Arab Board Surgery Part 1 study plan

Draw and label from memory the fascial layers of the neck and the contents of the carotid sheath at the level of the thyroid isthmus.

Trace the course of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve on both sides, and list the operative manoeuvres that protect each during thyroidectomy.

Name the bronchopulmonary segments and justify which segments are most vulnerable to aspiration in the supine patient.

Sketch the boundaries and contents of the femoral triangle and explain why the femoral ring is a site where bowel strangulates.

Answer 30 single-best-answer surgical anatomy items and log every incorrect option with the correct anatomical reasoning.

Reproduce the peritoneal reflections that form the lesser sac and predict two clinical consequences of an undiagnosed posterior gastric ulcer.

Map the arterial supply and watershed zones of the colon onto a blank diagram, then predict which segments are at risk after ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery.

Describe the anal canal above and below the dentate line in terms of epithelium, somatic versus autonomic innervation, lymphatic drainage and venous drainage.

Explain the physiology of gastric acid secretion and the mechanism of action of proton pump inhibitors in an unassisted two-paragraph written account.

Explain the countercurrent mechanism of the loop of Henle and predict the electrolyte and volume consequences of furosemide in a postoperative patient.

Explain how preload, afterload and contractility determine cardiac output, and use that framework to justify three fluid or inotrope decisions in a hypotensive surgical patient.

Summarise the coagulation cascade and state which laboratory test interrogates each part of it.

Distinguish reversible cell injury, apoptosis and necrosis on morphological grounds and apply the distinction to a segment of ischaemic bowel.

Classify hypersensitivity reactions and identify which types underlie reactions to anaesthetic agents and to blood transfusion.

Describe the adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence in the colon, naming the gatekeeper and caretaker gene events and the checkpoint at which each acts.

Explain the vascular and cellular phases of acute inflammation and deduce the systemic signs that follow when the process becomes generalised.

Classify surgical site infection by depth and match each category to the organisms most commonly implicated and the usual time of onset.

Compare autoclaving, ethylene oxide, gamma irradiation and hydrogen peroxide plasma by mechanism, indications and the materials each would damage.

Justify the choice, dose and timing of antibiotic prophylaxis for a clean-contaminated colorectal resection, including when to repeat the dose.

Contrast the mechanisms of action of beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, metronidazole and vancomycin, and name the resistance mechanism most likely to defeat each.

Explain the four phases of wound healing and predict how diabetes, corticosteroids, radiotherapy and malnutrition alter each phase.

Classify sutures by absorbability, tensile strength retention and tissue reaction, then select an appropriate suture and needle for three named operations with written justification.

Calculate the fluid, sodium and potassium requirements of a 70 kg patient with a high-output ileostomy, showing the full arithmetic and the composition of the replacement fluid.

Describe the diathermy circuit for monopolar and bipolar current and list the precautions that prevent diathermy burns and fires.

Name ten commonly used surgical instruments from a written description of their shape and function, and state the specific operative use of each.

Write out and apply a primary survey (ABCDE) to three written trauma scenarios, listing interventions in strict priority order with the physiological justification for each.

Classify shock into four categories and match each to its haemodynamic profile (central venous pressure, cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance) and first-line therapy.

Apply a massive haemorrhage protocol, stating the balanced transfusion ratio, the threshold for activating it and the indication and timing of tranexamic acid.

Compare propofol, thiopentone, ketamine and sevoflurane in terms of onset, cardiovascular depression, airway effects and suitability for the shocked patient.

Construct a multimodal postoperative analgesia plan and explain the mechanism, ceiling effect and specific risks of each component.

State the indications for ICU admission and explain the physiological rationale for lung-protective ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Explain the doctrine of informed consent and apply it to a competent adult refusing a life-saving operation and to an unconscious patient requiring emergency surgery.

Design a closed-loop clinical audit of surgical site infection rates, specifying the standard, the sample, the data fields and the re-audit interval.

Select the correct statistical test for five given scenarios (two proportions, two means, paired data, time-to-event, diagnostic accuracy) and justify each choice in one sentence.

Interpret a p-value, a 95% confidence interval and a number needed to treat when summarising a randomised trial for a journal club.

Describe the ebb and flow phases of the metabolic response to injury and estimate the protein and calorie requirements of a 60 kg patient with major burns.

Explain the mechanism of refeeding syndrome, identify at-risk patients and set out the monitoring and replacement plan.

Sit three full-length timed mock examinations under exam conditions and record the score for each domain separately.

Re-teach from memory the five subtopics with the lowest mock scores, then verify each account against a reference text and correct it in writing.

Compress each of the nine domains onto a single revision sheet, listing only the facts most often tested and the traps most often missed.

Re-attempt every item in the personal error log and confirm each error is now understood rather than merely remembered.