Help, Encouragement, and Advice for the Naplex!

[strongvision]

I have failed the naplex twice now and I'm losing it. I was fired from my job and was praying and hoping I would pass so that I could find employment. The first time I studied only APhA and i scored a 70 this time i did kaplan and I scored a 55. I thought the test the second time was extremely hard. I need advice on what's the best option for studying this time. I'm leaning toward the online rxprep course but I want to make sure it's worth it. i have one more shot at the naplex if not I will have to wait a year to retake it and that's not an option for me so please someone help!!!!!

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[aboveliquidice]

I have failed the naplex twice now and I'm losing it. I was fired from my job and was praying and hoping I would pass so that I could find employment. The first time I studied only APhA and i scored a 70 this time i did kaplan and I scored a 55. I thought the test the second time was extremely hard. I need advice on what's the best option for studying this time. I'm leaning toward the online rxprep course but I want to make sure it's worth it. i have one more shot at the naplex if not I will have to wait a year to retake it and that's not an option for me so please someone help!!!!!

First - You need to breath. It's difficult to tell right now, but life does not begin / end with the Naplex. Second, I want you to send PMs to a couple of SDNers that have gone through the same mess. One in particular is named Naplexfail. The other is JordanP. Both failed the naplex, and were able to re-focus themselves and pass later on.

With Naplex, you need to be a jack of all trades, master of none. The only major exception being math. You have to know it cold. There is a 120 question math practice document on this forum (do a search) that is on par for math difficulty.

Beware of people spouting out different sources to study. If you are doing more than two, you are probably doing to much. Study until you know the information from the sources you have (or one new one). once you got it, then go in and schedule the Naplex. Not a second before.

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more candidly.

 

[kelix]

It's true; don't give up hope. You have to believe in yourself that you have the capability and sufficient knowledge to pass the NAPLEX. As far as review resources go, I agree with aboveliquidice. Just stick to one major source. I mostly studied the APhA book and did well on my NAPLEX. Just from browsing this forum and through a lot of my friends plus my own personal experience, APhA book is more than sufficient to prepare you for the test. More importantly, you have to identify your weak area(s)/topic(s) and review them thoroughly. For me, it was the Math. I found the APhA book and the 120 math questions document very helpful and gave me confidence to perform well on the test. It may be redundant to keep saying what everyone else is saying but for the test, for every disease states, be able to know: MOA, brand/generic names of drugs, route, side effects, monitoring paramters, drug interactions (the major ones), and counseling points. On my test, I had quite a number of questions on HIV, be sure to know which AIDS meds need to be boosted with norvir and which meds need to be taken with food. Make sure you pay attention to allergy in the profile questions. Again, don't lose hope. I'm sure you can do it.

 

[pharmacy3]

I am in a similar situation! If you find a way out of this mess, plese let me know! I have the rxprep course booklet. Will that be enough? How long should I study? How do I know I am ready to take the test and pass it the third time around?

 

[strongvision]

okay i have taken the rxprep course and i started studying i'm going to shoot for the middle of march end of march to take the test.

 

[Naplexfail]

Hey Strong Vision - I replied to your PM. Hope things are fine with you. Please do not give up.

 

[LaPharmD]

I agree with everyone else. One more important thing, Look at the material like you never seen before. Study like you meant it. Don't by-pass anything. Even if you know the material, just study like it is foreign to you.
If you know someone who took the test on the same month and they taking it before you. Ask them for tips and helps.

 

[strongvision]

I took the naplex again...now i'm just praying that i did well

 

[strongvision]

i just found out today that I passed my test...god be the glory!!!!

 

[nemnem]

wow...congrats on your test...how was it?...i need help please i am taking it may 4th...i don't think i am ready atall...

 

[aboveliquidice]

i just found out today that I passed my test...god be the glory!!!!

Well done!

 

[Neyerx]

grats strong

i need some encouragement. for those who are good test takers, any advice? i am a horrible test taker. i freak out and overthink every question. ive talked with some who can easily take tests and one person said all the does is process of elimination. so im asking, what exactly goes on in your heads when you get a tough question? because i feel that im not passing the naplex because of how i take tests. i feel that i know the material very well. i just get all confused when i get the question, thinking that its a trick question or something...

 

[horseridinggirl]

Congrats!!!! Would Love to hear how it went ! I'm in the same boat as Nayerx.

 

[UMterps]

grats strong

i need some encouragement. for those who are good test takers, any advice? i am a horrible test taker. i freak out and overthink every question. ive talked with some who can easily take tests and one person said all the does is process of elimination. so im asking, what exactly goes on in your heads when you get a tough question? because i feel that im not passing the naplex because of how i take tests. i feel that i know the material very well. i just get all confused when i get the question, thinking that its a trick question or something...

when I took the exam i'd say a number of questions could be answered by process of eliminationn along with knowing the basics about drugs, indications, dosages. some answers could be eliminated due to wrong dosing information, or allergies, then you'd come down to two possible answers and the question would ask for the "best" choice. you really had to look at the patient profile sometimes. look at labs, age, or what other comorbidities they had based on their medication profile. as everyone here says, ace the math Qs and simple brand/generic questions to give yourself room for the other components of the exam.

 

[NAPLEXANXIETY]

I took the NAPLEX today and fought an anxiety attack the ENTIRE time. At one point one of the proctors came over to ask if I needed anything and all I could think is I wanted to hug her. I knew going in it takes me a while to do math problems so I made sure to do them several times. I was told by our professor that there would be 25-30. I am pretty sure I had 50. I was so crestfallen. I felt like this is some indication that I was doing poorly. My the midpoint I only had 64 questions done because I had SO many math problems. I felt SO crunched for time with the second half. I felt ok with the non-math problems. I am in much agreement that they are very random. I studied for about a month and used the RX PREP book, APHA 2007 and a lecture we had at school for calculations. I literally felt I had to guess at 50% of the math problems I had. SO anxious! Please dear God let me pass!

 

[MindOverMatter]

Good luck guys. There is nothing like that feeling after taking the Naplex and waiting for your score. Just focus on a number (preferably a passing number) and keep repeating it in your head until you see your official score. It worked for me. Both times I got exactly the score I was envisioning.

 

[NAPLEXANXIETY]

I passed with a 106! Whoohoo!