EBHS Diploma — 90-Day Study Plan

Total days

90

~3 months

Topic blocks

12

Core modules

Study phases

4

Foundation → Mock

Exam format

MCQ

+ 2 × 40 min oral

Exam structure

Part 1 (written)60 true/false MCQs — online

Passing scoreGroup mean minus ≤1 SD, min 50%

Part 2 (oral)2 × 40 min with 2 examiners each

Oral topicsTrauma · Reconstructive · Systemic · Congenital

Official languageEnglish

Typical timelineMarch (written) → June (oral, FESSH Congress)

More infofessh.com/examination-committee

Four study phases

Phase 1 · Days 1–21

Basic science, anatomy & imaging foundations

Phase 2 · Days 22–54

Trauma, fractures, tendon & reconstructive surgery

Phase 3 · Days 55–78

Nerve, microsurgery, systemic conditions & congenital

Phase 4 · Days 79–90

Consolidation, MCQ mock sittings & oral preparation

Tag legend

MCQ — likely tested in written part oral — core oral examination topic high yield — appears in both parts anatomy — basic science focus

Phase 1 · Days 1–21 Foundations: anatomy, basic science & imaging 3 weeks

Week 1 · Days 1–7 — Anatomy & embryology

Bones & joints: carpals, metacarpals, phalanges — normal and variant anatomy

anatomyMCQ

Musculotendinous anatomy — extrinsic and intrinsic muscles, pulleys

anatomyMCQ

Vascular anatomy — radial and ulnar arteries, superficial and deep palmar arches, digital vessels

anatomyMCQhigh yield

Peripheral nerve anatomy — median, ulnar, radial, AIN, PIN, sensory branches

anatomyMCQhigh yield

Embryology of the hand and upper limb — limb bud development, failure of formation

anatomyMCQ

Week 2 · Days 8–14 — Physiology & basic science

Tendon physiology — healing, flexor zones I–V, vascularity, pulley system biomechanics

MCQoralhigh yield

Nerve physiology — Wallerian degeneration, Seddon and Sunderland classifications, nerve regeneration

MCQhigh yield

Bone biology — fracture healing, primary vs secondary, growth plate, bone metabolism

MCQ

Microcirculation and blood perfusion — ischaemia-reperfusion injury, tourniquet physiology

anatomyMCQ

Joint anatomy and biomechanics — CMC, MCP, PIP, DIP, radiocarpal, DRUJ

anatomyMCQ

Week 3 · Days 15–21 — Imaging, assessment & wound care

Plain X-ray interpretation — fracture classification, joint spaces, carpal alignment

MCQoral

CT and MRI of wrist — TFCC anatomy and classification, carpal instability patterns

MCQhigh yield

Clinical examination and neurological assessment — motor and sensory mapping, grip strength

oral

Disability evaluation principles — impairment rating, AMA guides, occupational aspects

oral

Wound management principles — contamination, closure timing, dressings, antibiotics

MCQoral

Phase 2 · Days 22–54 Trauma & reconstructive surgery (core oral topic) 5 weeks

Week 4–5 · Days 22–35 — Fractures & dislocations

Distal radius fractures — classification (AO, Frykman), surgical approaches, volar plate fixation

oralhigh yield

Scaphoid fractures — blood supply, AVN risk, fixation techniques, malunion, non-union management

oralhigh yield

Metacarpal fractures — Boxer's fracture, base fractures, closed vs open fixation principles

MCQoral

Phalangeal fractures — condylar, articular, fixation, splinting protocols

MCQoral

Ligament injuries and joint instability — SL ligament, LT ligament, thumb UCL (Stener lesion)

oralhigh yield

Carpal instability — DISI, VISI, perilunate dislocation, intercalated segment instability

MCQoralhigh yield

Malunions and non-unions — corrective osteotomy principles, bone grafting options

oral

Week 6–7 · Days 36–49 — Tendon injuries & reconstruction

Flexor tendon injuries — zones I–V, primary repair techniques, core and epitendinous sutures, rehab

oralhigh yield

Extensor tendon injuries — zones, mallet finger, boutonnière deformity, central slip repair

oralhigh yield

Tendon grafts — graft harvest sites, staged reconstruction, Hunter silicone rod technique

MCQoral

Tendon transfers — principles, motor selection criteria, wrist drop, intrinsic palsy patterns

oral

Week 8 · Days 50–54 — Amputations, replantation & burns

Replantation — indications, contraindications, operative sequence, post-op monitoring, outcomes

oralhigh yield

Amputations — amputation levels, revision surgery, prosthetic considerations

oral

Burns of the hand — acute management, escharotomy indications, skin grafting, reconstruction

MCQoral

Mutilating hand injuries — assessment, surgical priority, flap options for coverage

oral

Rehabilitation principles — splinting, therapy protocols, return to work assessment

oral

Phase 3 · Days 55–78 Conditions, nerve, microsurgery & systemic disease 4 weeks

Week 9–10 · Days 55–68 — Nerve compression, brachial plexus & microsurgery

Carpal tunnel syndrome — pathophysiology, clinical diagnosis, NCS, decompression, recurrence

MCQoralhigh yield

Cubital tunnel syndrome — ulnar nerve compression at elbow, transposition vs decompression

MCQoral

Guyon's canal and other compression syndromes — radial tunnel, anterior interosseous, pronator

MCQ

Brachial plexus injuries — anatomy, Narakas classification, primary repair, nerve grafting, transfers

oralhigh yield

Peripheral nerve repair — epineural vs fascicular repair, grafting, outcomes, nerve conduits

MCQoral

Vascular disorders — Raynaud's phenomenon, vibration white finger, hypothenar hammer, ischaemia

