NAPLEX: didn't finish; not confident

[pharm_fresh]

I took the NAPLEX today-had delayed for a while due to a family illness. I have been an average student (3.3 GPA) always done better than my group of friends and never had to retake a class (though I haven't had a job and other friends have, which made my drug knowledge recollection weaker than their's) almost everybody I know has passed and I assumed that the exam wouldn't be horrible. Nonetheless, I did study for 3 months using RxPrep but RxPrep was SO dense that id read it once and quickly forget what I had just read. I've always been good at math and did the calculations using the book and thought i would b fine so I focused too much on therapeutics. For the past three days, I've been feeling incredibly anxious and today I've felt the worse before an exam I think I've ever felt in my life (and I've taken a ton of standardized exams)! I couldn't sleep at night due to intense nausea, and this morning I was so nauseated I couldn't finish breakfast. I was shivering so much I thought I'd pass out, but luckily I made it to the test center fine. First few minutes were fine. But i got too caught up on one or two math problems that I had only answered 167 questions! And throughout the exam I just felt like I was winging this, just didn't feel confident about my answers at all.

I've read stories here and know that some have had success stories despite this but I am still preparing for the worst. I've had major anxiety/depression lately that I think got the worst of my test day nerves; plus I think I should have focused WAY more on calculations than I did.

If I have to retake the exam, I think I can only afford to study for another month (don't want to rush but I don't have much choice for now). I need to take the MJPE too either by end of Feb or early March. I have read the RX Prep book twice with a skim, but I would probably need extra materials. Does anybody know good resources for calculations? Any supplements for therapeutics?)

If I have another month, I estimate study time to be 2 weeks therapeutics (making flashcards of drug names etc) and 2 weeks of intense calculations.

Also, how long does it take to study for MJPE. I've heard it is also very hard.

Anybody who has failed or who had a situation similar to mine, please let me know. Anybody who has any uplifting stories to share, it would be great to hear. While I'm embarrassed if I don't pass, life has been rough lately and I think I burned myself out instead of actively preparing my exam. I've applied to a lot of jobs and haven't heard back, so I'm taking this exam at least to get registered and I think not having a clear path right now has really messed me up as well as other life circumstances. I am determined to pass. Any advice, materials, etc would help.

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[sam.]

Hello pharm-fresh ,
I hope u hear a good news soon ... I'm a foreign grad. And I took it last month unfortunately I got 71 I finish the whole exam so it's not a sign of anything .. Please smile and try to be positive everything happen for a reason always remember that .. And after u get your score take it from there ....
I'm now trying to take the law before I take the naplex again and I still dont have a clear plan for studying for it I can't seem to find a single reference to study from if u have any tips please share them with me
Thanks
Stay positive and I hope u post a great news soon

 

[masa31]

Hello Pharm-fresh, do you have any update?
I did the same thing yesterday which i attempted only 176 questions and i want to know what the consequence of not finishing. have you heard about some one who passed without finishing? I am taking it for the second time so I am very concerned please update. Thanks

 

[hurx]

Hopefully you passed! I know very few people who felt confident after taking the NAPLEX. I was stressed about whether or not I passed but I ended up with a 90. I am not aware, however, of anyone that did not finish. That will negatively affect your score but I'm not sure how much of an effect 18 unanswered questions will have.. or 9 in masa31's case.

If by chance you did not pass, I would definitely recommend the RxPrep quiz bank if you can afford it. I went through RxPrep once and after each chapter I would take the quiz associated with that chapter and write down questions I got wrong on flashcards. Then a day or two before the NAPLEX I reviewed those cards. They have 4 quizzes for calculations, go through those quizzes so you can see what you need to focus on. RxPrep's math section had everything I needed for my NAPLEX. Most questions were flow rate. Practicing math repeatedly will make it automatic so you have more time to spend on other questions. Also, if you didn't the first time around, ask the testing site for a hand-held calculator so you don't have to use the one on the computer screen.

