Testimonials About ABC's Plan to Prepare You for Your ABOG Oral Exam

First-time Test Takers

"ABC was so on the money on what to expect on my (ABOG) oral exams. I had to keep suppressing a smile, as I didn't want to appear overly confident."

"Thank you for all the attention to detail & technique. I'm ready to practice & apply it!" -- Sep 08

"The Case List Construction Workshop was fabulous and so informative. Like many, I thought it was mandatory to use the ABOG software. You easily convinced me that a custom case list was better. However I was shocked with how easy and quickly I could pull it off. Debbie was a huge help with technical support. I am thrilled with the night and day difference. My case list is sooo much easier now to edit. I'm coasting and it's only May; yawn - plenty of time until Aug 1." -- MT, 2008

"Very energetic, engaging, informative, supportive" -- Sep 08

"The personal attention was very nice and appreciated" -- Sep 08

Repeat Test Takers

"I can't tell you enough how appreciative I am for your individual 'strategy' session at the end of the (long!) day. That was the first time I have shared some of my thoughts and experiences regarding my previous exam failures with anyone outside my immediate family and close friends. Just that process was empowering for me as well. First, it was just simply good 'practice' for me to sit in an 'uncomfortable' setting and speak to someone I don't really know (hmmm...sounds kind of like oral boards). Second, you affirmed some of the ideas/plans I already had for how to tackle boards this time. And third, I got to hear from you, 'Enough with the excuses, just do it!' (my paraphrase). Even though I am extremely motivated to be successful this time around, I now feel like I have another person to be accountable to. I want to be one of your success stories." - JM April 2011

"I had taken the oral exam twice before and came to ABC to prepare for my third and last attempt. Your recommendations, mentoring, and review course helped me understand what I needed to do. I did mock orals and round robins. You were so supportive and gave me the confidence to continue my arduous journey. The third time was the charm and I passed! You ask me what was the difference ? -- well doing MOCK ORALS, knowing your case list well, and did I mention mock orals!! Well all this, and now at 40 years old and 9 years after completing my residency, I can finally say I am board certified. ABC was a part of this accomplishment and I will never be able to thank you enough!" KS 08

"I know you shouldn't look for excuses, but I failed my oral exam. I had a pituitary resection and had difficulty with word recall, OK I just froze. Surely that was the reason? I then got deployed to Iraq, so yet another excuse. COL Das was empathetic, but firm about what I needed to do. I tried it her way. What did I have to lose? Well ma'am, I received word today that I PASSED! Thank you so much for the time and effort you have expended to ensure we all received the best possible information. It was uncanny how prepared I was for the types of questions that were asked. I completed 3 mock orals as you recommended, and did not have ANY problems with nerves during the exam. More importantly, the mock orals pointed out weaknesses that I was able to strengthen prior to the exam. Thanks again for all you do. Blue skies!" DM Sep 08

Dr. Das, I passed!!!! I really contribute the change in my attitude to the break-down I had the first time you gave me a mock oral. I was so fragile because I had failed the exam already twice before. You really gave me a different perspective on things and after meeting with you I told myself I could do it. Quinn (Peeper) gave me some wonderful tips and got me comfortable with topics I refused to even look at last year. The test was a completely different experience for me this year, with completely different results!!!!! Thanks for everything! I feel I have my life back again! -- JV 11/08

"There is a God, my nightmare is finally over...I PASSED!!!
 I can't thank you enough for all your time and conversations over the last few years. I am especially grateful for you hooking me up with Quinn Peeper. I know he had his doubts about me, but he stood by me and was well worth the time and money spent. In trying to figure out what was different for me this year..well, Im not sure. I still froze up a few times - but maybe I did it with more grace and style. I know my case list was better and I'm sure it helped to start things out not looking so disorganized.
I was such a nervous wreck that I even fell out of bed 3 weeks prior to the test and fractured the top of my humerus. So maybe I got a few extra points while there in my cast?? But then I had a little extra time to study a little more as I still can't deliver or take call. Maybe things have a way of working out." -- SP December 2010

"This was my last chance to pass the oral exam before having to start the 6 year cycle over again. Obviously I hadn't done so well in the past. The session in Dallas was truly do or die for me. Even though I was about ready to give up, Dr. Peeper refused to. He kept saying, 'You CAN do this. Let's go over it again...and again.' Well, I PASSED! I can't thank him enough. I have no doubt that session made all the difference." -- ST Dec 08

