Tag Archive for: Studying

Getting the facts straight: Truth and LIES about the USMLE Exam

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When preparing for the USMLE Exam it’s important to get the facts right.

Getting the facts straight: Truth and LIES about the USMLE Exam

First, Let’s sort out the USMLE LIES…

❌ The more you put off your test and study, the better your score is going to be.

Studies show that cramming can actually be hurtful. Med school is a full-time job and you need to manage your time wisely. You should study alongside your course work AND practice practice practice… But if you take too long and say you’re not ready, you may lose info that you focused on months or weeks back.

❌ Using as many resources as you can leads to a better score.

This will just flood your brain with info. The most ideal way to study is by using practice question banks that imitate real-life tests. While everyone had various study methods, research shows that the Practice Q-Banks hold higher retention than lectures or reading combined.

❌ Practice Question Banks are all the same!

NOPE. You want to ensure you’re not just getting the information correct but that it matches the real-life test. Many question banks are NOT formatted properly and will only just feed you endless information… Thankfully, our USMLE question bank is formatted to get the most out of your learning experience. Studies have proven members who use formatted practice q-banks have a much higher score/pass rate.

NOW, Let’s get the TRUTH right so you can pass your USMLE With Ease!

✅ The more practice questions you study with, the higher your USMLE Score will be.

As we covered before about the Pract. Q-Banks, you want to ensure you’re studying with resources that will benefit you. They say practice makes perfect and this is 100% true!

✅ There is no “one perfect way” to prepare for the USMLE Exam.

Find a study plan and create one that works for YOU. Everyone is different so don’t listen to the noise others spew about how YOU should be studying.

✅ With the right study plan, you will pass!

This goes with any test and we’ve covered it before, put in the work, create a plan, and dive in. If you’re prepared it’s almost impossible to fail.

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We hope this helps! What other lies or statements have you heard? DM or Contact Us to let us know. We love hearing your feedback!

Group Studying VS Self Studying (Which is better?)

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an illustration of Students sitting around a table studying together. A text bubble reads "ok next chapter"

Studying alone vs with a group is just a personal choice right? Well not exactly… 🤔⁠ It turns out that studying can actually be MORE effective than when alone & have other pros!

🥰 When in a group…⁠
– You’re held more accountable to study.⁠
– You can feel more motivated as the topics will seem less mundane.⁠
– Human interactions can lower your stress and anxiety levels.⁠
– You get an extra rewarding feeling when answering questions correct (since others are there to praise you)⁠
– Share various techniques (you might find something NEW that works better for you!)⁠
– You can test each other so it’s not just constant question review.⁠
– You will ensure you’re not missing any subjects.⁠
– You will have a higher chance of staying more organized.⁠
– You won’t be the only one providing info, others can take the load off of you.⁠
– Best of all, you may build and create new long lasting friendships! You’re all going through the same things…it will bring you closer together!⁠
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Now of course with any positive comes the negative so be careful… studying with others can lead to more distractions, side conversations, and procrastination ❌ If at any point the studying isn’t working make sure you make adjustments as needed.⁠
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But hey…If you’ve never tried a group setting give it a shot!…it can be the great start of fun times after you study!⁠

Did you know we offer a FREE trial for our question banks? Just head over to our website (exams.mypsychboard.com) to get started today risk-free (with no Credit Card required!)

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How To: Choose the best path when studying for your Psychiatric Board Exams!

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An image reading "Choose the best path when studying for your Psychiatric Board Exams!" - in the image is a dark path for stressful exam prep OR a light path for easy studying.

When taking your journey there are many choices you can make that will either help or hurt you in studying. Would you want to take a path that seems rocky & has a higher chance of failure OR one that is sunny & straightforward?

Everyone is different when it comes to taking tests & exams BUT, if you go into your exam with a clear plan your odds of passing become so much higher already!

🤨 “So what’s your advice then?”

You’ve taken tests all your life & know what works for YOU. Take a look back at some of your best / worst tests. Write down the areas you think hurt you & those that helped so you won’t make the same mistakes. Just focus more on the positive areas than the negative.

If you spend more time worrying & less time studying/creating a plan you’re just going to make things worse. You’ll just stress yourself out. The exam is only a small moment in time so don’t let it run months of your life.

⏰ Since we’re talking about time, remember to pace yourself!

Some people finish within seconds to spare & others finish early, but again, we’re all different. There are a few strategies that you can put into place. We’ve outlined two, but we recommend researching more about what others have done.

1️⃣ Review & Tag Method:
Read your question & choose the answer you think is right after thinking quickly about it. Tag questions for review & return to them later. This will keep you moving quickly through the exam hitting questions you’re confident about. When you complete the questions go back & spend more time on the ones you weren’t sure about.
(*Some exams do NOT allow tagging. DM us if you want to learn if you’ll be affected).

2️⃣ Using every second:
It’s not a race, so if you’re the type who feels more confident taking it slow then do it! Spend as much time as you can considering each option & remove the choices you know that wouldn’t be correct. It’s better to answer every question than to leave it blank. You still have a higher chance it’s right.

When your exam is done, leave it in the past. There’s no point saying “I should’ve done this”.Well, that’s enough for now so we will focus on what to do AFTER your board exams in a future post…

Stay tuned!

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