Tag Archive for: question banks

How the 5 minute rule can help YOU!

stop watch for 5 minute rule

Spring is in the air, the sun is starting to shed some warm rays, and the first shoots of green grass are starting to burst out of the ground. If you’re like me, the LAST thing you want to do is be cooped up inside studying. Spring fever is real! But…so are exams 🙂

Some days it feels like there’s a mental block stopping you from doing anything productive. Whether it be due to distractions, mental overload, or just plain old tired of doing the same things, everyone feels this way from time to time. And let’s be real, being where you are right now is overwhelming. If you’re prepping for boards, maybe you’re in rotations, maybe you’ve got your own practice, either way there’s a lot of stuff going on around you. Your brain can get a little worn out from everything and demand a break. That’s where a good method like the 5 minute rule can come in!

What is the 5 minute rule?

The 5 minute rule is a concept used in several therapy modalities. It’s pretty simple- all you have to do is sit and do an activity for 5 minutes. That’s it. Then you can get up, walk outside for some fresh air, check your socials, do whatever you want. YOU GET YOUR BREAK!

The next step to this rule is after a while you go back and do another 5 minutes. 5 minutes on, an interval of time off, 5 minutes on, an interval of time off,– you get the point. Even though it doesn’t seem like you can do much in 5 minutes, you’d be surprised how far into a question bank you can get or how far into a chapter you can read in that much time. Especially when you’ve come back to it a few times!

So if the springtime song of birds are calling you to run outside, or the spring fever cleaning bug is making you want to reorganize your house, you can let it! Just slip in those 5 minutes throughout the day and you won’t get too off track.

Curious how far into a bank you CAN get in 5 minutes? Give our question banks a try- FREE- using our Free Trial! Jump on Test Mode and get a feel for how the timed version of exams work. Want more material to work with? Check out our Question Banks and find the perfect fit for you! Or, contact us with any questions you have so we can help you get your 5 minutes in!

Is the Multiple Choice Question Really the Worst?

the word "what" on a pile of question marks for multiple choice question

Most standardized tests, such as the USMLE, PMHNP, PRITE, or ABPN, are in multiple choice question format. The difficulty of MCQ tests seem to vary across individuals. Some love them, some (most?) hate them. There’s a biological reason for this!

Have you noticed that taking a test based on multiple choice questions makes you think differently compared to taking a test based on essays? Multiple choice questions make your brain process information differently. Specifically, multiple choice questions rely on recognition, whereas essay and open ended questions rely on retrieval.

Recognition… plus a little more

When you’re presented with options to answer a question, your brain kicks into recognition mode. It will look for associated information it has seen before to bypass using retrieval (a process that takes more effort). While this is cut and dry, an interesting phenomena can occur in regard to the distractor answers, i.e., the incorrect answers.

You may disregard the incorrect answers because you recognize the correct option, but your brain tucks those incorrect options away. Later, when you are presented with a question related to those answers your brain can spontaneously retrieve those answers more easily because its seen them associated with questions before. Crazy, right? Even if the MCQ test primarily uses recognition, your brain MacGyvers it into a means of storing more information to use later!

Ready to learn more?

Want to boost your brain storage for FREE? Give our question banks a try- FREE- using our Free Trial! Or if you’re ready to take the plunge, check out our Question Banks and find the perfect fit for you! Or, contact us with any questions you have so we can get you on the right path today!

REFERENCES:

Little JL, Frickey EA, Fung AK. The role of retrieval in answering multiple-choice questions. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2019 Aug;45(8):1473-1485. doi: 10.1037/xlm0000638. Epub 2018 Aug 16. PMID: 30113206.

Introducing: Observership Programs powered by My Psych Board

I bet you didn’t know we offered Observership programs right here at My Psych Board!

Yes, that’s right… we are your one-stop-shop place for all your studying needs, prep, and learning (and that’s not going to change)… We’re much more than your average Board Exam prep Q-Banks. But wait, we have much more to offer you. 

We can help get YOU into an Observership program which is an essential part of your career journey.

So what is an Observership & Why do residents need this?

