Way of Studying for Medicine and its Board Exam as an Average Student
Good day everyone
**Disclaimers
1. This blog was written based entirely on experience, this may also add as a SUPPLEMENTARY which can help you in your part for your review.
2. In your own part you may adopt or modify this blog based on type of student/reviewee are you for your comfort since review skills and honing testmanship skills is an art depending on the person. This is also will not ensure you to pass the subject in your medical school since of our individual differences, but this should serve as a guide for you on how to pass subject.
3. This supplementary or sharing blog is intended for my friends and Interns who will take the PLE, and also for Clinical Clerks who will take their Revalida someday
4. If you are an undergrad or 1st year medical student, you may take this also as an introductory blog on how med school work
DEDICATED AND INSPIRED: from my mentors and friends who took and currently and those who will take the Physician Licensure exam, and dedicated to those who are reviewing for the exams...
I hope this could help you pass your medical school and especially the Physician Licensure Exam
Its been a long time since I wrote about a blog but let me write upon as a board exam preparation which will be on the end part of your journey as medical student. I will now be honest in my part that yes, I had undergone a lot of removals during my medical school but it doesn't and in the end I learned a lot of techniques from my mistakes which I found helpful in my revalida to outright pass it and in the end in the Philippine Licensure Exam to take the board exam on 1st take and passed it.
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Contents of this blog
A. Importance of "Horizontal-Vertical with Clinical Correlations Learning style"
B. Visualize what you have learned
C. Studying Clinical Subjects
D. Sample Examinations
E. My experience in studying exams (both Revalida and PLE)
F. Computations in the Exam
G. Importance of "Testmanship Skils"
H. Is Physician Licensure Exam "Predictable"?
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A. Importance of "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlations Learning Style"
During my pre-med days, I admit that I am used in almost Memorization since there are a lot of Plants, Herbs, and Drugs which are usually we are taught in Pharmacy but it makes it hard for me to memorize in Medicine since there are a lot things to memorize and a lot of lessons in the respective subject fields during my first year Medicine days, but one of my friends taught me about this "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlations Learning Style" which he said that Medicine is not just memorization of topic but also include analysis of the topics and if the topics are related to each subject, then CORRELATE it "HORIZONTALLY" which means what I learned for example in Anatomy, if it is applicable in Physiology, and Biochemistry and Vice Versa (also applies in higher subjects), then I will apply it on each of them when I study my subject and "VERTICALLY" meaning what I learned in those 3 subjects stated, I will apply it on ex. Pathology, Microbiology, and so on to clinical subjects. CLINICAL CORRELATIONS meaning how to apply it on your patient during Clerkship, PGIship and so on post PLE......
To further explain the concept please read the concepts below:
1st year Med subjects taught usually basics and has this structure
Typical subject structure of "1st yr Med School"
For Example, I have learned about RED BLOOD CELL in the following subject
- Embryology (and also other subjects)- how does red blood cell and where it is formed
- Histology for example about the biconcave disk structure of the red blood cell and its component such as hemoglobin, then in the
- Physiology, it is taught also on the mechanisms on how red blood cell in terms of its function such as carry oxygen in the body until its 120 days is over and goes to spleen, and in
- Biochemistry again how proteins in the red blood function as well as hemoglobin formation and degradation as well as why Iron is important during the Hemoglobin synthesis.
When this topic was discussed the best way is to correlate them, that's why I put all those subjects in one box since they are all correlated horizontally, once you studied, analyze, memorize important concept on one subject then apply it while studying it in other subject, doesnt mean you "will not study it in another subject because I studied it already in this subject", the answer is NO, it means you should APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED in one subject to other subject, in experience this will make your study fun and yes still hard but not as hard since you had learned to correlate it to one another and not as a separate subject also can save your time
DO THIS NOT ONLY BY BRAIN BUT ALSO WITH HEART since as you go to "higher year" subject you will find this very useful
Ok now lets move to a higher subject
Typical subject structure of "2nd yr Med School"
** Neurology II in Parenthesis since other Med School has Neuro in 2nd yr
Let me explain by this but wait there is a proper sequence to this....
