The ABA Basic Exam falls among the series of exams of anesthesia training and is designed to evaluate and assess a CA-1 resident’s skills in the objectives of anesthesia learning. These objectives are covered during the CA-1 year as well as the clinical base year. ABA Basic exam is mostly delivered through the internet through vendors (such as Prometric), and therefore a lot of measures are taken to ensure it remains secure and proctored. This exam is administered either during two days in November’s fall or two days during June’s summer. People who need to do the exam often look at the exact dates from the ABA website. Below are the primary contents that are covered in the ABA basic exam and what everyone needs to know as they prepare to take the exam.
ABA Basic Exam Content
The ABA Basic Exam has four major content categories. These include “Basic Sciences”, “Organ-based Basic and Clinical Sciences”, “Clinical Sciences”, and “Special Problems or Issues in Anesthesiology”. The exam comprises questions that cover all the four categories and are designed to meet the specifications found in the Anesthesia Basic Exam Blueprint. Basic Sciences has 44-52 questions, which makes up 24% of the total exam. Clinical Sciences comprise 65-79 questions, which make up 36% of the total exam. Organ-Based basic and Clinical Sciences shall consist of 66-82 questions, which make up 37% of the total exam. Finally, the Special Problems or Issues in Anesthesiology has 4-8 questions, which make up about 3% of the total exam.
Three Crucial Things a Candidate Should Note If Planning to Take the Exam
First, long-term preparation for the ABA basic exam is essential. A lot of effort is needed to study for this exam in addition to the one-year course. Cramming has been the biggest reason why many candidates fail the exam or score extremely low marks. It is recommended that a lot of active learning is practiced instead of passive learning.
Second, it is also important to use the appropriate resources when preparing for the exam. The candidate should focus on studying resources that are geared towards the concepts of basic anesthesia. There are a lot of study materials on anesthesia, and picking the relevant ones is a sure step to having the right content for the exam.
Third, the application for the exam registration early is advisable. The ABA basic exam fee is quite expensive, often ranging between $675 and $1,375 based on how early the candidate applies for the registration. Late registration carrying the highest registration fee when compared to early registration
In summary, the ABA basic exam is an essential exam for those pursuing the course because it gives those who qualify a chance to advance in their studies. To scale such heights, passing the APA basic exam is mandatory. Sticking to the syllabus on the course content and guidelines on preparing for the exam is enough to make anyone pass it.
