Iran Specialty Board - Obstetrics & Gynecology

Expect a written multiple-choice paper, heavily weighted toward clinical case vignettes, followed by an oral examination with specialist examiners. The oral component tests reasoning aloud: differential diagnosis, investigation sequencing, and management including surgical decisions. Confirm the current structure and any changes with the official examining body before you plan your final review.

It is a summative specialty examination, so it assumes working specialist-level knowledge rather than testing isolated facts. The difficulty lies in applying that knowledge under time pressure and defending decisions verbally. Candidates who have read widely during residency and can justify management choices usually find the written paper manageable; the oral station is where gaps in reasoning show.

Retake provisions, waiting periods, and any limit on attempts are set by the official examining body and are not fixed across cycles. Do not rely on secondhand accounts. Check the current regulations on the official body's website and speak with your residency training office early, because the rules affect how you plan your final year.

Most residents begin structured review in the final six to nine months, alongside clinical duties. Start with a domain-by-domain pass using a consistent textbook and national guidelines, then move to timed case-based questions, then to mock orals. The oral component benefits from rehearsal with colleagues, so build that in early rather than in the last weeks.

Follow the weighting logically: secure obstetrics first, since normal pregnancy, complications, labor, and maternal-fetal medicine together form the largest share and overlap heavily. Then take gynecologic oncology and reproductive endocrinology, which reward systematic algorithms. Finish with urogynecology, surgery, infections, and ethics, which are smaller but frequently tested through cases that cross domains.

Three patterns recur: memorizing facts without a management framework, so vignettes with ambiguous presentations derail them; neglecting the smaller domains such as ethics and health law; and weak verbal reasoning in the oral, where they list options instead of committing to a plan and justifying it. Practicing structured answers out loud addresses the last one directly.

The examination is delivered in Persian. Standard technical terms are commonly used in their English form, so reading English-language textbooks and guidelines is normal preparation, but you should be able to explain concepts and defend decisions fluently in Persian. Practice oral answers in Persian even if you study from English sources.

Those administrative details are published by the official examining body and change between cycles, so this page deliberately does not state them. Obtain the current registration dates, fees, scoring method, and pass criteria directly from the official body's website and confirm them with your residency training office before making any plans.

No. This is independent study material written for candidates preparing for the examination. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in cooperation with the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education or any examining body. Always treat official publications and your training office as the authoritative source for regulations and content.