How I Passed the PANCE after Failing it

[dogrgreat]

TLDR: People do fail the PANCE. This is what I did to ultimately pass the PANCE. Resources to consider include MedGeeks, Osmosis, PPP, Rosh, and U World. No I don't work for any of the above mentioned companies so I don't have an incentive to recommend those resources. Keep pushing forward, feel free to DM me with any ?s.

This is going to be a long post about what I did to pass the PANCE. Disclaimer, this is what I did and this is what worked for me. (I know it may not work for everyone.)

If you're a PA student I'm sure the PANCE has crossed your mind at some point. For most of us there's a sense of anxiety and fear attached to standardized testing. While people have graciously posted their stats on here with their GPA, PACKRAT, and EOR scores as a point of reference, many of the OPs don't find themselves at the bottom 33% of their respective class. (Many also don't have lower PACKRAT or EOR Scores). As someone who was part of the above-mentioned group, I often felt so alone and that passing the PANCE was going to be impossible. But I'm literal proof that you can have lower PACKRAT/EOR scores/be in the bottom 33% of your class and still pass the PANCE. (Even if it ends up taking more than one attempt).

Here are my recommendations:

I. For anyone that's still in didactic/still in PA school don't be scared to ask for assistance. Most programs have a learning specialist, counseling services, tutoring, mentors, program advisors, or disability resource centers. Be proactive and honest with yourself to see what you need. (Maybe you need strategies to overcome test anxiety, have an undiagnosed learning disability, need direction as to how to study, or are facing external stressors that are impacting your ability to focus in school...these resources found in most programs can often help you not only be successful in PA school but also set you up for successes on the PANCE. For example, if you have a disability, you may qualify for testing accommodations for your EORs and the PANCE!)

II. Recognize that failing the PANCE isn't the end of the world. I'm not going to lie/sugar coat the emotions that go with failing the PANCE. It fucking sucks! I know I felt stupid, embarrassed, my imposter syndrome was at an all time high, financial worries, and there was uncertainty as to what I should do next.

If you find yourself in this situation, breathe, cry, and feel those emotions. Know that you're not alone. Sure, most test takers pass but failing doesn't mean that you're incapable or stupid. Seek out someone you trust: counseling services, a good friend/family member, therapy, or the PAstudent Reddit Community for support.

Remember you were accepted into your PA program from hundreds of applications. You have studied and worked your ass off to get through PA school. This is the last step. (Of course a big learning occurs during your first few years of clinical practice). Remember, if you weren't equipped with the knowledge or skillset to pass the PANCE, you wouldn't have gotten this far!

It took time and work, but as soon as I changed my mindset post failure, it drastically changed how I was able to study and retain information. You need to believe that you can and you need to believe in yourself!

III. My study plan was 12 weeks. (I think you can totally shorten it to 4/6-8 weeks depending on your foundation.) I felt like my foundation was lacking so I gave myself more time to study and review. I printed a calendar as well as the official Blueprint for all of the testable topics on the PANCE. (You can also use a digital calendar too). Then I assigned topics that I would go over each day during the 12 week process and my approach was systems based. The goal each day was to spend between 6-8 hours studying with one day off a week.

IV. Overall tips: Limit the number of resources. There's so much out there that you could use here's what I recommend:
a) 1-2 board specific books (Pance Prep Pearls or First Aid Step 1/2 or Current). I used PPP but added notes in the books when I studied.
b) Question Banks (I used both ROSH and U-World).
c) Supplement missing knowledge/gaps in foundation with videos/lectures that are specific to the PANCE. This may not work for everyone but I like lecture style learning/visuals so I used a combination of MedGeeks, Osmosis, and CramthePANCE (youtube channel). - CramthePANCE is free, there are some osmosis videos on youtube that are also free, and MedGeeks (can be expensive but I felt like I needed it )
d) Find a SMALL group or another person that you can study with. My study group ended up being people I met online. Even though we lived in different states and timezones, we met up 1-2 times a week via google meet/zoom to do questions together. It was a safe space to learn from each other. Yes, sometimes group dynamics don't always work out. Our group did change over time, but remember YOUR time is limited and valuable. This isn't social hour so your group has to stay on task.
e) make a notebook of things that you confuse or things that are always commonly tested
My PA program emphasized things like tumor markers, cranial nerves, rheum. tests, vaccine schedules, health screenings, and murmurs. Review this daily - it's easy points that you don't want to miss.
f) stay focused and productive during your study time. I used a combination of apps like studybunny and youtube "study with me videos" to stay on track. It also made me feel less lonely. I like the Pomodoro Technique; however, I modified it. I often used the 50:10 (50 minutes of work and 10 minutes of break) but if I was on a roll/in the zone and felt focused I would sometimes go 90 minutes of work: 15 minute break. You can stretch your work time longer if you're feeing okay.

