How to Win: On the American Board of Surgery Certifying Exam [Paperback]

Brad Snyder (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1426915829 | ISBN-13: 978-1426915826 | Publication Date: September 30, 2009 | Edition: 1

"Facing the American Board of Surgery Certifying Exam is not merely taking another exam. Most surgeons are not exposed to the techniques of oral examinations or to the best methods to prepare for them. It is seemingly a game in which you have to ascertain the rules, but in reality it is no game. The stakes are high.

Reading from sizeable textbooks, poorly-organized review books, and one-dimensional autobiographic example scenarios undeniably makes studying for this exam more stressful than fruitful. Knowing what is important and what is not is crucial when studying for this particular exam. The authors have learned how the challenges can be overcome; as a result, this book was written to include everything that you will need to successfully pass this critical exam. This guide provides pertinent pearls of wisdom quoted from others who have successfully taken the exam and includes:
One hundred and forty-five subjects of content, Twenty-six bulleted descriptions of the most commonly probed surgical procedures, and, Sixty-nine of the most commonly asked subjects over the last ten years stressed with invaluable example scenarios that show how content and technique should be employed synergistically."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brad Snyder, M.D. and his contributing author, Alex Nguyen, M.D. met in 2007 during their fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at the University of Texas in Houston. While studying for their certification, they agreed there was a profound lack of well-organized, comprehensive study guides for this exam. They wrote this guide to fill that void.

Product Details

• Paperback: 484 pages
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing; 1 edition (September 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426915829
• ISBN-13: 978-1426915826
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,280 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful, March 5, 2011

By 

DR. E - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Win: On the American Board of Surgery Certifying Exam (Paperback)

Just took my Boards and passed. I used this book and supplemented it with Cameron's, as well as a surgical atlas, to prepare for the exam. I spent a month studying. This book was quite helpful in organizing my studying. I appreciated the fact that the author looked at hundreds of exam questions, and listed how often the topics appeared over the last 10 years in front of each chapter. This helps you focus on the important topics.

There are people who tell you to read Cameron's or some surgical textbook in it's entirety. With a busy practice or fellowship, you don't have time for that. The examiner's aren't trying to pimp you- you already passed the written exam. And they don't ask esoterica. They want to know how you manage common surgical problems in your practice. Contrary to prior reviews, you're not asked to "think outside of the box"- you have 7 minutes per question, so just answer how you would do it in your practice. And yes, "the complex complications in surgical patients" stated in the prior the review is in the book- plus they're not really that complex; just things you should know how to manage after 5 years of surgical training.

One annoying thing about the book is the spelling errors. Crohns disease is not spelled "Chrons". Additionally, the sample responses to the scenarios in the book are too verbose. You're not there to lecture these big dogs. Just answer the questions they ask you. But overall, a highly recommended book. I spent $30. My buddies spent over a grand for their review courses.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too many errors, October 21, 2010

By 

Pain MD (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Win: On the American Board of Surgery Certifying Exam (Paperback)

I would not recommend this due to the many errors and lack of organization in alot of the chapters. The typos alone can drive you nuts. I would have given it an average rating but the errors just can't be ignored. This is like a first draft with no editing or oversight before being published. It felt like no one proof-read this book to make sure it was accurate. The vignettes are weak in pushing you to think outside the box. The real exam asks you tough questions about complex complications in surgical patients, such as how would you deal with a patient who develops a CBD stricture post cholecystectomy? How would you manage a patient with complex breast cancer such as bilateral disease or a patient presenting with a neck mass?

4.0 out of 5 stars Passing the boards, February 21, 2011

By 

Rayne - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Win: On the American Board of Surgery Certifying Exam (Paperback)

This book is pretty straight forward and an easy read. It's a nice quick read if you have a busy clinical day. There are a lot of words that are spelled incorrectly. That's mildly distracting. Now, will it help me pass my oral boards... that remains to be seen.