October 2024 Tip of the Month

ABOG 2024 Certifying Exam Candidates

November Exam Candidates

This is a critical time, and falling behind would be a major mistake. We recommend submitting your case list for review to your local or regional consultants or colleagues before Halloween. Here’s a guide for choosing the right reviewers for each component of your case list:

Set a clear deadline for your reviewers, ideally giving them two weeks to provide feedback. Schedule a discussion now to review their recommendations once they’ve had time to assess your case list. Research shows that candidates who incorporate a strategic approach, along with content review, have higher pass rates. At ABC, we offer Oral Exam Home Study Packages that cover 95% of current exam topics in a comprehensive 42-hour lecture series, allowing you to study from the comfort of your home. Our Oral Exam FAQs outline the most frequently asked questions for key topics, while our Structured Cases—which include case-of-the-day practice—are designed to help you fine-tune your responses. This tool is ideal for self-study and practicing aloud with others.

Study Tip:

You must know your case list thoroughly. For each patient on your list, we recommend the following approach:

1. Make a copy of the case from your case list.
2. Draft a clinical summary.
3. Identify key patient management issues.
4. Compile relevant references on these issues from your compendium.
5. Review the clinical aspects in detail.

By staying organized and disciplined, you’ll be well-prepared for the November exam. Let ABC support you in this crucial phase of your preparation.

Subspecialty Fellows Sitting for their 2024 ABOG Certifying Exam

By now, you’ve likely encountered the realization of just how much you may have forgotten in your off-specialty subjects. As the saying goes, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” For many, there’s quite a bit to relearn—or in some cases, learn for the first time.

Our Oral Exam FAQs provide a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions across all case list categories. Given that half of your exam will focus on the "case of the day," you can simulate this experience using our Structured Cases. These are essential study tools, particularly for subspecialists, allowing you to challenge yourself on off-specialty topics.

If needed, you can also request a comprehensive review of your case list—either in full or specifically for your off-specialty sections—to help anticipate potential questions. Additionally, we encourage you to take advantage of our in Dallas, where our expert faculty will help you refine your responses, whether you’re polishing up or doing some last-minute preparation.

Study Strategy:

For ABOG 2025 Certifying Exam Candidates

While the application process for the 2025 Oral Certifying Exam doesn’t open until March 2025, you must begin collecting cases now, as the collection period started in July. Waiting until March to start this process will leave you significantly behind. Don’t get bogged down with the details of data entry just yet—you’ll likely revise your approach several times throughout the process. For now, focus on building a habit of collecting the following essential documents for your GYN and OB patients:

• GYN patients: H&Ps, operative notes, pathology reports, and discharge summaries.
• OB patients: Prenatal forms, delivery notes, discharge summaries, and postpartum notes.

It’s not necessary to start worrying about office patients at this stage. Begin by entering your data on the case list forms, using your common sense. The process will become clearer as you go. For those of you eager to get ahead, we offer a Case List Construction Online course to guide you through the process. Additionally, we invite you to attend our Virtual Review Course from April 1-6, 2025, which includes a live workshop that will walk you through case list construction. Start today by developing good habits for case collection and data entry. You’ve got this—and we’re here to help.

For ABOG & AOBOG 2025 Qualifying (Written) Exam Candidates

For those applying for the ABOG 2025 Certifying Exam, please be aware that the $1,700 application and examination fee is due by February 14th, 2025. No applications will be accepted after February 28th, 2025.

For candidates taking the AOBOG Spring Exam, the application window opens on October 16th, 2024, with the $1,175 examination fee due by February 19th, 2025. The final application deadline is March 19th, 2025, but a late fee of $352.50 will apply for submissions after February 19th.

If you're aiming to excel on your CREOGs or get a strong start for your written board exam, we highly recommend our Written Exam Online Learning Prep Course. It includes comprehensive resources for passing the exam with the flexibility of self-paced study from home.

Our Test-Taking Skills Online Course is ideal for those who:

• Have not scored above 200 on their CREOG in-service training exam
• Have failed a written board exam
• Want to improve their exam performance

In just two months, you can master the CQRPE method and apply it to the January CREOG exam. On average, our dedicated users see an increase of one standard deviation (around 20 points). Imagine the impact on your board exam results!

Test-Taking Technique

We strongly encourage anyone preparing for their written boards, especially those retaking the exam, to take advantage of this opportunity. The results are confidential and sent only to you, so there’s no risk. If you want to avoid any surprises on exam day, consider using our Written Questions as a "test drive" to practice your skills in advance.

AOBOG 2025 Oral Exam Candidates   

Get a head start on preparing for the Spring 2025 exam with our AOBOG Oral Exam Home Study Package. Designed for self-paced study from the comfort of your home, this comprehensive package provides everything you need to succeed. With over 42 hours of high-yield, exam-focused recordings, the package covers essential topics, including:

• OB
• ONC
• Urogynecology
• Primary Care
• Perioperative Care
• Office GYN
• Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI)

To further enhance your preparation, take advantage of our Visual Clinical Scenarios. This resource walks you through 20 visual aids, complete with detailed answers, and includes an OMT presentation—a perfect refresher before sitting for your oral exam.

ABOG Maintenance of Certification

Part II: Lifelong Learning
All 30 required articles are due by November 15th. If you haven’t started yet, you’ll need to complete 80% of the 120 questions to pass. Be aware that if you take this approach, you will only receive 25 Category I CME credits rather than the usual 35. Additionally, remember that you are required to enroll in at least one practice module each year. Failure to do so can jeopardize your certification status.

Part III: Secure Written Exam
For those in MOC Year 6, registration for the written exam must be completed by November 15th, and you are required to pass the exam by the same date. To help you prepare, we recommend starting early with our Course Recordings. This package includes our Course Binder with lecture handouts to guide your study and note-taking. A Test Topics Manual is also included to ensure your focus remains on key exam content.

It’s important to note that the Board has confirmed an emphasis will be placed on both the Compendium and the assigned articles. Therefore, we recommend prioritizing MOC articles that overlap with the Compendium to maximize your preparation.

Test Taking Tip: 
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 out our computerized Q Banks questions. These are 50 multiple-choice single best answer questions covering multiple OB/GYN topics.