ABOS Orthopaedic Surgery study guide
ABOS Orthopaedic Surgery · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) certifies orthopaedic surgeons through a two-part examination process. Part I is the written examination taken by candidates completing orthopaedic residency training; Part II is the oral, case-list-based examination taken later in practice. This independent study resource is organized around those two components, with practice questions written to reflect the breadth of orthopaedic knowledge a candidate is expected to command - trauma, arthroplasty, sports medicine, spine, hand, foot and ankle, pediatrics, oncology, and basic science - plus the professional-judgment and case-documentation skills that the oral format tests. Content here is original and is not drawn from, endorsed by, or affiliated with the ABOS. Topics on this exam: Part I (Written Examination) and Part II (Oral Examination). The ABOS Orthopaedic Surgery study guide has 2 sections and about 679 words.
01Part I (Written Examination): Core Knowledge and Test-Taking Strategy
The Part I examination samples the full breadth of orthopaedic knowledge: basic science (biomechanics, bone and cartilage biology, biomaterials, microbiology), pediatric and adult reconstruction, trauma, spine, hand, foot and ankle, sports medicine, musculoskeletal oncology, and rehabilitation. Questions are typically single-best-answer, so the task is not to recall everything but to eliminate distractors efficiently. Know the classic patterns cold: the Salter-Harris classification and its prognosis by type, the Gustilo-Anderson grading and its implications for antibiotics and fixation, the Neer and Lauge-Hansen frameworks, compartment syndrome diagnosis (clinical first; pressure thresholds), and the natural history of common conditions. Understand mechanism-to-injury translation: a valgus knee injury predicts a specific ligament and bone pattern.
345 words, about 2 min02Part II (Oral Examination): Case-Based Reasoning and Communication
The Part II oral examination presents clinical scenarios and probes judgment, not recall. Examiners want a structured, prioritized plan delivered aloud: history and exam findings, differential, workup, definitive management, and complications. The format rewards candidates who narrate their reasoning and acknowledge uncertainty rather than guessing. Know the decision points for each major region: when to operate versus observe (e.g., displaced femoral neck fracture in an elderly patient - arthroplasty, not fixation), how to select implant and approach, and the expected complications and their timelines (fat embolism, nonunion, avascular necrosis, infection).
334 words, about 2 min