This subjects can be correlated again by the horizontal learning to each subject for instance for example again the RED BLOOD cells, which in case now we will apply basic sciences and some application of diseases, lets say ANEMIA
- ex Pathology: What is the causes of Anemia and how the cells or bone marrow will look like and how other organs will look like or this scenario, if something is wrong with the formation or degradation of hemoglobin what will happen what is the structure or
- Microbiology (and Pedia): ex. Anemia is caused by Parvovirus B19 which affects Bone Marrow synthesis or by Ancylostoma spp sucking blood in your Cecal area of Large intestine causing the Anemia which can also be explained in Pediatrics
- Medicine I- what are the signs and symptoms of Anemia and how to look it when doing Physical Examination and to Differential Diagnose it (correlate with Pathology also)
- Surgery I- if the Anemia is caused by ex bleeding if from example trauma is the cause and how to manage it
Again these subjects are correlated horizontally in each other but as I said in the basics part DO THIS NOT ONLY BY BRAIN BUT ALSO WITH HEART, since to be honest I was late to realize this but useful, if you cannot understand it then go back to the basics of your 1st year subjects that's why I came up with this diagram
This is what is called "Vertical Learning now with some clinical correlations" since what I learned in normal basics (blue box) will now be applied in abnormal basics (orange box) and i put forward-backward arrows and plus since they are correlated to each other thus making it easier in terms of applying the info (tho not as easy as it sounds but, if you put effort to it this is very useful)
- Ex: Pharmacology: The MOA of giving Iron Supplements in Anemic Patients by knowing first Physiology (or Biochemistry in Heme Synthesis), then abnormal Pathology (or Pathophysiology) then giving treatment and how the drug works
Now another Horizontal Vertical Learning we can apply is now the the 3rd box which I will show to you
Typical subject structure of "3rd yr Med School" or Clinical subjects
**Take note not all subjects are included in subsequent slides due to size but they are all equally important
This is now the Clinical Phase of the subjects, using the two boxes above we will apply them as one whole topic per disease per system per specialty or subject but Horizontal Learning can also be applied here
Ex. Acute Myelocytic Leukemia in Adults causing Anemia
now lets apply this principle
Again Vertical Horizontal Learning with Clinical Correlations can be done here
since in the Example we can check the physiology, histology, pathology including structures of a bone marrow with , pharmacology of ALL leading to what we will learn in Medicine II which deals with individual diseases and treatment
This is to show that every subject is important and how correlated to each other
Another example is "Stroke", by learning the brain pathways (or tracts), homonculus, correlating it to pathophysiology of stroke and causes and treatment, this will lead us to one clinical subject.
Usually Clinical Subjects have the pattern of Definitions, Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Differential Diagnoses, Treatment, Prevention which is vertical horizontal applications of what you have learned in the 1st 2 yrs.
For horizontal learning, also for example, what you had learned in Medicine, I can apply it if the topic is applicable in Surgery, Clinical Pathology, Neurology and vice versa
In my experience (to be honest just realized it in Medicine Block) but same goes to other subjects (which I used in both Revalida and Boards) if I cannot understand one concept in a topic of a "3rd yr subject", then go back to "2nd yr" subject and if not go back to "1st year subject" until such time after reading you can correlate it thus ending up with this picture
This is how you can realize it in the board exam and real life application as well by treating it as one whole subject
-Yes as you can see as time goes by subjects become many and too many but if you put your BRAIN AND HEART to "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlations", you will just realize they are interconnected with each other thus can give you and advantage for your other subjects
Questions that you may ask and answer by experience
1. Will listening only to the lecturer will be enough for my reading materials?
- Almost it can be adequate but you have to listen to lecture and jot down notes, then review your notes then after the lectures you can read it again with your notes (or ideally with a textbook on that specific subject or the review material with notes if you are on review center) to preserve it to longer learning
2. What other modalities can I use here especially if I am reviewing for boards
- Use your memory of what you correlated during Clerkship and Internship, this is practical applications of your patient correlating it to your what you had learned in the past and correlate and recall it again in the review
3. What can I do if the text is so wordy with tons of information?
- This will be emphasized further in this blog but important thing to do is analyze and highlight only the most important part, its also an art since it depends on your style or preference on how you will be comfortable in that part
** This is not very easy in my experience as an average student and as I just realized it in late 3rd yr also but if you put your heart and mind onto it and dedicate, this will work as experience in Revalida and the PLE, as long as you can correlate well, you'll be fine.
