The day before exam?

[MoscowAbe]

Is it a bad idea to study the day before the exam. Any advise concerning this particular point or in general is welcomed.

😉

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[Vikingwizardguy]

my last day is tomorrow, I won't not study entirely but in no way will it be a full day of studying. I'll probably be glossing through the blue side notes of RR and the images at the end of first aid. Might listen to heart sounds finally.

 

[PokerDoc]

I made flashcards for stuff like rate limiting enzymes that im saving for the day before.. I know I can memorize that stuff in an hour. Thats all I'll be doing, but nothing major, but I dont wanna sit around either or ill psych myself out, so I'll keep myself mildly busy, but make sure I stay rested.

 

[drizzt3117]

I studied 2 hours less than usual on the day before the test and mostly did lots and lots of questions. I wanted to get myself in the mindset of answering questions. I didn't bother with trying to memorize stuff especially, you can go outside and read first aid between blocks on the test and come in and write stuff on your whiteboards if you feel like you won't remember it. I wrote down lysosomal storage and glycogen storage disorders plus drew out the heme, purine, pyrimidine, folate/cystine pathways on my whiteboards and got 10 questions on those things that I could answer in seconds bc I just had to look at the picture.

I don't understand why people wouldn't study the day before the test when you'd have the absolute best recall of facts info for the following day. Would you not study the day before a shelf exam or final? Why is the step any different?

 

[Zback]

I don't understand why people wouldn't study the day before the test when you'd have the absolute best recall of facts info for the following day. Would you not study the day before a shelf exam or final? Why is the step any different?

I would suppose it is to be rested mentally. There is quite the difference in length of a shelf exam and the Step.

 

[drizzt3117]

I would suppose it is to be rested mentally. There is quite the difference in length of a shelf exam and the Step.

Idk, there's obviously psychological differences, but 7 hours (actually closer to 5 for me) is much less than I worked in a single day in the 5 weeks prior to the boards. I just don't see how watching TV, or doing anything other than studying or doing questions is going to help you do better on a test where the key is squeezing as much information as possible into your head.

 

[PokerDoc]

I guess because if you studied for six weeks, whats one more day gonna do.. same reason why I always say no to people who post asking if they should postpone their test for 2-3 days...

 

[drizzt3117]

I guess because if you studied for six weeks, whats one more day gonna do.. same reason why I always say no to people who post asking if they should postpone their test for 2-3 days...

I think I would have gotten 2-3 or so more questions right on the test had I had another day to study, I would have spent the whole day on neuro/neuroanatomy.

 

[username456789]

I think I would have gotten 2-3 or so more questions right on the test had I had another day to study, I would have spent the whole day on neuro/neuroanatomy.

Yeah I would've hit some drug side effects and probably some basic/neuroanatomy if I had another day (they were on my list of things to hammer on the second of my last two "cram" days, but I only ended up having one day for this.)

I mean overall, I can't say that much more besides cramming FA details would've helped me much, so taking the test a few days sooner but keeping one or two cram days at the end probably would've yielded the same results for me.

 

[MoscowAbe]

One thing I'm sure to hit is all the arrow relationships. I think RR does a good job with that. Which themes do they tend to ask those arrow questions in?

 

[username456789]

One thing I'm sure to hit is all the arrow relationships. I think RR does a good job with that. Which themes do they tend to ask those arrow questions in?

All kinds of things. The usual cardio/resp, but then stuff like a specific enzyme disease (biochem type question) with a couple variables I knew of, and one or two substances that I never even heard of.

 

[drizzt3117]

Yeah I would've hit some drug side effects and probably some basic/neuroanatomy if I had another day (they were on my list of things to hammer on the second of my last two "cram" days, but I only ended up having one day for this.)

I mean overall, I can't say that much more besides cramming FA details would've helped me much, so taking the test a few days sooner but keeping one or two cram days at the end probably would've yielded the same results for me.

Honestly, I didn't even open first aid until the 6 days before the test, went through it in 4 days, and it was a total waste of time because I knew everything in it already from other sources. The only useful part was that I annotated it with other useful info. It was nice as a review and solidification thing but if I could have done it all over again I would have spent that time going through UW more slowly and spending a solid day on neuro/neuro anatomy.

 

[PokerDoc]

I think im gonna do 2-3 blocks of questions every morning from now till thurs and then read FA and DIT supplement in the afternoons until test day.

Thats all I have time for, and I def do not know as much as you do so another FA run will prob be in my best interest.. I dont have the time for more detailed texts.

 

[drizzt3117]

Did you listen to the audio lectures?

 

[PokerDoc]

Did you listen to the audio lectures?

no, still debating whether I can fit those in.. I dunno man, at this rate i have to read about 85 FA pages a day which I assume is going to take at least 6-7 hrs if I also read along the DIT supplement with the appropriate sections. that doesnt count the time spent in UW which of course is most important which will probably be 4 hrs a day. I dont think I can do any more.. Ill try tho.. I will def listen to the lectures for areas im weaker on once I finish UW once.. Ill see where i sucked the most and listen in order of priority. if i can find time that is.

