Read This Before Medical School by Chase DiMarco

Author:Chase DiMarco
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: study skills, medical school, medical student, accelerated learning, mind maps, premed student, medical study guide, memory palace
Publisher: Indies United Publishing House

PART 2

TEST PREPARATION

AND EXAM DAY

“Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”

Vince Lombardi

Finally, the section many of you have been waiting for. Perhaps this is your sole reason for purchasing this book. Here we answer the question, “What are the main concerns when it comes to test-taking in medical school?” Of course, we have covered the study tips to help prepare for this content. We have covered the healthy mind and body to make sure we are in peak (or at least fair) physical and mental condition. Hopefully, you have kept a record or journal of your endeavors so far, and have used this to adjust your habits effectively. You are also aware of much of the current literature on the psychology and neuroscience of learning.

Now it is time to dissect test questions and discuss the current best-practices for overcoming obstacles on test day. The literature on student examinations - particularly for medical students taking the boards - does not paint a very clear picture of how exactly to prepare. Generally, the more practice questions you complete, the higher your score. But beyond that simple correlation, there isn’t much consensus. However, we will try to synthesize the research from other fields of education to see where their insights could hold true for medical students.

Students studying for the bar exam or their CPA accreditation are told that their exams are difficult. And we’re sure they are. But medical boards are a different animal. The USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Level 1 require the student to actively deconstruct hundreds of questions for hours on end, and to synthesize the information from thousands of in-class hours to come up with the right answer. Not to mention the information is inherently complex and constantly being updated. Plus, you have an arbitrary time limit working against you. It takes intelligence, diligence, and endurance to perform well.

The USMLE Step exams (MD) and the COMLEX Level exams (DO) are designed to assess your overall medical knowledge in the fairest way possible. Medicine is becoming increasingly complicated, so doctors these days need to work hard to keep up with the latest advancements in their field. In a similar manner, medical students need to use an up-to-date test-taking strategy when approaching the boards.

Your fellow students and even instructors may chant the ever-popular mantra, “Do more questions!” While this is partially correct, mass-study of test questions can be made much more effective when you have an insider’s perspective on how the questions are designed.

In this section, we will focus on how to decipher the question vignette and get into the mindset of a test writer. By taking this perspective, you will see how the vignette tries to direct you in a particular direction to produce the right answer. We will also cover a method that helps you to keep track of the key details, to avoid distracters, and to whittle down the answer choices. Practicing and believing in your premade strategy - whether you get the answer right or wrong - will greatly reduce your stress levels going into the test.

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