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[ Home ](https://mdster.com) 2. [ Blog ](https://mdster.com/blog) 3. [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) 4. American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology (Clinical Exam) Study Tips [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology (Clinical Exam) Study Tips ========================================================================= A practical plan to choose defendable cases, tighten your documentation, and walk into the remote case defense ready to justify every decision. [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Jul 15, 2026 · 6 min read · 42 [ Reviewed by Dr. Ali Ragab, MBBCH, MSc, MCAI ](https://mdster.com/medical-reviewers/dr-ali-ragab) [Editorial Policy](https://mdster.com/editorial-policy) | [Corrections Policy](https://mdster.com/corrections) [ Anesthesiology ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=anesthesiology) [ Anesthesiology Boards ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=anesthesiology-boards) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=study-tips) [ Board Certification ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=board-certification) [ AOBA Clinical Exam ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=aoba-clinical-exam) ![American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology (Clinical Exam) Study Tips](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/american-osteopathic-board-of-anesthesiology-clinical-exam-study-tips.jpg) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Start with the scoring, then work backward ](#start-with-the-scoring-then-work-backward) 2. [ Build a defendable case portfolio early ](#build-a-defendable-case-portfolio-early) 3. [ Use this portfolio workflow ](#use-this-portfolio-workflow) 4. [ Rehearse the defense, not just the medicine ](#rehearse-the-defense-not-just-the-medicine) 5. [ Six questions to answer for every submitted case ](#six-questions-to-answer-for-every-submitted-case) 6. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 7. [ Use resources that fit this exam ](#use-resources-that-fit-this-exam) 8. [ Common pitfalls that cost strong candidates ](#common-pitfalls-that-cost-strong-candidates) 9. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 10. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 11. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Start with the scoring, then work backward ](#start-with-the-scoring-then-work-backward) 2. [ Build a defendable case portfolio early ](#build-a-defendable-case-portfolio-early) 3. [ Use this portfolio workflow ](#use-this-portfolio-workflow) 4. [ Rehearse the defense, not just the medicine ](#rehearse-the-defense-not-just-the-medicine) 5. [ Six questions to answer for every submitted case ](#six-questions-to-answer-for-every-submitted-case) 6. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 7. [ Use resources that fit this exam ](#use-resources-that-fit-this-exam) 8. [ Common pitfalls that cost strong candidates ](#common-pitfalls-that-cost-strong-candidates) 9. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 10. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 11. [ References ](#references-heading) Most candidates who underperform on the AOBA Clinical Exam make one predictable error: they prepare as if it were another broad oral exam. It is not. The current format is practice-based and built around ten submitted cases, a letter of good standing, and a remote case defense; as of July 15, 2026, the posted primary clinical exam schedule includes an October 2026 to March 2027 administration window, with application dates running through August 15, 2026. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Start with the scoring, then work backward ------------------------------------------ A passing raw score is 70. Medical records review counts for 40% of the score, and the case defense counts for 60%; examiners review ten redacted records, identify five for review, and discuss two of those during the remote defense. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") That weighting should change how you study. Your goal is not to assemble your most exotic cases; it is to submit cases you can explain from preop assessment through postoperative disposition without hesitation. - Prioritize cases with clear decision points. - Favor charts with strong documentation over flashy pathology. - Include enough range to show breadth, but not so much that you cannot defend the details. - For each case, prepare one sentence on why you chose that anesthetic plan and one sentence on what you would improve in retrospect. Build a defendable case portfolio early --------------------------------------- The AOBA requires a three-month log of personally administered anesthetic procedures, with at least 15 procedures documented on the AOBA template, and you must continue maintaining logs until the case defense is scheduled. Personally supervised physician-trainee cases may be included if identified correctly, but supervised CRNA or SRNA cases are not accepted. The board also recommends notifying your medical records department early, and all submitted records must be de-identified by you. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Use this portfolio workflow 1. Create a rolling list of 25 to 30 recent cases now, not after your application is approved. 2. For each case, capture: comorbidities, airway concerns, monitoring choices, anesthetic technique, hemodynamic events, pain plan, and postoperative issues. 3. Mark cases with a defendable complication, judgment call, or change in plan. Those are often better defense cases than completely uneventful charts. 4. Cut the list to 12 to 15 strong candidates, then choose your final ten only after reviewing documentation quality. 5. Redact one full chart this week as a trial run so you do not discover late that your institution is slow or your redaction method is messy. > **Pro Tip:** If an important clinical judgment is weakly documented, rehearse how you will acknowledge that gap calmly and explain what you were thinking at the time. Rehearse the defense, not just the medicine ------------------------------------------- The Oral Exam is a different task: five timed cases, 12 minutes each, scored by two examiners, with a scaled score of 500 required to pass. The Clinical Exam comes later, after written and oral success, completion of residency, and one year of clinical practice, and it asks you to defend your own real cases. