questions about the actual exam day

[doopdidoop]

hey guys - i have some basic questions about what the test taking experience has been like...how exactly do you take your breaks? first aid wasn't really specific about it in their intro section. can you get up in the middle of a section? also are you allowed to leave the building when you're on a break (say to get lunch/get some air)? and you're definitely not allowed to look at notes, etc. during the break times in between sections, right? for those of you who have taken your exam, how would you suggest splitting up the break time? also, if you skip the tutorial are you still able to test your headphones? is it possible to just click through to the part where you test your sound and finish your tutorial really quickly and still have those ~14 minutes added to your break time? any suggestions on what to take with you on the day of the exam? thanks guys, i'm sorry if these questions have been answered anywhere else already...these are just little logistical things that i was wondering about! any other tips/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! 😕

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[ipizzy]

General logistics: Prometric centers are set up with a secure testing room with a bunch of computer workstations. Immediately outside the door of the testing room, there is a desk where an employee is stationed. When you first enter the testing area to begin your test, your government issued picture ID is scanned and you are fingerprinted. You get wanded with a metal detector. You sign in to their log. They give you two laminated sheets of paper and two markers for you to use for calculations, etc during your exam. The only things you can bring into the testing room are these two laminated papers and markers, one set of foam ear plugs that you can bring with you (they inspect them), your photo ID, and your locker key (you can store your remaining belongings in a locker they provide you in their lobby).

During your test day, whenever you leave the testing room for a break, you have to sign out from that log. When you come back from break to reenter your test, you have to undergo fingerprint scanning, show your ID, turn out your pockets/roll up your sleeves, and get wanded (metal detection), and sign in again before they let you back into the test room.

No, you cannot get up during a section. Once you start a section, you must complete it before taking a break. Think about it...if you could get up and leave the testing room with a section in progress, what's stopping you from looking up questions and coming back to fill in your answers? That said, there is a "lock" button where you can lock your test in the middle of a section if an emergency arises (e.g. you start vomiting at your desk, there is a fire in your testing center, etc). My understanding is that any use of the lock button is reported as an anomalous event or irregularity, and it is investigated with the potential outcome of invalidating your score. Do not use the lock button.

It seems to be site dependent, but my site was like 'you can do whatever you want during your breaks.' I didn't leave the test center (brought my own lunch, which I stored in one of the lockers they provide for you in the lobby), and I didn't look at my notes during my breaks. I didn't notice anyone else who decided to leave the testing center or look at their notes either. Personally, I didn't risk doing anything that could be construed against me in any way. Just suck it up for one day and do EVERYTHING as if you are being watched at every moment for potential cheating or misconduct (they do have video cameras throughout their facility!). Do not give them any excuse or reason to flag you.

Yes, you can skip through the tutorial and add your remaining tutorial time to your break time.

On test day, I brought my copy of first aid to read while I took the bus to get to the Prometric site. I also brought a lunch and a set of ear plugs. As I mentioned, they give you a locker and you can store everything you bring in there. The only things you absolutely MUST bring with you are your government issued photo ID (I used a passport; driver's license is also fine) and your testing permit thingy that you print out when you registered for your test at Prometric. EDIT: You can also bring a jacket to wear in the testing room, but you have to keep the jacket on. If you get too hot, you have to take your jacket off, put in on the back of your chair, and raise your hand for a Prometric employee to come remove your jacket from the testing room.

In terms of structuring your break time, don't go in to your test with a preconceived, set-in-stone notion of how you'll do it. Be flexible and adapt to how you're feeling as you go through the test. I ended up taking a bathroom break after the first two sections. Hammered through sections 3 & 4, then took my lunch break (~15 minutes). Went back in, did sections 5&6, then took a short break sitting at my desk (just closed my eyes; didn't leave the testing room). Finished up my last section and left. In total, I used about 30 minutes of break time, but other people use more or less depending on how they feel. Always leave enough time for you to sign in and sign out from the testing room (lines can form and they can eat into your break time substantially).

