The Ultimate Board Prep is a company that has been helping physician anesthesiologists pass their board exams since 2007. We offer a comprehensive proven method of preparation for one of the most stressful events in your life…the ABA’s Applied Exam.

The Standardized Oral Examination (SOE) component of the Applied Exam:

Most of us have never been exposed to an environment where we are expected to propose and defend complicated anesthetic plans clearly and concisely, under significant stress, and with only a couple of seconds to think about our response.

There is a unique set of skills required to walk out of that second room of the SOE confident that you passed. Unfortunately, most candidates prepare for the oral examination the same way they prepared for the written exam. They spend countless hours building and reinforcing their knowledge of anesthesia and do very little to develop the other areas of emphasis on the oral boards (judgment, adaptability, communication, etc.). Do some of these people pass the exam? Yes. Do some of them fail despite a more than adequate fund of knowledge and intense study prior to the exam? Unfortunately, yes.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) component of the Applied Exam:

While our traditional program provides you with much of the basic knowledge and skill development required to successfully navigate the OSCE exam, we have developed a separate curriculum to specifically address all eight skills included in the most current version of the ABA’s OSCE Content Outline. Working with our curriculum will ensure you are prepared to demonstrate the proficiency required by the ABA as you navigate the OSCE seven-station circuit.

Our course is designed to help candidates develop the skills they need to master the Applied Exam. Developing these skills will serve to reduce your stress, increase your confidence, greatly enhance your chances of passing the exams and, ultimately, make you a better anesthesiologist.

The short answer is, “Now!” In order to maximize your chances of successfully passing the Applied Exam, you should begin your preparation earlier rather than later. Evidence suggests that learning and long-term retention (and exam performance) are vastly improved with a measured approach to preparation that involves shorter and more frequent periods of study over a longer period of time, rather than “cram session” type study periods occurring just prior to an exam. Therefore, we recommend you begin utilizing our preparation program as early in your exam year as possible in order to obtain the study material, learn our strategies and techniques, identify any significant areas of weakness, and ensure adequate preparation time. We encourage you to look at the time you invest in preparing for this exam as more than “exam prep”. While your short-term goal is to achieve board certification, it is important to keep in mind that the gains you make in clinical knowledge, judgment, and communication will serve you far beyond your board exam date. So, while this process can be demanding, the fruits of your labor will be long-lived.

Like many questions posed to candidates during the Standardized Oral Examination (SOE), this question does not lend itself to a simple black and white "yes" or "no" answer. Most candidates have the knowledge base and communication skills to pass some questions from some examiners. You could be one of the fortunate souls that is questioned on a topic that you reviewed the previous night...or maybe the hotel had your examiner’s favorite cereal on the breakfast bar and he wants to spread the joy. This may have been the situation for those physicians who proudly report that they studied a mere 45 minutes for the Applied Exam and passed without a hitch. On the other hand, you should keep in mind that.....

1. No two board exams are the same.

   Questions and scenarios vary from easy to difficult. You may be asked to discuss an anesthetic for a procedure you have seen a million times or for one that you have only read about….once….your first year of residency. Likewise, no two examiners are the same. The examiner sitting across the table from you may feel his or her mission is to gently coax the pertinent information from the sweaty palmed, stammering, but “obviously trying very hard” candidate. Then again, he or she may think that the only candidates who should become board certified are those who can maintain their composure and communicate their anesthetic plan while under extreme duress (This type of examiner is likely prone to eye rolling, aggressive posturing, and an uncanny ability to make you feel as if every decision you are making is beyond stupid.) Since there is no way to know what sort of questions or examiners you will be facing, it makes sense to be prepared for the worst possible scenario.

