Tayce Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I knew the AAPA book front and back and Datachem inside and out. Combine that with 6 years of FP/EM/IM and I was sure things would go well. As much as I was planning to write an "I'm nervous" or "That was hard" or "I should have studied better" post...I am left feeling disgusted and questioning the intent of the question writers/scorers, much like the other people posting here lately. My test was composed of genetics, opthamology, peds urology, and pharm. There were meds that I made a point of memorizing to look up later since I'd never heard of them. Some were recalled in the 80's and never used. Seriously? I went in knowing primary care and a lot about it but now can see what all the PANRE fuss is about. If this is what our professions representation has turned into them I'm thoroughly disgusted to admit I'm part of the profession. There were about 30% questions that had anything to do with patient care or primary care. I kept score on my little eraser board of questions aimed at primary care and not Oncologists, Opthamologist, Urologists, or Geneticists. I expected to walk out nervous and stressed, but there was no way to study for what was thrown at us today. After reading everyone's posts, several from educated friends that haven't passed, I can empathize with you now as there is no way I could have passed when educated guessing was the best tool in my tool box after months of studying. I guess the NCCPA has decided to support the role of Nurse Practitioners and give the jobs to NP's who don't require retesting. Nice work NCCPA. I appreciate your loyal representation as do the other PA's who's checks you can cash repeatedly for retesting..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crosby1 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 i completely and totally agree. i failed the PANRE miserably. the questions were vague and confusing at best. this was my 4th recert, i've been in the profession for 25 yrs. i studied like crazy for this exam; thought i knew pretty much everything. there were questions with a CT scan shown!! really??? what primary care PA is expected to know how to read an abdominal CT scan????? and just one slice of the scan at that!! i was also expected to interpret an abdominal ultrasound! and furthermore, you better know your meds inside and out. on this, the questions were completely inconsistent....sometimes they gave you the generic name, and sometimes both the generic and trade names. hey!! nccpa! what if i don't know the generic name for EVERY SINGLE MEDICATION EVER INVENTED?????? do you think maybe, just MAYBE, you could be consistent and give both names when you ask medication questions?????? i think this exam is a complete joke, but yet i have to pay nccpa another $350 for the "privilege" of taking it again!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Yes, finally someone who really understands what I meant by the questions were so far fetched......I still can't find answers to some that I remember. I am taking the PANRE for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. I have watched all the lectures from UMDNJ, read Van Rhee and I am on my 1200th question with ExamMasters. I just studied the AAPA book last test which was in June, right after the change. This scares me a little knowing you just took the test and I take it again 2 weeks. This is my final retake before my NCCPA credential expires in December. Great here goes to no sleep and dreaming I am going to lose my job again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj11 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 So what do advise someone like me who is taking it in a week? How should I spend this week, knowing that I will be working about 60 hours? BTW, is the test done on a computer or do you bring in a pencil like the old days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Go to NCCPA and pay to take a practice test. That is exactly what the test is going to be like. It is on a computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj11 Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Okay, so I took the practice test this morning. It seemed very reasonable and nothing bizarre and did well. Does this reflect on the real test at all? I keep hearing these horror stories about the bizarre questions. So for you who did the practice exam, was it in the same universe as the real thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 The practice test is the layout and format of the real test. I did think the practice test was easy and did fairly well on it but didn't pass the PANRE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj11 Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 The practice test is the layout and format of the real test. I did think the practice test was easy and did fairly well on it but didn't pass the PANRE. Now that is damn reassuring . . . :>) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I am sorry. Trust me I am trying everything and trying to be honest. I studied for 3 months for the first test but only form the AAPA book and a few questions. This time I did the UMDNJ lectures, Van Rhee, exam masters and paeasy. I feel a little but more confident but I am not passing all of these tests yet either. I took the NCCPA practice test and passed with only one area to focus on but they only had 1- 2 questions so you miss one and you don't do well in that area. Not that accurate. I take it next weekend....UGH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIPPER Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Please review the Appleton and Lange (yellow book) and do another NCCPA practice test. If you think about it, the NCCPA practice is 120 questions fromthe real test-bank (retired)....thus if you take 2 exams and combine the results, then there you go....You'll have a reasonable idea of future results.... I googled USMLE step 3 pearls and found pages and pages of key concepts.... the last few nights before my exam I scanned these.... I also believe that proper testing skills are very important...Always rule out obvious wrong selections, as it does improve odds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Brian I saw that you graduated form Nova. So did I but in 2005. I already used all three of my NCCPA tests. Did fairly well except for those areas that I need to study some more. I definitely feel like I am more prepared this time so hopefully it will pay off next weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIPPER Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I'm sure you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCMA79 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I am recerting for the 5th, and hopefully final, time . I called NCCPA and they said the current PANRE is 240 questions instead of the old 300 but the blueprint and format remained the same. Did the scoring stay the same with 700 being the max score? I haven't worked in a clinical role in 12yrs and I'm sweating bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celtic33 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I have been practicing for 13 years, mostly in surgical subspecialties. I opted for the Adult Medicine option because I never see kids and I don't do general surgery. I took it last week and FAILED. I did the UMDNJ online coarse and supplemented that with the AAPA book. I think I could have studied more which would have helped, but I agree wit hte the theme of this blog .... a lot of pointless, "What the F*$% are you asking that for" questions. I am all for being an educated practitioner, but I will never treat, or see 95% of what some of these questions are asking. I now get to stress for 85 more days before they allow the right to give them another $350 dollars just to be mesmorized again by their questions. If I don't pass, I lose my job (I am the breadwinner for my wife and 2 kids). I work 50-60 hours per week and my weekends are full of stuff with my family/home ... thanks NCCPA... cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.. as long as you get your money!