 

[Siggy]

It seems to be site dependent, but my site was like 'you can do whatever you want during your breaks.' I didn't leave the test center (brought my own lunch, which I stored in one of the lockers they provide for you in the lobby), and I didn't look at my notes during my breaks. I didn't notice anyone else who decided to leave the testing center or look at their notes either. Personally, I didn't risk doing anything that could be construed against me in any way. Just suck it up for one day and do EVERYTHING as if you are being watched at every moment for potential cheating or misconduct (they do have video cameras throughout their facility!). Do not give them any excuse or reason to flag you.

I think you're being a little too paranoid. At my site the people taking USMLE talked to each other during breaks as well as looked up random things. You're free to do as you please during the breaks for USMLE (which I contend, is the opposite for the COMLEX breaks outside of lunch).

Yes, you can skip through the tutorial and add your remaining tutorial time to your break time.

I would recommend at least working/skipping through the tutorial until you test your headphones.

 

[ipizzy]

I think you're being a little too paranoid. At my site the people taking USMLE talked to each other during breaks as well as looked up random things. You're free to do as you please during the breaks for USMLE (which I contend, is the opposite for the COMLEX breaks outside of lunch).

Would rather be paranoid than flagged 😉

 

[doopdidoop]

thanks guys!! this is super helpful!! also i just saw the other thread on breaks...my bad for a repeat! 😳

 

[dyeguy21]

Would rather be paranoid than flagged 😉

What exactly could they take against you for studying your book on a break? You don't have the test, you can't go back and change, everyone's test is different....frankly you could talk on your cell phone outside the center and it wouldn't give you any advantage. Unless you called every student in the country, reviewed every question they had, and discerned the correct answer for your next block, which could be made up of any 46 random questions from their gigantic database of questions.

Now SAT and MCAT are a different story as the sections are exactly the same, hence why they crack down on you in terms of your behavior outside the test room.

For STEP just don't talk about specifics of any question or the specific answers. Saying oh god I had a lot of micro or god I had a ton of pedigrees isn't gonna affect the other person in any way, because they may not get those questions and even if they do all they know is that it might have been on the test, just like they did when they were studying the first time.

 

[ipizzy]

What exactly could they take against you for studying your book on a break? You don't have the test, you can't go back and change, everyone's test is different....frankly you could talk on your cell phone outside the center and it wouldn't give you any advantage. Unless you called every student in the country, reviewed every question they had, and discerned the correct answer for your next block, which could be made up of any 46 random questions from their gigantic database of questions.

Now SAT and MCAT are a different story as the sections are exactly the same, hence why they crack down on you in terms of your behavior outside the test room.

For STEP just don't talk about specifics of any question or the specific answers. Saying oh god I had a lot of micro or god I had a ton of pedigrees isn't gonna affect the other person in any way, because they may not get those questions and even if they do all they know is that it might have been on the test, just like they did when they were studying the first time.

I'm not saying that people don't and can't do these things, just that I wasn't willing to be one of them. (Side note: honestly, I didn't think that I (or anyone, really) would get much out of whipping out FA for 5 minutes between blocks, so I didn't bother. Gotta trust that you know what you know and spend your break time actually taking a break, for sanity purposes). People have gotten flagged for things like taking too many breaks (see #9) or leaving the testing center (even though it's technically allowed), etc. here's an example: http://www.prep4usmle.com/forum/thread/102509/
I wouldn't rely on the test center people knowing 100% of the time all the different rules and regulations for all the different tests that Prometric administers. Maybe I am just not a trusting person

EDIT: apparently there is a law firm that handles usmle irregularities haha...so I'm not being *crazy* paranoid here. Admittedly, just a little bit paranoid...but I'm OK with that

FWIW, I had two very specific diseases show up multiple times over multiple sections. I think this is where the whole looking-up-things-between-blocks things comes from; it happens to more people than you think. Studying between breaks could make a very small difference in a nontrivial number of cases.

