MT Board Exam: Tips and Recommendations
I’ve been receiving a lot of messages asking for tips for the upcoming boards. So to “simplify my life”, I decided to just make this post J
Do not panic. Please, wag magpadala sa pressure. Hindi healthy sa brain yan. Wag nang makipagsabayan sa friends mo. So ano ngayon kung naka 3 subjects na sila tapos ikaw isa pa lang? Okay lang yun. Just take it easy. Matatapos mo rin yan J
Your review center exam results are made not to depress you. It is actually for you to know what topics you are weak at and needs to improve.
Review your assessment and removal exams. So ganito ang effective na pagrereview (in my point of view): Try to answer the test again. Isa isahin mo yung choices and learn to cancel out. Explain to yourself kung bakit eto ang best answer, at bakit yung iba hindi. Sa boards kasi, halos lahat sa choices, pwede. You just have to pick the best.
Wag baliwalain ang RECALL Questions. Base on my experience, yung ibang mga questions na lumabas na sa previous boards, lalabas at lalabas ulit yon. You should list and compile every recall questions you get from the review center and from people na nagboards na.
1 word: Mneumonics. During your group study sessions, try nyo gumawa ng pneumonics with your friends. Dapat catchy at yung madali talagang tandaan. Yung mga tipong bastos since sila yung malaki ang chance magstay sa utak nga mga tao. Lol. This time lalabas talaga creativity nyo.
Do not read your 3rd year books! Hindi nyo na kelangan sina Rodak, Bishop, Harmening, etc etc. Wag na. Sayang lang sa oras. Kung bubuksan nyo sila, yung chapter at a glance na lang and review questions.
Make your own study schedule. And stick to it.
A month before the boards, by this time dapat lahat ng subjects nadaanan mo na. So dapat by topic na yung sched mo this time. For example, for the whole morning today, you will be reviewing Liver function tests. Mamayang PM, semenalysis. Tonight, fixatives. Then tomorrow, coagulation. This is to make sure na nadaanan mo lahat ng important topics. And walang subject na macocompromise.
Believe in yourself. It is just a matter of confidence. Dapat alam mo sa sarili mo na kaya mong sagutan lahat ng tanong sa boards. Say no to negative thinking. Isipin mo, mag totopnotcher ka. Yung ginagawa mong pagrereview, hindi lang para pumasa, kundi para maging topnotcher. At least kapag lumabas na ang result ng exam, hindi ka man maging top, at least the next thing below is pasado ka naman. Malay mo, magtop ka talaga diba J As this saying says: “Shoot for the moon, so if you fail, you’ll land among the stars.”
Highly recommended reads:
Rodriguez (for Clin Chem)
Gregorio’s (for Histopath) (for UST students: read your histopath lab manual!!!)
Strassinger Ăź this is the only book that you need to read for CM
Steininger and Brown (for Hema)
Good Luck, future RMTs! :D