Forum Members Official APMLE Part 1 2024

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rightfootforward

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Thought I would make this thread since we are roughly 20 days away from the exam.

How are we feeling?

I took the meazure official practice test thinking there was 2 of them but I think there is only 1 ended up scoring 80%. What percentage should I am for? They felt mostly first order so I feel like I should've scored closer to 90%. I still have to review a decent amount of material though so hoping to improve.

Any tips for the last 20 days of studying?

Best of luck to everyone!

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Thought I would make this thread since we are roughly 20 days away from the exam.

How are we feeling?

I took the meazure official practice test thinking there was 2 of them but I think there is only 1 ended up scoring 80%. What percentage should I am for? They felt mostly first order so I feel like I should've scored closer to 90%. I still have to review a decent amount of material though so hoping to improve.

Any tips for the last 20 days of studying?

Best of luck to everyone!

I edited this thread. Focus on the weaker areas. I went over the easy/medium questions on BV. I would skip the difficult questions there in the last few days.

To all: Remember to post your resource reviews and tips for future takers.
 
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Ew, boards part 1.

Can't really tell you how to study other than look over BV questions, high yield documents with previous questions, and do extensive anatomy studying.

I'm convinced if you understand every BV question, all the high yield document materials, and all the anatomy concepts like in Rueben's notes, then you should pass every time.

It's really that simple. The hard part is doing. Actually go through those materials full heartedly.
 
Feeling burnt out wish the exam was earlier. I feel like I'm forgetting concepts I knew just a week or 2 ago
I feel you. The burnout is real, but getting this far is a big accomplishment already. Sometimes our brains play tricks on us, making us think we’ve forgotten more than we have. Take a deep breath, maybe a short break, and come back refreshed. Let’s ace this together!
 
I feel you. The burnout is real, but getting this far is a big accomplishment already. Sometimes our brains play tricks on us, making us think we’ve forgotten more than we have. Take a deep breath, maybe a short break, and come back refreshed. Let’s ace this together!
Just took the exam, it was tough I'm confused though was it supposed to be only 150 questions or do I report it to somebody because I thought it was supposed to be 205... 😵
 
Just took the exam, it was tough I'm confused though was it supposed to be only 150 questions or do I report it to somebody because I thought it was supposed to be 205... 😵
Report it / call Meazure.

The first guy we talked to at Meazure said the experimental Qs were not included on our exam, therefore since we completed our 150 questions 'not to worry about it, it won't affect our score.' However....someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this means:
Everyone was under the impression that it was going to be 205 questions, with 50 'experimental' ones not scored, leaving 155 questions to be graded.
For those of us who had tests with only 150 Q.....we are technically missing 5 questions. That could make or break someones score. And this means there is no way for the company to equate/standardize/scale the scores of every single person who tested today because of this.

I think it's a biiiiiigggg deal for us to not be made aware of this beforehand. (and from a less-important standpoint, sitting for an exam where you are expecting 205 and only presented with 150 left us with unnecessary anxiety -- worrying about the distribution/grading process/# of Q to flag/not flag etc....) on top of an already stressful day.

I was then connected to another woman at Meazure who took down our info. We didn't really get any answers besides "IT department is aware of it and working on it". They don't know what is considered passing and they don't know if some people got 150 and some got 205. So were pretty much in the dark about this...there's really nothing we can do as of right now and it kinda blows.
I'm definitely expecting an email from Meazure acknowledging this situation and addressing these questions. Lots of people have already called.

Definitely call if you think its an issue & update us if you get any answers.
 
Report it / call Meazure.

The first guy we talked to at Meazure said the experimental Qs were not included on our exam, therefore since we completed our 150 questions 'not to worry about it, it won't affect our score.' However....someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this means:
Everyone was under the impression that it was going to be 205 questions, with 50 'experimental' ones not scored, leaving 155 questions to be graded.
For those of us who had tests with only 150 Q.....we are technically missing 5 questions. That could make or break someones score. And this means there is no way for the company to equate/standardize/scale the scores of every single person who tested today because of this.

I think it's a biiiiiigggg deal for us to not be made aware of this beforehand. (and from a less-important standpoint, sitting for an exam where you are expecting 205 and only presented with 150 left us with unnecessary anxiety -- worrying about the distribution/grading process/# of Q to flag/not flag etc....) on top of an already stressful day.

