Boards Part I Changed Format - Take it early?

[boards99]

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I'm surprised no one has brought this up sooner

It was announced that Boards Part I will be changing its format starting January 1st 2007

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/natboard/part1.asp


Basically they will mix order of the 400 questions. No longer will there be 4 separate categorized/subject segments. Also, 20% of the 400 quesitons will be in the form of "testlets" or clinically based formatted questions.

Due to this change, WILL SOME FIRST YEARS CONSIDER TAKING THE EXAM EARLIER?

Give your pros and cons for each.


PROS:
get it over with early
dont have to bother with the new format
have more time in your first year
THERES MORE, please add to this

CONS:
you have to study some subjects on your own
you cant have fun your first summer (not that big of a deal for me though)
you might do worst since its your first year (potentially true)

there you go guys, make it exciting, make it controversial.

 

[boards99]

bump

would anyone out there help me decide. i'm torn between taking it this year or the next.

i'm sure there are some of u guys out there that are in the same situation i am,

 

[blankguy]

Dam, why do they have to change the exams 😡

 

[ncalcate]

CONS:
you have to study some subjects on your own
you cant have fun your first summer (not that big of a deal for me though)
you might do worst since its your first year (potentially true)

Boards99, I am not sure about you, but for a lot of us, we haven't taken all of our Part I classes yet. Here at Buffalo, we don't take Path or Micro until Fall of our 2nd year. So it would be next to impossible to take Part I this summer because we'd have to teach ourselves Path and Micro! I'm sure there are a lot of students at other schools who are in the same boat with respect to our class schedule.

Having said that, if you've taken all the courses already, I guess it is possible... and if you don't do well enough you could retake it between 2nd and 3rd years. I've read on this board about people retaking Part I so it is possible.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[openwyd22]

I will be taking boards this summer and the last I heard, we would be taking the new format of all the questions mixed together. That would be great if the change wasn't till Jan. 07.

 

[tinker bell]

It would be similar to the pilot exam. Just buy some case format books to read over at least once. I recommend the Pre-Test series for usmle, or the platinum clinical vignette. I like them both, but Pre-test is a little more convenient, because it quotes the exact pages it references from what text. You can purchase the companion text, and read along. They're so helpful and help you gaining deep understanding, especially the Pathology part. I wouldn't freak out if I were you guys. Hey, I would laugh in their face any day of the week. Go ahead & change your format. You guys can all do it.

And if you're gonna take the new exam, don't bank your time on the decks

 

[Typo]

Don't you have to be certified by your school as ready to take the exam before you can take it? I don't think you can decide for yourself when you can take the exam, at least as far as taking it early. So, you can decide when to take it, but only after your dean/school has decided that you're ready to take it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Don't you have to be certified by your school as ready to take the exam before you can take it? I don't think you can decide for yourself when you can take the exam, at least as far as taking it early. So, you can decide when to take it, but only after your dean/school has decided that you're ready to take it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

That's correct. The dean has to certify students, so it isn't as if they can just choose a day. They have to be cleared first.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I'm surprised no one has brought this up sooner

We've been discussing the format change for literally 2+ years now. I don't think it will make any difference in scores. I found the "testlets" on the pilot exam to be very simple when compared with the other questions.

 

[jk5177]

We've been discussing the format change for literally 2+ years now. I don't think it will make any difference in scores. I found the "testlets" on the pilot exam to be very simple when compared with the other questions.

good news.

 

[sjdent]

Wait. You'll need all the classes you can get to do well. It's so curved anyway.

 

[boards99]

I will be taking boards this summer and the last I heard, we would be taking the new format of all the questions mixed together. That would be great if the change wasn't till Jan. 07.

The ada link confirms that the change will occur in january 2007, so we are safe this summer.

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/natboard/part1.asp