The UAB General Surgery Residency organized its first multi-institutional mock orals for chief residents in preparation for their general surgery certifying examination.

The General Surgery Certifying Examination is the last step toward board certification in general surgery. It is an oral exam consisting of three consecutive 30-minute sessions, each conducted by a team of two examiners.

Mock orals gave residents the opportunity to be examined by faculty that they did not know, simulating the actual oral boards in a more realistic fashion. According to Residency Program Director Britney Corey, M.D., MACM, FACS, central to the organization was Endocrine Research Fellow Polina Zmijewski, M.D.

Zmijewski partnered with the University of Mississippi, the UT-Lexington, and Brookwood Baptist Health to bring the four institutions, including UAB, together to provide a mock oral general surgery board experience to PGY 5 residents. Partnering with Zmijewski in planning was Assistant Professor Jess Fazendin, M.D., who also serves as director of the medical student surgery clerkship.

Other residents, from PGY2s-PGY4s, also got practice in mock orals, which ultimately aim to examine resident’s ability to use their knowledge and training to safely, effectively and promptly manage a broad range of clinical problems.

“We’re proud to offer these supplemental training options to our residents, as we want them to be as prepared as possible for boards,” said Corey. “We’re grateful to each of our own faculty volunteers who generously gave of their time to support our residents and other general surgery residents across the nation.”