AACOM presentation on licensure exams

Transcription

AACOM presentation on licensure exams
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Preparing for
Licensure Examinations
Lisa Travis, MS, EdS
Medical Librarian, LMU-DCOM
Chelsea A. Nickolson, OMSIII
COSGP Medical Education Representative, LMU-DCOM
Donald J. Sefcik, DO, MBA
Senior Associate Dean, MSUCOM
Co-sponsored by
Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents
Council of Osteopathic Librarians
Society of Osteopathic Medical Educators
March 30, 2012
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Goal of this session
From librarian, student, and faculty perspectives,
this session will describe the current practices and
best practices in preparing for the National
Licensure Exams.
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Part 1 – Librarian Perspective
Survey about COMLEX-USA Level 1 Resources
in 2010 and 2011
Survey about COMLEX-USA Level 2 Resources
in 2012
So many review books and databases
Few available electronically
COMLEX-USA Level 1 Survey
2010 – 205 students
2011 – 395 students
7 osteopathic medical schools
Q1: List the three books that you consider most helpful for reviewing for the
COMLEX Level 1 exam.
2010
2011
First Aid for USMLE
47
95
OMT Review (Savarese)
18
61
Rapid Review Pathology (Goljan)
34
56
First Aid
24
53
Kaplan Review Books
26
30
Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple
8
22
BRS Physiology
5
12
First Aid for COMLEX
4
7
USMLE Step 1 Secrets
1
6
BRS Pathology
1
4
First Aid Cases
1
4
Kaplan for COMLEX
11
4
Step-Up to USMLE Step 1 (Mehta)
3
4
BRS
1
3
3
Kaplan COMLEX Level 2
1
3
Boards Boot Camp Materials
BRS Biochemistry
2
Crush
2
Flashcards (generic)
2
Q3: Please identify the board review resource (book or non-book) that you
consider to be the most helpful resource.
COMBANK
First Aid for USMLE
First Aid
Doctors in Training
Kaplan Course
USMLEWorld
Rapid Review Pathology (Goljan)
Boards Boot Camp
Question banks (generic)
OMT Review (Savarese)
PASS Program
BRS Pharmacology Flashcards (Kim)
BRS Physiology
ExamMaster
USMLE Step 1 Secrets
Wikipedia
Microcards
Unpublished notes
USMLE Consult
2010
2011
3
17
16
2
7
14
3
24
19
18
12
11
11
7
1
4
4
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey
Class of 2011 – 13/212 students
(6.13%)
Class of 2012 – 143/212 students
(67.45%)
Class of 2013 – 56/212 students
(26.42%)
7 osteopathic medical schools
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey
212 responses – 1 incomplete
7 GA-PCOM
34 LMU-DCOM
46 NYCOM
18 OU-HCOM
43 PCOM
28 UNECOM
33 VCOM-VC
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey
Three most helpful books – 15 responses
1st book (most helpful book)
3 – First Aid
3 – Step Up To Step 2
1 – Step Up To Medicine
1 - Boards and Wards by Carlos Ayala and Brad Spellberg
1 – Case Files
1 – Master the Boards
1 – Crush Step 2
1 – OMT review by Savarese
1 – NMS Series
1 – USMLE Step 2 (not a book)
1 – USMLEWorld (not a book)
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey
Three most helpful books – 13 responses
2nd most helpful book
4 – First Aid
3 – OMT review by Savarese
2 – Step Up To Step 2
1 – Step Up To Medicine
1 – Crush Step 2
1 – Doctors in Training (not a book)
1 – Combank (not a book)
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COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey
Three most helpful books – 8
responses
3nd most helpful book
5 – OMT review by Savarese
3 – First Aid
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey – How
helpful for CE exam (19 options)?
Very helpful – top five
42.93% (82/191) – COMBANK for COMLEX-USA
Level 2 CE
40.64% (76/187) - USMLEWorld for USMLE Step 2
CK
34.20% (66/193) - COMQUEST for COMLEX-USA
Level 2 CE
26.70% (51/191) – Doctors in Training for
COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE
23.91% (44/184) – COMSAE Practice Questions
for COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey – How
helpful for CE exam (19 options)?