2. The exam environment is very challenging.

   While the case management that occurs in the exam room can be complicated, it is the exam environment itself the presents the greatest challenge for most physicians. The primary issue is the speed at which you are expected to consider complex anesthetic decisions, weigh risks and benefits, and make a decision. When you add to this the virtual nature of the exam (e.g. you can’t see your patient, the operative field, or your monitors) and the need for clear communication between the examiners and the physician (most of us are much more comfortable with “doing” than “explaining”), many physicians make mistakes that they would not make in actual practice. Every year very competent anesthesiologists with a strong base of knowledge fail the Applied exam due to their inability to handle the exam environment.

The Bad News:

The Good News:

Every candidate needs to practice verbalizing their knowledge. Many courses provide a forum for practice but, unfortunately, the vague feedback and superficial clinical discussions provided at many of these courses often fails to improve your test-taking skills beyond that which would have occurred had you spent the same amount of time practicing at home.

First, it is important to understand that, while some physicians fail the exam because their knowledge base is insufficient, many fail because they have insufficiently developed their ability to access, organize, and communicate their knowledge in the extremely challenging and stressful environment of the Applied Exam. The difficulty arises from the speed with which candidates are expected to consider a very complicated anesthetic scenario, weigh all risks and benefits, and then organize and communicate their thoughts clearly and effectively to the examiner.

The ideal Applied Exam preparation course would address all of these issues. Unfortunately, the vague feedback and superficial clinical discussions provided by most courses often fails to improve your test-taking skills adequately for the exam, especially if you happen to face a difficult examiner wielding a complicated stem question. Even candidates with extremely strong fundamental knowledge bases will fail this exam if they are unable to communicate their knowledge effectively.

So, Why Choose the Ultimate Board Prep?

Because our system of preparation works! I have been teaching the Ultimate Board Prep method of preparation to my residents for the past 15 years and our resident’s first-time oral board pass rate has been just above 98% since initiating the program.

SOE Preparation:

When participating in one or both of the Ultimate Board Prep Online Courses, you will be exposed to multiple mock oral exams addressing a multitude of difficult and controversial clinical scenarios covering all the high yield topics associated with the Standardized Oral Examination. At the same time, our curriculum, personal coaching, and practice exams will show you how to:

1. access your knowledge quickly and efficiently (many people require a great deal of prompting to communicate their thoughts, which can be a significant problem when facing an impatient or aggressive examiner),

2. organize your thoughts (which is extremely important due to the speed of the exam and the complexity of the clinical scenarios), and

3. communicate your thoughts clearly and effectively. In short, you will learn how to deliver a substantial amount of relevant information, with clarity, and within a very short period of time, thus making an impression of competence and sound judgment during this important and subjective examination.

Our goal at The Ultimate Board Prep is to do more than simply provide a forum for practice. Our goal is to show you how to master the SOE component of the Applied Exam. We strive to prepare you to excel even when presented with the most challenging clinical scenario, and when facing the most difficult and unforgiving examiner. For this reason, our mock oral exams tend toward the more difficult end of the spectrum when compared to actual ABA board questions. Each of these mock exams includes a detailed clinical discussion, with emphasis on the management of the most difficult and challenging issues within the exam. At the same time, we show you how to utilize and apply the various strategies presented at the course to better communicate your knowledge and defend your anesthetic plan.

OSCE Preparation

While our traditional program provides you with much of the basic knowledge and skill development required to successfully navigate the OSCE exam, we have developed a separate curriculum to specifically address all eight skills included in the most current version of the ABA’s OSCE Content Outline. Working with our curriculum will ensure you are prepared to demonstrate the proficiency required by the ABA as you navigate the OSCE seven-station circuit.

We know how important it is to you that you pass this examination. We also understand that the time you have available for preparation is often limited by practice constraints, family, and other obligations. And, we firmly believe that participating in one or both of the UBP Online Courses and our OSCE curriculum is the best way to maximize the investment of your time and effort. The Ultimate Board Prep is simply the most effective preparation course available for the Applied Exam.

