I almost passed out during a test. HELP

[han14tra]

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Today we had a test at 8am, and I woke up at 5am to get in some last minute studying. I felt a little nauseous at 5am but otherwise ok.

Then, at 8:30- I started to get really bad palpitations. I could barely feel the pulse in my wrist, but my heart was racing. Then, I started to feel short of breath, my legs started shaking (like after a hard workout), and I felt really nauseous. I felt myself starting to sway like I was going to pass out. I stood up and had to hold on to everyone's desk in order to make it out of the auditorium. I told the proctors that I felt like I was going to pass out. They made me put my feet up and gave me water. I still felt sick. It would come and go in episodes every 10 minutes or so for the entire test. BUT, I WASN'T ANXIOUS AT ALL. And, I still feel a little sick now at 7pm. I feel really weak and tired. I do have a history of MVP, vasovagal syncope, and my uncle had a sudden cardiac death at 29 due to an undiagnosed arrhythmia. So, I'm going to the doctor.

I couldn't focus on the test and ran out of time. I couldn't get to 46 out of 156 questions. So, I'm 99% sure I failed. The policy at my school is that you can retake the test up to 3 times.

Will residencies see that I failed an exam, and will they care if they know that I was ill? Is failing 1 test a big deal?

 

[Fiddlergirl]

No, the residencies will not care that you failed this test. I know that's hard to believe right now and it feels like the end of the world, but I promise it isn't. I failed the first anatomy test, and no one has ever cared or asked me about. Focus on getting yourself well and studying for the retest. It's going to be okay.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Are you freaking serious? Failing a test is not a big deal in and of itself. As long as you don't fail the entire class as a result, it should make absolutely no difference. As an aside, what the hell kind of logic led your school to allow you to retake tests up to 3 times? A's for everyone! That, folks, is why pre-clinical grades aren't as important as some may want them to be.

 

[han14tra]

Hi guys!!

I emailed the instructor because I was really upset. He emailed me back immediately on a Friday night and said I passed. 😍

Anyways, we have a class that we are required to pass every single exam in order to go onto 3rd year. There is no averaging of scores over an entire course.

Now to get my heart checked out...

 

[qmcat]

That's great, and hope your check up goes well. Best of luck

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Are you freaking serious? Failing a test is not a big deal in and of itself. As long as you don't fail the entire class as a result, it should make absolutely no difference. As an aside, what the hell kind of logic led your school to allow you to retake tests up to 3 times? A's for everyone! That, folks, is why pre-clinical grades aren't as important as some may want them to be.

Yea, I'm really confused about that as well. Is this a common thing for med schools? I'd imagine that questions would be different. But still, that makes no sense. It makes more sense that you're allowed to retake a course in the summer if you failed it, but not each exam as you take it.

 

[Rollo]

I don't know what you had for breakfast but get a protein bar or a piece of fruit or something in you for an early morning exam...especially when you're getting up at 5 to do last-minute cramming.

And good job on passing even when you left 46 questions out of 156 blank! I doubt you needed that last minute cramming session!

 

[DrBowtie]

DDx: Hypoglycemia, Anxiety attack, Pheo.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Don't forget anemia, seizures, and lupus.

 

[han14tra]

I don't know what you had for breakfast but get a protein bar or a piece of fruit or something in you for an early morning exam...especially when you're getting up at 5 to do last-minute cramming.

And good job on passing even when you left 46 questions out of 156 blank! I doubt you needed that last minute cramming session!

They weren't blank. It was multiple choice. So, I frantically filled in random bubbles towards the end of the exam. Not my proudest moment, but I really did not feel well.

And for those of you trying to guess my diagnosis. I have a diagnosis of Mitral Valve Prolapse and syncope. Heart problems run in my family. My Dad and aunt take a beta blocker because of MVP and my uncle died from an arrhythmia at age 29. I've had numerous echos, EKGs, 24 hour monitors in my childhood. I think it's time for another appointment after today.

 

[nlax30]

Glad it worked out and yea, go get checked out.

We didn't have test retakes as a routine option either. Possibility if retaking the course but certainly not individual tests that you failed.