Preparing for the ABA Basic Exam
The ABA Basic Exam is administered at the end of your CA1 year. To prepare for this exam, we've assembled a list of resources and strategies that have been useful to previous UAB residents in preparing for this important exam.
Most residents use a variety of books and resources to prepare for the basic exam and some of this will depend on your personal learning style. Regardless of your study plan, you'll need to read a general anesthesia textbook. Most residents find it's helpful to also use a review book and a quizbank. Finally, consider using other board prep sites, podcasts, and online lectures. Scroll down to find some of our favorite options for each type of resource.
Core Anesthesia Textbooks
Review books and quiz banks aren't enough! You still need to read a general anesthesiology textbook. Here are three standard options. You don't need to read them all, but you do need to pick one and read it.
Morgan and Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesiology, 7th Edition by 
Barash's Clinical Anesthesia by Basic Exam Review Books
There are lots of review books out there. Here are four UAB Anesthesiology favorites for the basic exam:
Anesthesia: A Comprehensive Review by 
Anesthesiology Core Review: Part One BASIC Exam by 
Stoelting's Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice by 
Faust's Anesthesiology Review by Other good review books available from the UAB Anesthesiology Library:
Miller's Anesthesia Review by 
Review of Clinical Anesthesia by Board Prep Sites, Podcasts, and Online Lectures
UAB Anesthesia Residents have had good luck with the following sites and resources:
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ACCRaC: Podcast aimed at helping anesthesiologists prepare for their boards. |
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OpenAnesthesia: a collection of online and mobile education resources from the International Anesthesia Research Society including an extensive list of Anesthesia Keywords. |
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University of Kentucky Anesthesiology YouTube Channel with lectures and podcasts for board prep. |
TrueLearn
All UAB Anesthesiology residents have access to TrueLearn during their CA1 through CA3 years. This includes annual access to the ITE quizbank and access to the ABA Basic and Advanced exam quizbanks between February and July in the CA1 and CA3 years respectively.
To switch from the ITE to the basic exam, simply log into your account and click the drop down next to "EXAMS" at the top of the page and select Anesthesiology ABA-Basic:
If you have trouble accessing or using your TrueLearn account, please contact the Anesthesiology Librarian or TrueLearn Support.
