OKAPS fail

[MorningSt@r]

So didn't do well on OKAPS. Scored in the low 20 percentile. Any advice from older residents? I know this puts me at risk for failing boards. Any advice? I'm a first year.

I found the test full of the most detailed information - questions extracted from a few sentences I may have read back in the Fall. I did ~50% of OphthoQuestions. I'm considering trying to do more repetition from "high-yield" sources or questions versus trying to see everything once since seeing it once doesn't work for me. I'll take any advice at this point. I'm in a program where 1st year takes primary call and 2nd year is call-free so hoping to really turn it around next year.

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[akademix]

When did scores come out? Didn't realize they did.

 

[akademix]

OK,

So my program just released test scores. I have always done pretty well on the OKAPs, and all I've ever used has been ophthoquestions.com

I hear Friedmans is a great source, but I never ended up purchasing it. Between doing the question bank and the questions at the back of the BCSC books, I've managed to score fairly high every time I've taken it (90s). I wouldn't place too much emphasis on reading the BCSC in all it's detail as it's inundated with minutia, most of which isn't usually tested. I would do the question bank as much as you can. It gets much faster each subsequent pass. Hope that helps.

akademix

 

[DrZeke]

OK,

So my program just released test scores. I have always done pretty well on the OKAPs, and all I've ever used has been ophthoquestions.com

I hear Friedmans is a great source, but I never ended up purchasing it. Between doing the question bank and the questions at the back of the BCSC books, I've managed to score fairly high every time I've taken it (90s). I wouldn't place too much emphasis on reading the BCSC in all it's detail as it's inundated with minutia, most of which isn't usually tested. I would do the question bank as much as you can. It gets much faster each subsequent pass. Hope that helps.

akademix

Just curious...

Did you have AOA, >250 on step 1 and have to only read things once to get top scores?

Your above post is a decent approach but many people have to do more than this to get a top score on okaps or even make it into the top half.


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[EyeDR_oo]

OK,

So my program just released test scores. I have always done pretty well on the OKAPs, and all I've ever used has been ophthoquestions.com

I hear Friedmans is a great source, but I never ended up purchasing it. Between doing the question bank and the questions at the back of the BCSC books, I've managed to score fairly high every time I've taken it (90s). I wouldn't place too much emphasis on reading the BCSC in all it's detail as it's inundated with minutia, most of which isn't usually tested. I would do the question bank as much as you can. It gets much faster each subsequent pass. Hope that helps.

akademix

Not sure what test you took, but I'm fairly confident in my OKAP being roughly 95% minutia. Eidetic memory + OKAP questions = no problem.

 

[akademix]

Just curious...

Did you have AOA, >250 on step 1 and have to only read things once to get top scores?

Your above post is a decent approach but many people have to do more than this to get a top score on okaps or even make it into the top half.


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No AOA, 237 step 1...I'm definitely just average smarts. It's constant repetition and ridiculous and dirty mnemonics to remember things whenever possible haha

OKAPs are minutia, sure...but I feel like oq's does a good job hitting the high points of all that stuff. Outside of glaucoma (cause of how short it is), I don't think I have read any of the bcsc books cover to cover.

I'm just better learning thru questions but I know everyone is different.

 

[akademix]

Not sure what test you took, but I'm fairly confident in my OKAP being roughly 95% minutia. Eidetic memory + OKAP questions = no problem.

OQs definitely helps with what minutia to focus on. Plus the back of the bcsc books have some questions that show up verbatim.

 

[DrZeke]

No AOA, 237 step 1...I'm definitely just average smarts. It's constant repetition and ridiculous and dirty mnemonics to remember things whenever possible haha

OKAPs are minutia, sure...but I feel like oq's does a good job hitting the high points of all that stuff. Outside of glaucoma (cause of how short it is), I don't think I have read any of the bcsc books cover to cover.

I'm just better learning thru questions but I know everyone is different.

You hit the nail on the head. We are all different.

To the OP, think of study habits from before that have made you successful for recall type exams. I personally don't learn from OQ, because I mind numbingly click through questions. I prefer question books like Chern With long drawn out answers in paragraph form. I remember that when studying for shelf exams those question books often helped me and I would just re-read answers.

Do you like making flash cards or organizing notes? I know many people that do that. Personally I waste time on the format and I don't learn while making notes or flash cards only from re reading so it's not an efficient use of my time to reorganize material. I prefer review books. I mark them up and highlight AKA familiarize myself and then need to re read. However, I found a review book like Friedman to be extremely hard to get through without actually reading any primary sources likes the BCSC.

Some people hate BCSC, but it's hard to ignore them. I think it's worth at least one go around. After all it's the endorsed home curriculum for ophthalmology residency. Seems silly to leave it wrapped up. Will reading bcsc help you do better on OKAPs? Many people say no, but I've found I do better in areas I've read out of the BCSC.

We also take tests differently. For example, I must force myself to pay attention to questions and slow down enough to read questions properly, otherwise I tend to screw them up. I'm horribly impulsive and impatient during an exam. But I know that so I can control it when I want to... meaning I can do 20% better on an exam if I practice good test taking skills. For others it's intuitive and the exam day doesn't require particular decorum or self control. This is coming from someone with many features of ADD... 🙂

Anyways the point of this ramble is that we Are all different and use different study techniques and habits to do well. Take in what people are saying but also try and pick something you know will work for you. Don't listen to people talk about how little or much they studied and think of what YOU need to do well. Also understand that this stuff is hard and you're working full time while trying to score well.

The goal is ultimately to build a strong foundation of knowledge and pass boards.


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