Iraqi Board General Surgery exam-day guide
Iraqi Board General Surgery · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID (passport or national ID card)
Bring the original document, not a copy. The name must match your registration exactly. Which specific IDs are accepted for the Iraqi Board practical/clinical examination is set by the examining body, so confirm the accepted list with the provider (the Iraqi Board for Medical Specializations / your training centre) before the day. needs_review
Admission card / exam entry document
Print or download whatever entry slip the Board issues for your sitting and keep a paper copy in your bag alongside a digital copy. If you have not received one, contact the provider well before the exam date. needs_review
Clinical tools: stethoscope, pen torch, tendon hammer, measuring tape, gloves
You will be asked to examine patients or manikins at stations. Carry your own working stethoscope (check the tubing and earpieces), a functioning pen torch with spare batteries, a reflex hammer, a soft tape measure, a marker pen, and a small notebook. Non-latex gloves if you have a sensitivity. Whether personal instruments are permitted at stations varies, so confirm with the provider. needs_review
Dress code compliance: clean white coat and professional attire
Wear a clean, ironed white coat over modest professional clothing, closed shoes, and tied-back hair if long. Avoid strong perfume or cologne and dangling jewellery, which interfere with patient contact and infection control. Confirm whether a white coat is expected or provided. needs_review
Infection-control items: alcohol gel, spare mask
Hand hygiene between stations is expected and often scored. Carry a pocket alcohol gel and a spare surgical mask in case a station requires it.
Watch (non-smart) and a plain pen
Many circuits time each station strictly. A simple analogue or digital wristwatch lets you pace yourself if the hall clock is not visible. Smart watches and phones are usually not allowed at stations. Confirm the timing signal used at your centre. needs_review
Know the venue, route, and arrival time
Do a dry run or check the route the day before. Aim to arrive at least 60–90 minutes before the stated reporting time to absorb traffic, security checks, and registration queues. Confirm the exact reporting time and gate with the provider. needs_review
Leave phones and valuables at home or in the designated storage
Most circuits prohibit phones, smart watches, and notes in the examination area. Plan to hand them over or leave them with a companion; do not carry them into stations.
Review station instructions and rest-break rules
Read the candidate briefing document issued with your admission materials. It should state the number of stations, station duration, rest stations, and whether you may take notes. If anything is unclear, ask the provider in advance. needs_review
Personal needs: water, snack, any prescribed medication
Circuits can run several hours with limited breaks. Bring water and a light snack for before or after, and any medication you take regularly. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed in the waiting area. needs_review
Plan the day
Confirm logistics: venue, reporting time, ID requirements, and dress code with the provider. Re-read the candidate briefing and station format. Do a final run-through of the core clinical examination sequences (abdominal, respiratory, cardiovascular, thyroid, breast, hernia, rectal, vascular, trauma primary survey) aloud with a colleague, practising the order and the words you will use to explain and present findings.
Practise timed stations: 6–8 minutes each, examining a real or simulated patient and giving a structured presentation in the final 1–2 minutes. Rehearse common viva topics: consent, sterile technique, suturing and knot-tying, instrument identification, basic sutures and drains, ATLS priorities, and interpretation of a plain radiograph or ECG if your circuit includes them.
Stop cramming new material. Pack your bag from the checklist, lay out clothes, charge nothing you cannot bring (leave smart devices behind), and check travel plans and weather. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol, and sleep early. Review only your own short summary sheet of examination sequences and presentation templates.
Eat a proper breakfast and hydrate. Arrive early, complete registration and ID checks, and use waiting time for calm mental rehearsal of the first station sequence, not for new facts. Visit the toilet before entering the holding area. Switch off and hand over your phone.
At each station, read the instructions fully before touching the patient. Introduce yourself, confirm patient identity and consent, wash hands, and state what you are about to do. Examine systematically and talk through your findings. Leave 1–2 minutes to present a structured summary: findings, likely diagnosis, and next steps. At rest stations, reset and breathe. If a station goes badly, do not carry it into the next one.
Hand back any borrowed equipment, collect your belongings, and note (without breaching confidentiality) which stations felt weak so you can address them if a retake or further assessment is required. Do not discuss specific station content with candidates who have not yet sat the exam.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider and present it on request; entry is normally refused without it. Confirm the accepted documents with the provider before the day. needs_review
Follow the provider's instructions on phones, smart watches, notes, and recording devices; these are typically prohibited in the examination area and possession may be treated as misconduct. Confirm the exact policy with the provider. needs_review
Treat patients, simulated patients, and examiners with courtesy and respect. Obtain consent before any examination, maintain privacy and dignity with appropriate draping, and follow standard infection-control practice including hand hygiene between stations. These behaviours are commonly scored, not just assumed.
Do not disclose, photograph, or discuss specific station content with other candidates during or after the circuit; examinations are confidential. Report any suspected irregularity to an invigilator rather than handling it yourself.
Manage time within each station: read the instructions, perform the task, and reserve time to present. If you finish early, do not leave the station until instructed.
If you feel unwell, need the toilet, or require an adjustment, tell an invigilator immediately; do not leave the circuit unaccompanied. Special-arrangement and break policies are set by the provider, so confirm them in advance. needs_review
Scoring, pass marks, station weighting, and any penalty rules are determined by the examining body and are not standardised; do not rely on rumour. Request the published assessment regulations from the provider. needs_review
Declare any conflict of interest, such as being examined by a colleague or relative, to the invigilator before the circuit begins so the provider can handle it according to its rules.