I was then connected to another woman at Meazure who took down our info. We didn't really get any answers besides "IT department is aware of it and working on it". They don't know what is considered passing and they don't know if some people got 150 and some got 205. So were pretty much in the dark about this...there's really nothing we can do as of right now and it kinda blows.
I'm definitely expecting an email from Meazure acknowledging this situation and addressing these questions. Lots of people have already called.

Definitely call if you think its an issue & update us if you get any answers.
Seems like these testing companies can never get something right, very unfortunate. I'm at least glad that I'm not in it alone. I called them and they said the same thing basically also got a email response. I informed my school about it and they said they reached out to meazure but didn't receive anything back yet. Like you said I don't know how this will effect the overall scores and what's considering passing but I hope it's in our favor (probably won't be).
 
Just took the exam, it was tough I'm confused though was it supposed to be only 150 questions or do I report it to somebody because I thought it was supposed to be 205... 😵
Just finished exam. Got 205 questions. Did you get the full 4 hours for 150 questions? We joked about this a few months ago, and now it’s happening. This is a national board exam and they partnered with a 1-star company lmao.

Some people got 150 questions, others got 205—how is that fair? Did everyone get the same amount of time for different sets of questions? Are they still using the Angoff curve if the 205 Qs were more difficult than 150 Qs? How does that affect the pass/fail cut off? There are so many unanswered questions.

Unbelievable.
IMG_1562.jpeg
 
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Just finished the exam. I got 205 questions. Did you get 4 hours for 150 questions?

We joked about this a few months ago, and now it’s happening. This is a national board exam and they partnered with a 1-star company lmao.

Some people got 150 questions, others got 205—how is that fair? Did everyone get the same amount of time for different sets of questions? Are they still using the Angoff curve if the 205 Qs were more difficult than 150 Qs? How does that affect the pass/fail cut off?

There are so many unanswered questions. At this point, they might as well pass everyone because I don’t see how this is a “standardized” exam when people got different sets of question.

Podiatry leadership is garbage. Someone should be held accountable for this mess.

Unbelievable.View attachment 389132


I had similar issues to my boards part 1 that is "unbelievable". Many of my colleagues have had several board horror stories.

But in podiatry, this is far from your only time meeting unfairness, dread, and things you find "unbelievable".

You will be hit with consistent unbelievable things in your career and credentialing as a podiatrist.
 
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Report it / call Meazure.

Report it / call Meazure.

The first guy we talked to at Meazure said the experimental Qs were not included on our exam, therefore since we completed our 150 questions 'not to worry about it, it won't affect our score.' However....someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this means:
Everyone was under the impression that it was going to be 205 questions, with 50 'experimental' ones not scored, leaving 155 questions to be graded.
For those of us who had tests with only 150 Q.....we are technically missing 5 questions. That could make or break someones score. And this means there is no way for the company to equate/standardize/scale the scores of every single person who tested today because of this.

I think it's a biiiiiigggg deal for us to not be made aware of this beforehand. (and from a less-important standpoint, sitting for an exam where you are expecting 205 and only presented with 150 left us with unnecessary anxiety -- worrying about the distribution/grading process/# of Q to flag/not flag etc....) on top of an already stressful day.

I was then connected to another woman at Meazure who took down our info. We didn't really get any answers besides "IT department is aware of it and working on it". They don't know what is considered passing and they don't know if some people got 150 and some got 205. So were pretty much in the dark about this...there's really nothing we can do as of right now and it kinda blows.
I'm definitely expecting an email from Meazure acknowledging this situation and addressing these questions. Lots of people have already called.

Definitely call if you think its an issue & update us if you get any answers.
You're absolutely right. This exam was a disaster, no matter how they spin it. Those with 150 questions only answered 73% of what others did, with the same amount of time.

People with fewer questions might face a harsher curve. Those with more questions could have done much better with 25% fewer questions. They’re testing minimum podiatrist competency with different rules for everyone.

Passing or failing feels like playing the "Meazure" lottery. They might as well decide who passes by drawing names out of a hat. The only way to standardize this exam might be to pass everyone and call it a day. What a circus show! 🤡
 
Just finished exam. Got 205 questions. Did you get the full 4 hours for 150 questions? We joked about this a few months ago, and now it’s happening. This is a national board exam and they partnered with a 1-star company lmao.