Try to get the MPJE out of the way before the NAPLEX if you have to retake. I had the Virginia Law Exam, a week of studying was more than enough for me taking that exam. Ask your friends/classmates who have taken the MPJE for your state what resources they used to study and how much time they spent. I know people who studied for Virginia's test for 2 days and barely passed. But passing is passing so just try to gauge how much time you would need and try not to spend your energy stressing over it (easier said than done, I know).

 

[sam.]

Hey pharm fresh I truly hope u passed... I have a friend who took the test end of January didn't finish and still passed

Hurx congratulations on your success thank u so much for your input, it's very helpful., if u don't mind please can u tell me how u read through the Rxprep what needs to be memorized and how long did it took u to go through it .. I would really appreciate your help
Also I would like your advise on the law what to focus onand how did u study for it, am currently preparing for Florida mpje before I retake my naplex again
Thanks again for your time

 

[pharm_fresh]

Unfortunately, I did not pass. I got a 68. I had 18 questions remaining, so I think that was my biggest issue.
For anybody who did not pass the first time, do you offer tips? I think I will try to fully focus on math this time around. I also had a bit of a panic attack before the exam which I know affected me a lot.
Good luck to all those awaiting results and thanks for the positivity!

 

[fewaopi]

RxPrep was enough for calculations for me. Focus on that. Do SDN 120 if you think you need more.

Focus on major disease states, HTN, choletserol, HF, DM, then know a little on psych, ID, HIV, maaybe onco, go over biostats (i went over and still got wrong but hey who cares). you don't need weight loss, sickle cell, those smaller chapters, etc. I bought the test bank, idk if it helped me pass but it probably helped me do a bit better and solidify the concepts more. do them till you get 100% each time. you don't need supplements, don't get apha that's way too detailed from vast majority of people. if you read the beginning of rxprep book, it says focus on the major disease states as they are the most common and ones you will dealing w/most in real life.

i wasn't a particularly bright student, most of my classmates knew more than me, i hardly retained anything in pharmacy school, i got 113 first try. see my profile and previous posts on my naplex for lot more details.

maybe it depends on school you went to. if you're from a private, recently opened school then they probably accept too many low standard students and that's why so many fail but that doesn't seem like you. consider a doctor before taking test? maybe a beta blocker lol?

don't dwell on each question, take deep slow breaths before exam. have a snickers.

mpje was hard, depends on state i think, mine was soo hard, no idea how i passed but i passed thank god that's over. i'd be more worried about mpje than naplex. don't worry about job for now, just pass, if you get job before and you don't pass, what's the point? one thing at a time.

 

[pharm_fresh]

RxPrep was enough for calculations for me. Focus on that. Do SDN 120 if you think you need more.

Focus on major disease states, HTN, choletserol, HF, DM, then know a little on psych, ID, HIV, maaybe onco, go over biostats (i went over and still got wrong but hey who cares). you don't need weight loss, sickle cell, those smaller chapters, etc. I bought the test bank, idk if it helped me pass but it probably helped me do a bit better and solidify the concepts more. do them till you get 100% each time. you don't need supplements, don't get apha that's way too detailed from vast majority of people. if you read the beginning of rxprep book, it says focus on the major disease states as they are the most common and ones you will dealing w/most in real life.

i wasn't a particularly bright student, most of my classmates knew more than me, i hardly retained anything in pharmacy school, i got 113 first try. see my profile and previous posts on my naplex for lot more details.

maybe it depends on school you went to. if you're from a private, recently opened school then they probably accept too many low standard students and that's why so many fail but that doesn't seem like you. consider a doctor before taking test? maybe a beta blocker lol?

don't dwell on each question, take deep slow breaths before exam. have a snickers.

mpje was hard, depends on state i think, mine was soo hard, no idea how i passed but i passed thank god that's over. i'd be more worried about mpje than naplex. don't worry about job for now, just pass, if you get job before and you don't pass, what's the point? one thing at a time.

Lol oops I should have checked this out before posting on my last thread. Nah, I went to a good program at a public school. Had a pretty decent GPA, higher than most of my friends who passed first time around. Pass rate has always been high. I think I'm one of the two/three kids who didn't pass. I kno it was mostly bc of bad anxiety I've been having lately. I may consider a beta blocker, but I have hypoglycaemia so that always becomes worrisome, might try something herbal like a tea or something. I also have been having depression from not finding a job due to the saturation so I think I'm jus losing focus, but I know I have to pass if I came this far, it's just one thing I have to overcome to get done.