**** For Clerks, correlation will be very important especially when in an "Oral" Revalida setup which you will be given a case then you will answer it in the preceptor but take note,
"SPEAK ONLY WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CASE, MAKE IT SIMPLE", experience-wise in Oral, defending your answer increases your chances of winning
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B. VISUALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED
One of the Important aspect of the exam is to visualized what you had learned.
For instance example in Anatomy, in my experiencing memorizing only by word only or analyzing by word only is tricky since it will cause a lot of words to be sucked in to your mind for learning purposes like this example
Example:
"The Appendicial Artery which supplies the Appendix is a branch of the Iliac Branch of the Superior Mesenteric Artery which is a branch of the Abdominal Aorta"
-comment: well so wordy, I can highlight the whole sentence in this statement above since there are a lot of the information above, but the trick i did is analyze with this
Taken from: Netter 7th Ed. Plate 295
Another thing that we can do, particularly the muscle groups in Anatomy is to check at the cross section of the atlas or the textbook and take note group the muscles according to its compartments, let us see the table from a muscle group
comment, just like the first part since it is too many, it will be toxic but we can do this illustrations
Ideally this picture is ideal if you want to trace or know how that muscle appears in the body or this diagram can do
Taken from Netter 7th Edition
comment: this illustration and with bone parts you can visualize the origin and insertion of each muscleTo simplify the table we can do what I call "compartment" method meaning while studying the table as a whole you can look at the anatomy of muscles like this
Taken from Moore Clinically Oriented Anatomy 8th Ed.
comment: you can group the common here (ex. what muscles are found in a compartment) then common Origin, Innervation, and Action, now compartmentalization or grouping will make it easier (tho not as easy but not as hard as just reading a toxic table of text only since you had visualized it already
The Thyroid gland contains follicular cells which is composed of a simple cuboidal epithelium and a pink dyed colloid in the center of each thyroid follicle and large parafollicular cells which secretes Thyroglobulin and Tri-iodothyronine which causes release of thyroid hormone and creates effects such as temperature regulation, increase glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis etc....... and calcitonin which decrease calcium in the blood respectively
again lets just bisect the histolology part which is "The Thyroid gland contains follicular cells which is composed of a simple cuboidal epithelium and a pink dyed colloid in the center of each thyroid follicle and large parafollicular cells"
Taken from diFiore Atlas of Histology 13th Ed.
Lesson: in subjects, pictures (and atlases if applicable, are so handy)
For Physiology Part:
"The Thyroid gland contains follicular cells which is composed of a simple cuboidal epithelium and a pink dyed colloid in the center of each thyroid follicle and large parafollicular cells which secretes Thyroglobulin and Tri-iodothyronine which causes release of thyroid hormone and creates effects such as temperature regulation, increase glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis etc....... "
Taken from Berne and Levy 7th Ed.
now it will be easier for me to grasp what is those mentioned I can visualize what happend
Lets reverse it to make it abnormal for example Graves disease which is antibody that attacks to TSH receptors thus increasing thyroid hormone levels, since there is antibody lymphocytes will be involved proliferating the thyroid follicular cells, and you will end up with this
Taken from Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease 10th Ed.
**compare it to the normal picture above
This is where your vertical horizontal learning comes into play then I can put treatment onto it by putting drug to it MOA onto it
There also some diagrams in Physiology or illustrations that when looked properly, it can tell a lot of story already (alongside with reading) like this one
The Cardiac Cycle, taken from Guyton and Hall Medical Physiology 14th Ed.
Biochem: Lets take the question, Which of the following makes up a Purine Ring
Purine ring is made up of:
Glutamine at N1 and N4
N-formyl-tetrahydrofolate at N-10
Glycine at N2 and C-C ring
Carbon dioxide at C5
Aspartate at N6
Creating a mnemonics like this is fun, but to appreciate of what you learned as per personal experience you can do visualization of the Purine ring
Structure of a "bare" Purine ring
Taken from Lippincott Illustrated Reviews 7th Edition
or if you encountered a cycle or pathway
Lets take this commonly discussed pathway
Taken from Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry 32nd Ed.
