Exam logistics

[Sir Gillies]

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Hi guys,

My exam is due in 2 days (8am slot). I've been reading about breaks and food from previous posts.

I'm thinking: 5 mins after the first 2 blocks, 5 mins after the third, 20-30mins after 4th, 10 mins after 5th, and 10mins after 6th. What do you think?

Also, I'm slightly unclear how you manage to take 5 mins break for a drink etc, if it takes a few mins to check out and in. Do you take them at your seat?

Furthermore, people say that they drink or eat a protein bar during these breaks. Can you take bars or water inside the room? If not, where do you leave it, in the lockers? But wouldn't that take ages? Are the lockers usually just outside the room?

Lastly, I would like to bring my iPad (with FA on it) with me in case I feel the urge of checking something before the next block. Hopefully I won't use it, but just in case... Where do I leave it? In the lockers?

Thanks a lot guys for your help.

 

[Sir Gillies]

Oh, sorry... One more thing. Other than passport and permit (+ stuff listed above) do I need anything else?

Thanks a million.

 

[Sir Gillies]

Please anyone : (

 

[JRjcu08]

Your strategy listed is about what I did. I did two blocks, 10 min, two more, then like 30 mins, then one block, 5 mins, one more block 10 mins. plus or minus whatever you need.if you feel strong after a block, don't take a break. If you feel like you're dragging then take one. I always ate a small snack like fruit, nuts, granola bar, yogurt whenever i took a short break and drank just a little. Eat more at the longest break. Depending on what your test center is like, you shouldn't have to go far to get to the locker area, and as long as the people working there don't suck it shouldn't take you long to sign in and outl
The only thing you can have in the room is your Id, the wipe board/pen they give you, your locker key, and a tissue if you need it. Nothing else.
You can use whatever you want during breaks, you can even make phone calls, but you're not permitted to discuss the test with anyone. I would personally away from looking stuff up on breaks because if it's something you got wrong, it can psych you out for later on.
Whatever else you bring beside your Id and test permit you have to leave in the locker. You do not need anything else besides what you listed. Bring any medications you may need to take during break (Tylenol, etc). You can bring your own soft earplugs if you want, though I think they have some rule that they have to come out of new packaging, but this was never enforced at my test. Make sure you bring enough to eat and eat enough before you start that you won't feel hungry.

Hi guys,

My exam is due in 2 days (8am slot). I've been reading about breaks and food from previous posts.

I'm thinking: 5 mins after the first 2 blocks, 5 mins after the third, 20-30mins after 4th, 10 mins after 5th, and 10mins after 6th. What do you think?

Also, I'm slightly unclear how you manage to take 5 mins break for a drink etc, if it takes a few mins to check out and in. Do you take them at your seat?

Furthermore, people say that they drink or eat a protein bar during these breaks. Can you take bars or water inside the room? If not, where do you leave it, in the lockers? But wouldn't that take ages? Are the lockers usually just outside the room?

Lastly, I would like to bring my iPad (with FA on it) with me in case I feel the urge of checking something before the next block. Hopefully I won't use it, but just in case... Where do I leave it? In the lockers?

Thanks a lot guys for your help.

 

[Sir Gillies]

Thanks a million! You gave me a great insight on what to expect.
Can't believe the day has come... I'm keeping all my fingers crossed for a good test! : )
Thanks again!

 

[CDI]

Thanks a million! You gave me a great insight on what to expect.
Can't believe the day has come... I'm keeping all my fingers crossed for a good test! : )
Thanks again!

Good luck!

 

[Phloston]

I may have just missed you, Sir Gillies. I don't check the forum as much anymore.

Good luck on your test. Bring diet energy drinks and space small amounts of food to have during your breaks.

After the 6th block, chug an energy drink but consume no calories.

 

[blaqmamba]

Good luck, let us know how it went!

 

[WilliamsEph]

Are you allowed to bring your own headphones? I'd much rather use my Bose noise canceling ones than theirs if possible.

 

[CDI]

Are you allowed to bring your own headphones? I'd much rather use my Bose noise canceling ones than theirs if possible.

I had the same question, would much rather use the QC15s (one of my better med school investments).