The UBP Online and Live Programs offers six (6) different ways to learn the techniques and develop the skills needed to master the Applied Exam:

I. The UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session

The UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session offers a concise presentation of the various techniques and strategies introduced during our course. This 2-hour coaching session with Dr. George will serve as the foundation for further developing and refining your skills as you participate in the “UBP Online” program.

II. The UBP Small Group Session with Dr. George

This is a 2-hour live online session, during which Dr. George works personally with participating physicians to optimize their preparation, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop those skills most essential to a strong performance on exam day. Learn more here.

III. The UBP Case Library

The UBP Case Library contains “The Ultimate Board Prep Basic Strategy” along with 48 different mock anesthesia oral board questions and 48 different “Additional Topic” questions designed to provide a review of the most relevant material while at the same time exposing you to some of the most challenging situations encountered in private practice and/or SOE exam rooms. Each Exam in the UBP Case Library includes answers formulated using the UBP Basic Strategy. The cases are constantly updated with the latest information and, thanks to our new digital format, you will receive the most recent updates in real time.

Your registration also includes the UBP Case Library Companion, a spiral bound book designed to facilitate practice and provide you with a convenient place to take notes as you go.

IV. The UBP Online Courses

The UBP Online Courses A, B, and C are digitally recorded courses covering questions from the UBP Case Library. The recorded material is divided up into multiple modules for your convenience. Each mock exam includes a 60-90 minute discussion covering the exam thoroughly, with particular focus on judgment, adaptability, and the application of the mental organizational and communication skills introduced during the UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session. Access to your chosen UBP Online Course is provided until the end of your test cycle.

V. UBP Private Online Exams

The private online exams offered by UBP are designed to maximize your invested time and effort as you prepare for the SOE component of the Applied Exam. The primary advantage of taking these exams is twofold:

1. The exam questions are designed to provide a review of the most relevant information; expose you to some of the most challenging clinical situations encountered during the SOE; and greatly improve your ability to organize your thoughts, weigh risks and benefits, and apply sound judgment.
2. Our examiners are trained to provide feedback and advice that is in keeping with our approach to the exam. This will serve to help develop and reinforce the skills and techniques introduced during the courses the 2-Hour Coaching Session.

VI. The UBP OSCE Curriculum

The UBP OSCE Curriculum covers all eight skills included in the most current version of the ABA’s OSCE Content Outline. Working with our curriculum will ensure you are prepared to demonstrate the proficiency required by the ABA as you navigate the OSCE seven-station circuit. Learn more here.

The UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session offers a concise presentation of the various techniques and strategies introduced during our course.

We believe that the way you practice has a significant impact on your ability to successfully pass the Standardized Oral Exam (SOE). Therefore, the UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session is designed to introduce you to our techniques and familiarize you with our approach to mastering the SOE component of the Applied Exam.

The coaching session can be viewed for free under the "Free Trial Products" tab on the main menu bar above.

This is a 2-hour live online session, during which Dr. George works personally with participating physicians to optimize their preparation, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop those skills most essential to a strong performance on exam day. Learn more here.

The UBP Case Library contains “The Ultimate Board Prep Basic Strategy” along with 48 different mock anesthesia oral board questions and 48 different “Additional Topic” questions designed to provide a review of the most relevant material while at the same time exposing you to some of the most challenging situations encountered in private practice and/or SOE exam rooms. Each Exam in the UBP Case library includes answers formulated using the UBP Basic Strategy. The cases are constantly updated with the latest information and, thanks to our new digital format, you will receive the most recent updates in real time.

Your registration also includes the UBP Class Library Companion, a spiral bound book designed to facilitate practice and provide you with a convenient place to take notes as you go.

The UBP Online Courses A, B, and C are digitally recorded courses covering questions from the UBP Case Library.. The recorded material is divided up into multiple modules for your convenience. Each mock exam includes a 60-90 minute discussion covering the exam thoroughly, with particular focus on judgment, adaptability, and the application of the mental organizational and communication skills introduced during the UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session. Access to your chosen UBP Online Course is provided until the end of your test cycle.

