kalsam
Forum Elite
Topics: 31
Posts: 361
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Really good one...just saw in the mail today..here it is!!
Tips and Trends: Doing Questions and Raising Scores
Practice questions do not teach you. Practice questions test you. Mastering the material you need to raise your score is something that takes place in the studying you do before and after doing questions.
One of the laws of human behavior is that doing more of the same thing will likely net you the same result. You do not improve your chances of getting questions correct by simply doing more questions. Doing more does not change your behavior. Rather, you need to look at your thinking on each question and add to your knowledge base.
When you miss a practice question, first read the annotated answers. This should help you understand what the question writer intended, why the keyed answer is correct, and why the other options are wrong. Next, take a moment with the question. Think about how you would need to modify the stem of the question in order to make the other options correct. This will teach you what the essential information is in that particular question.
Wait, you are still not finished. Now open your study materials and review the area you missed. Not just the point you missed, but related content as well. If you did not know something, or were not able to apply the knowledge you had, this is your chance to close the gap. Missing a question creates what teachers like to call a "teachable moment." Knowing that you got a question wrong creates a motivation to learn what you need to get it right. When you study after missing a question, you are more likely to pay attention to the content, and much more likely to retain it.
The simple message here is that quantity is not a substitute for quality. Doing a lot of questions without using a process that helps you learn from the experience will not cause your score to improve. Your exam preparation begins by studying the important content to give you a base to work from. Once the base is in place, questions will help you pinpoint gaps in your knowledge and test your understanding by asking you about that content in unexpected ways. This experience should drive you to study more.
As you move back and forth between study and questions, and questions and study, you will notice that both your percentage of correct practice questions improves and that your comfort with the content increases at the same time.
Questions and study provide the vertical supports on the ladder you are climbing to a higher score. Balanced between these two resources, your effort cannot help but carry you where you want to go.
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"Read Repeat Recall Remember Recognise & Reproduce"
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| PsychDr2B
Forum Elite
Topics: 35
Posts: 197
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I got this from the kaplan e-mails, too. Brilliantly simple advice. I like it. I have so much to accomplish and so little time (don't we all).
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| adeelmd
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Topics: 40
Posts: 402
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makes me happy to be part of this forum...
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where i lay my head is home.
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| namf
Forum Elite
Topics: 80
Posts: 312
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I second everyone..what a wonderful place this prep4usmle world..
However, my MASSIVE problem is I can spend a DAY going through 50 Questions on Qbank. If that is your problem like it is mine, maybe going faster is what you have to do, not slowing down even more.
Now lets see if I can take my own advice!
:oops:
P.S. A few thoughts that I HAVE NOT HEARD, or NOT NEARLY ENOUGH:
The USMLE...is a killer test.
This test is just totally impossible.
The test is undoable. You could still pass it, but it's not something you should just sit at home and say, "It's no big deal" about.
I failed this test and it terrifies me that I will on retake again. It has really hurt my confidence quite a good bit to score a 169. Then again, I didn't use Qbank much, and underused First Aid. This time I underused First Aid again, but did a lot of Qbank. I hope I pass, I hope I pass, I hope I pass!!!
GooD LucK EVERYONE
:wink: :wink:  :o :shock: :P
p.s. these sayings are meant to help people like me who needed to hear that others are struggling too. IF it doesn't speak to your situation or makes you nervous, please disregard. It wasn't meant for you and likely doesn't apply to you. If, on the other hand, you find these thoughts a relief--I have hit my mark. Feel free to say so here too--it'll be my reward!
Thanks again.
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| bm
Forum Elite
Topics: 37
Posts: 421
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"Practice questions do not teach you. Practice questions test you."
i totally agree. it would certainly be a waste of time (except to know where you stand) if you keep doing questions without knowing and learning the concepts beforehand.
1)for those in their early years in med school, make good your first two years as if preparing for step1 2)for those who just finished 2nd year, take step 1 early if you wish to practice in the US. taking step1 while the subjects are fresh would make a good kill for this exam. if you don't fall under the first two categories (like me), grill your basics good :x
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