I know at overseas prometric centers they allow you to bring your own pair. The one I took my practice 150 at (in the US) had these cheap noise cancelling pair...all they did was squeeze your head so everything you learned fell out of your head faster.

 

[survivordo]

I'm pretty sure you can't bring your own with you (who knows who might be piping you in answers from the outside world) but it would certainly be easy enough to call the test center to find out.

Survivor DO

 

[WonderBoy]

I had the same question, would much rather use the QC15s (one of my better med school investments).

I know at overseas prometric centers they allow you to bring your own pair. The one I took my practice 150 at (in the US) had these cheap noise cancelling pair...all they did was squeeze your head so everything you learned fell out of your head faster.

You can only bring in ear plugs which they have you squeeze in front of them to make sure they don't have any kind of hearing devices in them. Nothing else. Have to show your pockets inside out and they even used one of those hand metal detectors like they have at the airport. This is every time we go in or out, plus you get fingerprint scanned as well.

 

[Phloston]

Are you allowed to bring your own headphones?

No, just foam earplugs.

 

[Big Baller]

This might come across as a stupid question but as I have yet to take my exam I thought I would ask. When doing individual blocks, do you only see the time for that block or all of 7 blocks and when taking your break, do they have clocks outside the testing room and the locker area or do you just go by your own person wrist watch?

 

[CDI]

Sir Gillies hasn't replied after his exam...not a good sign!

 

[Wolverines83]

This might come across as a stupid question but as I have yet to take my exam I thought I would ask. When doing individual blocks, do you only see the time for that block or all of 7 blocks and when taking your break, do they have clocks outside the testing room and the locker area or do you just go by your own person wrist watch?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=638156

from 09 but should still be accurate

 

[Phloston]

Sir Gillies hasn't replied after his exam...not a good sign!

No, it is a good sign. It means he's having the break he needs.

 

[CDI]

Haha, well that's good!

 

[Sir Gillies]

Hi guys!!!

I've done it! i was out of the prometric centre at 16.00 of Friday 1st of March.

I'm so sorry for not writing straight away but I had some relaxation and gf/family time. today I woke at 9 am which was an absolute luxury! What's feeling! And Thea nice round of golf, something I pave been dreaming for the past month : )

I was astonished by the level of security and organization that these centers have! Luckily I left my gun at home ; )

Jokes aside, the exam was tough and I really couldn't say for sure how it went... Really hope well though : )

I thought the exam was pretty balanced I all subjects expect psych and musculoskeletal which were rather absent except for the standard nerve injury questions.
This is what it came up (as much as I remember because I have the memory of lizard : )
Anatomy: mainly limbs, pelvis and abdomen. They had a very weird question on penile blocks which I had never seen done so i got that wrong (dorsal penis n. I think). Quite a few CTs and XRs, and brain dissections.
Biochemistry: started as my weakest subject but I think that once you know FA very well, you are sorted. Lots of pedigree, glycogen and other metabolic disease qs. Not so much on reactions.
Physiology: they asked quite a bit about endocrine pathways, especially prolactin. Also lots on respiratory (eg spirometry). Some very difficult graphs on contractility of the GI tract and something CV related (sorry I can't remember) but things that you really can't prepare for unless you have worked in a physiology lab : ) I thought UW helped me a lot in this section.
Pathology: this was mixed with almost everything and similar in style to UW. Histology slides were quite challenging. Goljan and FA were great. So much of it in the exam, so def I would put extra effort in it.
Microbiology: FA was enough. Mainly bacterial and viral infections.
Pharmacology: I was so concerned about it but actually it turned out to be alright. Side effects and interactions. Quite a few qs on competitive/non-competitive antagonists.
Embryology: pretty inexistent.

All in all I thought it was very hard but I'm really hoping for the best!

I can't thank you all enough. This discussion board has been truly amazing and super useful!

 

[Phloston]

Hi guys!!!

I've done it! i was out of the prometric centre at 16.00 of Friday 1st of March.

