Manual for General Surgery Board Exams

Prior to the establishment of the national program, three Palestinian hospitals were accredited by the Jordanian Medical Council (JMC) as training centers. Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem was the only center with a fully accredited residency program in General Surgery for all training years, having held accreditation from the JMC since 1988. Physicians were eligible to obtain partial specialty recognition from the JMC for time spent in service at select West Bank hospitals, according to a system of one year of specialty recognition for two years of service in a surgical unit, up to a maximum of two years. The remaining years of specialty training needed to be completed in a fully recognized facility in either Jordan or in Al-Makassed, in addition to successful completion of the Jordanian Board Exam. The system of recognition by the JMC for training undertaken at Al-Makassed or in select West Bank hospitals continued until 2008. The Palestine Medical Council was formed in 1996 and its status as an independent scientific medical body was established by the Palestinian Legislative Council in Law Number (1) in 2006. The PMC offered the first Palestinian Board Exam in November 2001 for six medical specialties, and has since offered exams in several specialties on a regular basis. The Council has the authority to arrange board examinations to certify physicians in all specialties and sub-specialties, even those not offered in local residency programs. The manual below is intended to provide Palestine Medical Council examiners with detailed instructions to assist in the setting of the Palestinian Residency Training Program exam questions, and clear instructions and information for the candidates about PMC board exam methodology. The manual is divided into two sections: one for candidates and one for examiners. The candidates' section describes the aim of the board exam, the classification of the exam (two parts), general instructions and regulations, practical arrangements, a description of part one of the exam, and a description of part two of the exam. The examiners' section describes the current plans for the future exam (written exam and OSCE), as well as multiple choice question (MCQ) guidelines. The users of this document are applicants for the specialty board exam and the examiners. The examiners should be thoroughly familiar with the manual in order to meet the standards of setting board exams. The Palestine Medical Council and scientific committees will find this manual useful to further develop and set the questions and methods for the board exams. Other disciplines may find this manual useful as well as a model for adaptation in other specialties. The exam has two parts. Both parts should be completed successfully to confirm a candidate's ability to practice general surgery independently within the Palestinian Territories. Part one focuses on basic science and is taken after successful completion of the first year of the residency program. Success in this exam is essential for progression to year three. Part two consists of a multiple choice exam and a clinical exam in the form of a verbal interview with committee members for 60 minutes, divided into three equal parts: clinical case, operative skills (virtual scenario), and surgical diseases and principles. This portion of the exam is taken after satisfactory completion of all five years of the residency program. There are two exam sittings per year, held in the Palestine Medical Council offices in Ramallah. Dates are confirmed two months before each sitting. Deadlines for applications are published on the PMC website (http://www.pmc.ps) and in local newspapers. All eligible candidates can sit for the exam. Applications should be submitted online at least one month before the exam. Candidates for each part will be required to produce evidence of eligibility in the form of a medical degree accepted by the PMC for registration, approval for exam application by the consultant trainer, head of the department, and PMC Surgical Committee, and applications must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. The Palestine Medical Council is committed to equality and fairness in the exam system. Special arrangements can be made for candidates with disabilities or other special needs.