AOBOS Orthopedics study plan

Build a domain-1 blueprint by listing the twelve highest-yield general orthopedics and osteopathic principle topics and ranking each by your current confidence.

Write a two-page summary contrasting primary and secondary fracture healing, bone remodeling, and the mechanical signaling that links tissue strain to callus formation.

Construct a one-page perioperative decision table covering antibiotic prophylaxis timing and redosing, VTE risk stratification, and transfusion thresholds.

Practice a systematic plain-radiograph read sequence on ten normal and abnormal descriptions, and state the specific findings that justify CT or MRI.

Define somatic dysfunction, the four diaphragm/restriction concepts, and viscerosomatic reflexes, then match each to one orthopedic clinical scenario.

Close out domain 1 by summarizing metabolic bone disease, osteoporosis pharmacotherapy, and stress fracture pathophysiology in a single annotated outline.

Describe wound closure principles, suture and staple selection, and surgical approach planes for the six most commonly tested exposures.

Introduce trauma by explaining the Gustilo-Anderson grading and the time-dependent antibiotic and debridement decisions attached to each grade.

Differentiate compartment syndrome from arterial injury and nerve palsy using history, exam findings, compartment pressure thresholds, and when to release fascia.

Classify long-bone and articular fractures using the AO/OTA framework and justify each classification from a written fracture description.

Compare operative and nonoperative management for proximal femur, distal radius, tibial plateau, and ankle fractures using displacement, stability, and patient-factor criteria.

Explain damage-control orthopedics, timing of fixation in the polytrauma patient, and the rationale for staged versus definitive care.

Analyze pelvic ring and acetabular injury patterns, including the exam findings and hemorrhage-control sequence that drive emergent decisions.

Summarize nonunion, malunion, and periprosthetic fracture evaluation and the revision options for each.

State the indications, contraindications, and expected outcomes for total hip and total knee arthroplasty using patient selection criteria rather than diagnosis alone.

Compare surgical approaches to the hip and knee, naming the structures at risk and the specific complication each approach predisposes to.

Debate bearing surface and implant fixation choices by weighing wear, instability, and revision risk in defined patient profiles.

Apply current periprosthetic joint infection criteria to a written scenario and outline the one-stage versus two-stage exchange decision.

Build an enhanced-recovery pathway listing the anesthetic, analgesic, and transfusion components that shorten length of stay.

Complete domain 3 by outlining revision hip and knee workup, including the value and limitations of serology, aspiration, and imaging.

Map the dermatome, myotome, and reflex arc for each lumbar and cervical level and link each to a specific radicular syndrome.

Distinguish radiculopathy from myelopathy and from cauda equina syndrome using the exam findings that mandate urgent imaging.

List the red flags in a spine history and state the imaging and referral pathway each one triggers.

Compare nonoperative and surgical management for lumbar stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis using outcome evidence and patient selection.

Apply a thoracolumbar injury classification system to written fracture descriptions and justify operative versus nonoperative management.

Summarize spinal infection and metastatic disease evaluation, including when to biopsy before decompression.

Explain shoulder instability patterns, the labral and bony lesions each produces, and the matching soft-tissue versus bony stabilization strategy.

Outline the diagnostic and treatment algorithm for rotator cuff tears, ACL injury, meniscal tear, and cartilage lesion in the active adult.

Describe hip arthroscopy indications and the femoroacetabular impingement exam findings that support them.

Trace the flexor and extensor tendon zones of the hand and state the repair, rehabilitation, and complication risk specific to each zone.

Localize median, ulnar, and radial nerve lesions from a written sensory and motor deficit pattern and name the appropriate electrodiagnostic step.

Evaluate scaphoid, distal radius, and carpal instability injuries, including the imaging sequence and the signs of occult or delayed presentation.

Compare treatment options for hallux valgus, Achilles rupture, and Lisfranc injury using severity grading and functional demand.

Outline the diabetic foot workup, including the Charcot versus infection distinction and the timing of offloading versus surgery.

Differentiate developmental dysplasia of the hip, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, and slipped capital femoral epiphysis by age, exam, and imaging findings.

Summarize scoliosis and limb deformity evaluation, including the measurements that determine bracing versus operative intervention.

Distinguish benign from aggressive bone lesions using patient age, lesion location, margin, and periosteal reaction, and state the biopsy principle for suspected sarcoma.

Explain the staging and surgical margin concepts for the most common primary bone sarcomas and the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Run a full-length mixed review across all eight domains and re-teach the five weakest concepts from your accumulated error log.