"I failed my (ABOG) oral boards in 2006. I had gone to other programs and took 3 mock orals with them, but still did not have a lot of confidence. After just 30 minutes of a telephone mock oral with Dr. Das, she said 'I think I know what the problem is.' I realized she was absolutely right -- the other three examiners had totally missed it. She gave me some specific recommendations. The next week, we did another mock oral -- it was a night and day difference. Finally I knew I was ready. Not only was I confident going IN to the test, but I KNEW I had passed right away. I would STRONGLY recommend mock orals specifically with Dr. Das. She had covered 80% of the questions that were asked on my exam, but she had empowered me to easily answer the remaining 20%." SL

"So what was the reason for my success this time? Dr Das, Dr Peeper, and Inderal! You all sincerely cared...and that meant the world to me. We'll rendezvous in 6 years!" -- MD Jan 2010

"I just wanted to thank you for an excellent review course and let you know that I passed! Yippee! Passing the Boards was a huge milestone for me. I tried to take the exam once before, back in 2007, shortly after my husband died, and I finished treatment for breast cancer. I was overwhelmed personally and professionally, being a new attending at an academic institution. I didn't take a review course. I listened to a lot of bad advice from good, well-intentioned people and took the exam even though I wasn't in a very good place in my life. And although people at my institution told me it wouldn't, failing the Boards had significant consequences in my professional life, especially when I changed jobs. Passing the Boards has given me my life back. Thanks so much for your help!" -- AG Jan 2010

"How embarrassing as a subspecialist to not pass my general boards. In short, ABC was THE difference for me this (second) time with my oral exam prep. The focus on case list prep and the oral exam workshop were particularly excellent. I also made use of the telephone mock orals, which were fantastic and helped with my confidence. I also HIGHLY recommend the 'do or die' in Dallas-- I left feeling confident and assured that there was truly NOTHING else I needed to do. It was just a matter of knocking it out of the park from there, and I was NOT nervous on exam day-- testament, I think, to how prepared I felt. To say that gaining that sense of confidence and calm before this major, life-altering exam cannot be stressed enough. Would I recommend ABC? Are you KIDDING?!!! I wouldn't recommend ANYONE else, and I did -- the first time! ABC all the way (and no, I have not been paid for this endorsement ;-) " -- AR March 2010

Even More Testimonials

"Thank you for helping me pass this difficult (oral) exam. I'm not only a foreign graduate, but also don't practice OB. All of you make an excellent team, and I congratulate you for this course. It's very organized, personal, and the speakers made a wonderful effort to teach us to be better professionals." -- AH Dec 08

"Happy New Year! I am happy to report that I passed my oral exam! I owe a great deal of gratitude to you all for putting on such a fabulous course and really preparing me for exam day. I found 'the yellow sheets' to be an invaluable study resource following the course. Additionally, the 'board answer' sections at the end of the lectures really helped me phrase my answers and I used those ideas and syntax to phrase other answers. Also, if you could pass on to Dr. Das that I appreciate the time she spent with me during mock orals reviewing strategy and also for her tips on what to wear...even though I was nervous, and especially a subspecialist, I felt well prepared!" -- ME Jan 2010

"SO glad I spent the time and money" Oct 08

"Thank you for creating an environment that was comfortable and collegial. I also learned a great deal from my colleagues too" -- Sep 08

"Great lectures, helpful, and insightful" -- Sep 08

"Very energetic, engaging, informative, supportive" -- Sep 08

"The hands-on was my favorite" -- Sep 08

"She thought of everything, even down to the strategy/impact of your appearance and hand shake" -- Sep 08

"The personal attention was very nice and appreciated" -- Sep 08

"Presenting our nightmare cases to the group was most helpful, I think we left no stones unturned" -- Sep 08

"I marvel how she got us to go from being competitive to helping and having fun with each other. I made some great new friends today" -- Sep 08

"I really enjoyed practicing the Round Robin Case of the Day with my partner" -- Sep 08

"I just found out today....I passed!!! I attended the course in late October 08. I am thrilled with the course, as well as the workshop, and would recommend them to anyone studying for the oral boards. The lecturers were absolutely fantastic! The facility was great! The mock orals were valuable! They gave me confidence and also showed me the areas on which I needed to focus. JB Oct 08

"I wanted to thank all of you for your help in this whole oral exam process. The workshop, the course, and the mock orals were extremely helpful to me and really made the difference in my confidence level during the test. My mock oral with Dr. Das was right on target-almost every question she asked on my gynecology case list was also asked in my exam. Thanks so much for helping me pass! I will be certain to recommend your course to others. -- EL Dec 08

"I wanted to express how eternally grateful I am to Dr. Das and the rest of the ABC staff for the wonderful assistance and support that everyone unconditionally and infinitely demonstrated during my Board preparation. I will always so fondly associate you with my PASSING the General Boards...I am still elated about the news!!! -- NA Jan 09