Practical Exam

Learning materials:

1. Learning materials from NBE: You/ Your hospital can order DVD’s learning material online (Link) . Almost all long cases and many short cases, ward rounds, instruments, X-ray, Specimen all covered in these DVD series.
2. Cases in Surgery (With DVD) : Book & Live DVD – As it Happens in the Examination by Dr. Chintamani
3. Cassette clinics by Dr. Ghanashyam Vaidya.

Practical books:

1. Bedside clinics in Surgery by Dr. Makhan Lal Saha.
2. SRB’S Bedside Clinics In Surgery by Dr. Sriram Bhat M.
3. Clinical Surgery Pearls by Dr. R Dayananda Babu.
4. A Manual On Clinical Surgery by Dr. S. Das.
5. Gateway To Success In Surgery by Dr. M.D.Ray.

Tips:

Before the exam

1. Practice case presentations regularly. Start preparation immediately after the theory exam and gain confidence. Take help from your mentor/juniors. Many suggest to present case infront of mirror.
2. The practical exam centre is usually declared 1 to 2 weeks prior to the scheduled date. So be prepared mentally that practical exam can be conducted any day after the declaration of theory result.
3. Book a hotel nearby to practical exam centre and go 2 days before the examination date. Visit the exam centre before. Go early in the morning (before 9 am) and talk with RMO/Resident there. Try to get contact of the resident of that particular hospital who can give you some information regarding case.
4. Things that you must carry during practical exam (Admit card, White Apron, Identity proof, Thesis copy, Log Book, Instruments – including stethoscope, measuring tape, Caliber scale, torch light, rolled X-ray plate for trans-illumination test, Reflex hammer, Gloves, Tongue depressor, sphygmomanometer, thermometer, pulse oximeter, tourniquets, Xylocaine jelly, hand sanitiser etc).
5. Make a batch for your roll number. Take print out of your roll number (Bold, 20 font) and laminate that paper to make a batch that you can attach infront of your white apron. Don’t write your name/ hospital name in that batch.

During examination day

1. Have atleast 5 hours of sleep at night and wake up early. Reach the exam centre 2 hours prior to the scheduled time (7 am). Ask the resident/ sisters about exam cases and read those cases in 1-2 hours. There will be 2 to 3 unusual cases (example: hepatosplenomegaly, varicocele, pilonidal sinus, spinal TB etc.) and knowing that case before the exam will help you as prepared mind performs better.
2. You have to give attendance first and after that a lottery will be conducted for allotment of cases.
3. There will be 4 long cases (50 marks each, total 200 marks). Each long case will be for 1 hour (40 min for history taking & examination, 20 min for viva). There will be almost no gap between cases and at the end you will realise how fast these 4 hours have gone.
4. Say Good morning to the examiners and present your case confidently. Your voice should be clear & soft. Use the words gentleman (not male), lady (not female) etc. Don’t write short forms in answer sheet (Example: Write Date of Admission not DOA, Write Chief Complaints not C/C). Say Blood pressure (not BP), Pulse rate (not PR) etc.
5. Examine the patient properly in a systematic way even if the examiner is busy with other candidate, because examiner will be noticing your activity all the time. Maintain adequate privacy of the patient and always talk with respect. If you are a male candidate and you have to examine a lady always request a sister to be present through out the examination time.
6. Don’t make any controversial statement during exam and always utter words carefully. Say only what you know. If they found that you are wrong, then admit it and say sorry. Be ready to justify your diagnosis. Be very confident about basics.
7. Pass or fail is mainly decided based upon performance in long cases. After long cases there will be a break of 45 to 60 minutes. Don’t be dishearten if you did some mistakes in long cases. Don’t talk negative in the break period. Just focus on next tables.
8. There will be 4 cases for ward round along with Xray, Specimen, Instruments and Operation tables (Total 100 marks). Try your best in these tables. Some shortage of marks in long cases can be covered in short tables.
9. Say ‘Thanks’ to the examiners at the end of each table.
10. Don’t forget to take your mobile, thesis copy and log book before leaving the exam centre.

After the examination

1. Discuss your examination experience with seniors who passed.
2. The result is usually declared within 2 to 3 weeks.
3. You have to submit Training Completion Certificate as soon as you will finish your 3 years of training. Without this certificate you’ll not get your result.

Call DNB office for practical result (+91 1145593000, extension 3 then 2). Result will be updated in NBE site (Link) within 7 to 10 days of declaration of result.

Note: For latest pattern of practical exam visit NBE website.  For practical exam related quarries contact to NBE Communication Web Portal.

All the best.

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