1. Create your mnemonic for the products for each reaction
2. Identify the Rate limiting steps. the product of it (look for one step arrows, those are usually important ones)
3. Important also is count the no of NAD and FAD and ATP used and where --> this is important in counting how much energy is consumed
hehehe trivia: FAD to FADH: 1.5 or 2 ATPs
NAD to NADH: 2.5 or 3 ATPs
ATP is 1
4. Identify which enzyme will be inhibited by a product
5. Identify what part of cell pathways can be used
6. The enzyme name itself sometimes can give you and idea about its reactant and product
Microbiology: aside from seeing pictures, sometimes grouping can help to like this since there are lots of micro-organisms to be studied
Taken from First Aid, USMLE step 1- Microbiology
As seen above those microorganisms are grouped with some drawings thus making some of the concepts easier to grasp which also can help if asked again in pathology/clinical pathology part or Clinical [Pedia or IM Infectious Disease] (take note while studying the micro-organisms individually repetition of this flowchart is the key, in my experience, it worked)
Aside from having an atlas, you can have a visualization on Microbiology and Parasitology like this picture below
Taken from Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple 9th Ed.
As seen above bacteria at the left its coffee (coffee usually affects brain) and the right one reads magazine about butts and sex (he's an STD), and correlating what you have learned, see learning is so fun.
Take note for Microbiology, these visualizations can also be applied once you arrived to clinical subjects, particularly "Infectious Disease" subject of both Pediatrics and Internal Medicine (or Medicine II), again "Horizontal-Vertical Learning now with Clinical Correlations"
Pharmacology for example is wordy a ton to memorize also, as per experience and what I did is (do this on paper) rewrite and SUMMARIZE what you have learned group them then individualize the drugs on which what property of it STANDS OUT, also correlate your physiology onto it.
Lets take an example: CHOLINERGIC VS ANTICHOLINERGIC in PNS DRUGS
or in the case of Diuretics let me share of what I did
A mentor during my Pharmacy Licensure Exam days taught us on how to do this table for diuretics to summarize diuretics tho this is very ideal if done in handwritten [yes I agree and understand its tiring] (opinion only) by experience I did
**what I did is do this manually handwritten on a blank paper/index card/notebook [yes I agree and understand its tiring] but experience-wise both in PhLE and PLE, it worked
**Take note this is incomplete as my space is lacking. and what i did in real world is in manual handwriting tho this is tiring but this is for me part of my "ACTIVE LEARNING" in Pharmacology, you can do this in other drugs too. if you want to do this....... group them and group in a subgroup well you can modify this hehehe, just sharing my preference what I did for PLE
Experience wise how about some "so much parts of textbooks or review books" like this one
Taken from Peptic Ulcer Disease Chapter of HPIM 21st Ed.
- too much text but in my experience too much highlight is like not highlighting at all that can make a book or reviewer "toxic", again too much memorization but with the power of "Vertical-Horizontal Learning" from other subjects and Clinically correlate it we can reduce it to this
-now what I did is just I only highlighted what I need to memorize its special characteristics not everything since those those not highlighted parts can be correlated or you had studied already to other subjects just highlight the MOST IMPORTANT OR STAND OUT ONES the rest can correlate it via Horizontal-Vertical Learning system now to Clinical Correlations
----> in the example above, there is also a related lesson on Pathology, and Surgery which this topic can be correlated
Taken from Schwartz Principles of Surgery 11th Ed. Stomach Chapter
--> see: different text different subject but same principle as above due to "Vertical-Horizontal Learning"
Another type of visualization that can be done is the flowcharts it can give an advantage especially if you apply "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlation" to it
Taken from Harrison Principles of Internal Medicine 21st Ed
But for some diagrams, numbers and location of signs and symptoms should also considered, also numbers, but with "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlation" following the diagram of subjects above, it can help you to group some terms while reviewing like the diagram below
Another best visualization for application of your "Vertical-Horizonal Learning with Clinical Correlation" is your patient which you meet actual patient especially if you are "clerk/intern in charge" which you will apply and study again according to the diagram above, also these memories can be part of your study in both Revalida and PLE, experience-wise, it worked
Tabulating a paragraph or grouping it is also fun but how about if wordy like this
Both Taken from Blueprints Obstetrics and Gynecology 7th Ed.