IV. Strategy for the test: At the end of the day it's all about getting as many points as you can so that your score falls into that 350 threshold. You don't have to get everything correct just enough to pass and to get that -C.

With long vignettes, it can feel overwhelming with all of the information/labs provided in the question stem. I recommended reading the last 2 sentences first. Often times the diagnosis is provided to you in these long stems and they may be looking for the best laboratory test or a likely physical exam finding or the pathophysiology or the best treatment. This could save you time and help your brain focus on what the question is asking.

Don't be afraid to flag questions, pick an answer, and then go back to it if you have time.

Seek accommodations if you qualify. Apply early as the process can take a few weeks.

Find a test center location that you are comfortable with and take it at a time that works for you. If you're a night owl, don't take the exam at 8 AM. There should be other alternatives available.

V. Daily schedule: 6-8 hour day

• Breakfast
• (I'm not great at studying at home so...) Drive to either Starbucks or the Public Library
• Start the day by taking 20 minutes reviewing that notebook of things that are commonly tested/things that you get confused. Leave room so you can add more to it.
• Review: Spend 30 minutes - 1 hour reviewing concepts that I had previously studied. Note: If you covered 10 diseases processes the day before pick out the things that you aren't as familiar with. You don't need to review everything.
• Break 10-15 minutes only. Stretch/walk around/use the restroom/grab a snack
• Content Review: I would spend the next 3-4 hours reviewing the disease processes/medical conditions that I had assigned myself for the day. Using Osmosis, Cram the PANCE, and Medgeeks I added notes to my pages on PPP. During this 3-4 hour period I would use the Pomodoro Technique/study with me videos/study bunny to help keep track of time.
• Break 10 - 15 minutes
• Question Bank: 2-3 hours
  • Rosh: I would do 15-30 questions on the topics I reviewed for the day
  • U-World: I would do 15-30 questions on ALL topics including things that I have no reviewed yet
  • I always used tutor mode. I would take 60 seconds to read the question and set a timer. After that 60 sec period, I would pick an answer. When I had finished a complete set then I would go back and review my answers. Figure out why you got an answer wrong. If you got it correct figure out if your rationale was correct or if it was a lucky guess. I would then add more pearls and notes into my PPP or personal notebook.
• Dinner, exercise, relax
• During the last 20 minutes before bed, I would pull out that notebook again and review it
• Sleep at least 6 - 8 hours a day
• Repeat
• On some days time spent on content review/question bank was shortened because I set time aside for me to do questions together with my study group.
• As I got closer to the exam, less time was spent on pure content review and more time was spent on questions. I also did 4 full length mock exams as I got closer to the test date.

I apologize for this super long post. Again, this is not something that everyone needs to do in order to pass the PANCE. But this is what I had to do. And to that person that's reading this who may have just received the news that they failed, remember you're not alone. People do fail this test but you can absolutely get past it!

Edited July 31, 2022 by dogrgreat

[Kipley]

I def could use your help and your words/this post meant the world to me. I’m on my last attempt at the Pance. I def was in the bottom bracket of my class during PA school (graduated in 2016). My first name is Kipley, I live in San Diego, and my cell is 619-459-9392 should you be able to reach out. I def would like someone to study with/tutor that you’d recommend should that be possible. Thanks again! 

[dogrgreat]

@KipleySent a text to your number you provided. 

[KayBee90]

Would love to get some info and support as well after reading your post. My test is in a few weeks and this will be my 3rd attempt. Would love to get your help. 

[PhaTran]

Hello friend,

I was in your spot couple months ago. I failed the PANCE 4 time. At my last chance, I did seek out for help from my school professor, my doctor, and all the sources that I could find on Youtube, quizlet, ... you name it. Then I came across Dr. Athas's course from one of the recommendation I found on this PA forum. I decided to took his course along with 14 hours private tutoring. Then I passed! The course will take you through all the basis to blueprint, which will make you a lot more confident. Wish you the best!

[SANTHRA]

On 12/20/2022 at 1:11 AM, PhaTran said:

Hello friend,

I was in your spot couple months ago. I failed the PANCE 4 time. At my last chance, I did seek out for help from my school professor, my doctor, and all the sources that I could find on Youtube, quizlet, ... you name it. Then I came across Dr. Athas's course from one of the recommendation I found on this PA forum. I decided to took his course along with 14 hours private tutoring. Then I passed! The course will take you through all the basis to blueprint, which will make you a lot more confident. Wish you the best!

Hi can you please share your score. I failed pance with a score of 325 for my first try. I just wanted to see how much I need to work on. 

[DiehardFiero]

@SANTHRA

Hey, I just found this thread and thought I'd add my 2 cents! I failed it my first time through and I'm working with a great tutor, his name is Dr. Singh. He's worked with a number of PA students before and has been really helpful in guiding my study, working through practice questions with me, etc. If you're interested, his number is 404-654-0133 and email is chicagodlsinc@gmail.com. Hope that helps!