Name of Review Course: ColumbusComprehensive Review

Website: http://www.perinatalresources.org/

Cost: Registration $2200 – 10% discount for active duty, Hotel $134/night

Length: 9.5 days

Where was it? Hyatt on Capital Square, Columbus, OH       

Food: Snacks included but no meals. Lots of fast food in next door mall.

What faculty gave it? Primarily The Ohio State Univ faculty

Did it offer Mock Orals? No

How would you rate it? (Poor, fair, good, excellent) Excellent

Would you recommend it? Yes

Strengths

Very comprehensive. Covers all material needed to pass boards.

Excellent faculty

Topics were relevant and up to date

Weaknesses

Long

Some topics “3^rd world medicine” not needed to pass boards

Expensive

Maybe too comprehensive

No mock orals

Quotes from attendees

“Intense, through, outstanding faculty, exhausting, excellent experience, will come back in 5 years for update.”

Name of Review Course: Florida ersion of Columbus Comprehensive Review

Website: http://www.perinatalresources.org/

Cost: Registration $1735 – 10% for active duty, Hotel $131/night

Length: 7 days

Where was it? Coranado Springs Resort, Walt Disney World         

Food: Snacks included but no meals..

What faculty gave it? Primarily The Ohio State Univ faculty similar to Columbus Review

Did it offer Mock Orals? No

How would you rate it? (Poor, fair, good, excellent) Excellent

Would you recommend it? Yes

Strengths

Very comprehensive. Covers all material needed to pass boards.

Excellent faculty

Topics were relevant and up to date

Weaknesses

Long

Expensive

Maybe too comprehensive

No mock orals

No option for faculty to review case lists

Quotes from attendees

Perfect

Any longer would be too long

Great faculty

Name of Review Course: Exampro

Website: http://www.exampro.com

Cost: Registration: 5 day Board Review $1595; Definitive Board Review (Oral Techniques and High Yield Review) $1770;  Package Deals up to $3990.  10% discount if you sign up with friend and for military (not on packages)

Length: 3-5 days depending on courses/options

Where was it? Various locactions around the U.S. Miami, NY, LA, St Louis, Baltimore    

Food: Breakfast, snacks, and lunch included on all days of 3-5 day review course

What faculty gave it? Various national faculty

Did it offer Mock Orals? Yes (telephone, group, and individual)

How would you rate it? (Poor, fair, good, excellent) Excellent

Would you recommend it? Yes (highly)

Strengths

Great Software for Case Collection

High Yield

No fluff, only critical topics

Money back guarantee

Excellent faculty

Topics were relevant and up to date

Many different packages depending on what you need from help including caselist construction, mock oral exams and review of topics.

Telephone mock orals

Weaknesses

May not have enough details for some

Quotes from attendees

“Quick paced, good length and only covered what was really important. Helped me pass”

Great for those located in isolated practice areas needing a comprehensive program.

Name of Review Course: Osler

Website: http://www.osler.org

Cost: Registration $1320, or $880 for resident – Hotel varies on location. Usually given at/in a holiday inn. CD/MP3 audio version of review available for $475

Length: 6 days

Where was it? Offers courses in Chicago, Dallas, LA, and Philadelphia     

Food: Snacks along with breakfast and lunch included but no dinner.

What faculty gave it? Variety of national faculty including some military

Did it offer Mock Orals? Yes

How would you rate it? (Poor, fair, good, excellent) Excellent by all (about 8) but one person felt the course to be insufficient

Would you recommend it? Yes by most

Strengths

Very comprehensive. 

Excellent faculty

Topics were relevant and up to date

Offers CD’s with recorded lectures for those unable to attend

Weaknesses

One person felt depth of topics too basic

Quotes from attendees

“Great course, liked the ability to take course at different locations and also liked mock orals”

Name of Review Course: University of Californiaat IrvineReview of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology

Website: http://www.healthaffairs.uci.edu/obgyn/CME.html

Cost: wasn’t listed

Length: 5 days

Where was it? Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel, Costa Mesa  CA     

Food: not included.

What faculty gave it? Primarily The Univ of Cal Irvine faculty

Did it offer Mock Orals? “Case Reviews and Test Taking Skills”

How would you rate it? (Poor, fair, good, excellent) Excellent

Would you recommend it? Yes

Strengths

Covered most of the important topics

Excellent faculty

Topics were relevant and up to date

Weaknesses

Expensive hotel

No mock orals

Quotes from attendees

“Great course. Right length and great faculty. Will keep syllabus as a reference. Perfect course for me.”

Name of Review Course: Dr. Wall’s OB/GYN Board Prep

Website:  www.obgynboardprep.com

Cost: $1495

Length: varies upon course taken

Where was it? Dallasat Sheraton Chicago at Marriott

Food: None listed.

What faculty gave it? Mainly Dr Wall, but Dr Kerns and Heard also listed

Did it offer Mock Orals? No

How would you rate it? (Poor, fair, good, excellent) No one rated this

Would you recommend it? N/A no comments

Strengths

Weaknesses

Quotes from attendees

Name of Review Course: America’s OB/GYN Board Review Course

Website:  www.americasboardreview.com

Cost: $1440 with military or resident discount

Length: 5 days (Wed-Sun)

Where was it? Charlotte Suites Marriott (approx 190/nt)

Food: Breakfasts and lunches included.

What faculty gave it? Long list of various faculty, Dr. Das, Dr. Peeper

Did it offer Mock Orals? Yes

How would you rate it? (Poor, fair, good, excellent): Excellent

Would you recommend it?  Yes (highly x 2)

Strengths

Many different packages depending on what you need from help including caselist construction, mock oral exams and review of topics.

Up to 5 mock orals taken at single conference (group and one-on-one)

Recorded lectures available if missed during mock oral prep

Caselist review (group of peers and one-on-one)

Separate caselist prep course

Individual help for one person that did not pass the first time after taking their course

Telephone mock orals

Dynamic lecturers

Weaknesses

Long days  (some 7AM to 9PM) - noted by both reviewers

40% studying for written boards, 60% for orals

Quotes from attendees

"They are with you every step of the way. They advertise this and I think it is true."

"Very happy with the material presented. It was organized and quick paced but very relevant."
"COL Das is the course director and the course's greatest asset."

Name of Review Course: Emory  UniversityComprehensive Update in Gynecology & Obstetrics

Website: http://www.med.emory.edu/CME/course/specialty.htm#G then click gynecology

Cost: $900 physician $700 resident (no military discount mentioned but couldn’t hurt to ask)

Length:8 days

Where was it? Amelia Island, Florida Amelia Island Inn and Beach Club rooms starting at $151

Food:None listed

What faculty gave it?Some Emory and variety of professors from around the US

Did it offer Mock Orals? No

How would you rate it?No one rated this course

Would you recommend it?

Strengths

Weaknesses

Quotes from attendees

Name of Review Course: LSU 12^th annual New Orleans OB/GYN board review

Website: http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/ob_gyn/board_review_brochure.pdf

Cost: Residents start at $750 physicians in practice start at $900

Length: 5 days

Where was it: New Orleansat Royal Sonesta Hotel starting at $189/night

Food: Breakfast and snacks included

What faculty gave it?: LSU faculty

Did it offer Mock Orals? No but lectures on test taking strategies

How would you rate it? No one has rated this course

Would you recommend it?

Strengths

Weaknesses

Quotes from attendees