Applying also the again "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlation" from other subjects and visualization, we can imagine and make the the table above a little bit easier, by experience and also you can apply how and abnormal labor like Prolonged Labor for example by doing the correlation, by experiecnce, it works
Last example: A stroke patient presents cannot move on right part of the body, no sensations at all CT scan was done showing hypoechogenecity on the left internal capsule and the thalamus of the brain
Again lets visualize it what CT scan may look like
Try to imagine how a homonculus is
and also the tracts (ex Corticospinal, Spinothalamic etc.....) for imagination, I suggest you try downloading Snell Clinical Anatomy since its where i found the best and simplified picture regarding the tracts and correlate it to anatomy, and yes tried it in Revalida, it worked (not asked in PLE during my time but there is a possibility in your time)
Corticospinal tract, a Motor pathway taken from Snell Clinical Neuroanatomy 8th Ed.
Final Example: you can visualize some of the concepts, for example you will be given this long and very wordy sentence:
- In a Prospective cohort study, the investigator begins by assembling a sample of subjects. He measures characteristics in each subject that might predict the subsequent outcomes, and
follows these subjects with periodic measurements of the outcomes of interest. While,
- In Retrospective cohort studies, the assembly of the data of the cohort, baseline measurements, and follow-up have all happened in the past
Comment: very wordy but if we interject pictures or diagrams onto it we can understand, visualize and simplify what is mentioned above, like the picture below
Taken from First Aid for the USMLE Step 1
Here at the subject that recommended you read an atlas alongside with your notes
Anatomy
Gross: Netter
Histo: diFiore
Microbiology: and Parasitology
Jawetz, Murray for Pictures
First Aid USMLE for diagrams (unless review center provided, also recommended)
Clinical Microbiology made Ridiclously simple, for those who like comics like learning
Pathology:
Robbins and Cotran (both mother textbook and atlas of pathology)- provides both drawings and slides of specimens being discussed
Radiology:
Fundamentals of Radiology by Brant and Helms
Dermatology
- Andrews Diseases of the Skin
- Fitzpatrick Dermatology
**both has mother book and an atlas, very helpful when discussing skin conditions (both provide illustrations) but atlas is much better (tho Fitzpatrick mother book has many illustrations and diagrams on it already
Neurology (for ex Cerebrovascular Disease topic)
- I would also suggest Snell Clinical Neuroanatomy as Atlas (the drawings), since you can throwback to the parts of the CNS, PNS, and most important the pathways or dermatomes involved which can be used if you are correlating
Medicine
- DeGowin Diagnostic Examination has a ton of drawings on it which can be helpful in visualizing what you hear (ex, Heart Sounds)
**same goes to your review books (ex Pathoma, BRS, etc.....) or reviewers, or flashcards etc........ as well as per experience, now the difference is that they are summary of all important things you had learned
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C. Studying Clinical Subjects
**Disclaimer: I already realized this during my 3rd yr second sem but I found this thing works
In a typical clinical subject (Surgery, Pediatric, IM, OB-GYNE, Ophtha, ENT etc.....) here is the common pattern of the topics or dicussion either in textbook or discussion as illustrated when you do transes on your subject
Normal Anatomy and Physiology (and Biochemistry for Metabolic disorders in Pedia)
Epidemiology
Pathophysiology
Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis (Laboratory, Radiology and other ancillary procedures)
Treatment (Pharmacological and Non-pharmacological)
Complication and Prognosis
Prevention
- the best way is to apply your clinicals while reading since it will give you advantage while reading some parts and analyze it, but there are some aspect of the topics which it is realy important to memorize like scoring systems (MANTRELS, ALVARADO, CURB-65), classifications (ex Nyhus classification). but if you can create mnemonics, or find what is stand out like the treshold number, the most urgent one in the table, it can help
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D. Sample Exams (SAMPLEX)
**Disclaimer: This is my Personal Opinion only
Ideally using samplex as a reviewer is a double edged sword first let us see the advantage of trying sample exams
Advantages of using Sample Exams during Review
A. Prolongs your Stamina during Exams
For me like MMA practice, the exams itself requires a lot of stamina, practicing sample exams or exam books will help me prolong of how my brain can long in the exam since it is tiring, and you can practice your timing or pace, you can practice timing in every individual questions or exams, since practice is also the key
B. You apply what you had learned
For me this is why SAMPLEX should be use after you had reviewed what you need to know as you are applying it on practice exams already and writing explanation, it is like practicing on a pad or punching bag with your coach then also it is absorbed as long memory
C. You determine where is your weakness or topic/subject that you need to improve
Same reason as letter B
D. Your testmanship skills is also practiced
Also testmanship skills is important since aside from what you have known during your review, testmanship skills is also tested which is very handy to apply it with exam, this will be further explained in Importance of testmanship skills
**Again IDEALLY, SAMPLE EXAMS, should be blank without answers, and to be reviewed both before and at the end of your review as pre and post test only or practice part of testmanship only. Personal experience, I just learned about this technique while studying for the PLE, and not to rely or depend solely on samplexes since if you rely on this only, its a waste of time and defeated the purpose as what I have stated above
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E. My Experience in Studying Exams (both Revalida and PLE)
**Disclaimer: you can modify it in yourself due to our individual differences but I hope this could serve as to help you..... hihihi and this is a guide from an average student only
I want to share this since as it was during my Clerkship that I had reviewed for both Written and Oral Revalida which may be relatable for those who are in their Internship but preparing at the PLE at the same time.
