I never finish reading the questions!!!

[godchaser1016]

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I just took NBME 11 and counted 16 questions that I didn't finish reading carefully and got wrong. I knew those questions!!!! Instead, I chose a simple association answer. For example, one question said something about increased thyroid level during pregnancy. Instead of evaluating situation, I went ahead and chose prolactin because I remembered TRH increases prolactin, which is not what the question is asking. The list goes on....

I don't know why I keep doing this. Maybe I am nervous?? Is there anybody else sharing what I am going through. Any comments that can help me??

IS there anybody who overcame this problem? any tips are appreciated

 

[godchaser1016]

FYI, I made 210 and three weeks left til the test.

 

[jfgavina]

3 weeks is plenty of time don't let yourself go down with this!

 

[Isoprop]

If you feel like rushing because you think you know the answer, jump to the last sentence/phrase of the question stem. Someone told me she always reads the last sentence of the question first, then the rest of the question. I dunno if that would help.

 

[Torquer]

i was experiencing the exact problem some time ago. and somehow it hit me and i just started reading slower.
heres what you do:
1) pick up an untimed block of questions
2) focus on every word with your mouse cursor, and read it in hushed tones to yourself (though u wont be able to do that at the test center so dont make it a habit)
3) while reading, try to formulate a diagnosis because more often than not the actual question is something about an unwritten diagnosis.
4) try not to look at the answer options TILL youve reached the very end of the question.
then finally go ahead and answer. if you feel a difference apply the same method to timed blocks.

I cant tell you how many questions i screwed up in tests just because i thought the question was a 'wtf' type - so i just guessed - while the problem was missing one or two very key phrases in the stem.

 

[godchaser1016]

i was experiencing the exact problem some time ago. and somehow it hit me and i just started reading slower.
heres what you do:
1) pick up an untimed block of questions
2) focus on every word with your mouse cursor, and read it in hushed tones to yourself (though u wont be able to do that at the test center so dont make it a habit)
3) while reading, try to formulate a diagnosis because more often than not the actual question is something about an unwritten diagnosis.
4) try not to look at the answer options TILL youve reached the very end of the question.
then finally go ahead and answer. if you feel a difference apply the same method to timed blocks.

I cant tell you how many questions i screwed up in tests just because i thought the question was a 'wtf' type - so i just guessed - while the problem was missing one or two very key phrases in the stem.

Thanks for the practical advice! I will make sure I do this. 🙂

 

[Phlame217]

I had this issue in high school and undergrad and really didn't notice it myself until my last semester of undergrad when a professor sat down with me because I was accelling at the class but bombing tests.

What we figured out is I was speed reading the questions and occasionally I would skip a line or just a block of words and then I would formulate in my head what I thought the question was asking and then get it wrong.

What worked for me, similar to the mouse cursor thing, is on tests I started marking a small dot after each line in a passage or question making sure I read it slow enough to not miss anything. My grades bounced significantly the next test. After doing this all semester i modified myself to make a mental check when getting to the end of each line. It took some time but I am now a much better test taker.

One other modification I added in medical school since I have professors who like to toss in double or triple negative questions (which one ISNT involved in the INHIBITION of the NEGATIVE feedback cycle.... etc) is that I underline key parts of the questions whether it is data being given, etc.