Written Exam

Eligibility

To be eligible to sit for the AOBPr Written Exam, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a graduate of a COCA-accredited college of osteopathic medicine.
• Satisfactorily complete a one-year internship in an AOA-approved training program.
• Satisfactorily complete two years of AOA-approved training in proctology.
• Practice in proctology for two years following the required two years of AOA-approved training.
• Successfully sit for and pass all sections of the certification examination.
• Hold an unrestricted license to practice in a state or territory.
• Adhere to the AOA Code of Ethics.

Requirements

At the time of application, you must submit the following materials:

• Completed application and all required fees.
• Copy of your current state medical license.
• Notarized evidence of performing a minimum of 200 operative procedures following training.
• Affidavits showing a minimum of 200 case records of operations performed within the four years immediately prior to application for examination.
• Detailed case reports of 50 operative procedures within the four years immediately prior to application for examination. These reports shall include history, physical examination, laboratory examinations, pre-operative diagnosis and evaluation of the patient, detailed operative record, postoperative diagnosis, progress notes, gross and histological description and diagnosis of excised tissue, case termination and summary.
• Two copies of an affidavit stating the percentage of practice that was proctologic during the preceding 12-month period prior to application for examination, based upon the patients seen (a minimum of 50% specialty practice is required).
• A thesis on a proctologic subject of the applicant’s choosing which is acceptable to the Evaluating Committee of the American Osteopathic College of Proctology. The thesis must follow the standard of common use for composition.

Exam Fees

An application fee of $400 and a registration fee of $1,800 must be submitted with your completed application. No application will be considered complete until all fees have been paid.

Exam Dates and Deadlines

The AOBPa Written Exam is typically offered in October each year.

Exam Content

Following satisfactory compliance with the prescribed requirements for examination, the applicant is required to pass appropriate examinations planned to evaluate an understanding of the scientific bases of the problems involved in proctology, familiarity with the current advances in proctology, possession of sound judgment and a high degree of skill in the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures involved in the practice of proctology.

Exam Scoring

Scoring Criteria

AOA reports candidates’ certification results using standardized scaled scores. Scaled scores are more valid and reliable compared to raw scores and make scores comparable across different forms of the exam. The AOA reports scores on a 200 to 800-point scale with a scaled score of 500 or higher required to pass.

• A scaled score of 500 represents the minimum level of knowledge and skill necessary to pass the exam as established by AOA Certifying Boards.
• The highest possible scaled score is 800.
• The lowest possible scaled score is 200.
• Overall scores are based on the total number of items answered correctly, regardless of content area.

Results by Content Area

• When possible, a breakdown of exam scores by content area is provided to help you identify your areas of strength and areas that may need more development.
• The number of items for each content area indicates the relative amount of test questions on the exam for that content area.
• Content area scores are not weighted to calculate your overall score; each content area is scored separately after the overall analysis is complete.

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