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During the last few days before
the exam you should be tapering off your studying, and getting into mental and
physical shape.
1. This is not the time for cramming in new material,
but a time to organize and integrate what you already know. Work on making what
you know more accessible.
2. Review keywords, phrases and concepts. Look over
your summary notes one more time. This is the time to drill yourself on essential
information. The key is to practice recall, not simply read over the material
again. What you need to know is probably already in your head. Your task now
is to train yourself to access it when you need it. Doing practice questions
is a good way to reinforce your recall skills. Only remember, practice questions
are often harder than the questions on the real exam. Do not panic if you do
not get them right. Use them to clarify your understanding of key details.
3. No one can know everything that is asked on this
exam. Be honest with yourself about what you do and do not know. Knowing
that you do not know something gives you more of a sense of control on the exam
and makes you less likely to panic when you encounter the material and/or waste
time on questions you are not likely to get correct. When you come to a question
that you know that you do not know, simply mark your favorite answer choice
nd move on!
4. Get yourself onto the right time schedule. Wake
up every day at the same time you will need to on the day of the exam. This
will get your circadian rhythm coordinated with the exam schedule. Do not nap
between 8:00am and 5:00pm. Otherwise you will accustom your body to shutting
down during the critical exam hours. If you get up at the right time each day,
you will also find it easier to fall asleep at night. By getting into the proper
sleep-wake cycle, you will find it easier to get to sleep the night of the exam
as well.
5. You should be getting a sufficient amount of sleep.
For most people that means at least 6 to 7 hours a night. Sleep is an essential
time for your brain to consolidate what you have learned. You need sleep; it
makes you a more efficient learner when you are awake.
6. Take some time each day to relax. Have a good
meal. Take a walk in the fresh air. Find time for exercise. The change of pace
will refresh you and the physical activity will help you relax and sleep at
night.
7. If you haven't done so already, visit the Sylvan
Center where you will be taking the exam. It will be indicated on your exam
entry ticket. This will ensure you know how to get there and how much time you
should allow for the commute. You can see where you should park, and see what
the computer set-up is like.
8. If you have not yet done so, review the tutorial
on the official USMLE CD-ROM. Become familiar with the interface, the location
of key information on the screen and how to navigate between screens. If you
walk into the exam familiar with the exam, you will not have to use any of your
valuable break time to do this on the test day.
Copyright © 2001, Kaplan, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Kaplan is a registered trademark of Kaplan, Inc. USMLE is a joint program of The
Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc. and the National
Board of American Medical Examiners
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