Not very helpful – top five
10.22% (19/181) – Exam Master for USMLE Step 2 CK
8.15% (15/184) - COMSAE Practice Questions for
COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE
8.06% (15/186) – Kaplan Qbank for USMLE Step 2 CK
6.56% (12/183) – Northwestern Medical Review for
COMLEX-USA Level CE
5.49% (9/164) – Falcon Review materials for COMLEX
Level 2
5.39% (9/167) – Falcon Review materials for USMLE
Step 2 CK
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey – How
helpful for CE exam (19 options)?
Not familiar with the resource – top five
95.81% (160/167) - USMLEWeapon
95.18% (158/166) – Score95
93.33% (167/180) – MasteringBoards.com for COMLEXUSA Level 2 CE
92.86% (169/182) – Premier Review for COMLEX-USA
Level 2 CE
91.26% (167/183) – PASS Program for USMLE Step 2
CK; will design a program to meet a student’s
needs as well
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMSAE Practice Questions for
COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE (19 options)
23.91% (44/184) - Very helpful
20.11% (37/184) - Helpful
21.20% (39/184) - Somewhat helpful
8.15% (15/184) - Not very helpful
26.63% (49/184) - Not familiar with resource
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey –
How helpful for PE exam (9
options)?
Very helpful – top three
14.59% (27/185) – COMSAE information for
COMLEX-USA Level 2 PE
13.71% (24/175) - USMLEWorld for USMLE Step 2
CS
5.11% (9/176) – Kaplan materials for USMLE Step
2 CS
2% or less - All other resources
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey – How
helpful for CE exam (9 options)?
Not very helpful – top five
10.81% (20/185) – COMSAE information for COMLEXUSA Level 2 PE
6.36% (11/173) – Falcon Review materials for USMLE
Step 2 CS
6.36% (11/173) – PASS Program for USMLE Step 2 CS;
will design a program to meet student’s needs as
well
6.25% (11/176) – Northwestern Medical Review for
COMLEX-USA Level PE
5.11% (9/174) – Premier Review materials for USMLE
Step 2 CS
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 2 Survey –
How helpful for CE exam?
Not familiar with the resource – top five
93.71% (164/175) – Ximedus for USMLE Step 2 CS
91.48% (161/176) – MasteringBoards.com for
COMLEX-USA Level 2 PE
91.38% (159/174) – Premier Review materials for
USMLE Step 2 CS
91.33% (158/173) – Falcon Review materials for USMLE
Step 2 CS
90.91% (160/176) – Northwestern Medical Review for
COMLEX-USA Level 2 PE
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMSAE Informationfor COMLEXUSA Level 2 PE (9 options)
14.59% (27/185) - Very helpful
20.00% (37/185) - Helpful
12.43% (23/185) - Somewhat helpful
10.81% (20/185) - Not very helpful
42.16% (78/185) - Not familiar with resource
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Best Review Resource – Book or
Non-Book (15 responses)
4 – Doctors in Training
3 – First Aid
3 - COMBANK
2 – Kaplan Qbank
1 – COMQUEST
1 – Boards Boot Camp
1 – USMLEWorld
Survey Results
Lisa.travis@lmunet.edu
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Part 2- Student Perspective
•  COMLEX-USA Level 1 is the unknown
–  How to study?
–  What to study?
•  Time commitment
–  Keeping up with coursework
–  Maintaining balance
•  Stress increase
– 
– 
– 
– 
Consequences of not passing
Length of exam
Attaining competitive score
Cost of exam and prep materials
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Stress Effects on Learning and
Memory
•  Varies with type of
learning
–  ↑Simple Recall
–  ↓Problem Solving
•  Other Effects
– 
– 
– 
– 
Health and fitness
Relationships
Psych and mood
BALANCE!
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Mentorship
•  Students
–  OMS-III/IVs
–  National Organizations (COSGP!)
•  Faculty
•  Physicians
•  Administration
–  Correlations
•  Mentorship ≠ Sharing items from past/
future exams
•  Stay Positive!
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
COMLEX-USA Level 1 Survey
2012
•  Designed by COSGP Research
Representative, Kevin Ku, OMS-IV
•  458 Student Participants, OMS-IIIs only
•  14 Schools Represented
•  Participation Window: 2/27/12- 3/27/12
•  Data from April 2011 available for COMLEXUSA Level 2
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Time To Study
How much time off from classes did your school provide
between second and third year for board studying?
69%
7%
What were you doing academically at
the time you took COMLEX-USA Level
1?
