Applying
Once you’ve successfully passed the ABNM written examination, you’ll have a three-year window to complete the Part II – Oral examination.
To qualify for this oral exam, you’re required to submit a real surgical case where you encountered a significant change or alert in Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM). Please note that cases involving routine anesthesia or pedicle screw changes will not be considered.
Additionally, you’ll need to specify the category for your second session in the application (more details below). This category must differ from the one your real surgical case falls under.
Before you proceed with your application, it’s crucial to click the button below to thoroughly review the detailed requirements.
The oral ABNM
Preparation
What you need to know
The oral examination is not just a test of knowledge; each candidate has sufficient knowledge as demonstrated by having passed the written examination. The oral examination questions will seek to assess your application of knowledge as it relates to:
– reasoning
– development of judgement
– adaptability to changing environments
– interpretation
– sudden changes in monitoring equilibrium
– application of relevant anatomy and physiology
– supervision
– other relevant issues
In essence, the exam is designed to test those aspects of data interpretation that extend beyond the technical aspects of monitoring and determine if the candidate has developed sufficient reasoning power and has a command of the relevant literature to make informed, intelligent decisions and to properly interpret neurophysiological data.
To prepare for this make sure you have:
(1)a broad and detailed understanding of the relevant scientific journal articles that intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring is based upon and can use them to back up your decisions.
(2)reviewed your submitted case in detail and are aware of the neurophysiological literature that relates to the case, modalities and decisions that you made.
(3)reviewed the scientific literature related to your hypothetical case in detail and be prepared to reference it to support your answers.
To learn more about the oral exam and specific types of questions click on the button bellow to read the Policy and Procedures sections on the Oral Examination.
Exam Day
What to expect
A chance to showcase your reasoning
Exams are held yearly in-person. When possible, the ABNM tries to schedule exams to coincide with the ASNM annual conference.
When you arrive at the exam location you will be asked to wait in a general seating area. An examiner will come and fetch you when they are ready to begin your examination.
You will be escorted to a private exam room, where you will sit across the table from two examiners. A third observer is in the room who will not participate in the exam, but who will keep track of time and certify if the exam was fair.
You will have two 30-minute oral examination sessions with a 15-minute break between the sessions.
1st session
You will be examined on your “significant changes” case, which you submitted in your application.
At the beginning of the testing session, the candidate will be asked to make a brief 2-3 minute summary of the case they are presenting. The examiners will then begin to ask questions related to the case.
2nd session
You will be examined on a hypothetical surgical case. In your application you will have chosen a category you want this hypothetical case to be from.
At the end of your 1st session, you will be given a sheet of paper which describes your hypothetical case. You can take the 15 minutes break between sessions to read over and familiarize yourself with the case.
Once the 2nd session begins the examiners will ask you questions related to the hypothetical case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for the Oral Exam?
In summary you will need to submit :
(1) an application form to: Professional Testing Corporation (PTC), 1350 Broadway – Suite 800 New York, New York 10018, (212) 356-0660, www.ptcny.com. with a $800 fee that may be made by either credit card or check
(2) a surgical case in which you had a “significant change” in your waveforms.
(3) your category of choice for your hypothetical case.
Click here for more details.
What is considered a “Significant Change“ for the presented case?
The significant change(s) must not be drug-induced neuromonitoring data changes or a low threshold from stimulation of a spinal pedicle screw.
You must have personally monitored the case either in person or remotely, in the capacity of the interpreting neurophysiologist. You must have documented in the Case Report and demonstrate in the Data Records the occurrence of significant events that occurred during the surgery and the associated communication that occurred between the neurophysiologist and the surgical and/or anesthesia teams.
What material should I study?
The ABNM does not endorse any specific study material and recommends you have an extensive grasp on the up to date published scientific literature related to intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. For specific examples of the types of topics and questions that will be asked click here.
How will I be scored?
You will have 2 test sessions with 2 examiners in each, for a total 4 examiners. As soon as you leave your exam session your examiners will will independently rate your exam as either pass or fail. At least 3/4 of your examiners must pass you to receive an overall pass for the ABNM oral exam.
What happens if I fail the oral exam?
You have three attempts to take the ABNM oral exam. The attempts must be made within three years of successfully completing the written examination. After two attempts, if you fail to pass the ABNM Part II-Oral examination, you must wait a period of one year from the date of failure before sitting for the oral exam for a third time. If you fail the oral examination after a third attempt or do not take and pass the ABNM Part II-Oral exam within this three-year period they must apply apply anew and retake the written exam.