Ndbe Studying

[DrSmile]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi Everyone,

I'm studing for BOARDS...July 11th is "the day"....I just dont' even want to study anymore....not like i'm doing stellar on these practice tests...but feeling a bit burnt out. We have all next week off to study. Hopefully this is enough..I've bene thru the decks once and have started them over again...using the USMLE First Aid as a close reference. So any motivational things to keep me going would be appreciated!!!! Let me know how your studying's going?!!!! Okay, just thought I'd share my thoughts with you all... 🙂 (I think I'm going crayzi!! hehe)

 

[PantherPaws]

Hi Everyone,
So any motivational things to keep me going would be appreciated!!!!

How's this for motivation....If you fail you get to take it again...
I for one certainly don't want study for this garbage again, so hang in there. T-minus 10 days to go!

Panther

 

[ItsGavinC]

Hey, good luck to you guys. I'm class of 2007 also, but I (luckily?) took the exam after the first year.

Good luck, you'll do fine. Having it over and completed is sweeeeet. 👍

 

[jk5177]

Hey, good luck to you guys. I'm class of 2007 also, but I (luckily?) took the exam after the first year.

Good luck, you'll do fine. Having it over and completed is sweeeeet. 👍

How is it possible that you took the test after the first year? I don't think that's what most people do. Interesting.

 

[ItsGavinC]

How is it possible that you took the test after the first year? I don't think that's what most people do. Interesting.

It's not what most schools do, but more and more schools are shifting that way, or at least giving their students the option.

Our basic science courses were completed after the first year, so there was no better time to take it.

 

[kenniemd]

I'm registered for the computerized exam as a D1 as well. Here, they are letting us take it after first year. We are taking a self-study pathology class this summer and so far its been going well

 

[PERFECT3435]

why do threads like these remind me of what my dentist told me when i 1st got into dental school?

i remember him telling me that my real stress was getting through the dental school. not getting in.lol


good luck to all taking it this July.

 

[Zurik5]

I'm in the exact situation you are. Been through the decks 1.5 times, doing desce' on the old exams ~75-80, which works for me. I don't feel like studying anymore, but I know I should.

 

[2thgirl]

I'm almost through the decks for the first time. After each section I take a couple of practice exams. What should I concentrate on next week, reviewing decks or trying to get through as many old exams as possible? Thanks for any help and good luck everybody!

 

[ElDienteLoco]

I'm taking the exam on the 11th as well and I have found the old exams to be the best thing. I have marked questions that I wanted to review the answers and my raw scores from released exams have gone way up. I've finished about 8 of the 11 released exams and I think this is so important. Two days ago, I did an Anatomic Sciences exam (H) where I found 42/100 questions that were either exact repeats or so close that if you had been over the previous tests you really should get the answer right. My thinking - 42/100 is probably pretty close to a passing score some years without even knowing anything else. Everything else you can pull out of the noggin' is icing on the cake. Good luck to us all!

 

[ElDienteLoco]

I've watched some people at my school who stress too much about knowing tiny details about obscure things that might show up on 1 question of the board. I think you just have to know enough to find the answer in multiple choice questions about everything under the sun. Good luck.

 

[mallorydmd]

yes!!!! that's exactly how i feel... and the whole "taking it again" thing doesn't really bother me. but what i've found to motivate myself is taking a day off and doing nothing board related! totally endulging in fun stuff - alot of fun stuff! movies, golfing, dancing, friends, SEX!!! (that's a good one). what ever you like, that way the next day you feel totally guilty for not studying and a little panicky that you're not prepared then you sit down and nail hours of good study time! it's great, it's has worked for my colleagues too!

 

[mallorydmd]

old exams, old exams, old exams!! most of our faculty sat on the committee to write board questions as of last year- they had to take a year off in order to do the board prep class. but they say decks are good, exams are better! there is a new board writing the questions, but they still choose from the same compilation of questions. last year the students needed a raw score of 48 in each section in order to get a 75%!!! that's sweet!!!

I'm almost through the decks for the first time. After each section I take a couple of practice exams. What should I concentrate on next week, reviewing decks or trying to get through as many old exams as possible? Thanks for any help and good luck everybody!

 

[jk5177]

old exams, old exams, old exams!! most of our faculty sat on the committee to write board questions as of last year- they had to take a year off in order to do the board prep class. but they say decks are good, exams are better! there is a new board writing the questions, but they still choose from the same compilation of questions. last year the students needed a raw score of 48 in each section in order to get a 75%!!! that's sweet!!!

Wow. That's almost too good to be true. But, it's not the same if one wants to score in the 90% and specialize.

 

[mallorydmd]

well actually it does help the specializers cuz slackers like me aim for the 75% giving you "go getters" a better chance to get a higher avg after the national curve....