Imagine an Observership as a Medical Internship that can be done both in person and via Telehealth to give residents practical, hands-on experience.

As part of this experience, you will be required to watch and listen to patient histories, physical examinations, procedures, surgeries, outpatient appointments, teaching rounds, and educational conferences. The entire experience is generally longer than a day, but no longer than 4 weeks!

The importance of this can not be overlooked. 

Most students will need to cover Observership hours to complete their residency.

Now of course this may not be required in your field so if you’re unsure if you need this (or just want to be safe) just send us a DM via our Instagram (@MyPsychBoard), Email, or drop us a call so we can point YOU in the right direction.

Ready to get started? Contact us today! We can’t wait to travel with you along your journey to passing your Psychiatric Board Exams!

A quick overview of the PRITE Exam

The Psychiatry Resident-In-Training Examination or “PRITE” is a resource used by residents and training programs.

The PRITE exam broken down

It’s used by residency programs to evaluate resident preparedness for the board exams. Typically during each year, residents in psychiatry take this exam. The test is administrated by the hospital where the residency program is located.

There are two types of each PRITE. The “Regular” PRITE and the Child PRITE.

The “Regular” PRITE is comprised of 300 questions which are tested and administered in two parts. It covers areas including (but not limited to); Neurosciences, Clinical Neuro/Psych, Behavioral/Social Sciences, and Issues in Practice.

The Child PRITE on the other hand was created for child Fellows. It’s a 200-question exam that contains child and adolescent psychiatry issues, topics, and more in-depth. Coverage areas include (but are not limited to); Clinical Neuro/Psych, Neuroscience, Development, Epidemiology, and treatment from infancy through Adolescence/Early Adulthood.

Although we’ve covered full exam costs in previous blog posts, to summarize the Regular PRITE is $140 to take whereas the Child PRITE is $125.

It’s our goal to help you pass the exam specific to your needs. We offer a full suite of practice Q-Banks on the PRITE and other resources which can help you pass your boards with ease.

Get practcing with our Question Banks (via our Free Trial) today! Still, feeling uneasy or overwhelmed? Contact us and we can help YOU pass your boards with ease!

Who Is My Psych Board ?

Prepare to pass your board exams with ease! My Psych Board offers access to four question banks, each uniquely tailored to the studying needs for those preparing to take the ABPN Certification Examination, PRITE Examination, USMLE – Psychiatry and Neurology categories, and Nurse Practitioner Examination.

My Psych Board is created by experts in the field and covers all the topics you need to master in order to pass your board certifying exams. Feedback is given immediately in Practice Mode as questions are answered, including in-depth explanations that accompany each question for both correct and incorrect answer options. Additionally, students have the option of accessing a one-time phone call with Dr. Abdel to discuss their best studying strategies and one-on-one tutoring to help them gain maximum preparation. My Psych Board is customer oriented; we take your feedback seriously and are always looking for ways to improve the user experience.

How can our study resources help YOU pass your board exams? Let us explain!

Have you ever used a company that books flights, cars, and hotels, and provides travel information? It’s perfect because you get everything you need all in one place, and it takes the stress out of traveling.

Hmm…Sounds familiar? That’s because we do the same… but for your Board Exams!

We are your one-stop website to help you learn, study, and easily pass your boards in your free time.

So why do you need to go anywhere else when everything is covered here? We offer: 

  • Free Trials
  • Niche-specific question banks
  • Expert assistance 
  • Up-to-date content
  • Telehealth observership/preceptorship programs (with an offered DISCOUNT on question banks!)

Whether it’s a q-bank trial, blog content, free helpful videos, or anything else you may need…Choose My Psych Board each time.

Our only goal is to see you succeed!

Access our question banks here to get started with a FREE trial (with No CC Required!) — Still, feeling unsure about your studies? Contact us and we can help YOU pass your boards with ease!

Who is My Psych Board?

Prepare to pass your board exams with ease! My Psych Board offers access to four question banks, each uniquely tailored to the studying needs of those preparing to take the ABPN Certification Examination, PRITE Examination, USMLE – Psychiatry and Neurology categories, and Nurse Practitioner Examination.

