How can I effectively prepare for the Philippine Medical Oncology Board Examination?

Preparing for the Philippine Medical Oncology Board Examination

Focus your preparation on mastering the ESMO/ASCO Global Curriculum 2016 framework, which provides the internationally recognized backbone for medical oncology training and directly aligns with board examination content worldwide, including the Philippines. 1

Core Study Framework

Primary Resource: ESMO/ASCO Global Curriculum

• The Global Curriculum 2016 comprises 12 sections with 17 subsections, 44 chapters, and 35 subchapters covering all essential medical oncology domains 1
• Learning objectives are organized into three hierarchical categories: awareness, knowledge, and skills—structure your study to master each level progressively 1
• The curriculum specifically addresses stratified therapy, targeted therapies by tumor entity, molecular pathology, translational research, personalized medicine, imaging, RECIST criteria, rare cancers, immunotherapy, and management of comorbidities 1
• A complementary Log Book serves as an assessment tool to track your competency development across all curriculum domains 1

Essential Content Areas to Master

Molecular Pathology and Precision Oncology:

• Systematic testing for EGFR mutations (exon 19 deletion, exon 21 L858R), ALK rearrangements, ROS1 rearrangements, and BRAF V600 mutations in advanced NSCLC 1
• Understanding when FISH, IHC, RT-PCR, and multiplex platforms are appropriate for molecular testing 1
• PD-L1 IHC interpretation for immunotherapy selection across treatment lines 1
• Molecular tumor board (MTB) case selection criteria: complex genomic profiles, unexpected findings, resistance biomarkers, rare cancers, and cases requiring non-standard treatments 1

Staging and Risk Assessment:

• AJCC/UICC 8th edition staging system application across tumor types 1
• RECIST v1.1 criteria for response evaluation, with understanding of irRECIST, iRECIST, and imRECIST for immunotherapy assessment 1
• Appropriate timing of imaging studies (6-9 weeks after systemic therapy initiation) 1
• Distinguishing when comprehensive staging is needed (locally advanced disease, positive nodes) versus when it adds no value (early stage N0 disease) 1

Tumor-Specific Management:

• Breast cancer: ER, PgR, HER2 testing methodologies; sentinel node biopsy indications; neoadjuvant versus adjuvant approaches 1
• Lung cancer: histology-driven treatment selection; molecular testing algorithms; management of T790M-mutant resistance 1
• Treatment strategy integration of histology, molecular pathology, age, performance status, and comorbidities 1

Supportive Care and Survivorship:

• The curriculum emphasizes cultural differences in supportive care, palliative care, end-of-life care, and geriatric oncology—understand both Western and Asian perspectives 1
• Survivorship care planning and long-term toxicity management 1

Study Strategy

Structured Learning Approach

• Begin with awareness-level content (recognizing concepts), progress to knowledge-level (understanding mechanisms), then master skills-level (clinical application) 1
• Use the Log Book format to systematically document your competency in each curriculum area 1
• Prioritize recent guideline updates (2016 onwards) as these reflect current standard-of-care that will be tested 1

Assessment Preparation

• The ESMO certification and ASCO in-training examinations align with the Global Curriculum content—practice questions from these sources directly prepare you for board examinations 1
• Focus on web-based objective examinations testing medical knowledge, indications/contraindications, pharmacology, and clinical scenario applications 1
• Practice structured clinical examinations (OSCE format) where you rotate through stations demonstrating procedures, interpretation skills, and clinical reasoning 2

Philippine-Specific Considerations

• Familiarize yourself with Philippine clinical practice guidelines, particularly the 2021 Well Differentiated Thyroid Cancer guidelines developed by the Department of Health 3
• Understand resource-limited adaptations: when to use screening approaches versus definitive testing, cost-effectiveness considerations, and treatment availability in the local setting 3
• Review Pan-Asian adapted guidelines (CSCO-ESMO initiatives) which address regional resource constraints while maintaining evidence-based standards 1

Practical Preparation Tips

Multidisciplinary Integration

• Understand the role of molecular tumor boards: case submission criteria, required documentation (clinical data, pathology reports, NGS results), and how recommendations are formulated 1
• Know when to involve surgical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, and pathology in treatment planning 1
• Master informed consent processes for genomic profiling and clinical trial enrollment 1

Common Examination Pitfalls to Avoid

• Don't memorize isolated facts—understand the rationale behind testing algorithms and treatment sequences 1
• Avoid recommending routine tests that lack evidence (e.g., serum tumor markers like CEA for routine monitoring, PET for follow-up) 1
• Don't confuse screening recommendations across different age groups and risk categories 1
• Recognize when molecular testing is NOT indicated (e.g., squamous cell lung cancer in heavy smokers) 1

Time Management

• Allocate study time proportionally to the 12 major curriculum sections 1
• Dedicate extra time to rapidly evolving areas: immunotherapy, molecular diagnostics, and precision oncology 1
• Review tumor-specific chapters systematically rather than jumping between topics 1

Supplementary Resources

• Access ESMO and ASCO educational materials, webinars, and online platforms that cover Global Curriculum content 1, 4
• Utilize web-based patient simulations for clinical scenario practice 1
• Join study groups or online forums with other medical oncology trainees to discuss complex cases 4

The Global Curriculum represents the international standard for medical oncology competency—mastering its content ensures you meet the knowledge requirements for board certification while providing optimal patient care. 1