Some people got 150 questions, others got 205—how is that fair? Did everyone get the same amount of time for different sets of questions? Are they still using the Angoff curve if the 205 Qs were more difficult than 150 Qs? How does that affect the pass/fail cut off? There are so many unanswered questions.

Unbelievable.View attachment 389135
Yes I got the full 4 hours for 150 questions. I don't understand how they'll do the Angoff curve, what if the questions removed from the 205 weren't even the "field questions" I was under the impression they removed poor performing or written questions. The meazure phone operator made it sound like that they just had 50 questions they automatically were going to remove but I don't really know. Doesn't help that the scoring for this example is super complicated and hush hush. Bad situation all around.

To be completely honest, Meazure or someone could probably be legally sued for this lol.
If the "correction" for this error isn't adequate I could definitely see some potential for this, or simply if I don't pass after 😞
 
Yes I got the full 4 hours for 150 questions. I don't understand how they'll do the Angoff curve, what if the questions removed from the 205 weren't even the "field questions" I was under the impression they removed poor performing or written questions. The meazure phone operator made it sound like that they just had 50 questions they automatically were going to remove but I don't really know. Doesn't help that the scoring for this example is super complicated and hush hush. Bad situation all around.


If the "correction" for this error isn't adequate I could definitely see some potential for this, or simply if I don't pass after 😞

The reality is that the test can no longer be graded "fairly" or "equally" to other tests.

If NBPME says they graded both exams on an equal playing field, then it's good to know they've been lying all along because that's blatantly a lie.
 
Yes I got the full 4 hours for 150 questions. I don't understand how they'll do the Angoff curve, what if the questions removed from the 205 weren't even the "field questions" I was under the impression they removed poor performing or written questions. The meazure phone operator made it sound like that they just had 50 questions they automatically were going to remove but I don't really know. Doesn't help that the scoring for this example is super complicated and hush hush. Bad situation all around.


If the "correction" for this error isn't adequate I could definitely see some potential for this, or simply if I don't pass after 😞
Standardizing this exam is tough because of the different testing conditions. The measure email was totally bogus lmao claiming experimental items wouldn’t impact performance. Forms with fewer questions probably did better since they had the same 4 hours, which could influence how they are curved. Everyone expected experimental questions and planned for them, so the lack of them must’ve shocked and confused those with fewer questions, causing a lot of stress.

For those who got the experimental questions, even if they weren't scored, they still affected performance. The difficulty, the time they took, and not knowing which questions counted meant we had to solve everything. Splitting the groups for standardization might help, but it wouldn’t be a true "national" board exam if 75% or 25% of students are assessed differently.

I'm really curious to see what their solution will be. They need to fix the tech problems with this new testing company and make sure this doesn’t happen again. I hope they sort this out quickly and fairly for everyone.
 
How on earth would grading this be “fair” now? It will be solely opinionated if it there is just a few that set one apart from failing or passing. Also aren’t questions also graded on a level of difficulty and a percentage?
 
Wow typical podiatry here. Feel sorry for you students.
Yep. It was a cost cut, pure and simple.

Prometric was pretty good, but they were saving bucks.
They did a multi-year deal with a new company because it was cheaper.
I hope this bites them and there is a refund of testing fees.

...NBPME's only real move here is just to pass everyone for this 2024 cycle (which is nearly what they do every year anyways).
 
Was anyone’s testing center extremely unprofessional? To start with, my exam center was locked when I got there, even though I arrived at the time stated on the instructions. The employee showed up just as I was about to call Meazure’s help desk and said sorry that she was late. It gave me such unnecessary stress right before the exam, since I thought I had shown up to the wrong building or something.

Secondly, the receptionist desk was answering calls as I was taking the exam and I could hear her speaking on the phone, it was super distracting.

Thirdly, as I was leaving I realized I still had my piece of paper from the exam that I had written out things on. I was about to walk out with it until I asked her “oh I can leave with this?”, and she was like “oh yeah I have to take that.” My testing center had a morning and afternoon administration of the exam, so it makes me wonder if other people from the morning session were allowed to leave with their notes during the test and that could’ve possibly affected the integrity of the exam for the later group.
 