 

[dyeguy21]

I'm not saying that people don't and can't do these things, just that I wasn't willing to be one of them. (Side note: honestly, I didn't think that I (or anyone, really) would get much out of whipping out FA for 5 minutes between blocks, so I didn't bother. Gotta trust that you know what you know and spend your break time actually taking a break, for sanity purposes). People have gotten flagged for things like taking too many breaks (see #9) or leaving the testing center (even though it's technically allowed), etc. here's an example: http://www.prep4usmle.com/forum/thread/102509/
I wouldn't rely on the test center people knowing 100% of the time all the different rules and regulations for all the different tests that Prometric administers. Maybe I am just not a trusting person

EDIT: apparently there is a law firm that handles usmle irregularities haha...so I'm not being *crazy* paranoid here. Admittedly, just a little bit paranoid...but I'm OK with that

FWIW, I had two very specific diseases show up multiple times over multiple sections. I think this is where the whole looking-up-things-between-blocks things comes from; it happens to more people than you think. Studying between breaks could make a very small difference in a nontrivial number of cases.

Well then if you studied it during the break and had the same thing in the next block you would have been lucky. The fact still is that you didn't bring the book into the room and you took the test with only the knowledge in your head. It's like saying that studying a list of equations right before you walk in is not allowed. In fact studying anything before you walk in wouldn't be allowed, because it MIGHT show up on your test. As long as you don't bring first aid, any device, gain access to specific information about the actual questions, or bring anything to cheat into the actual room with you, then you can't possibly cheat because the fifth, sixth, or seventh block was just as likely to have been questions in your first block, which you took just after studying.

The same would go for any service that teaches your for step 1. They are allowed to say that most likely you'll have at least one question about the classification of gram positive bacteria. The reason: because they know it's important and has a high chance of being one of the random questions they pick for you, but it's not like they have chosen a specific bacteria to teach you based on intimate knowledge of the exam.

I'm not saying you should do it for breaks either, your brain needs rest, but if you have nagging concerns about a question and are the kinda person that can't let it go...maybe the quick look at the book is the way to go.

Keep in mind this all applies to when you are on an authorized break...because you can't go back and change any answer, and any question in the future is up to random chance. And for "too many breaks", I took one after each section and not a word, because I'm allowed to.

An unauthorized break, however, where you click lock, you best follow every freaking rule that the proctors tell you and not even begin to pretend you are going to your locker or talking to anyone. Because in that scenario, you are definitely cheating. In addition, this should really only be used, I assume, if you suddenly feel like you are going to faint, vomit, or Poo yourself.

EDIT: ipizzy I'm also not saying your paranoia isn't healthy just trying to reassure some folks who may have taken a peek at FA during their break or went to their cars to eat during lunch 🙂

 

[3dee]

Was there ever a line to get back into the testing room?

 

[Siggy]

I'm not saying that people don't and can't do these things, just that I wasn't willing to be one of them. (Side note: honestly, I didn't think that I (or anyone, really) would get much out of whipping out FA for 5 minutes between blocks, so I didn't bother.

It's kinda of funny because I feel this way too and on a lark I Googled one of the things that I was all, "WTF mate?" during a break (a specific virus causing a specific cancer). The next block gave me not one, but two questions in a span of 5 questions on it. However that's such an outlier that it isn't even funny.

 

[Siggy]

Was there ever a line to get back into the testing room?

At most 1 person, and since the finger print scanner was broken at my center it went quick. Besides, there was always 2 people working anyways, so they can work on processing 2 students (sign in, pocket check, wand) at the same time anyways. I waited longer for the restroom a few times (only 1 rest room per sex) than to sign in.

 

[doopdidoop]

EDIT: apparently there is a law firm that handles usmle irregularities haha...so I'm not being *crazy* paranoid here. Admittedly, just a little bit paranoid...but I'm OK with that .

um....wtf. did you read some of the things people get flagged for? jeez

 

[dyeguy21]

um....wtf. did you read some of the things people get flagged for? jeez

Most of those are from before they went to commuter based, then the exams were the same with just a mixed up order of questions. Now each exam is essentially unique and you can't really confer with someone else about answers on "the" exam.