Each course covers a portion of the UBP Case Library.

Course A: covers the first 16 mock exams and additional topics

Course B: covers the next 16 mock exams and additional topics

Course C: covers 12 of the remaining mock exams and 10 of the additional topics

You should definitely practice with friends colleagues, and we encourage you to practice as much as possible with whomever you can find. However, the way you practice does matter. Therefore, the UBP Private Online Exams are designed to maximize your invested time and effort as you prepare for the Standardized Oral Exam (SOE). In order to familiarize yourself with our techniques and strategies, we recommend you view the "UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session", which can be accessed for free under the "Free Trial Products" tab on the main menu bar above. You can purchase as many private exams as you would like based on availability.

The primary advantage of taking UBP Private Online Exams is twofold:

1. The exams offered through the UBP curriculum are designed to provide a review of the most relevant information; expose you to some of the most challenging clinical situations encountered during the SOE; and greatly improve your ability to organize your thoughts, weigh risks and benefits, and apply sound judgment.

2. Our examiners are trained to provide feedback and advice that is in keeping with our approach to the exam; this serves to help develop and reinforce the skills and techniques introduced during the course and 2-Hour Coaching Session.

Easy! Just go to the registration page by clicking this link or give us a call at 316-776-9898 and we will be glad to answer any questions you may have and place your order for you. UBP offers 4 different levels of membership to aid you in your preparation:

• The 2-Hour Coaching Session (Learn more here).
• The UBP Case Library (Learn more here).
• • The UBP Case Library Companion(Learn more here).
• The Small Group Session with Dr. George (Learn more here).
• The UBP First-time Pass Guarantee (Learn more here).

• The 2-Hour Coaching Session (Learn more here).
• The UBP Case Library(Learn more here).
• The UBP Case Library Companion (Learn more here).
• The Small Group Session with Dr. George (Learn more here).
• 1 Private Online Exam (Learn more here).
• The UBP First-time Pass Guarantee (Learn more here).

• The 2-Hour Coaching Session (Learn more here).
• The UBP Case Library(Learn more here).
• The UBP Case Library Companion (Learn more here).
• The Small Group Session with Dr. George (Learn more here).
• 1 Private Online Exam (Learn more here).
• Online Course A Videos (Learn more here).
• The UBP First-time Pass Guarantee (Learn more here).

• The 2-Hour Coaching Session (Learn more here).
• The UBP Case Library(Learn more here).
• The UBP Case Library Companion (Learn more here).
• The Small Group Session with Dr. George (Learn more here).
• 3 Private Online Exams (Learn more here).
• Online Course A Videos (Learn more here).
• Online Course B Videos (Learn more here).
• Online Course C Videos (Learn more here).
• The UBP First-time Pass Guarantee (Learn more here).

The Ultimate Package provides you with the most comprehensive program of preparation for the Standardized Oral Examination (SOE) available. The package incorporates all of the Ultimate Board Prep’s learning modalities SOE into one incredibly effective program. Register for this comprehensive preparation program and you will save over $1,000 and be eligible for the UBP First-Time Pass Guarantee.

Registration for the Ultimate Package includes:

• The UBP First-Time Pass Guarantee. Learn more here.

  If you should fail the Standardized Oral Examination or OSCE components of the Applied Exam after purchasing the Ultimate Package, just provide us with a copy of your exam result and we will offer you free access to the corresponding UBP Online recorded material and the UBP Case Library during your next test cycle.

• Registration for all three UBP Courses (Course-A, Course-B, and Course-C)

  Each course covers a portion of the UBP Case Library.
  Course A: covers the first 16 mock exams and additional topics
  Course B: covers the next 16 mock exams and additional topics
  Course C: covers 12 of the remaining mock exams and 10 of the additional topics



• The UBP Case Library & the UBP Case Library Companion

  The UBP Case Library contains “The Ultimate Board Prep Basic Strategy” along with 48 different mock anesthesia oral board questions and 48 different “Additional Topic” questions designed to provide a review of the most relevant material while at the same time exposing you to some of the most challenging situations encountered in private practice and/or SOE exam rooms. Each Exam in the UBP Case library includes answers formulated using the UBP Basic Strategy. The cases are constantly updated with the latest information and, thanks to our new digital format, you will receive the most recent updates in real time.