Was anyone’s testing center extremely unprofessional? To start with, my exam center was locked when I got there, even though I arrived at the time stated on the instructions. The employee showed up just as I was about to call Meazure’s help desk and said sorry that she was late. It gave me such unnecessary stress right before the exam, since I thought I had shown up to the wrong building or something.

Secondly, the receptionist desk was answering calls as I was taking the exam and I could hear her speaking on the phone, it was super distracting.

Thirdly, as I was leaving I realized I still had my piece of paper from the exam that I had written out things on. I was about to walk out with it until I asked her “oh I can leave with this?”, and she was like “oh yeah I have to take that.” My testing center had a morning and afternoon administration of the exam, so it makes me wonder if other people from the morning session were allowed to leave with their notes during the test and that could’ve possibly affected the integrity of the exam for the later group.
Not discounting your experiences at all but 1. My center was right in the middle of a construction zone. So, I got to listen to a jack hammer for 4 hours straight and 2. This is kinda the least of their worries at this point. Students probably try to 'give answers' to other students every year.
 
Yep. It was a cost cut, pure and simple.

Prometric was pretty good, but they were saving bucks.
They did a multi-year deal with a new company because it was cheaper.
I hope this bites them and there is a refund of testing fees.

...NBPME's only real move here is just to pass everyone for this 2024 cycle (which is nearly what they do every year anyways).
I wonder what the chances of them actually passing everyone really are. None of what happened today is standardized
 
Yep. It was a cost cut, pure and simple.

Prometric was pretty good, but they were saving bucks.
They did a multi-year deal with a new company because it was cheaper.
I hope this bites them and there is a refund of testing fees.

...NBPME's only real move here is just to pass everyone for this 2024 cycle (which is nearly what they do every year anyways).
When the results drop, expect Rothstein and Goldberg to show up like it’s a family reunion. Let's be real, we all saw this train wreck coming. Their review page is packed with tech complaints. Someone must’ve driven off in a free Lambo for missing problems so obvious even a goldfish could spot them.
 
Someone else said it best. They either have to pass everyone, have everyone retake it, or just pretend they can still grade it fairly (aka lie to us). My bets are on the last option.
As a student who spent weeks studying, there is no way I will retake the exam after this debacle. I don't think passing everyone is fair enough compensation for this BS, and there is no chance that I will be convinced this is going to be graded fairly. A full refund should be issued to all who took the exam, in addition to a full pass rate. However, a 100% pass rate will cast further doubt on a profession that is already struggling to gain respect amongst others in the medical community. I genuinely think all pod students who took the exam this year need to band together and put their deans, NBPME, and APMA on the hot seat. Start talking to your classmates and band together, because I could see this becoming a class action lawsuit if they keep our money ($975!!!) and/or fail students based off this ridiculous exam. I have lost so much respect for this industry and will begin telling prospective pod students to stay away.
 
As a student who spent weeks studying, there is no way I will retake the exam after this debacle. I don't think passing everyone is fair enough compensation for this BS, and there is no chance that I will be convinced this is going to be graded fairly. A full refund should be issued to all who took the exam, in addition to a full pass rate. However, a 100% pass rate will cast further doubt on a profession that is already struggling to gain respect amongst others in the medical community. I genuinely think all pod students who took the exam this year need to band together and put their deans, NBPME, and APMA on the hot seat. Start talking to your classmates and band together, because I could see this becoming a class action lawsuit if they keep our money ($975!!!) and/or fail students based off this ridiculous exam. I have lost so much respect for this industry and will begin telling prospective pod students to stay away.
Your username has me laughing out loud. Honestly, I don't want everyone to be passed either because then it kinda does make pod look pathetic but also, I don't think it's right to fail people in this situation.

All I know is, I'm glad I am not going to be the one making the decisions on this.

Their best bet is to try their best to apply the other algorithm to the two batches (150 and 205) separately and allow those who fail, a free retake. I highly doubt we will be getting refunds lol
 
Your username has me laughing out loud. Honestly, I don't want everyone to be passed either because then it kinda does make pod look pathetic but also, I don't think it's right to fail people in this situation.

