CE Candidate Feedback

The ABS asks all CE candidates to complete a feedback form after the exam. Below is a general sampling of their advice and comments to provide some insight into the experience.

Advice on Preparing for the Exam

• "Do as many oral cases as possible with faculty, especially in their area of expertise."
• "Prepare early (3-6 months ahead). Practice scenarios often, daily during your last month."
• "I would recommend starting to prepare at least two months ahead."
• "Read broadly. Review practice guidelines at your institution."
• "Don't waste time on obscure diseases/scenarios; focus on broad general surgery topics."
• "Make sure to review the anatomy of operations you haven't done in a while."
• "Don't forget to read about your own specialty!"
• "Don't study minutiae; focus on the big picture."
• "Review bread-and-butter general surgery."
• "Don't study like you did for the QE. Focus on logical and well-organized problem solving."
• "Concentrate more on areas that you have not seen or experienced since residency."
• "Practice giving short, succinct answers; do what you would do in real life!"
• "Practice, practice, practice with colleagues. Even if you know the information, you have to be able to say it."
• "Practice explaining procedures in a quick, efficient manner."

Advice on Taking the Exam

• "Don't overthink things."
• "Know your plan and stick with it. Be confident and don't second-guess yourself."
• "Focus on answering the questions."
• "Stay focused. Be systematic. Don't jump to conclusions."
• "Stay calm. Do not dwell on previous questions/rooms."
• "Stay calm—treat the examiners like colleagues discussing a case."
• "Do what you would do in your everyday practice."
• "Approach cases like real patients."
• "Take it as soon as you can after the written exam."

Comments About Exam

• "Fair questions; scenarios were all problems anyone would have encountered in training."
• "Appropriate for what I am supposed to know."
• "Much more straightforward and reasonable than expected."
• "The exam was much more 'bread and butter' than I expected."
• "Straightforward general surgery cases."
• "Very fair; much less painful than I expected."
• "Fair; cases general surgeons would see in practice."
• "Appreciate examiners trying to keep examinees calm and at ease."
• "Examiners were kind and reasonable, as you said they would be."
• "I found my examiners to be very professional, neutral and pleasant."
• "I thought it was fair, well-conducted. I did not feel intimidated by the examiners."
• "I had a lot of fears but the examiners helped to the best of their ability to make me feel comfortable."
• "The examiners were very appropriate and I felt as comfortable as was possible in this situation."