Iraqi Board Orthopedic Surgery exam-day guide
Iraqi Board Orthopedic Surgery · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID and admission documents
Bring the original identification document and any admission permit or candidate card the Iraqi Board requires. Exact accepted ID types and whether a printed admission letter is mandatory should be confirmed with the provider (the Iraqi Board of Medical Specializations / your training directorate) before the exam day.
Exam venue, date, and reporting time confirmed in writing
Verify the exact building, hall, and reporting time at least a week ahead, and re-check the day before. Venue and timing can be communicated through the training directorate rather than the exam hall itself, so confirm the channel and keep a screenshot or printout of the confirmation.
Clinical attire and a clean white coat
The practical/clinical exam usually involves a short-station or long-case format with real or simulated patients. Wear professional attire and a clean white coat; avoid strong perfume, dangling jewellery, or long fingernails that interfere with examination gloves.
Personal stethoscope and simple instruments
Carry your own stethoscope, a pen torch, a tendon hammer if you own one, a measuring tape, and a marker pen. Do not assume the hall supplies these; label your equipment. Confirm with the provider whether any instrument is prohibited.
Watch with a seconds hand (non-smart)
Station timing and pulse/respiratory rate counting need a watch with a visible seconds hand. Smart watches are commonly restricted in exam halls; bring a simple analogue or digital non-connected watch.
Station timing strategy rehearsed
Practise the expected station length (commonly a few minutes per station in OSCE-style circuits) with a timer so you can complete history, examination, and a concise presentation within the bell. Confirm the actual station duration and number of stations with the provider.
Structured presentation template memorised
Prepare a fixed order for presenting a case: introduction and consent, chief complaint, relevant history, examination findings by system, relevant negatives, differential diagnosis, investigations, and management. Rehearse it aloud so it flows without notes.
Core orthopaedic examination sequences revised
Be able to demonstrate look-feel-move-measure, special tests, neurovascular assessment, and joint-specific exams (shoulder, knee, hip, spine, hand, foot and ankle) plus trauma survey and fracture description (site, pattern, displacement, angulation, joint involvement, soft tissue, neurovascular status).
Image and data interpretation practice
Revise systematic reading of plain radiographs (adequacy, alignment, bone, cartilage/joint, soft tissue) and common CT/MRI appearances, plus lab and growth-plate interpretation. Practise describing findings aloud in 30-60 seconds.
Water, a light snack, and any prescribed medication
Clinical circuits can run long with limited breaks. Bring water and a light snack if permitted in the waiting area, and any medication you may need. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed inside the venue.
Leave prohibited items at home
Do not bring phones, smart watches, notes, textbooks, or recording devices into the exam hall unless explicitly permitted. Confirm the provider's list of prohibited and permitted items in advance.
Transport and backup plan
Plan the route, allow a large buffer for traffic and security checks, and identify a backup transport option. Arriving late may mean exclusion from the circuit; confirm the provider's late-arrival policy.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Do a final pass over your own summary sheets for fracture classification, nerve injuries, paediatric conditions, and joint examination sequences. Rehearse two or three full mock circuits aloud with a colleague acting as examiner, focusing on timing and structured presentation rather than content volume.
Reconfirm logistics in writing: venue, reporting time, ID requirements, permitted and prohibited items, and station format. If anything is unclear, contact the provider or your training directorate now rather than on exam morning.
Check that your white coat is clean and pressed, your stethoscope and torch work, and your non-smart watch is functioning. Pack everything into one bag and place it by the door.
Shift your sleep schedule so you wake at the time you will need on exam day. Avoid all-night revision; fatigue degrades examination technique and presentation fluency more than one extra topic helps.
Do a light review only: presentation templates, normal examination routines, and a handful of common cases (hip fracture, knee injury, shoulder dislocation, open fracture, paediatric deformity). Stop studying by early evening.
Lay out clothes, ID, admission documents, watch, stethoscope, torch, pen, and water. Re-read the venue confirmation and plan the route with a time buffer. Eat a normal meal and sleep at a reasonable hour.
Eat a proper breakfast and hydrate moderately. Arrive at the venue well before the reporting time to allow for security checks and registration. Avoid last-minute cramming in the corridor; instead run through your presentation template once, calmly.
At each station: read the instruction fully, introduce yourself, obtain consent, and wash or sanitise hands if a patient is involved. Narrate your findings as you go, keep to the time, and finish with a concise structured presentation and a clear management plan. If you do not know a fact, say what you would do to find out rather than guessing confidently.
If a station goes badly, deliberately reset before the next bell. Circuits are scored across many stations, so one weak station rarely decides the outcome; carrying frustration forward costs more marks than the original error.
Do not attempt to reconstruct or share station content with other candidates during the circuit or afterwards. Note any logistical problems and report them through the proper channel if they affected your performance.
Rules to check
Bring the identification and admission documents specified by the provider and present them on request. The exact accepted documents and any consequences of missing them must be confirmed with the provider in advance; do not assume a substitute will be accepted.
Do not bring phones, smart watches, notes, or recording devices into the exam hall unless the provider explicitly permits them. Confirm the permitted and prohibited item list with the provider before the exam day.
Treat patients and simulated patients with dignity: introduce yourself, explain what you will do, obtain consent, and keep examinations appropriate and chaperoned where required. Unprofessional or rough handling can be penalised independently of clinical accuracy.
Do not discuss or disclose station content with other candidates during the circuit, in waiting areas, or on social media afterwards. Breaching confidentiality may be treated as misconduct; confirm the provider's specific confidentiality policy.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on timing, movement between stations, and breaks. If you need to leave a station or the hall urgently, raise it with the invigilator rather than leaving unannounced; confirm the provider's policy on unscheduled breaks.
Scoring and pass standards are set by the examining body and are not usually published in detail. Do not rely on rumour about cut-offs or station weighting; if you need clarity on the format, ask the provider directly.
If you believe a station was mis-timed, mis-equipped, or otherwise compromised, report it to the invigilator immediately or through the provider's stated appeals channel afterwards. Confirm the appeals procedure and deadlines with the provider.
Declare any conflict of interest, such as being examined by a colleague or treating a patient you know personally, to the invigilator at the earliest opportunity; confirm with the provider how such situations are handled.