If there is a even very small free time especially during "Duty" day, I used my gadget available with a reviewer on it (in my case, yes a cellphone) to prepare for the exam, also if you have a patient you can read about the condition of the patient applying everything what have you learned during your 1st 4 yrs of Medical School (5 yrs for Interns Preparing for the exam)
Concept Correlation for "Revalida"
or
Concept Correlation for PLE Review
For PLE it is divided into 12 Modules or Subject with SAME BEARING of grades
Day 1:
Biochemistry
-**Nutrition may also be asked
Anatomy and Histology
- Gross Anatomy
- Histology
- Neuroanatomy or Embryology
Microbiology and Parasitology
Day 2:
Physiology
Legal Medicine, Ethics, and Medical Jurisprudence
Pathology
**Microbiology can also be included here
Day 3
Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Surgery and Ophthalmology, and Otolaryngology and Rhinology
** Surgery: General, Orthopedic, TCVS, Pediatric Surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, or Anesthesiology related may come out here
**Ophthalmology and ENT may come out in this module
***In my experience while at PLE, OB-GYNE questions can be added here (1 question in my case)
*further info on the topic is PLE predictable part
Medicine
**Internal Medicine
**also can include some Pharmacology, Neurology, Dermatology or Psychiatry or some Medicine I questions, also in experience some Pathology
Day 4
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Pediatrics and Nutrition
Preventive Medicine and Public Health
** Family Medicine, Programs, Community, Research, Computations, Epidemiology
2 hours/module x 3 modules with 1 hr breaks in between (but no review allowed in between breaks for actual PLE)
PASSING Average 75.00 without less than 50 in ANY subject
The picture above and those PLE subjects (for Revalida in my experience, same arrangement of subjects as the sched above), these subjects are correlated and recalling of the subject using the "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlations" since it will stuck in your long term memory, I wrote them as like that since they are correlatable
Correlate and for me its part of my review already, for Pre and From status, if you have time at home also or spare a time at least to review for exam, but may be slow but QUALITY REVIEW never give in to pressure or anxiety.
For persons who are easily addict to social media (like me honestly) Forest App and Pomodoro App can be useful
Pomodoro App
Forest App
If Anxiety like me comes up during review, what I did was deep breathing exercise breathe in-breath out, stretch, yoga, and relax quite a bit. In my experience the biggest opponent that you will encounter in these 2 exams will be yourself, remember think, why do you want to become a doctor and use it as your motivation to keep fighting
***For the tips please refer searching to YouTube as there are lots of them
Probable question that you may ask:
1. I got too many Removals, Remedials in my Med school days, how can you manage to outright pass the Revalida or Pass the Physician Licensure Exam in just one take?
- Well learning for removals and remedials, it helped to improvise and improvise my techniques in studying or preparing for a bigger deal. Also it leaves me a message that I should study wisely which helped me succeed in those two exams, due my lot of Removals and Remedials helped me until I came up with those techniques that I mentioned here
2. I failed the board exam already, is there hope for me to pass?
- As per friends experience, its a big YES. I have friends who had repeated the board exam on their 2nd take and 3rd take, and YES THEY PASSED, and now they are doing fine. as I said in the no.1 question just keep revising it and keep clinging to hope and God, nothing is impossible.
3. How can I Maximize my preferred study style? or discover another study style?
- To answer those question Please refer to the Oklahoma notes posted on the link on E. Importance of "Testmanship Skills" since there are types of reviewees, also there are steps there how you can manage your time and how your own physiology (yes your actual body physiology) can adapt to it (that's why I mentioned, the review is also an art).
