useful tips for residents in family medicine

1. MCQs and Oral Exam Tips in Family
Medicine Residency Programs
By
Dr : Mohamed Salem
Assistant Professor Family Medicine
Suez Canal University
5th October 2016

2. Objectives
• To be well prepared to MCQs based exams
• To be well prepared to Oral based exams

3. Introduction
Please answer the following questions :
- How to go through to finish MCQs book ?
- What is the way you follow in MCQs answer ?
- What is your experience in previous oral exam
tests ?

4. Tips to Improve MCQs Learning
• Write personal learning plan to study MCQs, put plan
for certain months to finish certain MCQs books
• Study in a group – colleagues or friends
• Do not look just for the answer for one single MCQ ,go
through details of explanation and if needed to update
knowledge of that concerned topic
• Write short notes as reminder for particular emerging
deficiencies in knowledge
• Disease comparisons may enhance ability to remember
the differential diagnosis
• Concentrate understand and conclude what is really
meant by given information – ask experts if in doubt

5. Tips to Improve MCQs Learning
• Revise common topics in family medicine - based upon
needs and experience
• Concentrate upon weaknesses from previous MCQs MOCK
exam results
• Start by 5-10 questions per day or every week - then
increase it gradually till you reach maximum tolerated
number in one week or month
• Mock exams should be done periodically during learning
cycle – American Board Exams – could be training in
academic days
• Mistakes should be revised periodically to enhance mental
ability to remember knowledge
• Take suitable period of time to make final revision on
mistakes and personal notes written before final MCQs
Exam

6. Tips to Improve Answering Skills of MCQs
• Look for key words in stem of the MCQ may facilitate the
answer
• Guess the answer if can not reach the answer by grammar
or whatever similarities
• Find correct answer by process of exclusion:
- First delete the apparently incorrect answer
- Any answer partially incorrect delete it from your choices
- If two choices are similar both are incorrect
- if two choices are opposite to each other , one of them is
the correct answer
- If one choice is different from the rest, consider it the right
answer

7. Tips to Improve Answering Skills of MCQs
• Respect logical thinking and background
clinical experience (risk factors and
medications).
• In cases of controversies , respect previous
answers from MCQs books
• Don’t postpone documentation in answer
sheet

8. Tips to Improve Answering Skills of MCQs
• Use all exam time ,don not finish early (not
privilege)
• Take suitable period of time to make final
revision to avoid silly mistakes
• No change of answers unless you are sure that
the first choice was absolutely wrong

9. MCQs Examples
• Responses that use absolute words, such as "always" or
"never" are less likely to be correct than ones that use
conditional words like "usually" or "probably."
• "Funny" responses are usually wrong.
• "All of the above" is often a correct response. If you
can verify that more than one of the other responses is
probably correct, then choose "all of the above."
• "None of the above" is usually an incorrect response,
but this is less reliable than the "all of the above" rule.
Be very careful not to be trapped by double negatives.
• Look for grammatical clues. If the stem ends with the
indefinite article "an," for example, then the correct
response probably begins with a vowel.

10. MCQs Examples
• The longest response is often the correct one,
because the instructor tends to load it with
qualifying adjectives or phrases.
• Look for verbal associations. A response that
repeats key words that are in the stem is likely to
be correct.
• If all else fails, choose response (b) or (c). Many
instructors subconsciously feel that the correct
answer is "hidden" better if it is surrounded by
distracters. Response (a) is usually least likely to
be the correct one.

11. Oral Exam Tips
• The oral exam is an opportunity to demonstrate
knowledge, presentation/speaking skills, ability to
communicate and good practice for job interviews!
• The exam can be formal, or informal, listen carefully to the
question, and answer directly.
Formal exams follow a list of questions in a prepared format.
The criteria for evaluation is usually set in a right/wrong
format, and can be competitive.
Informal exams are more open, responses are usually longer,
and evaluations can be more subjective. Answers are often
less exact (right/wrong), and value is added for problem
solving analysis and method, as well as interpersonal
communication and presentation.

12. Components to a Successful Oral Exam:
A) Preparation :
• Ask Faculty : to give you a few practice questions
and critique your performance.
• Study : If you do not study, you will not do well.
• Search Department rules: oral exam rules .
• Write out questions you expect to be asked,
then
- Discuss answering with people in the field or
who have had the test. Practice answering with
colleagues
- Verify the date, time and location; confirm these
with your instructor

13. Components to a Successful Oral Exam:
B) The Exam :
• Professional Appearance : Create a good impression -
Dress well and appropriately, turn off cell phones
• Arrive at the Exam location early :
To check out the situation - This is a time for relaxed focus,
not for review.
• At Exam : Introduce self - Give the instructor all attention;
look interested and smile! Keep good posture and eye
contact .
• Stay focused and Alert through the interview - Be an
intelligent listener as well as talker.
• Do not ramble or rave : if you can not answer , ask if you
could outline how you would find the answer, solve the
problem, or the method you would employ.

14. Components to a Successful Oral Exam:
C) Things go Wrong :
• Maintain self-confidence if you feel the interview is
not going well..
• Answer questions with "yes" or "no“ is not
appropriate ,Use two or three elements to
demonstrate knowledge
• Pay attention for time management
( the examiner looks at the clock, moves the chair back)
• Ask if there is anything you want to add
• Thank the instructor or examiner

15. Components to a Successful Oral Exam:
D) Follow Up :
• Performance : Where you did well or poorly -
Keep a written record
• How to improve
• Note significant "event" during the interview
• Speak to instructor if there is concern
regarding the material or performance.
• Feedback to Department

16. Oral Exam Examples :
• Community Medicine Basics
• Family Medicine Principles and primary health care
• Chronic Disease Management Model and Care
• Ethical Dilemmas
• Screening and Preventive Activity
• Epidemiology and Emerging Diseases
• Evidence Based Medicine
• Quality and Audit
• Accreditation Standards
• Research principles and methodology
• Practice Management and strategic planning
• Problem Solving Skills
• Patient safety and infection control
• Mental Health
• Geriatric Care

17. conclusion
• Practice in group
• Study with colleagues
• Ask experts (seniors)
• Get advice from your advisor
• Try and Repeat

18. Thank You
Any Questions