Arab Board Oncology Clinical study plan
Arab Board Oncology Clinical · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Solid Tumors (Breast, Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, Gynecologic, Head and Neck, CNS, Skin, Sarcoma) & Diagnostic Oncology, Staging, and Tumor Pathology
Map each solid tumor type to its dominant histologies, typical staging system, and standard first-line intent (curative vs palliative)
Build a one-page staging cheat sheet for the six highest-yield solid tumors using TNM principles
Explain the difference between clinical, pathologic, and post-neoadjuvant staging and when each is used
Distinguish grading from staging and give two examples where grade changes management
Your checkpoint
One-page staging and histology reference table covering breast, lung, colorectal, prostate, cervical, and head and neck cancers, self-quizzed to 90% recall
Solid Tumors (Breast, Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, Gynecologic, Head and Neck, CNS, Skin, Sarcoma) & Systemic Anticancer Therapy (Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy)
Match each major solid tumor to its standard systemic regimens by intent and line of therapy
Compare cytotoxic chemotherapy mechanisms with targeted and immune mechanisms in terms of selectivity and toxicity profiles
Identify biomarker-driven treatment decisions in breast, lung, and colorectal cancer
Predict the dominant toxicity class for a given drug class and state the monitoring required
Your checkpoint
Drug-class-to-tumor matching matrix with 25 entries plus a written 10-question self-test scored and reviewed
Hematologic Malignancies & Systemic Anticancer Therapy (Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy)
Classify hematologic malignancies by lineage and acute versus chronic behavior
Outline diagnostic workup for a new leukemia, lymphoma, and plasma cell disorder
State the treatment paradigm (curative vs chronic suppressive) for each major hematologic entity
Explain the role and timing of stem cell transplantation in hematologic disease
Your checkpoint
Hematologic malignancy flowchart linking presentation, diagnostic test, and treatment paradigm for eight entities
Systemic Anticancer Therapy (Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy) & Radiation Oncology
Describe the radiobiology principles (4 R's) and how fractionation exploits them
Compare external beam, brachytherapy, and stereotactic approaches by dose delivery and indication
Explain when radiation is definitive, adjuvant, neoadjuvant, or palliative for common sites
List acute versus late radiation toxicities by anatomic site
Your checkpoint
Half-length timed mock exam (75 questions) spanning Domains 1-8 with a written error log categorizing each miss by domain
Surgical Oncology and Multidisciplinary Management & Cancer Epidemiology, Prevention, and Screening
Define the surgical margin principles (R0/R1/R2) and their prognostic meaning
Describe the role of the multidisciplinary tumor board in treatment sequencing
Apply screening criteria (age, risk, interval) for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer
Distinguish screening from early detection and from diagnostic testing
Your checkpoint
Case-based tumor board simulation write-up for three scenarios, each with a documented multidisciplinary recommendation and screening rationale
General Oncology and Principles of Cancer Biology & Supportive Care, Palliative Care, and Oncologic Emergencies
Explain hallmarks of cancer and how each maps to a therapeutic target class
Describe oncogene addiction, tumor suppressor loss, and the two-hit concept with examples
Recognize and outline immediate management of febrile neutropenia, tumor lysis syndrome, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcemia
Distinguish curative from palliative goals in an emergency presentation
Your checkpoint
Oncologic emergency action card set (four cards) plus a 15-item rapid-fire self-quiz scored at 85% or higher
Research Methodology, Biostatistics, and Evidence-Based Oncology & Diagnostic Oncology, Staging, and Tumor Pathology
Interpret hazard ratios, confidence intervals, and p-values in a trial report
Distinguish phase I, II, and III designs and their respective endpoints
Identify sources of bias and explain intention-to-treat analysis
Apply levels of evidence to decide whether a practice-changing result is practice-changing
Your checkpoint
Critical appraisal of one published randomized trial written in structured abstract format, identifying design, endpoint, bias risks, and applicability
Solid Tumors (Breast, Thoracic, Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, Gynecologic, Head and Neck, CNS, Skin, Sarcoma) & Systemic Anticancer Therapy (Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy) & Hematologic Malignancies
Integrate all domains in high-yield solid tumor and hematologic case vignettes
Re-drill every item from prior error logs to full recall
Complete a full-length timed mock exam under exam conditions
Prioritize remaining weak domains into a final 72-hour review list
Your checkpoint
Full-length timed mock exam (150 questions) with a scored performance report and a ranked list of remaining weak domains
Milestones
Week 2: Can match 20 of 25 common solid tumor regimens to tumor type and intent without notes
Week 4: Mock exam score at or above 55% with error log showing no single domain contributing more than 30% of misses
Week 6: Can state immediate management of all four major oncologic emergencies in under 60 seconds each
Week 8: Full-length mock exam score at or above 65% with improvement over the week 4 mock in every previously weak domain