I'm so sorry for not writing straight away but I had some relaxation and gf/family time. today I woke at 9 am which was an absolute luxury! What's feeling! And Thea nice round of golf, something I pave been dreaming for the past month : )

I was astonished by the level of security and organization that these centers have! Luckily I left my gun at home ; )

Jokes aside, the exam was tough and I really couldn't say for sure how it went... Really hope well though : )

I thought the exam was pretty balanced I all subjects expect psych and musculoskeletal which were rather absent except for the standard nerve injury questions.
This is what it came up (as much as I remember because I have the memory of lizard : )
Anatomy: mainly limbs, pelvis and abdomen. They had a very weird question on penile blocks which I had never seen done so i got that wrong (dorsal penis n. I think). Quite a few CTs and XRs, and brain dissections.
Biochemistry: started as my weakest subject but I think that once you know FA very well, you are sorted. Lots of pedigree, glycogen and other metabolic disease qs. Not so much on reactions.
Physiology: they asked quite a bit about endocrine pathways, especially prolactin. Also lots on respiratory (eg spirometry). Some very difficult graphs on contractility of the GI tract and something CV related (sorry I can't remember) but things that you really can't prepare for unless you have worked in a physiology lab : ) I thought UW helped me a lot in this section.
Pathology: this was mixed with almost everything and similar in style to UW. Histology slides were quite challenging. Goljan and FA were great. So much of it in the exam, so def I would put extra effort in it.
Microbiology: FA was enough. Mainly bacterial and viral infections.
Pharmacology: I was so concerned about it but actually it turned out to be alright. Side effects and interactions. Quite a few qs on competitive/non-competitive antagonists.
Embryology: pretty inexistent.

All in all I thought it was very hard but I'm really hoping for the best!

I can't thank you all enough. This discussion board has been truly amazing and super useful!

Well I think we're all glad to know that you're alive and well. That round of golf must have been nice. 👍

 

[thecalccobra]

Hi guys!!!

I've done it! i was out of the prometric centre at 16.00 of Friday 1st of March.

I'm so sorry for not writing straight away but I had some relaxation and gf/family time. today I woke at 9 am which was an absolute luxury! What's feeling! And Thea nice round of golf, something I pave been dreaming for the past month : )

I was astonished by the level of security and organization that these centers have! Luckily I left my gun at home ; )

Jokes aside, the exam was tough and I really couldn't say for sure how it went... Really hope well though : )

I thought the exam was pretty balanced I all subjects expect psych and musculoskeletal which were rather absent except for the standard nerve injury questions.
This is what it came up (as much as I remember because I have the memory of lizard : )
Anatomy: mainly limbs, pelvis and abdomen. They had a very weird question on penile blocks which I had never seen done so i got that wrong (dorsal penis n. I think). Quite a few CTs and XRs, and brain dissections.
Biochemistry: started as my weakest subject but I think that once you know FA very well, you are sorted. Lots of pedigree, glycogen and other metabolic disease qs. Not so much on reactions.
Physiology: they asked quite a bit about endocrine pathways, especially prolactin. Also lots on respiratory (eg spirometry). Some very difficult graphs on contractility of the GI tract and something CV related (sorry I can't remember) but things that you really can't prepare for unless you have worked in a physiology lab : ) I thought UW helped me a lot in this section.
Pathology: this was mixed with almost everything and similar in style to UW. Histology slides were quite challenging. Goljan and FA were great. So much of it in the exam, so def I would put extra effort in it.
Microbiology: FA was enough. Mainly bacterial and viral infections.
Pharmacology: I was so concerned about it but actually it turned out to be alright. Side effects and interactions. Quite a few qs on competitive/non-competitive antagonists.
Embryology: pretty inexistent.

All in all I thought it was very hard but I'm really hoping for the best!

I can't thank you all enough. This discussion board has been truly amazing and super useful!

Congrats on being done! For the CT scans and X-rays, did you feel UWorld was sufficient or is something like High-Yield Neuro needed?

 

[Sir Gillies]

I didn't feel they were too hard. There was only one abdo ct that I wasn't sure about the anatomy because it was a tumor in a random place - hopefully the adrenals....

I think UW was good but I think some reinforcement with some abdo ct scans would have been helpful.

HY Neuro was helpful not for the scans but mainly to understand the brainstem and its pathology. I thought it was a great resource for someone like who lacked basic Neuro knowledge.

 

[Sir Gillies]

Post deleted because same as above