Reviewing old exams

[navigator]

hey folks,

So I'm in my second block (musculoskeleton) at TCOM and things are going well! The exams are tough but not impossible and the study and clinical resources are staggering. The only issue I'm having is not being able to go over old exams. We do get a score report to highlight generic areas of weakness, and we do have review sessions for all quizzes. This policy is in place because faculty reuse questions from a common bank every year.

From what I hear, some schools provide post-exam review sessions for students and many do not. If your school does, how does it work? And do you find it helpful?

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[hallowmann]

Have you tried just asking to meet with the professor and go over areas of weakness? Its possible you could ask about specific questions in the exam without actually getting a copy of the exam. If its one on one with you and the professor, they may be more willing to show you questions/answers provided you don't take them home or anything.

The class above me fought very hard to get an exam review into the schedule. The way it worked was that a specific small group session was scheduled with the review in the first 30 min. We would have to leave all of our belongings outside of the room, we'd be given our individual answers and the correct answers along with our exam packet (200 question exam). We were then meant to sit quietly and review the exams without the ability to ask any questions or challenge any exam questions.

I'm not sure, but I believe due to issues with some students they may have stopped doing the exam reviews.

 

[navigator]

Have you tried just asking to meet with the professor and go over areas of weakness? Its possible you could ask about specific questions in the exam without actually getting a copy of the exam. If its one on one with you and the professor, they may be more willing to show you questions/answers provided you don't take them home or anything.

The class above me fought very hard to get an exam review into the schedule. The way it worked was that a specific small group session was scheduled with the review in the first 30 min. We would have to leave all of our belongings outside of the room, we'd be given our individual answers and the correct answers along with our exam packet (200 question exam). We were then meant to sit quietly and review the exams without the ability to ask any questions or challenge any exam questions.

I'm not sure, but I believe due to issues with some students they may have stopped doing the exam reviews.

That's a solid idea! It seems like they're operating under secrecy - even during lectures they'll allude to a question from the test but say they can't mention specifics "because of rules." I'll schedule an appointment with them! Thanks

 

[ortnakas]

The way it worked was that a specific small group session was scheduled with the review in the first 30 min. We would have to leave all of our belongings outside of the room, we'd be given our individual answers and the correct answers along with our exam packet (200 question exam). We were then meant to sit quietly and review the exams without the ability to ask any questions or challenge any exam questions.

I'm not sure, but I believe due to issues with some students they may have stopped doing the exam reviews.

This policy held through last spring for my class, for PBL (aka block) exams, anyway. You could request OPP exam reviews as well... for a while he only allowed you to look at a document with your wrong answers on it, but eventually that changed to being able to review exams and ask questions (but generally not challenge) while he was in the room. No taking questions home with you or writing anything down in either scenario.

I haven't heard of any med school allowing you to actually take home old exams questions, but most seem to allow for some sort of review process.

 

[Goro]

At my school we have a similar policy. I strongly recommend attending the post-exam review.

Always keep in mind that exams are for assessment, not for studying.

hey folks,

So I'm in my second block (musculoskeleton) at TCOM and things are going well! The exams are tough but not impossible and the study and clinical resources are staggering. The only issue I'm having is not being able to go over old exams. We do get a score report to highlight generic areas of weakness, and we do have review sessions for all quizzes. This policy is in place because faculty reuse questions from a common bank every year.

From what I hear, some schools provide post-exam review sessions for students and many do not. If your school does, how does it work? And do you find it helpful?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

We review our tests at our schools a week later on some morning. And by review I mean we all sleep in.

 

[navigator]

At my school we have a similar policy. I strongly recommend attending the post-exam review. Always keep in mind that exams are for assessment, not for studying.

There is no post-exam review. That's why I'm asking for input from others!

You're right. That they are designed to measure basic competencies is exactly my point. Do you really think students will become competent if they don't go back and review their previous areas of weakness?

(They might, but it would be much harder in the long run.)

 

[Goro]

If you're told : You had trouble in Physiology" or "You had trouble with the endocrine system"..that still give you some guidelines. Better than nothing. I strongly believe that your school is unfair in not having any sort of post-exam review....sort of what the military calls an "after action report".

There is no post-exam review. That's why I'm asking for input from others!

You're right. That they are designed to measure basic competencies is exactly my point. Do you really think students will become competent if they don't go back and review their previous areas of weakness?

(They might, but it would be much harder in the long run.)

 

[FutureD.O]

That's unfortunate. We get a date range where we're allowed to go back and review our exams. It definitely helps confirm your thought process for those 50/50 questions!

 

[CajunMedic]

We got a period of time to go back and look at ours. If you made any kind of notes, those had to be turned in. Only our Pharm and Micro classes had any kind of organized review outside of class and they would go over the most missed in class.