4. Is it advisable to review 1 day before the exam?
Well it depends on you, but as per experience my answer is NO. You have to have to to lay down as to invest on conserving your energy for the exam. Personal experience if you cram the day before the exam, there is only 20% that you can retain from it, rather what can I recommend is go to church, or read about Testmanship skills
Personal Paraphernalias that I used in answerinf the exam
1. Mongol #2 Pencil usually bring 3 pencils
2. "Exam Grade" Erasers
3. Sharpener- Invest in a good sharpener (I used and personally suggest the Mongol Sharpener)
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F. Computations in the Exam
Some subjects can ask you to compute about a certain answer which in my and friends experience so far has this list of Subjects
- Physiology
- Surgery and Ophthalmology, and Otolaryngology and Rhinology and (in my experience, burns)
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health
There are only allowable calculators for exam and these are the following:
For the formulas best way is to rewrite them (like in Pharmacology) manually handwritten and have sample computations to grasp the concepts
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G. Importance of "Testmanship Skills"
Ok the review and correlation is done, now its time for your practice, aside from evaluating what I know, testmanship skills is also important since this will let you familiarize in what type of question an examiner can give you since multiple choice has a lot of variation. I will share you the link for Testmanship skills that you need to acquire and practice while doing answering sample exams after you had reviewed everything
Testmanship skills link:
**Take note: most important part to read before reviewing for PLE (same for revalida and Med School) is to read the Oklahoma notes, aside from testmanship it has inside you can find of what type of student you are and also you can discover other reviewing skills
Also personal testmanship skills is where I put my scantron/answer sheet while doing rationalization and drawing in the questionnaire (both Long Exams, Revalida, and PLE) since if you put it on top of table, there is a chance that you can put a mark on it (press mark) which may be misread by check machine. I put it usually near the envelop below distant to where possible anyone can pass through and also distant to where I put my drinking water to avoid wetting those answer sheet
In the questionnaire as per experience, you can write your rationales, make or draw diagrams, draw (usually done in anatomy), create cycles or pathways, rewrite your tables etc............ thus applying your testmanship skills.
**You can also practice here a technique that I found effective also, if you are given a multiple choice question, cover the given choices first, try to think everything that you know about a particular question then uncover it when you're ready, look at the wrong answers first. if the question involves a case study, it is imperative to look at the last statement or stem questions first before looking at the case.
Breakdown of board exam as per experience and feedback
75%- "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlations"- meaning everything you had reviewed for the 12 subjects AND,
25%- Testmanship Skills- or your Multiple test taking strategy which you can learn from the references from the link above (and also from PLE Review centers), in experience developing this is an important weapon also
Also don't forget LORD Who give us day to day food for our souls
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H. Is Board Exam "Predictable"?
As per experience and feedback of my friends who took the exam the answer is a big NO example in Surgery, in my time Subspec Surgery, ENT and some Anes related Pharma was questioned also but in my friends, General Surgery was only question another example is PrevMed which in my and some of my friends time, no computation but in some there is computation
In the PLE take note, CROSS SUBJECT QUESTIONS also happens meaning, one subject that should be in another module, is asked in a particularly another one module
for example the subject is "Medicine", it doesn't mean that it will be limited to Internal Medicine subject but other subject, example, Physiology, Microbiology, Pathology can also be asked in this module and vice versa to other subjects also
Conclusion: in both of those exams, a wholehearted "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlations" + Testmanship skills
For all subjects please have no favoritism also
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FINAL MESSAGE FOR THIS BLOG
In General, the message of this blog is you can do it, nothing is impossible as long as you ask strength and guidance from God and putting a wholehearted review to it
**Take note this is ONLY AN EXPERIENCE SHARING blog. This is a SUPPLEMENTARY BLOG, you may modify this according to the type of reviewee you are where you are comfortable:)
The Moral Lesson: Never negate or underestimate those subject since especially in board exam, that module or subject will help you to pass your general average in the PLE since a module influence it equally, always if you find the subject too many, don't forget "Horizontal-Vertical Learning with Clinical Correlations"
Until Next time...................
Written by
PPC, MD
General Practice/Occupational Health Physician
Oct-Nov 2021 PLE passer
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