How to prepare better

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zulutrix

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I prepared with prontopass cards and posters and was confident before and after the test. But I was shocked to see the result (score 65). I need your guidance to pass the exam next time. I have prontopass and APHA book. Please guide me through about the preparation. I am a foreign pharmacist therefore obviously has tough time preparing for naplex.
Please help me as If I am not able to do this time then I'll lose all confidence.

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Yes I was quizzed!! Even buzz was sure that I would be in the hall of fame....I don't know what exactly went wrong in the exam...
 
Did you practice math very well? In the test did you make sure that your answers have the correct units? (eg. 300mg or 0.3grams?) The math really weighs more i think. I also used prontopass but i read everything about the heart drugs in ApHa also practiced answering patient profile questions on Appleton and Lange. I know that next time you take Naplex you will pass. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO PRAY
 
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just a few thoughts after I took naplex last month and passed with 120:-
- i used Shargel for my basic revew (i read about 50% of the book from cardio till the end and skipped biotech, PK , etc)
-if you know anyone that signed with rite aid, their review book is AWESOME
-me and my friends studied together and we used different books - shargel, APHA, rite aid's - we found out that each book may miss out a few topics (sometimes bgi topics) so no single reference is perfect - yet AphA is the worst, i think their annual update is merely copy and paste, but their practice questions are worth spending time on
-definitely need to know the class and MOA of each agent
-coverage of abx, and side effects of super abx
- po to IV conversion in select abx - those with dose ratio 1 to 1, e.g. linezolid, etc
-unique adverse effect(s) of each agent (esp chemo + HIV)
-math: mEq, ANC, BSA, mole and molecular weight, MAP, unit conversion, drip rate, isotonicity, osmo
-properties of BB
-properties of antiarrhythmics
-common causative pathogens in common IDs
-DOC(s) of STDs
-2007 was a big year for HIV, make sure you know the new classes and agents
-i think CF, sickle cell anemias, breast, prostate cancers, ADHD, HIV are important topics to go thru too
- I got a few questions on stat and medical supplies - but i really wouldnt worry too much about them..lol

PM me if you need further help, i have some pdf handouts from my friends, but they are long that's why I did not read them. Good luck!!

ps, trust your instincts, everytime i change my 1st pick I screw up...lol
 
jonniii, are you going to take CPJE soon. If yes, we can share our information about the test.

Thank you.
 
just a few thoughts after I took naplex last month and passed with 120:-
- i used Shargel for my basic revew (i read about 50% of the book from cardio till the end and skipped biotech, PK , etc)
-if you know anyone that signed with rite aid, their review book is AWESOME
-me and my friends studied together and we used different books - shargel, APHA, rite aid's - we found out that each book may miss out a few topics (sometimes bgi topics) so no single reference is perfect - yet AphA is the worst, i think their annual update is merely copy and paste, but their practice questions are worth spending time on
-definitely need to know the class and MOA of each agent
-coverage of abx, and side effects of super abx
- po to IV conversion in select abx - those with dose ratio 1 to 1, e.g. linezolid, etc
-unique adverse effect(s) of each agent (esp chemo + HIV)
-math: mEq, ANC, BSA, mole and molecular weight, MAP, unit conversion, drip rate, isotonicity, osmo
-properties of BB
-properties of antiarrhythmics
-common causative pathogens in common IDs
-DOC(s) of STDs
-2007 was a big year for HIV, make sure you know the new classes and agents
-i think CF, sickle cell anemias, breast, prostate cancers, ADHD, HIV are important topics to go thru too
- I got a few questions on stat and medical supplies - but i really wouldnt worry too much about them..lol

PM me if you need further help, i have some pdf handouts from my friends, but they are long that's why I did not read them. Good luck!!

ps, trust your instincts, everytime i change my 1st pick I screw up...lol
Thanks jonniii!
This info is really valuable! I plan to restart soon. Can you and others please guide how to start...I mean when shall I start doing maths? When to do the profiles or practice questions?
Thanks
 
I would do the following things:

(1) Write down all of the questions you received on the Naplex and then look up the answer to find out your strength and weakness. Study from that self assessment

(2) Focus on topics that will be on the Naplex (e.g. HTN, DM, etc). You should also know your calculation. There is no reason why you should miss a calculation problem.

(3) Accept the fact that you are not going to know some questions because the naplex can be pretty random so focus on the main topics.

(4) Set deadlines to finish each topic and do practice problems to find out what you need to work on. If you missed any of the practice problems, write it down and review it.
 
Thanks BMBiology! I can remember some questions but not all from my last exam. I feel like I messed up with my calculation as I literally ran out of time in the last part of exam. Still I think I got the tough exam that day...
 
Thanks BMBiology! I can remember some questions but not all from my last exam. I feel like I messed up with my calculation as I literally ran out of time in the last part of exam. Still I think I got the tough exam that day...

Calculations are sometimes hard in the way that no equations are provided, e.g. BSA. I was totally clueless in the test. Some are saying calc weigh heavier than other questions do, I dunno how true this is. But the fact is if you can get as many calculation questions right as possible, it is almost 15% of the whole test already!! Good luck again!!
 
Calculations are sometimes hard in the way that no equations are provided, e.g. BSA.
That's odd....my test at the end of July had a BSA problem, and it gave me the formula. I remember thinking, "wow, they GAVE me the formula!! why did I bother memorizing this?"
 
That pre-naplex is a waste of $50.. It's not close to the actual exam.. I did the Naplex Q-bank, appleton and lange Pharmacy book and CD and Shargel and I would say the appleton and lange mostly reselbled the real Naplex.. but they all proved helpful in my preparation.
 
That pre-naplex is a waste of $50.. It's not close to the actual exam.. I did the Naplex Q-bank, appleton and lange Pharmacy book and CD and Shargel and I would say the appleton and lange mostly reselbled the real Naplex.. but they all proved helpful in my preparation.

Myself and many others in a previous thread found the Pre-Naplex to be quite helpful. It was very similar to the way things were asked on the actual exam.
 
i like the appleton&lange Q&A book...i basically studied my school notes and did that book and passed well above cutoff. some of the questions i encountered on the NAPLEX were very similar to some that i did in the lange book.
 
I passed with a score of 130' something last year
I studied from:

Appleton and Lange
ApHa
And my study notes from school.


Hope that helps
 
Hay dude,
If you are an International pharmacist you will need to put some extra effort..what I am saying is 2 to 3 months with 6 to 7 hours per day for you to pass the naplex... during that time choose one source and make sure you finish the whole book and you read it more than one also a Q&A book like appleton and Lang is good same idea go over the book more than once..that all I wish you luck
 
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