Iraqi Board General Surgery study plan
Iraqi Board General Surgery · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Basic Sciences Applied to Surgery (anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology) & General Surgical Principles and Perioperative Care (asepsis, wound healing, trauma resuscitation, shock, fluids and nutrition, surgical infection)
Explain the anatomy of the inguinal canal, femoral triangle, and peritoneal reflections by drawing them from memory and labeling boundaries
Describe the physiology of wound healing phases and list factors that impair healing with their mechanisms
Outline Starling forces and classify the four types of shock with the hemodynamic profile of each
Summarize the pharmacology of local anesthetics, antibiotics prophylaxis timing, and common perioperative drugs including mechanisms and adverse effects
Interpret a basic metabolic panel and arterial blood gas to choose the correct fluid or electrolyte correction
Your checkpoint
A one-page hand-drawn anatomical map of the groin and a 20-row table of shock types and fluid/electrolyte corrections, self-quizzed to 80% recall
General Surgical Principles and Perioperative Care (asepsis, wound healing, trauma resuscitation, shock, fluids and nutrition, surgical infection) & Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery (esophagus, stomach, small and large bowel, liver, biliary tree, pancreas, spleen)
Apply aseptic technique principles and compare sterile field, skin prep, and surgical scrub requirements
Describe the phases of wound healing and classify surgical wounds by contamination level with expected infection risk
Explain the pathophysiology, clinical features, and management of the acute abdomen including perforation and peritonitis
Outline the anatomy of the biliary tree and the clinical approach to obstructive jaundice
Compare the presentation and initial management of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding
Your checkpoint
A written 10-case vignette set on perioperative care and acute abdomen with your diagnosis and first three management steps for each, scored against a self-made answer key
Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery (esophagus, stomach, small and large bowel, liver, biliary tree, pancreas, spleen) & Endocrine Surgery (thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, endocrine pancreas, breast)
Describe the surgical anatomy of the stomach, duodenum, and pancreas with their blood supply and lymphatic drainage
Explain the diagnostic workup and surgical options for gallstone disease and its complications
Compare the evaluation and management of thyroid nodules and differentiate benign from malignant features
Outline the approach to a breast lump including triple assessment and staging principles
Explain the workup of primary hyperparathyroidism and the localization strategy before surgery
Your checkpoint
A two-page comparison sheet of thyroid versus breast lump workup and a 15-item self-test on hepatobiliary anatomy and gallstone complications, achieving at least 12/15
Trauma and Emergency Surgery (including burns, abdominal and thoracic trauma, critical care) & Vascular Surgery (arterial, venous, lymphatic disease, vascular access, amputation)
Apply the primary and secondary survey of ATLS in order and identify life-threatening injuries in each phase
Describe the initial resuscitation and decision-making for abdominal trauma including indications for laparotomy
Explain the vascular access options and the assessment of acute limb ischemia using the six Ps
Outline the management of varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and venous ulceration
Describe burn depth classification and fluid resuscitation using the Parkland formula with its limitations
Your checkpoint
A timed 40-question mock test on trauma, vascular, and burns topics with a written error log categorizing each mistake as knowledge, reasoning, or misread
Surgical Oncology (staging, principles of resection, adjuvant therapy, common solid tumors) & Pediatric Surgery and Urology (common congenital and acquired surgical conditions)
Explain the TNM staging concept and apply it to colorectal and breast cancer
Describe the principles of surgical resection margins and the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy
Compare the common pediatric surgical emergencies including intussusception, pyloric stenosis, and appendicitis
Outline the presentation and initial management of undescended testis, inguinal hernia in children, and hypospadias
Explain the principles of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in common solid tumors
Your checkpoint
A staging and management summary for five common solid tumors plus a pediatric emergency algorithm sheet, reviewed against standard references
Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery (skin grafting, flaps, burns reconstruction, hand injuries) & Neurosurgery and Thoracic Surgery (basic principles and common conditions) & Orthopedic Surgery and Anesthesia (fracture principles, anesthesia principles, pain management)
Compare split-thickness and full-thickness skin grafts and list the indications for each
Explain the blood supply and design principles of local and regional flaps
Describe the initial assessment and management of hand injuries including tendon and nerve injury
Outline the presentation and initial management of head injury using the Glasgow Coma Scale
Explain the principles of fracture healing, reduction, and fixation and the basics of anesthesia and pain management
Your checkpoint
A 12-item written case quiz covering grafts, hand injuries, head injury, and fractures with a one-line justification for each answer
Professionalism, Ethics, Patient Safety, Research and Evidence-Based Surgery & Surgical Oncology (staging, principles of resection, adjuvant therapy, common solid tumors)
Apply informed consent principles and identify common ethical and professionalism pitfalls in surgical practice
Describe patient safety practices including the surgical safety checklist and root cause analysis
Explain the levels of evidence and interpret sensitivity, specificity, and number needed to treat
Critically appraise a surgical study design and identify bias and confounding
Outline the principles of evidence-based guideline application to a clinical decision
Your checkpoint
A structured critical appraisal of one published surgical study using a PICO framework and a bias checklist, plus a 10-question ethics and patient-safety self-test
Basic Sciences Applied to Surgery (anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology) & General Surgical Principles and Perioperative Care (asepsis, wound healing, trauma resuscitation, shock, fluids and nutrition, surgical infection) & Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery (esophagus, stomach, small and large bowel, liver, biliary tree, pancreas, spleen) & Trauma and Emergency Surgery (including burns, abdominal and thoracic trauma, critical care) & Professionalism, Ethics, Patient Safety, Research and Evidence-Based Surgery
Consolidate high-yield facts across basic sciences, perioperative care, gastrointestinal surgery, trauma, and professionalism
Practice timed mixed-topic questions under exam conditions
Review the error log from week 4 and correct recurring knowledge gaps
Explain the management pathway for the ten most commonly tested acute surgical presentations
State the key ethical and safety principles likely to appear in the examination
Your checkpoint
A full 100-question timed mock examination with a scored review, plus a corrected one-page high-yield summary of weak areas
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 70% on the week 2 vignette set and recall the shock and fluid tables without notes
Week 4: Complete the 40-question mock in under 60 minutes with at least 60% correct and a fully categorized error log
Week 6: Score at least 70% on the week 6 case quiz and explain each graft, flap, and fracture principle aloud in under two minutes each
Week 8: Achieve at least 65% on the 100-question mock with no repeated error category from week 4, and finish the high-yield summary sheet