Block Exams vs. Regular Exams (poll)

[want2beadoc1]

I was wondering what are people’s thoughts on having medical schools using block exams vs regular exams. Just so we are clear by “block exam” I mean having an all day test given about once a month covering every subjects in one format, and “regular exam” would be having separate exams pertaining to their course on different days.

I believe that block exam is a good way to prepare you for the COMLEX due to its similar format and having all subjects relate to each other. On other hand a block can’t test as much detail as having many individual exams because there is so much material to memorize.

In the end which type of exam system do you think is best to score high on the boards?

Also let me know which schools use block exams

Thanks for everyone’s help,

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[slim78]

FYI AZCOM does NOT use block exams. And by the third quarter (where we are now) you have 2 exams per week.

I'd rather do it this way than have block exams.

 

[supergumbo]

I have no idea as I haven't started med school yet. However, block exams sound pretty scary.

 

[MasterShakeDO]

Our school had block exams but not the definition the OP has laid out. We had 1 week of exams at the end of a 6 week block. The number of exams was between 8-12. At the end of the semester we did have a cumulative "board style" exam.
Talking to students from other schools it seems like they rather would have had our schedule. Sure the week of exams suck, but the 3-4 weeks after exams we could play in San Francisco and Napa. OTOH, CCOM has 2 tests/wk. I would hate to be in a city as cool as Chicago and not be able to enjoy it because of a test every Monday at 730AM.

However, I voted "it doesn't matter" because the poll question technically is which is better for boards. Neither puts you at a distinct advantage over the other. We're talking about 2 years worth of material that you have to retain for one test.
I think PBL vs. system based vs subject based has greater influence on memory retention and subsequent board performance.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I have no data to back this up, but if I had to guess which way would prepare you better for the boards...

If you have a block of exams that's once per 6 weeks or so, you tend to behave like how MasterShakeDO suggests. You put off studying until you absolutely can't anymore, while wasting lots of time between exam blocks. This forces you to cram, which impedes memory consolidation, which leads to decreased retention in the long term. Period.

The boards are all about trying to retain a ton of info for nearly two years, so I'd want the system that encouraged that, which would be a slow and steady, consistent review of the information over time, with no acute cramming. Besides, this method is generally more effective for med school anyway, given the volume of info and the fact that multiple reviews of the info over a period of time will allow you to better process, understand, and remember what you need to.

However, I don't see this option on your poll. I don't know what "regular" exams are. I think AZCOM/CCOM have the right idea, with weekly tests though. So what if Mondays blow? You never find yourself too far behind in any subject, with that kind of consistent motivation to do well on these smaller exams each week.

Your alternative is having a whole week that's infinitely worse than any given Monday. Case of "the Mondays?" Nope. A bad case of "the every 6 weeks." No thanks.

 

[MasterShakeDO]

Points well taken Chocolate Bear. One question I had is how well information that has already been tested is reviewed? Because if you get lectured on a topic, get tested on it 2 days later, and then never think about again I can't see how you would retain it after 4 weeks and 8 exams, let alone 2 years.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Points well taken Chocolate Bear. One question I had is how well information that has already been tested is reviewed? Because if you get lectured on a topic, get tested on it 2 days later, and then never think about again I can't see how you would retain it after 4 weeks and 8 exams, let alone 2 years.

Yeah, definitely. You'll forget a lot of the nuances, for sure. My point was more that, between those two options, your chance of retaining things is generally better when you absorb them more slowly and steadily, as opposed to cramming.

Constant review and cycling through your various subjects each week is far better for retention than a 1-2 week cram session at the end of each block, IMO.

There are probably studies on this very issue. I'd be curious to see the data, as it pertains to medical education.

Also keep in mind that there is no perfect system for board material retention, while learning the info in years 1-2. You'll spend months relearning a lot of stuff before Step 1, but you should have a good foundation on which to fill in details and master things you didn't catch the first time around.

 

[ChiDO]

We have a test/quiz every week or two weeks basically. It really makes you stay on top of your studying and I feel I learn the material a lot better then not studying for 3 weeks and cramming everything in the last week.

In the end, I really don't think it matters how your testing schedule it (thus I choose option 3), but I think what IS IMPORTANT is how you review the material. If you keep up with it, you'll probably do better through your two years no matter what testing style. If you cram before each test, I believe you'll have a harder time remembering down the road.

 

[nlax30]

Not sure where a PBL style curriculum exam would fit in, probably on the block exam side of things.

All the basic sciences (immuno, biochem, physio, path, etc...) are lumped together in PBL and we usually have 3 big exams a semester that cover all subjects/topics that we've chosen up till that point. Certainly can't cram as our last test had close to 60 chapters of material on it.

But the exams are kind of board style, ~200 questions over a few hours with everything mixed in.

 

[orchid07]

I have no data to back this up, but if I had to guess which way would prepare you better for the boards...

If you have a block of exams that's once per 6 weeks or so, you tend to behave like how MasterShakeDO suggests. You put off studying until you absolutely can't anymore, while wasting lots of time between exam blocks. This forces you to cram, which impedes memory consolidation, which leads to decreased retention in the long term. Period.

