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EXAMINATIONS: REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION AND RE-ADMISSION

THE ORAL EXAMINATION

Requirements

In order to be admissible to the division's oral examination, the candidate must be a certified Diplomate of The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the time of application, have passed the division's written examination, have an unrestricted license to practice medicine in all of the states or territories of the United States or a province of Canada in which the candidate holds a medical license, have good moral and ethical character, and have full and unrestricted hospital privileges.

The candidate must have gained and be prepared to document not less than 12 months of experience in practice as a subspecialist in a center or centers providing or having ready access to essential diagnostic and therapeutic facilities.

The case lists must have sufficient breadth and depth of clinical difficulty in the subspecialty to permit the evaluation of a candidate's ability to function as a consultant in the subspecialty.

The candidate must have full and unrestricted privileges to practice as an obstetrician-gynecologist in EACH of the hospital(s) in which the candidate has been responsible for patient care since at least July 1, 2005.

If the candidate is under investigation or on probation, the examination will be deferred until the investigation is completed, the probation is lifted and full and unrestricted privileges are granted.

The Board will request, by confidential inquiry, documented evidence concerning a candidate's professional reputation, moral and ethical character and in-hospital practice privileges from administrative officers of organizations and institutions to whom the candidate and the candidate's conduct of practice is known.*

Candidates must pass the oral examination within five years of passing the subspecialty written examination.

Each applicant will be considered in accordance with the requirements in effect during the year admission to the examination is requested.

All questions concerning admissibility will be decided by recommendation of the Credentials Committee with the approval of The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inc.

*see REVOCATION.

Additional Requirements for Candidates Practicing in a Country Other than the United States or Canada

Submission with the application of a letter(s) from a senior responsible officer in the hospital(s) where the candidate practices, verifying the candidate's responsibility for independent, unsupervised care of obstetrical and gynecological patients.

Application for Oral Examination

The candidate wishing to be scheduled for the 2008 oral examination may request the application form from the Board office in writing after January 1, 2007.

The completed application for the 2008 oral examination, $940.00 APPLICATION FEE, and the substantiating information required by the individual division, including a copy of a current medical license with current expiration date and two signed passport-sized photographs (2 x 2 inches), MUST BE RECEIVED in the Board office on or before May 1, 2007.

The application fee will not be credited against a future application or refunded.

Admission to the Oral Examination

A candidate, notified in mid-September of admissibility to the 2008 oral examination, is required to submit the $1065.00 EXAMINATION FEE by October 31, 2007.

The required thesis MUST BE RECEIVED in the Board office on or before January 2, 2008.

The required case list (for the period January 1 - December 31, 2007) (see case list requirements for GO; for MFM; and for REI) MUST BE RECEIVED in the Board office on or before February 1, 2008, in order to take the April 7-9, 2008 oral examination.

If the (1) case lists, (2) theses, and (3) examination fee HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED BY THE APPROPRIATE DEADLINES, THE CANDIDATE WILL NOT BE SCHEDULED.

If the copies of the thesis, the examination fee, and copies of the case list have been received by the scheduled deadlines, and are approved by the Board, the candidate will receive an AUTHORIZATION FOR ADMISSION FORM at least one month prior to the examination, indicating the day, time and place to report for the examination.

If a candidate is found to be involved in litigation or investigation regarding ethical or moral issues, he/she will not be scheduled for examination and credentials will be re-examined.* Typically, the Board will defer such a decision for one year to gain further information.

Falsification of data (including case lists) or evidence of other egregious ethical, moral or professional misbehavior may result in deferral of consideration of a candidate's application for at least three years. The candidate also must meet all requirements in effect at the end of the deferred period.*

* see REVOCATION.

Re-application

A candidate who postpones or fails the 2008 oral examination will be required to submit a new application form.

The candidate must submit a new application and a FEE on or before the application deadline for the 2009 examination.

Following notification of approval to retake the oral examination, the candidate must submit a NEW CASE LIST , along with the EXAMINATION FEE on or before the established deadline. The candidate's THESIS must also be submitted prior to the deadline.

Fees

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS AN APPLICATION FEE AND A SEPARATE EXAMINATION FEE FOR BOTH THE WRITTEN AND ORAL EXAMINATIONS.

Fees have been computed to cover the costs of examination and administrative expenses.

Application fees will not, therefore, be refunded or credited.

All fees must be paid in United States currency. The candidate's canceled check is to be considered the receipt.

For the 2008 oral examination, the examination fee must be received by October 31, 2007.

The application fee is $900.00 and the examination fee is $1020.00.

The thesis must be received in the Board office on or before January 2, 2008.

The case list for the period January 1-December 31, 2007 MUST BE RECEIVED in the Board office on or before February 1, 2008, in order to take the April 7-9, 2008 oral examination.

If the examination fee has not been received in the Board office on or before October 31, 2007, or if the thesis has not been received in the Board office by January 2, 2007; or if the case list has not been received in the Board office on or before February 1, 2008, the candidate will not be scheduled to take the oral examination on April 7-9, 2008.

No application or late fees will be either credited against a future application or refunded.

Examination fees may be refunded provided candidates inform the Board office in writing of their inability to sit for the examination prior to February 11, 2008, for the April 2008 examinations.

* see REVOCATION.

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