According to the recent issue of ASDA News, the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinatins (JCNDE) is changing the cost of NBDE Part I, its format, and make it computerized at Prometric Test Center like the DAT!
Current NBDE Part I:
Cost: $125
Format: straight forward questions (memorization and regurgitate facts), four distinctive sections
Availability: twice/year (July and December)
Starting as early as early fall this year (~September 2003):
Cost: $100
Format: straight forward questions (memorization and regurgitate facts), four distinctive sections
Availability: anytime you want on the computer
Starting as early as summer 2004:
Cost: more than $100, but less than $125
Format: Pilot COMPREHENSIVE (interdisciplinary situations and case studies to test caandidates abilities to apply information in clinical settings), sounds like the USMLE Step I format and no more four distinctive sections
Availability: anytime you want on the computer
Make long story short, I'm glad I'm taking this thing this July before all this changes are being made! For those of you in the Class of 2006, by the time you take the Part I after your second year in 2004, you may be the first to tackle the "COMPREHENSIVE" format on the NBDE Part I!
Not too concerned. I think we're still going to have to study the same material...it'll just be tested a little bit differently.
Plus, the professors here at NYU have already told us about this and have been gearing up our new curriculum towards this change...more PBL/Clinical Case based presentations...but, yea, it woulda been nice not to be the guinea pig...
Thanks God, the UCSF curricullum will also be changed to the PBL/Case Study style too. Just think that we will have lots of work to do. And too bad our new curr. won't be implemented until 2004. One year to gear ourselves up for the new test format.
But think about the benefit of taking test on computer, any day, any time is such a great thing. It compensates for the format stuff.
Having mastered the art of memorize and regurgitate during undergrad, this is actually a little scary.
There's no way that Kaplan or the Dental Decks will be able to adjust their review material for the new format - at least not for a few years. And old tests - well, there just won't be any. I'm a little nervous.
Though it does seem that schools that begin clinical situations earlier might be at a little bit of an advantage... yes? no?
I know, I know, it's 2 yrs. away for all of us starting this fall, but still...
This really sucks, because I'm so used to memorizing and regurgitating facts. I just hope that the pilot comprehensive will generate a lot of heat and crap from everyone so that the ADA will have no choice but to revert back to the original format. They need us to make their $$ so they better listen to us!!
If this happens, there might be a slight chance that misery will bypass us 2007ers when we take step 1 in 2005. Let's just cross our fingers.
The whole test is just to make money and grading is based on a Bell curve shown on the back of your score card. Only 2.9% ever fail and I can't imagine it would be any different even if the format changes.
I think it would be great on the computer if the school let you take it when you wanted. I probably would have taken it early in the 2nd year. I had to take in july of sophmore year, along with starting clinic and taking a full course load of credits. That was the worst summer ever!
Hi,
I would like to know, is the format going to change this year for the July 2003 and December 2003 or the changes starting only from 2004??
Kindly do reply as so many of us are gearing up to take the exams next month..!!!!JULY 14TH 2003
smilemaker
This new format will actually make it easier for many of us (ALL of us?) to take the exam. We can now schedule the exam rather than having to plan our schedules around it.
I've found out that the information will not change at all. As Pi guy said, the same information will need to be studied. The end result is that the new format will certainly cater to students who have an easier time learning material in a clinical setting.
I spoke with Gene Kramer, Ph.D, manager of testing services for the ADA - he said that they are indeed planning on implementing a pilot program for the NBDE, changing the format to a USMLE-type exam, but he said that the EARLIEST such a test would be administered was summer 2005.