All I know is, I'm glad I am not going to be the one making the decisions on this.

Their best bet is to try their best to apply the other algorithm to the two batches (150 and 205) separately and allow those who fail, a free retake. I highly doubt we will be getting refunds lol
I know that the most likely outcome is they take our money, tell us it was fair, and pass 90-100% of the tests. But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna make a fuss about it. If we start protesting, telling prospective students to stay away, and ultimately hurt the pockets of our schools/deans, something may actually change. May not happen for us, but hopefully for those that come after us.
 
Our proctor showed up 1.5 hours late to the exam... All of the students were waiting patiently outside at 8:45 am - proctor didn't show up till 10:15. Took an additional 30 minutes for them to set everything up. Called the number on the door and had to beg them not to reschedule our exam. Not cool.
 
Our proctor showed up 1.5 hours late to the exam... All of the students were waiting patiently outside at 8:45 am - proctor didn't show up till 10:15. Took an additional 30 minutes for them to set everything up. Called the number on the door and had to beg them not to reschedule our exam. Not cool.
That's one of the worst situations I've heard. Almost sounds like we're starting to build the foundation of a class action lawsuit... The stress that must have caused would put anyone in a terrible mindset heading into the biggest exam of their life so far
 
Our proctor showed up 1.5 hours late to the exam... All of the students were waiting patiently outside at 8:45 am - proctor didn't show up till 10:15. Took an additional 30 minutes for them to set everything up. Called the number on the door and had to beg them not to reschedule our exam. Not cool.

Same, proctor showed up late and I started freaking out thinking I showed up to the wrong building and was going to be considered a no show. Seriously not the rush of stress someone needs before a big exam. Do we even tell them about this, or I guess there are bigger issues at hand…
 
Is there an email address that people are reaching out to reporting these issues??
 
Same, proctor showed up late and I started freaking out thinking I showed up to the wrong building and was going to be considered a no show. Seriously not the rush of stress someone needs before a big exam. Do we even tell them about this, or I guess there are bigger issues at hand…
You should absolutely bring it up. Even if it feels small, its just adds to the clown show that was APMLE 2024. This was absurd, and everyone involved needs to be held accountable
 
Yep. It was a cost cut, pure and simple.

Prometric was pretty good, but they were saving bucks.
They did a multi-year deal with a new company because it was cheaper.
I hope this bites them and there is a refund of testing fees.

...NBPME's only real move here is just to pass everyone for this 2024 cycle (which is nearly what they do every year anyways).
Feli, looks like you're currently practicing. I'm sure you dealt with your own issues during school and boards exams. I totally agree with your point about refunding testing fees and passing everyone given the unfair testing situation most of the class was subjected to. But does a 100% pass rate for the year 2024 benefit the industry as a whole? I know that students are upset, but I'm interested in the opinion of a certified, practicing DPM. Would you be willing to help raise the issue with NBPME and APMA? Because it feels like this could snowball and become a giant blemish on the field. Especially given the AMA article that came out just a couple weeks ago
 
I believe the best solution is to offer free retakes for all candidates who fail, with the new scores replacing the original ones without affecting their records. Scores should be adjusted for those who had experimental items due to the extra difficulty and time pressure. This approach is fair to everyone and maintains the profession’s integrity.
 
As a student who spent weeks studying, there is no way I will retake the exam after this debacle. I don't think passing everyone is fair enough compensation for this BS, and there is no chance that I will be convinced this is going to be graded fairly. A full refund should be issued to all who took the exam, in addition to a full pass rate. However, a 100% pass rate will cast further doubt on a profession that is already struggling to gain respect amongst others in the medical community. I genuinely think all pod students who took the exam this year need to band together and put their deans, NBPME, and APMA on the hot seat. Start talking to your classmates and band together, because I could see this becoming a class action lawsuit if they keep our money ($975!!!) and/or fail students based off this ridiculous exam. I have lost so much respect for this industry and will begin telling prospective pod students to stay away.
This is SPOT ON!
 
