General Surgery Boards Case-Based Review

This book presents a set of patient case scenarios designed to help the general surgery trainee (resident physician) study for and pass the oral board certification exam. The breadth of topics included is based on the testable core procedures outlined by the Surgical Core (SCORE) curriculum and the American Board of Surgery (ABS), including trauma and critical care, intestinal and anorectal, soft tissue, vascular, and more.

For each case, the sequelae may dive into cross-over sections, just as real cases and real exam setting scenarios might. The answers to each question are written in active voice to help the reader practice verbalizing as if performing in an oral boards setting, and repetitive steps – such as seeking a multidisciplinary conference for all cancer cases or performing the ABC evaluation for trauma patients – are repeated to help internalize what may be secondhand in clinical practice but easy to forget in a test scenario. Where possible, multiple options for correct answers are presented, especially in controversial arenas. Otherwise, the answers are dictated by the available literature and guidelines which are provided in the Additional Reading section following each chapter.

Practical, straightforward and user-friendly, General Surgery Boards Case-Based Review is an essential element in the resident’s arsenal when preparing for the oral boards.