Exam Prep for PANRE

[LinaC]

 

I am planning to take my first ever recertification exam next year. I'll share how I'm preparing for it and I would be grateful if others could share their tips with me too? 

 

Initially I was using medical textbooks but I noticed I was spending too long on the finer details and not progressing through the blueprint conditions at a reasonable pace. So I changed my revision tactic with a focus on high yield topics in different specialities. It was going well and I did cover a wide range of common conditions. I decided it would be a good idea to do some exam questions alongside my revision. I usually leave this to the end but as I have a history of anxiety around exams I thought its best to practice as much as possible.

 

Recently, I came across UWorldPA and decided to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. In the past month, this has been my main revision tool because it enables me to do active recall of learnt material.

 

I'll expand on how I have been using UWorldPA for the benefit of those that haven't used it yet (I've read a post on this forum and it seems that UWorldPA Qbank is a new product available for PAs (?). That may explain why all the questions I have answered have been updated in either September or October 2020.

 

UWorldPA QBank:

 

I use the app for answering questions usually during the day (good interface and easy to use). In the evening, I use the website to read the answers and view images/diagrams properly on a bigger screen under 'tutor' mode.

 

The questions are all blueprint-focused. It has a comprehensive coverage of a variety of conditions that you'll see in clinical practice. I have answered questions/clinical scenarios that I have not seen in other Qbanks. The questions promote critical thinking and the explanations of answers deepen knowledge base. I have to say, I am most impressed with the tutor explanations. It is so so good! In comparison to another app that I used previously, UWorldPA Qbank provides a summary of the condition (good to refresh your memory), a concise explanation for the correct answer (not lengthy like the textbooks) AND negates the incorrect answers (this is super helpful to be aware of to avoid making mistakes). It is a great learning tool. The questions are relatively lengthy so I give myself a minute to read and answer (it takes me roughly 45 seconds on average but I have noticed I'm improving with that too) - there is a timer on the app/website to keep track). It contains an in-built flashcard feature, you just need to right click and add to flashcard pops up- this saves you from opening up another app to create flashcard decks. 

 

A useful feature is checking your performance stats which are compared to peers but also individualised. Surprisingly according to my 'exam' performance it seems that I am doing great in Paediatrics (least favourite speciality in PA school). 

 

The best thing about UWorldPA QBank is that I have gone through more content in a short period of time than I did between August to October. 

 

Is there anything else I should include in my revision for the PANRE? If there are any other resources that is worth looking into please let me know.

 

Thank you!