OnTheRoadAgain
10-18-2007, 07:02 PM
This is my first post, though I constantly read this forum while awaiting my results for my last and thankfully final attempt at Step 1.
I hope what I write will give others comfort since I feel like this forum definitely comforted me at times.
I have serious test anxiety and while doing fine in school and in clinical situations, the longer board exam was a killer.
Before my first attempt, I did not take any prep course and only reviewed materials on my own. Prior to my second attempt I took a course geared toward people with testing anxiety problems and just testing problems in general. I failed the second time after taking that course but I feel a lot of it had to do with not taking enough time to integrate what they had taught me, and therefore I still freaked on the second attempt.
Finally, I took a LOA from my school before my 3rd attempt and used what I had learned from the prep course in reviewing the material again. I did well over 8,000 questions by the time I had tried the test for the third time.
I also took a beta blocker during the practice tests, sometimes while studying, and did hypnosis and massage. After that, I was able to improve my score by 42 points. Some will say my score is not spectacular but I really don't care about that. What I do care about is that I have found a method that works for me in dealing with these board exams, and that I didn't give up.
It really is possible to find what will work for you and to pass these tests. I also think that getting someone to review my testing methods, study issues, and test anxiety issues was critical to my current succes and my future success. And of course, reading this forum really helps for those post test sleepless nights :)
Good luck to those yet to take the test and thanks to all of you who posted your experiences and consequently, helped me through these difficult times!
I hope what I write will give others comfort since I feel like this forum definitely comforted me at times.
I have serious test anxiety and while doing fine in school and in clinical situations, the longer board exam was a killer.
Before my first attempt, I did not take any prep course and only reviewed materials on my own. Prior to my second attempt I took a course geared toward people with testing anxiety problems and just testing problems in general. I failed the second time after taking that course but I feel a lot of it had to do with not taking enough time to integrate what they had taught me, and therefore I still freaked on the second attempt.
Finally, I took a LOA from my school before my 3rd attempt and used what I had learned from the prep course in reviewing the material again. I did well over 8,000 questions by the time I had tried the test for the third time.
I also took a beta blocker during the practice tests, sometimes while studying, and did hypnosis and massage. After that, I was able to improve my score by 42 points. Some will say my score is not spectacular but I really don't care about that. What I do care about is that I have found a method that works for me in dealing with these board exams, and that I didn't give up.
It really is possible to find what will work for you and to pass these tests. I also think that getting someone to review my testing methods, study issues, and test anxiety issues was critical to my current succes and my future success. And of course, reading this forum really helps for those post test sleepless nights :)
Good luck to those yet to take the test and thanks to all of you who posted your experiences and consequently, helped me through these difficult times!