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") That format strongly suggests the examiners are looking for consistency, ownership, judgment, and professionalism as much as factual recall. Prepare every shortlisted case with the same six-question drill. ### Six questions to answer for every submitted case - Why was this anesthetic plan appropriate for this patient and procedure? - What were the major preoperative risks, and how did you mitigate them? - What alternatives did you consider, and why did you reject them? - What changed intraoperatively, and how did you adapt? - What complications were you actively trying to avoid? - What would you do differently today? Run two mock defenses each week. One should be friendly and structured with a colleague; the other should be skeptical and interruption-heavy with a senior anesthesiologist who will challenge your choices, your documentation, and your hindsight bias. > **Pro Tip:** Your best answer is usually clear, specific, and honest. Defensiveness reads worse than thoughtful self-correction. Study Schedule Template ----------------------- Because the Clinical Exam is offered twice yearly and the case defense is scheduled after application approval, build your preparation around chart assembly and repeated defense practice rather than passive reading. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") WeekFocusNon-negotiable output1Logs and adminConfirm eligibility, deadlines, and start a complete rolling case log2Case screeningBuild a 25 to 30 case list and flag your strongest 12 to 153Documentation reviewPull records, test redaction, identify chart weaknesses4Case outlinesWrite one-page defense notes for each likely submitted case5Guideline refreshReview society guidance relevant to your actual cases6Mock defense 1Two full viva sessions with feedback and revisions7Mock defense 2Repeat with tougher questioning and tighter answers8Final polishRemote tech rehearsal, final chart check, concise opening summaries If you are applying in the current posted 2026 cycle, the first deadline has already passed, and the final deadline is August 15, 2026; late applications increase the fee from $2,000 to $2,600. That is a strong reason to finish your admin work before you feel perfectly ready. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") Use resources that fit this exam -------------------------------- Question banks are lower yield here than they were for the written exam. For the AOBA Clinical Exam, use resources that help you defend actual choices in real charts. - **Your own records:** this is the core study source. - **Current society guidelines and practice advisories:** use them to stress-test the rationale behind your plans. - **Departmental M&M or QI discussions:** these sharpen your explanation of judgment, systems issues, and complication management. - **A small study group or one mentor:** ask them to challenge unclear answers, vague language, and undocumented assumptions. Common pitfalls that cost strong candidates ------------------------------------------- - Submitting cases that look impressive but are poorly documented. - Choosing cases you cannot reconstruct minute by minute from memory. - Forgetting that you must de-identify the submitted records yourself. [\[4\]](#cite-4 "Reference [4]") - Including cases supervised through CRNAs or SRNAs, which are not accepted for the case log or case review portion. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") - Speaking as if there was only one correct answer instead of showing balanced clinical reasoning. - Skipping a remote technology rehearsal. AOA remote exam guidance recommends a private room, advance technical setup, and avoiding work or hospital computers that cannot support required software. [\[5\]](#cite-5 "Reference [5]") Key Takeaways ------------- - Confirm your target administration window and final application deadline. - Clean up your three-month case log this week. - Build a shortlist of 12 to 15 cases before choosing the final ten. - Redact one complete chart now as a rehearsal. - Schedule two mock defenses on your calendar. - Prepare a crisp answer for what you would do differently in each case. Prepare like a chart reviewer and a calm case defender, not like a trivia contestant. That is how this exam is built, and your study plan should reflect it. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### How many cases do I need for the AOBA Clinical Exam? After application approval, you submit ten redacted cases for examiner review. Examiners then identify five of those for review, and two are discussed during the remote case defense. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Can I submit cases that I supervised through CRNAs or SRNAs? No. The AOBA states that supervised CRNA or SRNA cases are not accepted for the log or case review portion of the Clinical Exam. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### When should I start collecting records and redacting charts? Start during the application phase. The AOBA specifically recommends notifying your medical records department early, and candidates are responsible for de-identifying submitted records. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### How is the Clinical Exam scored? A raw score of at least 70 is passing. Medical records review accounts for 40% of the score, and the case defense accounts for 60%. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") References (6) ------------------ 1. 1. [ American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology Clinical Exam ](https://certification.osteopathic.org/anesthesiology/certification-process/anesthesiology-certification-process/clinical-exam/) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ certification.osteopathic.org/anesthesiology/certification-process/anesthesiology-certification-process/oral-exams ](https://certification.osteopathic.org/anesthesiology/certification-process/anesthesiology-certification-process/oral-exams/) [↩](#cite-ref-2-1 "Back to text") 3. 3. [ AOBA Upcoming Exam Dates and Deadlines PDF ](https://certification.osteopathic.org/anesthesiology/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/AOBA-Upcoming-Exam-Dates-and-Deadlines.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-3-1 "Back to text") 4. 4. [ AOBA Exam Policies ](https://certification.osteopathic.org/anesthesiology/certification-process/anesthesiology-certification-process/exam-policies/) [↩](#cite-ref-4-1 "Back to text") 5. 5. [ AOA Remote Proctored Exams Preparation ](https://certification.osteopathic.org/remote-proctored-exams/) [↩](#cite-ref-5-1 "Back to text") 6. 6. 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