The boards are all about trying to retain a ton of info for nearly two years, so I'd want the system that encouraged that, which would be a slow and steady, consistent review of the information over time, with no acute cramming. Besides, this method is generally more effective for med school anyway, given the volume of info and the fact that multiple reviews of the info over a period of time will allow you to better process, understand, and remember what you need to.

However, I don't see this option on your poll. I don't know what "regular" exams are. I think AZCOM/CCOM have the right idea, with weekly tests though. So what if Mondays blow? You never find yourself too far behind in any subject, with that kind of consistent motivation to do well on these smaller exams each week.

Your alternative is having a whole week that's infinitely worse than any given Monday. Case of "the Mondays?" Nope. A bad case of "the every 6 weeks." No thanks.

at ccom we averaging 2-4 exams per week and no it does not help us keep up with studying. we just cram material a lot more often than those in block schedules. No matter who u r, ur cramming the day before the test. it is what it it. a lot of what u learned will fly out of ur head right after the exam so you can make room for the next exam. Ur going to have to relearn it for boards.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

at ccom we averaging 2-4 exams per week and no it does not help us keep up with studying. we just cram material a lot more often than those in block schedules. No matter who u r, ur cramming the day before the test. it is what it it. a lot of what u learned will fly out of ur head right after the exam so you can make room for the next exam. Ur going to have to relearn it for boards.

*shrug*, I guess it just depends on your definition of "cramming." Some might just say years 1-2 are two straight years of cramming.

However, I've seen a wide spectrum of studying styles of med students, ranging from cramming and all-nighters before tests to calm, cool, and collected because they've been keeping up with material on a regular basis.

 

[want2beadoc1]

I hear it's almost impossible to do well on block exams if you cram. Imagine all of your class exams combined; the amount of material is just to much. The key is to keep up with the material every day even though the exam may not be for another 3 weeks or so (easier said than done). At least with block exams you don't skip or fall behind classes so that you can study for this one test coming up.

 

[stonewall22]

I have no data to back this up, but if I had to guess which way would prepare you better for the boards...

If you have a block of exams that's once per 6 weeks or so, you tend to behave like how MasterShakeDO suggests. You put off studying until you absolutely can't anymore, while wasting lots of time between exam blocks. This forces you to cram, which impedes memory consolidation, which leads to decreased retention in the long term. Period.

The boards are all about trying to retain a ton of info for nearly two years, so I'd want the system that encouraged that, which would be a slow and steady, consistent review of the information over time, with no acute cramming. Besides, this method is generally more effective for med school anyway, given the volume of info and the fact that multiple reviews of the info over a period of time will allow you to better process, understand, and remember what you need to.

However, I don't see this option on your poll. I don't know what "regular" exams are. I think AZCOM/CCOM have the right idea, with weekly tests though. So what if Mondays blow? You never find yourself too far behind in any subject, with that kind of consistent motivation to do well on these smaller exams each week.

Your alternative is having a whole week that's infinitely worse than any given Monday. Case of "the Mondays?" Nope. A bad case of "the every 6 weeks." No thanks.

Actually, I asked one Dean at one of the schools I interviewed at, why block. Their block was a set of exams every 4-6 weeks as described above, not just one exam. He said they did it this way to force students to stay up on every subject. He said that in the past when block exams were not used there was tons of cramming. For example, he said that the week of the biochem and anatomy exams the students wouldn't essentially ignore their other classes while preparing for those, and then the following week cram of the tests of the week etc. He said students in the block are forced to keep up because they can't cram for tests in a block format because there simply isn't enough time to cram for all the tests if you haven't kept up. Makes sense to me. That being said, I'm not sure either style is better or worse, and I think a motivated, responsible student will succeed in both whereas a procrastinator is likely to procrastinate in either format.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Actually, I asked one Dean at one of the schools I interviewed at, why block. Their block was a set of exams every 4-6 weeks as described above, not just one exam. He said they did it this way to force students to stay up on every subject. He said that in the past when block exams were not used there was tons of cramming. For example, he said that the week of the biochem and anatomy exams the students wouldn't essentially ignore their other classes while preparing for those, and then the following week cram of the tests of the week etc. He said students in the block are forced to keep up because they can't cram for tests in a block format because there simply isn't enough time to cram for all the tests if you haven't kept up. Makes sense to me. That being said, I'm not sure either style is better or worse, and I think a motivated, responsible student will succeed in both whereas a procrastinator is likely to procrastinate in either format.

Truer words may have never been spoken.

 

[scdocusc]

I have the Block exam style that is mentioned. I think a lot of the knocks against it are pretty invalid. The idea of cramming is absolutely impossible. We are quizzed weekly in each class and are forced to stay up on the material. Our dean has a study done by an allopathic school that showed a 5% increase in USMLE scores when this testing format was applied. There are distinct advantages to having a board style exam every month. I get to see the information integrated in various questions unlike those who test individual classes. The boards aren't going to let you know "this is a biochem question or path question so switch your gears" they want you to figure it out. The tests at my school are pretty solid and well constructed where you have to answer over 250 questions in alotted times. We've had stem questions that integrated Biochem, clinical skills, and Anatomy. These are the questions you'll see on the boards. Also, why would you want a test every week? That sounds like it would burn people out faster. Anyway, those are my thoughts on this subject. I'll leave you with this question. Would you rather get hit once a week with toyota corolla or once a month with a mack truck? I choose mack truck