To those who have taken step I re: break taking strategy

[Clair de Lune]

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Would you recommend taking a short (~5 minute) break after each block of 50 questions? Did anyone do this during the test, and did you find that it kept you focused, or was it harder to regain concentration post-break?

Thanks ya'll. I take this thing Thursday and can't wait til it's over & I can tell ya'll all about how MISERABLE it was 🙂

 

[Toroloco]

Take all the breaks. Don't try to do 2 consecutive blocks. In all breaks either you eat a little snack (banana) or drink some coffee or water, go to the bathroom, open the faucet and try to take a wiz. Don?t read anything. Don?t check if you answer right or wrong a question (too late!!). Just relax, stretch out and go back to your computer.
Good luck.

 

[gisnap]

yeah, that's what i'd recommend too. there's 60min of break time to be distributed over 6 potential periods. some ppl can churn through multiple questions blocks w/o stopping but i've found from doing qbank that even if i feel like i'm good to go for another block i end up regretting not taking a break like 10 questions into the new one. remember...you can't decide to break in the middle of a block. 🙂

on a side note, do any of you have suggestions on how to combat the fatigue factor other than through sheer practice? i always do worse on q's between 2-300 than i do on the sets from 0-100.

 

[trouta]

I did as follows:
2 sections
Break
2 sections
Break
1 section
Lunch
1 section
Break
1 section

I found that when I was on my breaks all I really wanted to be doing was getting back to the dumb test and getting it done with. For me it was all about getting the thing over with and getting the heck out of there. I think it is a really individual thing... see what feels good.

As for lunch, go out for lunch. I wish I had, it would have been nice to get away from there (I just brought my lunch).

 

[rugtrousers]

For me it was all about getting the thing over with and getting the heck out of there.

Amen to that. I think I followed pretty much the same schedule as trouta, taking a total of 30 minutes for breaks. I finished early, before I had burned out, and went home happy. You could try taking the Kaplan online simulated exam if you have Q-bank and try out the break schedule you think will work best for you.

 

[Clair de Lune]

Thanks everyone, I guess I'll go ahead & take the breaks between each section. Do we get a locker or somewhere to put our stuff? I already have a list of stuff I am going to bring:
1. several cans of mountain dew
2. eye drops
3. my annotated FA (although I doubt I'll look at it)
4. hershey's kisses
5. extra sweatshirt
6. stuff to eat for lunch
7. excedrin for tension headaches!
Is all of this stuff legal to bring??

 

[12R34Y]

i did 2 blocks.....5 min.........1 block and five minutes after each from there on out.

i took 15 for lunch.

i had about 40 minutes of break left at the end of the test. skip the tutorial and you add 15 minutes. if you finish a block early that time is tacked on to break also.

BRING these things!!!!!!!!!!!

ADVIL or tylenol
immodium (think about worst nightmare)
alka seltzer or zantac (upset stomach, heartburn)
snacks
eye drops.

i used the tynelol and advil because i was getting a vague headache after the 4th block or so.

later

 

[rubulla]

how effective is the headphone? (can you still hear things? )

btw great thread!

 

[imtiaz]

i did it like this:
block 1
15 mins (ate a candy bar, drank a can of pepsi)
block 2
15 mins (ate/drank/pee-ed)
block 3
15 mins (ate/drank/pee-ed)
block 4
15 mins (ate/drank)
block 5
15 mins (ate/drank)
block 6
20 mins (made coffee and ate a muffin)
block 7

i had plenty of time after finishing a block (enough to take a break). when i started block 7 i had 3 hrs and change left in the exam period. i was dead tired after block 6, i really needed that coffee 🙂 i suggest you take breaks after every block and hop yourself up on sugar or caffeine, whatever works for you. some people can do more than 1 block at a time though and if you're one of those then go for it.

 

[timequaker06]

Oh so I guess I'm confused but I do want to clarify....

You can take breaks with your extra unused time from blocks? So if I finish a block 10 minutes early I can count that an extra 10 to my break time?

I clearly haven't put much thought into this. I'm glad I noticed this thread.

 

[Dr Alo]

Hi, here is what I did...

5 blocks in a row without breaks
short 15 minute break to drink coffee and eat some sugary snacks
2 more blocks in a row
brief survey

Went home early.

