Hi I'm prepping for the comlex and wanted to do some diagnostic testing to find out how I learn best. Does such a service exist? I do terrible at standardized tests so I'm thinking it has something to do with my study habits. I'm the type that studies ALL the time and performs avg or below on multiple choice exams / standardized tests. Any leads or advice is appreciated. thanks!
sounds like you just not sure what answers to choose, you're information overloaded, when you see multiple choices, distractors, familar answers probably screw you up.
What you need practicing applying the material you learn (in steps) not all at once.
So instead of reading FA and or /Review books from cover to cover, then do QBank or UWorld (this is not very good method)
try to do cardiovascular system only (study FA CV section only, read Path Review book CV section only, pharm CV section only, and physiology CV section only). Allot yourself (1 or 2 days Max) for the whole CV system,
for example.
Day 1 morning -noon (read FA CV section) after you're done, do 50 CV Question (Non-randomized, Tutor mode) on Qbank or UWorld. If you got a question wrong and you can find the topic in FA (write down the explaination/vingette into your FA) and continue until you finish all 50 questions.
Note your percentage
Day 1 Afternoon - (Read the review books CV section Path, physio, pharm) and look up the topic that you got wrong or fussy about in the 50 Q that you did in the morning so you don't make the same mistake again. After you're done, do another 50 CV Question (non-Randomized, tutor mode) again copy stuff down into your FA if you got it wrong the information wasn't in FA)
Note your percentage (by this time your percentage should be increasing from morning)
Day 1 Night time - (read Everything you read today again on CV to consolidate everything, ) and do another 50 Q (non-randomized, tutor mode) on CV only. again copy down stuff you got wrong and if that information isn't on FA.
Note your percentage (your percentage should be at least 60% or better) on CV questions by now. if not, then do it again the next day
So basically you'll do the same thing for each system,
cardiovascular system - 1 or 2 days
Respiratory - 1 or 2 days
renal - 1 or 2 days
GI - 1 or 2 days
Endo - 1 or 2 days
repro - 1 or 2 days
msk - 1 or 2 days
repro - 1 or 2days
neuro - 1 or 2 days
pschy - 1 or 2 days
behavioral science - 1 or 2days
save micro/pharm, and biochem either till the end (after you finish the system (if you think yo do ok in them))
or do them first (if you think you're just absolutely horrible at them)
Finally, after you done all these
do a NBME exam, (timed, online)
and set up few blocks of randomized timed Qbank see if you get at least 60% or better on those.
if the score is still not what you desire....
repeat the WHOLE thing again.. until you get the score you want
that's the best advise i can give you and IT"LL WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
stick with FA, BRS Path/physio/Kaplan Pharm or Goljan RR path/Kaplan Physio/Kaplan Pharm combo
I recommend kaplan behavioral science/biochem/micro
if you do this seriously dedicate yourself to the setup/schedule you'll not only pass but probably score 200-220 (if you do this iteration 1 time)
if you do this iteration 2 times probably 220-230
if you do this iteration 3 times you'll be looking at 230+
and each time, it gets easier to do . and you can see results of improvement each day based on the Qbank percentages....