MCQ

Microsurgery principles — vessel anastomosis, flap classification, free tissue transfer, monitoring

oral

Week 11–12 · Days 69–78 — Chronic conditions, systemic disease & congenital

Rheumatoid arthritis — pathology, medical management, synovectomy, Vaughan-Jackson, arthroplasty

oralhigh yield

Osteoarthritis — thumb CMC joint, trapeziectomy with LRTI, wrist arthrodesis, wrist arthroplasty

oralhigh yield

Dupuytren's contracture — epidemiology, pathology, fasciectomy, dermofasciectomy, collagenase

oralhigh yield

Wrist arthroscopy — indications, portals, TFCC classification (Palmer), TFCC repair, SL assessment

MCQoral

Hand infections — felon, flexor tenosynovitis (Kanavel signs), deep space, necrotising fasciitis

MCQhigh yield

Tumours of the hand — ganglion, giant cell tumour, enchondroma, bone tumours, sarcoma, margins

oral

Congenital malformations — syndactyly, polydactyly, radial club hand, pollicisation, symbrachydactyly

oralhigh yield

Tetraplegia, spasticity, stroke — International Classification, tendon transfer surgery, functional outcomes

oral

Overuse syndromes — De Quervain's, trigger finger, intersection syndrome, Dupuytren's staging

MCQoral

Phase 4 · Days 79–90 Consolidation, MCQ mock sittings & oral examination preparation 12 days

Days 79–83 — Rapid review & gap-filling

Revisit all high-yield topics flagged during study — focus on weak areas

MCQoral

FESSH online self-assessment exam — full timed sitting (fessh.com)

MCQhigh yield

ASSH self-assessment questionnaire (SASSH) practice — 30-question block

MCQ

Review EBHS glossary of conventional terms and marking structure document

oral

Days 84–87 — Oral examination preparation

Structured oral practice — trauma cases with X-rays and clinical scenarios

oralhigh yield

Structured oral practice — reconstructive surgery cases

oralhigh yield

Oral practice — Dupuytren, rheumatoid arthritis, congenital, tumours (FESSH official oral topics)

oral

EBHS marking descriptors review — understand what examiners score on knowledge depth and reasoning

oral

Days 88–90 — Final preparation

Full timed MCQ mock — 60 true/false questions in 2 hours, simulate exam conditions

MCQ

Mock oral session with colleague or mentor — 2 × 40 minutes

oral

Rest and light consolidation only — no new topics in the final 24–48 hours

0 of 0 topics complete 0%

Tick topics in the Schedule tab — progress updates here automatically. Progress is saved in your browser.

💡 Tip: progress is stored in your browser's localStorage and survives page reloads.

Recommended daily structure — adapt to your working schedule. Total: 2.5–3 hours per day.

☀ Morning · 1–1.5 h

Textbook reading — core topic of the week
Journal of Hand Surgery (European) article
Anatomy review or operative atlas
Make structured summary notes

⚡ Midday · 30–45 min

10–15 MCQ questions (FESSH / ASSH bank)
Review answers and rationale in full
Flag weak areas for next review cycle

🌙 Evening · 45–60 min

Clinical case review or logbook reflection
Oral practice — explain a topic aloud
Flashcard consolidation
Literature: one relevant systematic review

📅 Weekly · Sundays

Full mock MCQ block (20–30 questions)
Peer oral practice session — 40 minutes
Review and update topic tracker
Identify knowledge gaps for next week

Oral examination technique

Examiners use EBHS marking descriptors assessing knowledge depth, logical management approach, and awareness of complications and alternatives. Structure every answer as: History → Examination → Imaging → Non-operative management → Surgical options → Rehabilitation → Complications. Practise this framework aloud for every major topic from Phase 2 and 3.

MCQ examination technique

The EBHS MCQ uses true/false format (not best-of-five). Each statement is marked independently. Avoid guessing if you are genuinely unsure — review the FESSH glossary of conventional terms so you interpret statements precisely. Aim for >65% correct to give yourself a comfortable margin above the minimum threshold.

Primary textbooks

Green's Operative Hand Surgery (7th ed.)

Wolfe — comprehensive gold standard; use for surgical technique detail

Plastic Surgery Vol. 6 — Hand & Upper Limb

Neligan — strong reconstructive and flap coverage

Lister's The Hand: Diagnosis and Indications

Classic European hand surgery text — concise and exam-focused

Berger & Weiss — Hand Surgery

Excellent for wrist anatomy and carpal instability

Tubiana — Traité de Chirurgie de la Main

Foundational European reference — key historical perspective

Journals

Journal of Hand Surgery, European Volume

FESSH official journal — most relevant to EBHS exam content

Journal of Hand Surgery (American)

High volume, strong trauma and basic science content

Handchirurgie, Mikrochirurgie, Plastische Chirurgie

German-language European journal — good for European practice

Chirurgie de la Main

French journal — European perspective on hand conditions

Online resources & question banks

FESSH Online Self-Assessment

fessh.com — official MCQ bank, closest to exam format

ASSH Self-Assessment (SASSH)

assh.org — large validated question bank, good supplementary MCQ practice

EBHS Exam Downloads

fessh.com — marking structure, glossary, oral instructions, marking descriptors

BSSH EBHS Preparation Course

bssh.ac.uk — annual UK-based preparation course (Manchester)

PubMed / MEDLINE

Recent systematic reviews and RCTs on key hand surgery topics

FESSH E-Library & Webinars

fessh.com/e-library — free educational resources from FESSH

Key EBHS documents to download

EBHS Examination Guideline

Full logbook template, consolidation sheets, training diary

Marking Descriptors for Orals

Understand exactly how oral answers are graded

Glossary of Conventional Terms

Essential for true/false MCQ interpretation — read before exam

Tips and Tricks for the Examination

Official FESSH PPT from experienced examiners