[Tips for training assistants on preparing and conducting their board certification examination]

This article first discusses the general requirements for conducting board certification examinations as laid down in the specialty training regulations of the German State Chambers of Physicians. Concrete suggestions are made for training assistants concerning selection of the specialist literature to be processed and allocation of the time in which the material to be covered can be learned. Aspiring medical specialists are provided with suggestions regarding their surroundings and a favorable atmosphere in the final hours before the examination. Furthermore, desirable but also undesirable behaviors of the examinee during the examination are highlighted, and coping strategies for blackout situations and excessive anxiety are discussed.