 

[booshwa]

I'm taking the exam on the 11th as well and I have found the old exams to be the best thing. I have marked questions that I wanted to review the answers and my raw scores from released exams have gone way up. I've finished about 8 of the 11 released exams and I think this is so important. Two days ago, I did an Anatomic Sciences exam (H) where I found 42/100 questions that were either exact repeats or so close that if you had been over the previous tests you really should get the answer right. My thinking - 42/100 is probably pretty close to a passing score some years without even knowing anything else. Everything else you can pull out of the noggin' is icing on the cake. Good luck to us all!

We were told that on average, you can add 15-17 points to your raw score and that will be your curved score-with the exception of dental anatomy, where you can add only 10 points or so. Which, if correct, means you must average around 60 on all sections, except for dental anatomy with a 65.

I would love to see a 42 as a passing score, but I just don't see it happening. So keep studying everyone, 1 more week!!!

 

[jk5177]

well actually it does help the specializers cuz slackers like me aim for the 75% giving you "go getters" a better chance to get a higher avg after the national curve....

thank you mallory, not that it makes any difference to me, since I'm not taking the test this year.

 

[12YearOldKid]

At my school if you fail you get pulled out of clinic for a semester. 😱

 

[3rdmolarslayer]

these released exams that you guys talk about...where can i get them? especially the most recent exams. thanks.

 

[mallorydmd]

by the way, paul and lisa totally agree with every word i say......

 

[Fulcrum_or_FAIL]

Mallory,

No offense, but I'm incredibly sceptical about passing with a raw score of forty something and I would advise everyone to study hard and not slack off like you suggested.

Of course, If I were hoping to specialize (and I'm not), I'd certainly tell everyone else that they'd be OK partying all day and aiming for a raw score of 45.... 😉

 

[ElDienteLoco]

I just tried to upload the conversion chart for the 1998 NBDE exam, but the file is too big. Anyway, this is what it said raw scores were converted to as standard scores:

Anatomic Sciences:
46-->75
73-->90

Biochem / Phys:
41-->75
71-->90

Micro - Path:
43-->75
69-->90

Dental Anatomy:
61-->75
84-->90

Granted, this is specifically for the 1998 exam results and the students taking that exam that year, but I think it is probably a decent estimate.

 

[liya]

Hi,
One question where can i find those conversion charts for different years of NBDE. Also does anyone know is it really true that non of the question repeat anymore since there is a whole new system with computers and all. Thanks

I just tried to upload the conversion chart for the 1998 NBDE exam, but the file is too big. Anyway, this is what it said raw scores were converted to as standard scores:

Anatomic Sciences:
46-->75
73-->90

Biochem / Phys:
41-->75
71-->90

Micro - Path:
43-->75
69-->90

Dental Anatomy:
61-->75
84-->90

Granted, this is specifically for the 1998 exam results and the students taking that exam that year, but I think it is probably a decent estimate.

 

[ElDienteLoco]

I have only seen the conversion chart from the 1998 released exam. I don't know of any others.

I think there will still be a lot of repeats even on the computer. There are only so many ways to ask what nerve innervates the muscles of mastication or what deficiency causes Tay-Sachs disease. This is just my opinion, but I'm not expecting a ton of information that I haven't already seen tested in the 11 released exams.

 

[mallorydmd]

go to http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/natboard/technical_nbde_04_report.pdf and scroll down to page 71-75, it will show you the min passing score from '97 to '03.

in 2003:
anatomy -47
biochem -49
micro -43
dental anatomy -46

yes, i can afford to take it easy and not stress out... good luck specializers and i plan on helping you the best i can with my beautiful passing 50 raw score on the sections.

 

[ElDienteLoco]

Great Link 👍

Did you notice that almost 35% of the people retaking the test still failed? 1st time's a charm.

 

[liya]

Did anyone take the exam yet? How was it, how helpful were old exam? Were there a lot of repeats? FREAKING OUT!!!
THanks

Great Link 👍

Did you notice that almost 35% of the people retaking the test still failed? 1st time's a charm.

 

[chinpatel]

Hi Everyone,
Does anyone have the answer key for the 2000 and 2002 unreleases boards part 1. If so, can you please share.

 

[ElDienteLoco]

Hi Everyone,
Does anyone have the answer key for the 2000 and 2002 unreleases boards part 1. If so, can you please share.

Nothing unreleased here. Be cautious of answers "figured out" by students...they may not be as accurate as you would like.

 

[FutureDMD]

i have answers....email???

Hi Everyone,
Does anyone have the answer key for the 2000 and 2002 unreleases boards part 1. If so, can you please share.

 

[chinpatel]

I sent you a private message. Thanks a lot for helping.

i have answers....email???

 

[liya]

Hi, does anyone have 2000 and 2002 or 2003 boards exams that they are willing to sell? Thanks