  Your registration also includes the UBP Case Library Companion, a spiral bound book designed to facilitate practice and provide you with a convenient place to take notes as you go.



• Five Hours of Live Online Teaching Sessions
  • Participation in a live online Small Group Training Session with Dr. George

    During this 2-hour session, Dr. George will work with participants to improve those skills most essential to performing well during the SOE.

  
  

  • Four (3) One-Hour UBP Private Online Exams

    These exams are administered by physicians trained to provide feedback and advice that is in keeping with UBP’s approach to the Standardized Oral Examination.




• Access to the UBP 2-Hour Online Coaching Session with Dr. George

  This coaching session is a concise presentation of the various techniques and strategies introduced during the course.



• Study enhancement option:
  • The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Curriculum. Learn more here.

We are very confident that those who appropriately utilize the various learning modalities offered by UBP will develop all the necessary skills to not only pass but excel during the Applied Exam. To demonstrate this confidence and show our investment in your success, we have decided to offer The UBP First-Time Pass Guarantee to all those who register for one of our packages.

OSCE Curriculum:

If you should fail the OSCE exam after purchasing the UBP OSCE Curriculum, just provide us with a copy of your exam result and we will maintain your access to the UBP OSCE Curriculum during your next test cycle.

Silver and Gold Plans:

If you should fail the Standard Oral Examination after purchasing the Silver or Gold Plan, just provide us with a copy of your exam result and we will maintain your access to the UBP Case Library during your next test cycle.

The Platinum Plan:

If you should fail the Standard Oral Examination after purchasing the Platinum Plan, just provide us with a copy of your exam result and we will maintain your access to the Course A videos and the UBP Case Library during your next test cycle.

The Ultimate Package:

If you should fail the Standard Oral Examination after purchasing the Ultimate Package, just provide us with a copy of your exam result and we will maintain your access to the UBP Case Library and the Course A, B, and C videos during your next test cycle.

Examination - What to Expect

The morning of the exam you will get out of bed, guzzle half a bottle of Pepto-Bismol, consider skimming your favorite text book one more time, put on your sharpest outfit, and proceed to registration for one of the most difficult tests you will ever take (your registration time will depend on whether you are enrolled in the morning or afternoon session). Following registration, you will check in at the ABA Assessment Center, place your processions in an assigned locker, and proceed to the SOE orientation room where you will start by watching a video that reviews the entire exam process.

While still in the SOE orientation room, you will receive your case stem for the first examination session. For the first case, you will be provided all the preoperative information necessary to start the case, and will have 10 minutes to outline and prepare for the exam. With the start of the examination, the first examiner spends 10 minutes asking questions concerning intra-operative management. The second examiner then follows with 15 minutes of questioning focused on the patient’s post-operative care. Finally, the first examiner gets another shot at you for the remaining 10 minutes of the exam, testing you on additional topics unrelated to the original case. There are computer monitors in the exam room that enable the examiners to provide you with images and videos during your exam. This completes the first session and the examinee is ushered out of the exam room and back to the orientation room where he or she is handed the stem question for the second case.

Following the first SOE session, the candidate will return to the SOE orientation room where another 10 minutes will be afforded to review the stem question for the second session, which begins with the pre-operative evaluation and continues through the intra-operative period. The stem for the second session contains much less information than that which was provided for the first session; it is left to the examinee to determine what additional information is required to manage the patient safely. The first examiner has 10 minutes to question the candidate about pre-operative assessment. The second examiner is then allotted 15 minutes for questions concerning intra-operative care. And, as in the first session, the final 10 minutes is given to questions focused on additional topics, which are unrelated to the provided stem.

