Surgery EOR exam prep
The Surgery EOR centers on the acute abdomen, surgical decision-making, and perioperative management — knowing when imaging, the OR, or observation is the right next step.
PAEA rebuilt the Surgery EOR ahead of the July 2026 update wave — the new blueprint has been the live exam since fall 2024, and the legacy version retired in December 2025. GI dropped from ~50% to 17%, with new breast (10%), trauma/acute-care (8%), and pain/anesthesia (7%) areas and an 8% Professional Practice task area replacing Health Maintenance.
What topics does the Surgery EOR exam cover?
Acute abdomen
Appendicitis, cholecystitis/choledocholithiasis, diverticulitis, bowel obstruction, perforation, mesenteric ischemia.
Hernias & abdominal wall
Inguinal, femoral, incarcerated vs strangulated, and indications for repair.
Hepatobiliary & pancreatic
Gallstone disease spectrum, pancreatitis severity, biliary obstruction.
Vascular & trauma
AAA, acute limb ischemia, and ATLS-style primary survey basics.
Perioperative care
Preop risk assessment, DVT prophylaxis, wound healing, and postoperative fever timeline.
Breast & endocrine surgery
Breast mass workup, thyroid nodule evaluation, and surgical hypercalcemia.
Colorectal & anorectal
Colon cancer screening/staging basics, hemorrhoids, anorectal abscess/fistula.
Fluids, electrolytes & nutrition
Perioperative fluid management and refeeding considerations.
The official PAEA Surgery EOR blueprint
PAEA builds each End of Rotation exam as a 100-question grid: every question sits in one clinical content area and one task area. These are PAEA's published weights (the 2023 blueprint, which is the current one for this exam), and FirstPassPA's Surgery question sets are drawn to match them.
| Content area | Share of the exam |
|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal | 17% |
| Cardiovascular | 15% |
| Pulmonary/thoracic surgery | 13% |
| Breast surgery | 10% |
| Dermatologic | 10% |
| Renal/genitourinary | 8% |
| Trauma/acute care | 8% |
| Neurologic/neurosurgery | 7% |
| Pain medicine/anesthesia | 7% |
| Endocrine | 5% |
Task areas: History & Physical 17% · Diagnostic Studies 17% · Diagnosis 20% · Clinical Intervention 20% · Clinical Therapeutics 11% · Scientific Concepts 7% · Professional Practice 8%.
PAEA's Surgery blueprint (PDF) · topic list (PDF) · what changed for 2026
Which topics show up most on the Surgery EOR?
- Appendicitis presentation and imaging choice by age/pregnancy
- Postoperative fever differential by day (the 5 W's)
- Bowel obstruction: small vs large, when to operate
- Charcot triad / Reynolds pentad in cholangitis
- Strangulated vs incarcerated hernia red flags
- Ranson/severity markers in pancreatitis
- AAA size thresholds for repair
- DVT prophylaxis indications
How should you study for the Surgery EOR?
- Think in decisions: image vs. operate vs. observe. The Surgery EOR tests judgment more than facts.
- Weight your time toward the acute abdomen and perioperative care — appendicitis, obstruction, cholecystitis, and the postoperative-fever timeline (the 5 W's).
- Know the can't-delay emergencies (strangulated hernia, ruptured AAA, mesenteric ischemia) and the correct first move for each.
- Then run it on FirstPassPA. Work the Surgery question set by topic, read every explanation, and let spaced repetition resurface your misses as your exam date nears — then simulate with timed, mixed blocks in the final week.
What are common Surgery EOR mistakes?
- Delaying decompression/OR for clear surgical emergencies
- Choosing CT when ultrasound is first-line (RUQ pain, pregnancy)
- Missing the postoperative-fever timeline pattern
- Anticoagulating before excluding a surgical bleed
- Forgetting strangulation signs in hernia questions
Study Surgery on FirstPassPA
EOR rotation mode gives you a focused Surgery question set with an AI tutor on every answer, spaced repetition, and analytics that show your weak spots. Free to start — no credit card.
Start studying free → Try free Surgery questions →Educational use only. This outline is a study aid for PA students and is not medical advice or a substitute for clinical judgment. FirstPassPA is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCCPA or PAEA. PANCE® and PANRE® are registered trademarks of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants; End of Rotation™ is a program of the Physician Assistant Education Association.