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CFPC SOO Tips

What Are The SOOs?

The SOOs are a series of four 15-minute scenarios where you must interview an actor, identify both of their medical issues, and establish a management plan for each.  Each scenario begins with you standing outside an examination room with the door closed.  The patient actor/ examiner is inside waiting.  On the door, there is a brief description of the patient.  When the bell rings, you enter the room and begin the scenario.  The scenario lasts 15 minutes, and with 3 minutes left, the actor will give you a 3-minute warning (that is the only time that the actor will come out of character during the SOO).

Asking open-ended questions is encouraged in the clinical setting.  However, for this exam, you will need to have closed-ended questions prepared beforehand.  You will also need to ask them in rapid-fire succession, because time is limited.  You will find that the actors will not be forthcoming with information.   They will only give you information that you ask for specifically, so it will be up to you to get all the information out of them.

SOO Study Resources

Most of the material covered in the exam is related to the CFPC 105 Priority Topics and Key Features.  That document is the starting point for everyone studying for the exam.  The following study resources are high-yield and based around some or all of the 105 Priority Topics:

PMB Family Medicine App

The Pass My Boards App for iOS or Google Play includes 120+ Comprehensive Management Questions that will help you develop an approach to managing many scenarios that you may encounter during the SOO’s

CFPC Practice SOOs

SOO Study Tips

  • Start early.  Be aware of the dates and deadlines.
  • Study in groups. Testing each other is a great way to discover what your blind spots are.
  • Do as many practice SOO’s as possible. This is the best way to solidify your approach.

SOO Exam Instructions

The CFPC publishes the SOO instructions.  I have reproduced them below with tips on how to maximize your score:

  1. Each candidate will do five separate simulated office orals. Each of these oral examinations is 15 minutes in length and involves an interview with a simulated patient. In the simulated office orals the patient will be role-played by a family physician. This individual will also be responsible for scoring the candidate.
  2. In all of these interviews the simulated patients/examiners have been programmed to play the part of a patient. The candidate will not perform a physical examination, but will be required to discuss the problem with the patient and bring the visit to a satisfactory conclusion within the defined timeframe. The candidate is expected to define and manage the problems presented by the patient. There is an emphasis in the scoring on understanding the patient’s perspective of their problems and to arrive at a plan of management, which is satisfactory to both parties. This is to be done in the context of the entire encounter utilizing appropriate interview techniques. The best advice is to try to behave as you would if you were seeing a patient in your own office. The patient/examiner will not be trying to mislead you.
    1. 💡 Remember that there is a hard time-limit of 15 min for each station.  This exam is not at all like seeing a patient in your office.  Keep moving quickly.
    2. 💡 The actors and the graders are the same person. They will act while you are in the room, then grade you after you leave. Speak slowly and clearly so that they do not miss anything you say.
  3. The preparation for this examination takes place daily in your private office or family practice unit. Practice eligible candidates are encouraged to take advantage of workshops available either through a residency program in their area or through their local College chapter.
    1. 💡 Attend as many practice SOO’s as possible. The only way to excel at this exam is to practice, practice, practice.
  4. Prior to each SOO you will be given instructions and information by an assistant coordinator. You should read these instructions carefully and repeatedly. They contain a varying amount of information about the patient including at least his/her name and age. Be sure to ask the coordinator about any matter that causes you concern or uncertainty.
    1. 💡 Always read the scenario carefully, and follow the instructions.
  5. During the examination be aware of your own timing. You are also being timed by the examiner and will normally be given a warning when there are three minutes left. You are, however, responsible for managing your own time during the course of the interview. At 15 minutes, the examiner will signal the end of the examination. You are expected to stop immediately, and to leave any notes with the examiner. In the event that you finish your interview before the 15 minutes have elapsed, you may leave the room.
  6. Make notes even if they comprise no more than a listing of the problems that you identify during the interview and use these notes to assist you during your summation. This will prevent you from forgetting to deal with any problems that you have identified in the course of the interview.
    1. 💡 Do not spend exorbitant amounts of time writing notes.  Rely on your memory for recall.  Keep notes to a minimum.  I found that simple one-letter checklists were sufficient for recalling all the questions I wanted to ask.
  7. Please be aware that your Simulated Office Oral examination may be viewed by means of video equipment and/or viewing mirrors however the purpose for this is to validate the performance of the examiner and not the candidate. Your examination will not be recorded.
  8. During the intervals between the oral examinations it is unwise to discuss the content of the oral examinations with other candidates who may not have done that particular examination. Experience has shown that prior knowledge of the clinical content of oral examinations has resulted in poorer performance than might otherwise have been expected.
    1. 💡 There is generally one obvious problem and one hidden problem.  The key to excelling at the SOO’s is to determine what each of the problems are.
  9. Most importantly, do not be discouraged if you feel you have done poorly in any one or more of the orals. Always keep in mind that the overall certification examination process comprises many different instruments and it is quite possible to be successful on the examination in spite of a poor performance on one or more of the oral examinations.

Exam-Day Tips

  • Relax and harness your inner Zen.  No one has ever performed better by being overly anxious.
  • Be confident: You’ve studied your butt off, and now you are ready.  You would not have made it this far without being able to perform under pressure.  Trust that all the information that you’ve learned is there, retained and ready to type out onto the page.