18%
5%
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Methods Used
None
Independent
Study
3
1%
401
90%
Informal
Group Study
141
31%
Schoolsponsored,
noncommercial
review course
73
16%
Commercial
review
course/
program
243
54%
Commercial
question
banks
377
84%
Other
16
4%
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Most Useful Source
Of the following, please
indicate the #1 resource that
you found the MOST helpful
in your preparation
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
2nd Most Useful Source
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Least Helpful Source
Which resource did you find the LEAST helpful?
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
In Retrospect…PLANNING
“More questions and setting a higher personal
goal. I met mine, but then afterwards wondered
what would have happened if I aimed for a 700 or
750 instead.” –Score of 602
“Study over a longer period of time, not try to
memorize it all too late. Do more practice
questions. Needed more time to study.” – Score
of 380
“Started using my board review book during
systems courses and more questions.” –Score of
500
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
In Retrospect…ANXIETY
“I honestly believe I failed the first time not
because I was under prepared but because I had
too much anxiety and was way too 'in my head'.
Perhaps if there was a course on handling stress
during these exams or even just an assembly of
solid facts on how much our board scores affect
our residency applications.” –Score of 390
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
In Retrospect…TIMING
“I started USMLE World too early, I think it
would have been more beneficial to work
through it closer to my exam date” –Score of
674
“Focus more last week ... Was burned out when
I took my test and couldn't focus” –Score of
570
"Taken the test later so I had more time to
study after classes were done.” –Score of 487
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
What Else?
COMLEX-USA Level 1 Student Survey also
included:
•  Percent of lectures attended
•  Percent working (hours included in inc. of 10)
•  Specialty Choice
•  USMLE scheduling vs. COMLEX
•  USMLE scores
•  Requirements of COM/SOMs to take
COMLEX-USA Level 1
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Interested?
Contact COSGP for more survey data.
•  Chelsea Nickolson, OMS-III
Medical Education Representative
COSGPMedEdRep@aacom.org
-or•  Kevin Ku, OMS-IV
Research Representative
COSGPResRep@aacom.org
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Part 3 – Faculty Perspective
Standardized Tests
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Part 3 – Faculty Perspective
Standardized Tests
Roadmap - Where can you find it?
Test Blueprint
Table of Specifications
Bulletin of Information
www.nbome.org
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Part 3 – Faculty Perspective
Standardized Tests
Roadmap – How does it help?
What you will see
When you need to be there
How you should get there
Why it’s important
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Part 3 – Faculty Perspective
Standardized Tests
Roadmap – Greatest Utility?
What you will see
When you need to be there
How you should get there
Why it’s important
Content
Context
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Part 3 – Faculty Perspective
Standardized Tests
Content and Context
What you study
How you study
Determines your score!!
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
MBTI and COMLEX Scores
Sefcik, Prerost & Arbet, JAOA 2009
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Importance of Vignette
Examinees with Examinees with
Higher Scores
Lower Scores
No Vignette
99%
Short Vignette
98%
Long Vignette
98%
http://www.nbme.org/pdf/itemwriting_2003/2003iwgwhole.pdf
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Importance of Vignette
Examinees with Examinees with
Higher Scores
Lower Scores
No Vignette
99%
90%
Short Vignette
98%
82%
Long Vignette
98%
66%
http://www.nbme.org/pdf/itemwriting_2003/2003iwgwhole.pdf
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Standardized Tests
Stimulus
Content = What
Rehearsal Techniques
Inadequate because
SAME Context ~ 30%
Facilitation
Outcome
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Standardized Tests
Stimulus
New Context ~ 70%
Stimulus*
Stimulus^
Metacognition
A
Outcome
B
C
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Standardized Tests
Metacognition = Thinking about Thinking
How to study?
Associations
Retrieval
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Standardized Tests
More than content!
Study with context in mind!!
Don’t skim / Strive to Clarify
Avoid - Illusion of Competence
Annotate / Summarize
Create your own questions
Practice Recall
Study
with Peers (with a PAL)
Be
aware of your MBTI type / impact
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Take-Home: Standardized Tests
Content
Blueprint
ST
Scoring
Items
Skills
Timed
Guessing
Test-Wise Test-Takers: First Step in Preparing
SOAR
R
E
S
O
U
R
C
E
S
Selection
Attention
Storage
Organize
Encoding
Associate
Jairam & Kiewra (2009)
AACOM Annual Meeting 2012
Thank you!
Are there some questions?