I believe the best solution is to offer free retakes for all candidates who fail, with the new scores replacing the original ones without affecting their records. Scores should be adjusted for those who had experimental items due to the extra difficulty and time pressure. This approach is fair to everyone and maintains the profession’s integrity.
The profession's integrity has already been hurt by today's events. We paid $975 for a "standardized exam" that isn't standardized. Some had 150 questions in four hours while other had 205 questions in four hours. There are reports of students who had to wait an 1.5 hours because their test center proctor was late. NBPME and Meazure don't have a leg to stand on after today. Those who fail can easily argue that the test was unfair. Why would any student agree to take this exam again, even if it's free? The industry failed us, and failed itself.
 
Of course we will wait to see the results but do we not have the right if we failed to see how it was graded ? I know we would get a score but do we get a detailed report ?
 
Of course we will wait to see the results but do we not have the right if we failed to see how it was graded ? I know we would get a score but do we get a detailed report ?
Historically, they like to hide how they grade it. I don't think they're gonna have the luxury this year. If we make enough noise, they're gonna have to spill the beans
 
... I could see this becoming a class action lawsuit if they keep our money ($975!!!) and/or fail students based off this ridiculous exam. I have lost so much respect for this industry and will begin telling prospective pod students to stay away.
This has happened before in a different way... early 200x timeline.

I think NYCPM and Ohio CPM (now Kent) were accused of cheating on pt1, some people had scores invalidated. I'm sure it's never fully angel or devil, but some students apparently just had a 'study guide' that was considered stealing of prior year test questions. If you look up those schools and "NBPME" and "Chauncey Group," you will see both group lawsuits were successful... scores validated and people reimbursed for stress and hardship.

... willing to help raise the issue with NBPME and APMA? ...
Lol, you expect the people cashing checks from Jublia and sandals companies... while greenlighting new podiatry schools when we have terrible ROI and applicants also... and re-approving and even expanding residency seats at VA programs and other 'residencies' with pitiful amounts of surgery and low board pass rates to be the solution? 😗
 
Got another email from Meazure basically saying the same thing again, grades won't be affected since items removed wouldn't have counted anyways. No update from my school or any other organizations...
 
Got another email from Meazure basically saying the same thing again, grades won't be affected since items removed wouldn't have counted anyways. No update from my school or any other organizations...
There's a NBPME meeting next week. Our school told us that we should expect to hear something then. Not fair they're making us wait that long
 
Now this is the kind of subject matter we need to see discussed on Dean's Chat! 😛
As funny as it sounds, the deanarino actually did an interview with the guy (it came up as result when I searched for the Measure Learning snippet).

Ramdass is pretty full of himself for having done NYCPM and Wycoff Hts NYC residency; he's talking "top programs" and "I thought about orthopedics," lol... talks over and interrupts the host dean again and again.

The convo just looks horrible in retrospect after this part 1 exam crashed and burned this year. I would imagine he'd take the video down and delete it fairly soon. The part about Nbpme and how good Meazure learing is going to work is here, around 19min mark:



In case the vid gets scrubbed, the 20:35-ish where he brags about Measure Learning switch for the APMLE exam being the good decision and his "defining moment" of presidency with NBPME definitely did NOT age well. 🙁

...I will say that I really hope the guy gets outsted from ABFAS board. This faceplant of NBPME exams was clearly his brainchild. He is clearly inept or way overextended trying to be more of a podo-politician with a dozen hats than dedicating to any role. The stakes are even higher - and more expensive - for ABFAS tests.
 
Podiatry needs strong leadership now more than ever. The testing company’s long history of negative reviews and technical problems is a clear red flag that they’re unfit to host a national board licensing exam.

This lack of foresight and incompetence has caused unnecessary stress and confusion for students. Those with experimental questions felt unfairly tested, as they could have used that time for real questions to improve their chances of passing. Meanwhile those with shorter forms faced a completely different exam. Both groups are equally disadvantaged by this flawed system. These vastly different conditions make it impossible to standardize the exam, creating a complete disaster.

Immediate action is needed to address future exams. The use of this testing company must be reconsidered to prevent this from happening again. Better oversight is crucial, as these problems keep recurring in podiatry. Those in charge must recognize the damage caused and take steps to fix it.

TL;DR: Stronger leadership and oversight are essential to prevent future issues.

P.S. Seriously partnering with a 1 star company for the most important exam in podiatry? WTF that's like hiring a mime to teach public speaking. What on earth were they thinking?
 
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