer offered at the spring ACOOG conference. Now the exam will be on the computer. The exam is
March 6-11 at the Pearson VUE testing centers. You may choose any date, time, and location.
For those of you who have always tapped into a review course in preparing for your board certifying exams, you’ll take great comfort in our five day November 16-20 Board Review Course. This is not the same type of review course from the past. Just as you’ve evolved 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 loads of every day practice tips, too!
Additionally, you must complete 5 Practice Performance Assessments (PPA) in each 6 year OCC cycle. These 5 PPAs must be completed by September 15th of the year your certificate expires.
For 2017 MFM Oral Exam Candidates
Take a deep breath - you’ve made it past the first big hurdle and got your thesis submitted. Congratulations!
Now it’s time to focus on finishing that case list and formulating a study plan. You should be almost done collecting cases for your list and working on filling in the details about neonatal outcomes and patient information. You are allowed to add new patients for two more months, so having as much of your list done as possible at this point will allow you to focus on collecting only those patients that you actually need to round out the requirements for each category.
Speaking of that study plan… We’ve done all the hard work for you with our MFM Interactive Board Review Course, which will debut November 18-20. Dr. Stephanie Martin has created an innovative and integrated program to address those high yield weaknesses common to all. We cannot repeat a 3-year fellowship in 3 days, but we will help you master the topics that are key to success on the oral exam. The mornings are filled with focused didactic sessions on critical care, maternal medical complications, genetics and ultrasound. In the afternoon, you will break into small groups and actively implement and integrate the topics just reviewed utilizing a structured case format similar to your oral board exam, but facilitated by the faculty. The format is carefully designed for the seasoned adult learner preparing for an oral exam and promises to be focused, productive, non-adversarial and fun.
Tip:
Your goal should be to have a rough draft of the list done by early-to-mid December so you can circulate your list to your mentors and peers for editing before it’s too late to find a new patient in case one of yours turns out to be a poor choice.
For 2017 FPMRS Oral Exam Candidates
Now that your thesis has been submitted it is time to focus on your case list. You have time to compile, but it is always a good idea to get your master list of surgical and non-surgical cases pulled. If you have a helpful administrative liaison in the finance department, they can run a report with patient names and the ICD 10 bb codes to give you a great organized start to compiling your list. Additionally, you can use that list of diagnoses to identify cases for your office categories very quickly. We’ve got a great way to start out the New Year. Our FPMRS faculty Amos Adelowo, MD, Bernard Taylor, MD, Roger Lefevre, MD and Janelle Evans, MD will offer the first in the country FPMRS Oral Exam Webinar beginning January 8th. We guarantee to get through the key topics by the April test dates. When purchasing all three series, you will receive a FREE ½ hour telephone mock oral exam!
Tip:
Our FPMRS Oral Exam Webinar will have some great templates and tips for creating a list that is in line with ABOG standards so no one has to experience the anxiety-provoking process of amending their list.