 

[frd86guy]

no, still debating whether I can fit those in.. I dunno man, at this rate i have to read about 85 FA pages a day which I assume is going to take at least 6-7 hrs if I also read along the DIT supplement with the appropriate sections. that doesnt count the time spent in UW which of course is most important which will probably be 4 hrs a day. I dont think I can do any more.. Ill try tho.. I will def listen to the lectures for areas im weaker on once I finish UW once.. Ill see where i sucked the most and listen in order of priority. if i can find time that is.

yeah, figuring out how to best spend the time these last few days leading up to the exam is so tough. i keep making lists of stuff that i NEED to go through the exam. but then i keep changing it so unfortunately some things will have to be skipped. sucks that triage method has to come into play for the most important test we will take

 

[PokerDoc]

yeah its unnerving for sure, I am just taking solace in the fact that if I do not improve one point from my last practice exam (227), the score is 'good enough' that im not slamming any doors shut, even though itll make radiology tough to match getting below a 230

 

[drizzt3117]

yeah its unnerving for sure, I am just taking solace in the fact that if I do not improve one point from my last practice exam (227), the score is 'good enough' that im not slamming any doors shut, even though itll make radiology tough to match getting below a 230

Yeah my cousin got a 231 and matched in ca, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[aashkab]

drizzt. what do yout hink of just "reading" the goljan audio transcripts. that way i can bang it out in a day or two instead of listening to the 30 hours or w/e.

<speeding up his voice doesn't help, it just raises my own blood pressure>

 

[radiodoc99]

When you wake up review one or two pages of notes. Research shows studying on day before exam does not help except if you look at the same one or two pages of notes over and over again. FA is a good option

 

[drizzt3117]

drizzt. what do yout hink of just "reading" the goljan audio transcripts. that way i can bang it out in a day or two instead of listening to the 30 hours or w/e.

<speeding up his voice doesn't help, it just raises my own blood pressure>

That seems like a good idea as long as you have a good way to retain that info.

 

[drizzt3117]

When you wake up review one or two pages of notes. Research shows studying on day before exam does not help except if you look at the same one or two pages of notes over and over again. FA is a good option

That really depends on the situation. Obviously if you have done 0 studying at all, you'll be better off studying the day before than not, and for a more step-relevant scenario, if you haven't covered one subject in sufficient detail, hitting it on the last day could be high yield.

 

[otacon88]

i have 2 full days before my test. i'm planning on studying like i usually do the day before (tomorrow) just bc i still need to cover a lot of stuff.

i still need to: read 50 pgs of FA, take the free 150, review pharm, listen to the last 2 lectures in goljan audio, and have about 10 blocks left in usmlew.

and i was thinking about this: would it be psychologically beneficial to do like half a block on the morning of the test, provided you get the questions right. puts in the mode, and boosts your confidence maybe? i think i'm gonna try it.

 

[PokerDoc]

i have 2 full days before my test. i'm planning on studying like i usually do the day before (tomorrow) just bc i still need to cover a lot of stuff.

i still need to: read 50 pgs of FA, take the free 150, review pharm, listen to the last 2 lectures in goljan audio, and have about 10 blocks left in usmlew.

and i was thinking about this: would it be psychologically beneficial to do like half a block on the morning of the test, provided you get the questions right. puts in the mode, and boosts your confidence maybe? i think i'm gonna try it.

even if you get them wrong, that means you wont get them wrong on the real thing.

 

[ElDOc]

FWIW, I plan on studying until about 2pm the day before and then relaxing... maybe even getting a massage the evening before. I think it depends on the person. If you're gonna freak out if you don't study the day before, then you should obviously do it.

 

[PokerDoc]

what did you guys bring for food during the exam.. we''ll have lockers but no fridge so i cant get a subway sandwich (dont own a lunchbox anymore 🙁 )

I was gonna have a power bar or 2 in the beginning and then something a little more substantial after block 4 or 5 depending on how I feel. I imagine my appetite wont be too large during the test, but I dont want to be hungry either or eat only power bars.

 

[otacon88]

what did you guys bring for food during the exam.. we''ll have lockers but no fridge so i cant get a subway sandwich (dont own a lunchbox anymore 🙁 )

I was gonna have a power bar or 2 in the beginning and then something a little more substantial after block 4 or 5 depending on how I feel. I imagine my appetite wont be too large during the test, but I dont want to be hungry either or eat only power bars.

i wasn't hungry at all during the test. i drank a bottle of gatorade and had 2 fiber one bars and a banana through the whole thing

 

[MilkmanAl]

METRx meal replacement bars=awesome. I brought 4 but only ate 2. I also had a Gatorade.

 

[MoscowAbe]

what did you guys bring for food during the exam.. we''ll have lockers but no fridge so i cant get a subway sandwich (dont own a lunchbox anymore 🙁 )

I was gonna have a power bar or 2 in the beginning and then something a little more substantial after block 4 or 5 depending on how I feel. I imagine my appetite wont be too large during the test, but I dont want to be hungry either or eat only power bars.

I brought along a nutritional drink with all protein and vitamins in it, something similar to an ensure.

 

[PokerDoc]

METRx meal replacement bars=awesome. I brought 4 but only ate 2. I also had a Gatorade.

haha those are the ones I use too. I just said powerbars so that people would know what I was talking about haha.

i guess ill just do that.. and treat myself to a tremendous steak dinner and beer afterwards.

now THATS something to look forward to..