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2. THE GOODMAN ORAL BOARD COURSE Allan D. Levi chievement of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) certification, a key milestone on the path to a career in neurosurgery, is no easy feat, as those of us who have already been through the process well know. It represents the culmination of years of educa tion and training in mastery of a knowledge base that is the foundation neurosurgeons rely on as they provide the best care for patients throughout their careers. The American Association of Neurological Surgery (AANS) Oral Board course recently marked 20  years of preparing attendees for success in the ABNS. “The success of the course is based in part on experienced, board- certified faculty members who produce an interactive, hands- on curriculum that provides participants with insights on what to expect on the rigorous oral board exam.” The ever- evolving curriculum parallels the advances in the field and the clini cal challenges being faced by neurosurgeons in practice. Dr. Goodman proposed the idea of the Neurosurgery Review by Case Management Oral Board Preparation Course nearly 20 years ago. The first course was held on May 3– 5, 1997, in San Diego with 32 registrants and 11 faculty members. The popularity of this course soon led to two course offerings per year, and the course over time has expanded to more than 140 registrants per course taught by 30 faculty members. Currently, the courses are offered in Houston just before the ABNS oral examination. The course is highly interactive and attempts to sim ulate the examination given by the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS). The course features plenary sessions wherein an examiner interviews a participant in the “hot seat” while the larger group (140 participants) observes (Figure 2.1). Although this format initially is somewhat intimidating to participants, the opportunity for colleagues to “listen in” during the plenary sessions constitutes an invaluable learning experience. Each 2- or 2½- hour session is divided according to neurosurgical subspecialties, including vascular, endovascular, spine, brain tumors, pediatrics, pain and functional, head trauma, neurocritical care, and peripheral nerve. The examiners are experts in their respective fields and try to emulate the examination process and provide feedback to the examinee at the end of each case. Concurrently, 30- minute breakout sessions are run in adjoining private rooms to the main session and allow one- on- one interaction between the participant and the examiner (Figure 2.2). Full- course registrants receive a minimum of 3 hours (six one- on- one breakout sessions). Plenary cases are posted after each subspecialty presenta tion on an outside computer and projector for the dura tion of the course. Participants in these breakout sessions are able to develop techniques for answering questions pertaining to the clinical scenarios in a structured fashion, and they are also able to practice rapidly responding to multiple clinical scenarios across numerous subspecialties. One of the advantages of these one- on- one sessions is that direct feedback can be given to the participant in relative anonymity. Although answer content is important, feed back on answering style is given. This includes the flow and order of questioning when moving from diagnosis to man agement of complications (see chapter 1 regarding scoring of the ABNS examination). Maximizing points for each subsection is critical.

ant in relative anonymity. Although answer content is important, feed back on answering style is given. This includes the flow and order of questioning when moving from diagnosis to man agement of complications (see chapter 1 regarding scoring of the ABNS examination). Maximizing points for each subsection is critical. The learning objectives of the course include the following: • Discuss contemporary neurosurgery topics, including trauma, cerebrovascular disease, tumors, pain, pediatrics, skull base, spine, and peripheral nerves • Comprehend the format of the ABNS Oral Board Examination • Compare your approach to standard and complex neurosurgical problems with those of your contemporaries • Review specific neurological disorders that might mimic conditions referred to a neurosurgeon

, pain, pediatrics, skull base, spine, and peripheral nerves • Comprehend the format of the ABNS Oral Board Examination • Compare your approach to standard and complex neurosurgical problems with those of your contemporaries • Review specific neurological disorders that might mimic conditions referred to a neurosurgeon 6 • G OODMAN ’S N EUROSURGERY O RAL B OARD R E v IEW • Identify those areas of neurosurgery in which further study would be beneficial in preparation for the ABNS Oral Board Examination The course has two purposes: • First, participants are exposed to the format of the ABNS Oral Board Examination and have the opportunity to practice answering questions under pressure. • Second, more than 200 case scenarios are presented, which will provide a broad review of pertinent topics in clinical neurosurgery. There are no lectures. The sessions are intense, comprehensive, and enjoyable. Experienced neurosurgical faculty will critique your patient management response and your ability to organize responses to simulated Oral Board questions. The course spans a period of 3  days immediately preced ing the Oral Board Examination. Currently, examinations are held in May and November in Houston, T exas. The lengths of each day of teaching are 12 hours, 10 hours, and 10 hours, respectively, not including food breaks. There is a special session in Neurology the evening of the first day. A spinal instrumentation breakout occurs concurrently to the pediatric session, also on the afternoon of the first day. This session is frequently attended by pediatric neurosur geons. More than 90% of people taking the Oral Board Examination take the course, and 60% of neurosurgeons take the course more than twice. During the 3- day course, more than 200 cases are answered directly or observed by participants to the course. A  complimentary copy of Mark S.  Greenberg, Handbook of Neurosurgery is given. In each session, thoughts on tech niques for answering questions, approach, and approach to new technologies in neurosurgery are covered. As part of the continuing medical education (CME) process, par ticipants can obtain CME credits for the 3- day, 32- hour course. Evaluations are seriously considered, and significant changes have been made to the course curriculum based on prior suggestions. What is the measure of a successful course? Soaring numbers of course participants is one obvious measure. The most dramatic testaments to course success, however, are the accolades voiced by the neurosurgeons who have par ticipated. Their comments include the following: • “This course is by far the most important thing you can do … to pass the exam.” • “Y our course was an invaluable part of my success on the exam.” • “The AANS oral board course is indispensable in helping one prepare for the Boards.” Figure 2.1 The “hot seat” candidate is presented a clinical vignette by the Oral Board course examiner while the large group learns from the content and style of the response. The examiner provides the correct answer and suggestions at the end of the case. Figure 2.2 Breakout one- on- one sessions run concurrently to the plenary sessions.