 

[pharm_fresh]

RxPrep was enough for calculations for me. Focus on that. Do SDN 120 if you think you need more.

Focus on major disease states, HTN, choletserol, HF, DM, then know a little on psych, ID, HIV, maaybe onco, go over biostats (i went over and still got wrong but hey who cares). you don't need weight loss, sickle cell, those smaller chapters, etc. I bought the test bank, idk if it helped me pass but it probably helped me do a bit better and solidify the concepts more. do them till you get 100% each time. you don't need supplements, don't get apha that's way too detailed from vast majority of people. if you read the beginning of rxprep book, it says focus on the major disease states as they are the most common and ones you will dealing w/most in real life.

i wasn't a particularly bright student, most of my classmates knew more than me, i hardly retained anything in pharmacy school, i got 113 first try. see my profile and previous posts on my naplex for lot more details.

maybe it depends on school you went to. if you're from a private, recently opened school then they probably accept too many low standard students and that's why so many fail but that doesn't seem like you. consider a doctor before taking test? maybe a beta blocker lol?

don't dwell on each question, take deep slow breaths before exam. have a snickers.

mpje was hard, depends on state i think, mine was soo hard, no idea how i passed but i passed thank god that's over. i'd be more worried about mpje than naplex. don't worry about job for now, just pass, if you get job before and you don't pass, what's the point? one thing at a time.

Also how long do u think one should study for MJPE? My state book looks like it'd take 2 weeks to study but I've heard it's wicked hard and idk how to study for more that besides the book the state provided

 

[fewaopi]

well i studied a little less than 3 weeks for MPJE. there's less material but there was no way more studying would've helped me. it was really hard, the questions are really vague but the difficulty of MPJE probably varies by state. i know some states were much easier than mine. it was total chance and i barely passed, i think i got an 80 or something.

 

[lopsky]

Hey pharm fresh I truly hope u passed... I have a friend who took the test end of January didn't finish and still passed

Hurx congratulations on your success thank u so much for your input, it's very helpful., if u don't mind please can u tell me how u read through the Rxprep what needs to be memorized and how long did it took u to go through it .. I would really appreciate your help
Also I would like your advise on the law what to focus onand how did u study for it, am currently preparing for Florida mpje before I retake my naplex again
Thanks again for your time

Sam, for your retake focus on your calculations more. ensure you practice them till you know them like the back of your hands.You can do it. Dont give up. Also for the clculation, focus on every detail the question requires most especially the rounding up or down. its very important.

 

[lopsky]

Hello pharm-fresh ,
I hope u hear a good news soon ... I'm a foreign grad. And I took it last month unfortunately I got 71 I finish the whole exam so it's not a sign of anything .. Please smile and try to be positive everything happen for a reason always remember that .. And after u get your score take it from there ....
I'm now trying to take the law before I take the naplex again and I still dont have a clear plan for studying for it I can't seem to find a single reference to study from if u have any tips please share them with me
Thanks
Stay positive and I hope u post a great news soon

Also Sam, Being a foreign grad can be tough (as i am one too) but honestly, the things i think i did wrong was not paying attention to the questions in details, calculation problems always round up or down as instructed. im sure if you calm down and focus this should help. Just brace up and keep believing you can do it and it will happen. Dont give up please.

 

[lopsky]

Unfortunately, I did not pass. I got a 68. I had 18 questions remaining, so I think that was my biggest issue.
For anybody who did not pass the first time, do you offer tips? I think I will try to fully focus on math this time around. I also had a bit of a panic attack before the exam which I know affected me a lot.
Good luck to all those awaiting results and thanks for the positivity!

Hey Pharm_fresh, do not despair. I believe your not finishing probably had little to do with it. take enough time to understand and focus on the details of the questions. especially the calculation questions. i made mistakes not rounding up or down as instructed. if you try to tackle the calculations and get them right, you wil breeze through it im sure. Wishing you all of God's favour in your next sit. Keep your head up high, life events happen but believe you will overcome. If you can go through Pahrmacy school for those number of years and get to the point of sitting NAPLEX, then im sure you can do it and rise above it. All the best next time round.

