Guest RyzPert Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Hey all... So if anyone has experience with the good ol' Exam Master, I'd like to go on record to say that it may be messing with my brain, lol. I take the PANCE on monday, so of course I'm in total panic mode. However, I wish (and I'm sure most people do) that there was some better correlation with all the practice tests. Practice exams for the aapa (purple book) and Davis have me in the 70-80% range, but Exam Master is totally brutalizing me!! :) I've taken 4 of the 6 comprehensive pance sections, with an average of about 65%. That seems pretty abysmal. So, I took the nccpa self assesment, which listed my overall perfomance in the middle of the high section (what the heck does that even mean, lol), with a few topics dipping a little bit into that ominous middle area. So, any thoughts about these numbers in terms of preparedness? Thanks in advance for any advice. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeltaDiva Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 From what I've read here...the Exammaster is harder than what you should see on the PANCE. I've taken 2 of the exammaster pance tests so far and my scores put me at 65% as well. For what it's worth, I'm sure you are going to do well and spank it. Let us know as soon as you find out something. I'm already nervous about the pance and I don't graduate until August :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 I can only tell you my experience with exam master. I would average 65% doing the practice exams. Got a 680 on the PANCE, 94% percentile. Don't be too worried, I am sure you did fine;). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RyzPert Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Thanks so much for the replies Diva and Brad. It makes me feel better that some smart folks are scoring in my range! Exam Master is really good in the fact that it forces you to do more higher level thinking than other practice exams do, but those scores were scaring me. :) So, today is my last study day and tomorrow I'm just going to have a little fun and get to bed early. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsPA Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 I agree with Brad and Diva. I would take a 90 question practice exam on exam masters after each organ system and I would score between 60-65%. It made me nervous also, because I felt like I wasnt performing well enough on the practice exams to pass the PANCE. I can reassure you that exam masters is harder than the actual PANCE. The questions on exam masters are longer and more in depth than the questions on the PANCE, so if ur scoring in the 60's I wouldnt be too worried. Hope this eases ur nerves a little ;). Good luck on ur exam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOOBOOO96 Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Good luck and spank the PANCE off. Keep us posted :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VM2002 Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Did Exam Master before taking the PANCE and was scoring in the 55-65% range, took the PANCE - felt like I failed - a week later I PASSED! Exam Master is extremely hard, but it's a good tool for critical thinking, and I felt alot of the topics covered in Exam Master were on the PANCE (at least the version I took) Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsPA Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Did Exam Master before taking the PANCE and was scoring in the 55-65% range, took the PANCE - felt like I failed - a week later I PASSED! Exam Master is extremely hard, but it's a good tool for critical thinking, and I felt alot of the topics covered in Exam Master were on the PANCE (at least the version I took) Good luck!! VM!! :-D Hows the job coming along so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azbrower Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Would you all mind elaborating on this "Exam Master"? Where do I get it? Also, what do you mean by "Davis" book? Is that the one written by Dr. Morton Diamond out of NSU Fort Lauderdale? I have that one, but have never heard of the "Exam Master". Anyone have a copy of "Exam Master" I can purchase from you (for cheap-cheap-cheap)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 http://www.exammaster.com/other-health-fields/physician-assistant It can't be bought "cheap"; its an on line test database. See the link..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I am totally convinced that using things like Exam Master, Kaplan Q bank, Challenger, data chem and the MEDEX has helped our students (the ones that really use it..lol) considerably. We see it in the differences in PANCE perfomance and PACKRAT scores. FWIW. Yes 60% with with Exam Master is a good thing. Its also a good thing to do programs like these in test taking and study modes. Lesh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosales Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Got to love exam master...So far, my program has exposed us to Exam Master, DataChem and the PACKRAT and I have to say that none humble you like Exam Master. I have to say Exam Master is my favorite even if my average scores range in the 50-60's. For anyone who has the opportunity to access exam master try the PANCE simulation portion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VM2002 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hey MSPA, job is great, paycheck is even better!! Hang in there all you PA new grads! Study hard - the reward is worth it! Exam Master was a huge help in my opinion - I wouldn't have passed without it. Like I said, the questions are far more in depth than the actual PANCE, but the topics covered in the questions were all over my PANCE exam! Remember to study Cardio HARD!!! There's alot on the exam! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kimmy Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I have been scoring between 55 to 60% on Exam Master. No matter how much I study I am scoring the same. This is very frustrating. Did anyone score in this range and passed the PANCE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinPat39 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 FYI- I scored 50-60% on exam master and did not pass the PANCE. I know that people do score in that range and pass but I was not one of them. My advise would be to make sure you know the more heavily weighted topics like Cardio, Pulm, Musculoskeletal, GI, EENT very well. Don't worry about Heme and ID as much. I don't want to scare you I just want you to pass the first time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atjross@aol.com Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 The harder the practice exam questions, the more you will learn! Definitely focus on Cardiology, Pulmonary, GI and Musculoskeletal since they make up the bulk of the examination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Be careful what you may post folks. We wouldn't want some of these post getting close to what the NCCPA might consider irregular behavior concerning the PANCE. FWIW, just saying...;) LesH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
late_bloomer Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I am getting the Exam master paranoia also... I read the van rhee and apaa sections and taking the exam master portion and getting around 55-60%.. Most of the ones I am missing are not in those books.. I will definitely concentrate on Cv, Pulm, GI, M/S, EENT but is the van rhee and apaa good enough?? Cause I can't read the current book all day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sanfran27 Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 I wanted to add that exammaster questions are very long and more difficult. I'm also scoring in the 55-60% range. Also kaplan bank question is also a good source for studying, questions are longer and challenging but the explanation is really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBanner Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I know this is an ancient thread so forgive me for resurrecting it, but I too have a case of the Exammaster paranoia. These are really higher level questions that anything I am used to. FWIW, my school averages in the top 4-6% of PANCE scores each year, and our exit exam is supposed to mimic the PANCE. I did fine on that exam and these Exammaster questions are brutalizing me. Here's hoping it pays off.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N701DS Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 My program uses EM heavily for end of rotation exams and summative. They require a 70% minimum to pass rotation exams, and an 80% to pass the final summative. On the surface it would appear that testing to higher standards would be helpful, but that appears to not be the case with us. Several of my friends passed the programs exams yet failed the PANCE the first time but passed on the second. Each of them explained that during the first try they "read into each question". During the second attempt they accepted that the questions were not trying to fool them and answered accordingly, and each person doubled their score. The point here is that EM is a great resource, but my personal feeling is that it can train a person to over analyze questions. This, coupled with the tremendous stress of "THE exam" can inhibit a test takers basic logical test taking skills. My program has a horrendous first time pass rate (72% vs national average of 91%) and I feel this is one element of the poor scoring. We spend three years being inundated with "gotcha" style questions that we carry that skepticism into the PANCE. This may be an old thread, but I would be very interested to hear from earlier posters that have now passed the PANCE how they feel about EM now that the stress has subsided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBanner Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Wow...good to know. My program has a 100% first time PANCE pass rate for like 5 years running....and that's not to brag; I dont consider myself exceptionally smart, but maybe it has to do with our exams. I literally only studied most commons and pathognomonics for our summative exam, and scored high 80's. I have noticed that EM has made me "gun shy" on straightforward questions...because I dont know how many times I've thought 'oh that's it, no doubt', and when I check the answer they nailed me on some uncommon feature or a technicality. One thing our board review kept repeating is that there is no extraneous information on the PANCE. If they mention it, it's pertinent to the question. I think it has a lot to do with how you are "conditioned" during the 2-3 years you are in PA school. There may be some selection factors in what type of students programs take, but overall I think PA students are above-average intelligence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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