I guess, having taken the comlex a few days before, it seemed too easy to do 200-250 questions in a row without breaks.

I'll let you all know how this worked when i get my score back.

 

[imtiaz]

Oh so I guess I'm confused but I do want to clarify....

You can take breaks with your extra unused time from blocks? So if I finish a block 10 minutes early I can count that an extra 10 to my break time?

I clearly haven't put much thought into this. I'm glad I noticed this thread.

yeah whatever time you have left after finishing a block you can add to your lunch or use as a break. 🙂

 

[Clair de Lune]

i did it like this:
block 1
15 mins (ate a candy bar, drank a can of pepsi)
block 2
15 mins (ate/drank/pee-ed)
block 3
15 mins (ate/drank/pee-ed)
block 4
15 mins (ate/drank)
block 5
15 mins (ate/drank)
block 6
20 mins (made coffee and ate a muffin)
block 7

i had plenty of time after finishing a block (enough to take a break). when i started block 7 i had 3 hrs and change left in the exam period. i was dead tired after block 6, i really needed that coffee 🙂 i suggest you take breaks after every block and hop yourself up on sugar or caffeine, whatever works for you. some people can do more than 1 block at a time though and if you're one of those then go for it.

Where did you make coffee? Do they have a fridge/micro there?

 

[imtiaz]

Where did you make coffee? Do they have a fridge/micro there?

i took the test at my school (we have a testing center in our school) and we have a lounge w/ coffeemaker 🙂

 

[Jalby]

One thing I was terrified of while taking the MCAT was that I was going to have to take a **** during the middle of verbal or bio section. Luckily, that won't be a problem for this test 🙂

 

[Legion560]

One thing I was terrified of while taking the MCAT was that I was going to have to take a **** during the middle of verbal or bio section. Luckily, that won't be a problem for this test 🙂

Man, I had the WORST MCAT experience ever. My stomach decided to start rumbling non-stop a hour into the test. I thought my guts were going to explode. It was so loud, the guy next to me turned and gave me a WTF look. Im definitley bringing the immodium/alka seltzer/assorted GI remedies this time.

Legion

 

[Stinger86]

Would you recommend taking a short (~5 minute) break after each block of 50 questions? Did anyone do this during the test, and did you find that it kept you focused, or was it harder to regain concentration post-break?

Thanks ya'll. I take this thing Thursday and can't wait til it's over & I can tell ya'll all about how MISERABLE it was 🙂

All depends on you. I took one five minute break after working 3 blocks, and then just ran straight through the last 200 Q's. Then I was able to make it home for lunch 🙂

 

[Clair de Lune]

No joke--I am going to Walmart on Wednesday and stocking up on everything I could possibly need...bottled water, pepto-bismol, advil, red bull, eye drops, nose spray (allergies), band-aids, earplugs, snacks, hair clips, chapstick, anti-bacterial hand gel...heck, I even thought about buying some cigarettes to bring. But then I remembered that I don't smoke 😀

Good luck all!

 

[Toroloco]

Take all the breaks. The worst thing that could happen to you is being in the middle of a block and feel that your bladder is going to explode!! You can?t concentrate if you feel that and you know you can?t leave your computer or an irregular behavior would be sent. If someone can make 5 hours in a row could only be if he has a Foley catheter, vesicostomy, nephrostomy, or Mitrofanoff connected to a urinary bag. It is hard to believe and if true not recommended at all. Besides that normal attention span (that means best performance with maximum attention) is 45 ? 50 minutes, after that, your attention decrease dramatically, unless you take a break. I guess USMLE are aware of this fact but I think they know it normally takes 50 minutes to answer the 50 questions and then you have 10 minutes to review the questions you marked previously. I used even part of my break time to solve one last question that was hard or need some time to solve. Use all your time, don?t go home early!!. Your goal is to pass the test and score as high as possible, not to have enough time for lunch. Eat snacks, drink something and go to the bathroom each break. That is all you have to do. After the 7th block you have 4 to 5 weeks waiting for your results to have wonderful lunches.

 

[mig26x]

i went to the bathroom between each block, didnt want to have the sensation of going to the bathroom and having to answer 25 more questions.
Also I took some grape juice with me and took a zip between each block, didnt want my mouth to feel dry.