 

[hurx]

Hey pharm fresh I truly hope u passed... I have a friend who took the test end of January didn't finish and still passed

Hurx congratulations on your success thank u so much for your input, it's very helpful., if u don't mind please can u tell me how u read through the Rxprep what needs to be memorized and how long did it took u to go through it .. I would really appreciate your help
Also I would like your advise on the law what to focus onand how did u study for it, am currently preparing for Florida mpje before I retake my naplex again
Thanks again for your time

Sorry for the late response! I read each chapter straight through like a novel. I did not stop to highlight or take notes. The RxPrep quiz bank is really what told me what I needed to focus on. I could read a chapter and understand the concepts and then take the quiz for that chapter and get a 60% because I hadn't retained the information. The quizzes let you know what you actually retained and what you need to re-focus on which is why it is helpful (though time-consuming) to write the questions that you got wrong or guessed on.

As far as Florida law, I don't have much advice on that. Virginia does not even have the MPJE, we have the FSDLE. I do not know how much they differ but I used a reference that was published specifically for VA law a couple of years ago. Maybe your classmates or someone else you know getting licensed there know of a good study guide for the Florida MPJE. Also, if you were employed as an intern it may be helpful to draw some of your knowledge from when you were working. I know that helped me on a number of questions on my law exam. Just keep in mind that all pharmacies do not follow the strict letter of the law.

 

[sam.]

Thank u so much that is really helpful... I do greatly appreciate your response

 

[NAPLEX MPJE Study partner]

I took the NAPLEX today-had delayed for a while due to a family illness. I have been an average student (3.3 GPA) always done better than my group of friends and never had to retake a class (though I haven't had a job and other friends have, which made my drug knowledge recollection weaker than their's) almost everybody I know has passed and I assumed that the exam wouldn't be horrible. Nonetheless, I did study for 3 months using RxPrep but RxPrep was SO dense that id read it once and quickly forget what I had just read. I've always been good at math and did the calculations using the book and thought i would b fine so I focused too much on therapeutics. For the past three days, I've been feeling incredibly anxious and today I've felt the worse before an exam I think I've ever felt in my life (and I've taken a ton of standardized exams)! I couldn't sleep at night due to intense nausea, and this morning I was so nauseated I couldn't finish breakfast. I was shivering so much I thought I'd pass out, but luckily I made it to the test center fine. First few minutes were fine. But i got too caught up on one or two math problems that I had only answered 167 questions! And throughout the exam I just felt like I was winging this, just didn't feel confident about my answers at all.

I've read stories here and know that some have had success stories despite this but I am still preparing for the worst. I've had major anxiety/depression lately that I think got the worst of my test day nerves; plus I think I should have focused WAY more on calculations than I did.

If I have to retake the exam, I think I can only afford to study for another month (don't want to rush but I don't have much choice for now). I need to take the MJPE too either by end of Feb or early March. I have read the RX Prep book twice with a skim, but I would probably need extra materials. Does anybody know good resources for calculations? Any supplements for therapeutics?)

If I have another month, I estimate study time to be 2 weeks therapeutics (making flashcards of drug names etc) and 2 weeks of intense calculations.

Also, how long does it take to study for MJPE. I've heard it is also very hard.

Anybody who has failed or who had a situation similar to mine, please let me know. Anybody who has any uplifting stories to share, it would be great to hear. While I'm embarrassed if I don't pass, life has been rough lately and I think I burned myself out instead of actively preparing my exam. I've applied to a lot of jobs and haven't heard back, so I'm taking this exam at least to get registered and I think not having a clear path right now has really messed me up as well as other life circumstances. I am determined to pass. Any advice, materials, etc would help.

Hey Pharma fresh,
I am looking for the naplex study, I'm in NJ, Pls email me if you are interested: [email protected]

 

[NAPLEX MPJE Study partner]

Hey Pharma fresh,
I am looking for the naplex study, I'm in NJ, Pls email me if you are interested: [email protected]