That the AANS oral boards course soon will mark 10 years of preparing attendees for success in the American Board of Neurological Surgery exam is a notable milestone. The occasion for celebration now, however, is recognition of the neurosurgeon who created one of the most sought after courses in postgraduate neurosurgical education.
In honor of Julius M. Goodman, MD, the AANS officially renamed the oral boards course Goodman Oral Board Preparation: Neurosurgery Review by Case Management. The presentation announcing the new name and paying tribute to Dr. Goodman took place in Houston during the Nov. 5-7 course.
“I’m speechless,” said an astonished Dr. Goodman, following announcement of the new course name to an audience of more than 100 course attendees, faculty and guests. Dr. Goodman also was presented with a plaque commemorating the occasion.
Achievement of ABNS certification — a key milestone on the path to a career in neurosurgery and a requirement for membership in the AANS — is no easy feat, as those of us who already have been through the process well know. It represents the culmination of years of education and training in mastery of a knowledge base that is the foundation neurosurgeons rely upon as they provide the best care for patients throughout their careers. Helping neurosurgeons attain this milestone is near and dear to the heart of Dr. Goodman.
“I work very closely with experienced, board-certified faculty members to produce an interactive, hands-on curriculum that provides participants with insights on what to expect during the rigorous oral board exam,” stated Dr. Goodman. “I feel it is very important to offer a curriculum that is ever-evolving to parallel the advances in the field and the clinical challenges being faced by neurosurgeons in practice.”
Dr. Goodman proposed the idea of the Neurosurgery Review by Case Management Oral Board Preparation Course nearly a decade ago. The first course was held May 3-5, 1997, in San Diego with 32 registrants and 11 faculty members. The popularity of this course has led to two course offerings per year, and the course has expanded to 100 registrants per course taught by 30 faculty members. The courses are offered in Houston just before the ABNS oral exam.
The course features plenary sessions wherein an examiner interviews a participant in the “hot seat” as the larger group observes. While this format initially is somewhat intimidating to participants, the opportunity for colleagues to “listen in” during the plenary sessions constitutes an invaluable learning experience. In addition, smaller break-out sessions allow one-on-one interaction between participant and examiner. Participants are able to develop techniques for answering questions pertaining to the clinical scenarios in a structured fashion, and they also are able to practice rapidly responses to multiple clinical scenarios across numerous subspecialties.
What is the measure of a successful course? Soaring numbers of course participants such that a waiting list is necessary is one obvious measure. The most dramatic testaments to course success, however, are the accolades voiced by the neurosurgeons who have participated. Their comments include:
- “This course is by far the most important thing you can do … to pass the exam.”
- “Your course was an invaluable part of my success on the exam.”
Dates for the Neurosurgery Review by Case Management Oral Board Preparation Course in 2007 are May 20-22 and Nov. 4-6. Additional information is available at www.aans.org/education.
With the AANS Goodman oral board preparation course now well established, Dr. Goodman and the AANS now are developing courses to prepare neurosurgeons for ABNS Maintenance of Certification.
Allan Levi, MD, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Miami in Florida. He is a member of the faculty for the Goodman Oral Board Preparation: Neurosurgery Review by Case Management course.