ABOMS Statement Regarding Exam Prep and Content Review
There are many organizations and sites claiming to have materials, courses and personal expertise to prepare candidates for the OMS Oral Certifying Exam.
The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) does not endorse, sponsor, review, or approve any third-party test-preparation courses, coaching programs, apps or study materials for the ABOMS Oral Certifying Examination (OCE). Any course, company, site or individual claiming affiliation with ABOMS, or claiming special insider knowledge of exam content, questions or scoring, is not authorized to do so and does not speak for ABOMS.
Use of a test-preparation course or materials, including those led by individuals who describe themselves as former examiners, does not guarantee, imply or improve the likelihood of passing the exam. ABOMS is not responsible for the content, accuracy or outcomes associated with any third-party preparation programs or materials.
Sharing, soliciting or receiving confidential exam content is a violation of ABOMS’ exam security policies and candidate agreement, and may result in disciplinary action, including loss of exam eligibility, cancellation of exam, invalidation of exam scores, and/or denial or revocation of certification. Please report any suspected violations to ABOMS at 312.642.0070 or info@aboms.org.
Preparing for Your Exam
We want to help you succeed! There are proven ways to successfully prepare for the OCE:
- Review the official exam content outline/blueprint in the OCE Handbook. Study by domain and weighting so your time matches what's actually tested.
- Form or join a study group. Preparing with peers who are also sitting for the exam is one of the most consistently recommended strategies. You can quiz each other, compare study approaches, and stay accountable to a schedule.
- Practice speaking your answers out loud. Oral exams test a different skill than written ones. It is helpful to practice explaining your reasoning aloud, to a mirror, a study partner or a colleague.
- Talk to people who have already passed. Colleagues who hold the certification can often tell you what helped them most.
- Focus on reasoning, not just recall. Oral exams typically test judgment. Be ready to explain why you would make a given decision, not just state the correct answer.
- Subscribe to SCORE, the AAOMS learning management system for residency programs.
Please contact ABOMS at 312.642.0070 or info@aboms.org with questions or for additional information on study groups.