Following the first SOE session, the candidate will return to the SOE orientation room where another 10 minutes will be afforded to review the stem question for the second session, which begins with the pre-operative evaluation and continues through the intra-operative period. The stem for the second session contains much less information than that which was provided for the first session; it is left to the examinee to determine what additional information is required to manage the patient safely. The first examiner has 10 minutes to question the candidate about pre-operative assessment. The second examiner is then allotted 15 minutes for questions concerning intra-operative care. And, as in the first session, the final 10 minutes is given to questions focused on additional topics, which are unrelated to the provided stem.

Following the second SOE session, you will be given a short 10 minute break before receiving the OSCE orientation. The OSCE exam requires candidates to move through a seven-station circuit of “encounters” that are designed to assess 7 of the 8 skills included in the OSCE Content Outline (make “OSCE Content Outline” a link to a page with the outline). The OSCE exam takes 84 minutes to complete, with 8 minutes allocated to each station and 4-minute breaks in between “encounters”.

Following the completion of the Applied Exam, you will return home to wait an agonizing 2 weeks to receive your results (with the clock starting at the end of your exam week), which will be posted in your online portal account (you will also be notified by email).

For the unprepared candidate, this can be an exhausting and demoralizing event. The candidate leaves the first SOE room wondering if it would be less painful to just keep walking right out the front door of the hotel. In this discouraged state of mind the second SOE room is no better, and the candidate leaves fervently praying that the examiners will get him or her mixed up with someone else and post a passing score. Worst of all, the trip home is spent wondering if the whole process may have to be repeated the next year.

For candidates who have prepared properly (with ample practice based on the strategies learned while utilizing the Ultimate Board Prep material), the oral boards can be a much different experience. The exam proceeds smoothly with each answered question serving to build the candidate’s confidence and, more importantly, the examiner’s confidence that the candidate deserves certification. And, unlike the unprepared candidate, the trip home is spent in a giddy euphoric state where the sky is bluer, the air is purer, and the anesthesia oral boards are behind you forever.

We sincerely hope that you will never need to know what happens if you fail the exam. However, should this unfortunate event occur, you may want to know what comes next. We will skip describing the emotional, professional, and financial implications and focus on the ABA’s time requirements for achieving board certification.

If you fail, you may schedule another attempt the next exam year. The ABA requires all physicians who completed their residency prior to January 1, 2012 to satisfy all requirements for board certification by December 31, 2018. Those who complete residency after January 1, 2012 must satisfy all requirements for certification within 7 years of the last day of the year in which residency training was completed.

If a candidate does not satisfy all the requirements for certification within the 7-year period described above, the ABA will declare the candidate’s registration void. At this point, the physician must reestablish eligibility for certification by taking and passing the BASIC Examination. Once eligibility has been reestablished, the candidate will have until December 31st of the fourth year following the successful completion of the BASIC examination to satisfy all additional requirements for certification, including the successful completion of the ADVANCED and APPLIED Examinations.

There is a small silver lining around these dark clouds. If you pass one component of the Applied Exam and fail the other, you will only be required to retake the component you failed.

Private Online Exams

Cancellations of scheduled exams do inevitably occur. Both our examiners and our clients are busy physicians who are called in to work emergently at times. However, cancellations are disruptive to the often tight schedules of both groups. Therefore, UBP has developed an exam cancellation policy that has the goal of ensuring excellent service to our clients while at the same time protecting our examiners from excessive cancellations.

The UBP Online Exam Cancellation Policy is as follows:

Any exam canceled by a client within 24 hours of the scheduled exam will result in the forfeiture of the exam. While we believe the cancellation policy is important to protect our clients and our examiner’s, we have found both parties to be very respectful of the value of the other group’s time and, despite the administration of thousands of examinations, we have rarely found it necessary to enforce the cancellation policy.