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayce Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 I took two practice tests from the NCCPA and did great. The layout was the same and it asked normal questions. There was nothing about the genetics or what dose of dye is used in a 3 year old for an IVP to establish if they have PCKD. Ya, format same. Questions, nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayce Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 I still don't know my results but if you're asking what to do with the next week of your life. Put your feet up, crack a beer, and relax. There was NO book that would have prepared me for the genetics (in depth) questions they asked or the in depth peds nephrology. My friend who's a pediatrician didn't know the answers to three peds urology questions and stated one of them was a disease he forwards to MAYO clinic since there are only about 20 cases a year in the USA. And listing diseases and asking what type of walkers I would recommend by BRAND name was insane. Pass or fail I feel that this was two steps ahead for Nurse Practitioners. When our own society doesn't want us around that says alot. I'm only 6 years into this profession and already considering going back to school as I do not believe our future is bright when I see our own NCCPA trying so desperately to trick us into failing repeatedly. It also tells the physicians in the practices that we are too "dumb" to pass a basic test and yet NP's don't have to ever prove their knowledge. My own employer stated PANRE's are an inconvenience to them and are glad their NPs don't have to redo them. I'm disgusted. Pass or fail. Disgusted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Tayce....You got the walker question?! I use that question as an example of how bad the test was. Yes, I did know other questions but the rest were just like this and I still do not know what the answer is and I even asked a neurologist and orthopedist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIPPER Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Does anyone know somebody who has failed and said "they deserved to fail"? I know of one person who failed b/c that person didn't devote much time to review...I'm certain he'll do fine when he retakes. I admit I had a feww obscure genetic questions... one being a dominant/recessive flow chart... which is obviously othing related to direct patient care. As I said there were a lot of pediatric -based questions on m y test...nothing I prepared for with an adult-based concept test..but I knew my other topics.... I don't know what to say.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Lippman. I know there really isn't anything that you can say that will help and I know you are trying to help. :smile: I guess we just need a place to vent to someone else other our spouses who do not understand, unless they are in the profession. Only ourselves can pass the test but it is better (not that we want anyone to fail) knowing someone is going through the same thing you are. Hopefully I will pass the 2nd time after 3 months (total of 6 months) studying and doing over 2000 questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIPPER Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 You WILL pass... No worries... Believe me....I know how you feel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celtic33 Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 I hope you passed. There was a question about what walker a child should sue? You had questions on genetics?? That is crazy. I didn't have those. I had the adult medicine test. What test did you have with those questions? I hope it was the primary care one!! I failed. I only failed by 20 points though, so I am close. I feel confident I will pass the 2nd time. If I don't pass, I lose my job, I likely would have to sell my home and move to a lower income neighborhood with bad schools for my kids, so I have no pressure.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayce Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 I had the primary care one. And I had over 30 questions on genetics. I had genetics as an undergrad class so I made a few educated guesses, but there were things that had NOTHING to do with primary care. If I hadn't studied and hadn't passed my PANCE at a very high percentile, and hadn't memorized multiple books, and hadn't been prepared I'd say "Oops, I didn't study. I didn't know what type of pneumonia has rust colored sputum or what kind of cast to put on a Colle's fracture." But This was NOTHING in ANY book I've every reviewed. I had 3 walker questions/cane questions for different diseases. When I asked the neurologist he said "None of them are sufficient. Patient must be in a wheelchair at that stage." Great. And I loved when they'd list a disease process that was super easy with 3 right answers and an "ask a specialist"...on OM? Really? I felt like I was walking into a test on medicine and being asked to build a spaceship. LOL Still no results. I'm hoping for the best and that my old genetics class helped some. I've heard others that say they didn't pass because they just didn't study hard enough and maybe I'm one of those....but I can't imagine what else I could have studied....short of doing a 7 year internship in genetics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celtic33 Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 30 questions on Genetics... you must be F'in kidding me!! What is the NCCPA thinking?? Who writes this stuff. I did well on my PANCE and my first PANRE 6 yrs ago with only minimal studing. I am a much better PA now than I was 6 years ago and I failed this one. Something has changed and it seems like all that money to AAPA does NOTHING. I am freaking out for my 2nd test(and last shot) PANRE. In some ways, I wish I didn't know how bad it was out there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celtic33 Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 crosby1, what test did you take? I did adult medicine and they had 3 EKGs, and 3 Chest xrays, 1 dermatology picture, that was it, no CT scans, or Ultrasounds. I failed mine (13 yrs in profession--first failure, or even close to failure) I was thinking of switching to Primary care this time but I heard about genetic questions and questions about which cane to use were on the primary care test, so for me ... no way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennbrat Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Celtic33, I know your pain. I have to sit for it next weekend and I am really scared that they will give me the same test. This will be my last and final before my NCCPA license expires. I took the primary care one in June and failed. There were genetics and walker questions. There was a DM1 question that was so vague that all the answers could of been right. My husband has DM1 so I can answer those pretty easily. I debating if I should push my date our farther just incase they have a window for how long they give a particular test for and I get the same one that I took 3 months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.