Within our customer service, we strive to provide you with the tools necessary to overcome any of your questions and obstacles that may get in your way. From general information, tutor calls, and just being someone to talk you through the challenging times of taking your board exams; we’re here for you!

Getting the facts straight: Truth and LIES about the USMLE Exam

When preparing for the USMLE Exam it’s important to get the facts right.

Getting the facts straight: Truth and LIES about the USMLE Exam

First, Let’s sort out the USMLE LIES…

The more you put off your test and study, the better your score is going to be.

Studies show that cramming can actually be hurtful. Med school is a full-time job and you need to manage your time wisely. You should study alongside your course work AND practice practice practice… But if you take too long and say you’re not ready, you may lose info that you focused on months or weeks back.

Using as many resources as you can leads to a better score.

This will just flood your brain with info. The most ideal way to study is by using practice question banks that imitate real-life tests. While everyone had various study methods, research shows that the Practice Q-Banks hold higher retention than lectures or reading combined.

Practice Question Banks are all the same!

NOPE. You want to ensure you’re not just getting the information correct but that it matches the real-life test. Many question banks are NOT formatted properly and will only just feed you endless information… Thankfully, our USMLE question bank is formatted to get the most out of your learning experience. Studies have proven members who use formatted practice q-banks have a much higher score/pass rate.

NOW, Let’s get the TRUTH right so you can pass your USMLE With Ease!

The more practice questions you study with, the higher your USMLE Score will be.

As we covered before about the Pract. Q-Banks, you want to ensure you’re studying with resources that will benefit you. They say practice makes perfect and this is 100% true!

There is no “one perfect way” to prepare for the USMLE Exam.

Find a study plan and create one that works for YOU. Everyone is different so don’t listen to the noise others spew about how YOU should be studying.

With the right study plan, you will pass!

This goes with any test and we’ve covered it before, put in the work, create a plan, and dive in. If you’re prepared it’s almost impossible to fail.

_____

We hope this helps! What other lies or statements have you heard? DM or Contact Us to let us know. We love hearing your feedback!

The ABPN Exam Blueprint and Format Broken Down

If you’re walking into your ABPN exam unsure of what’s to come it can just complicate and add stress to the process.

Two of the most common questions we get are… 

“How is the Psychiatry Certification Exam formatted?” and “Are there any breaks during the Exam?”. 

We are here to break it down and walk you through the process!

Let’s start out with breaks!

Naturally, when taking an exam that’s 425 questions across 8.5 hours, we can’t imagine not being able to take a moment to collect your thoughts. Due to this, you’re given some time for yourself.

The exam is broken up into 8 total sections and after completion of each, you’ll have the opportunity to take a break. You’re allotted 60 total minutes of break time and you can choose to use as little or as much time as you wish.

So what happens if you use up all your break time?

You won’t just be forced back into the exam and can choose to keep taking as much time as you need (outside of your 60 total minutes). With that said, note that any time outside of your 60-minute time frame will be taken from your exam time. You are expected to manage your pace and timing of the exam. The optional break sections are part of the pooled break time. Once taking a break, a proctor must log candidates in after breaks. Candidates must be signed in and out each time they enter and leave the testing room.

ABPN Exam Format
Looking for more? Click on over to here for more information on the exam, OR check out our FREE video library that has resources that go over the ABPN exam, question formats, topics, and more!

Our Multi Modal Psychiatric Question Banks: Perfect on the go!

a mac, iphone, and ipad are laid out on a blue background. On each of the screens are a section of the "My Psych Baord" website and question banks.

Life can be fast paced and it can seem like finding the right time and place to study is impossible.

Not everyone has the luxury of sitting down in front of a desktop or laptop for hours every day.⁠ We understand that we need to keep up with your hectic schedule and find ways to make that time FOR you.

We have created a means of doing that by offering our Question Banks either at home OR on the go! Our website can be accessed and used from desktops to mobile smartphones to tablets. With user-friendly interface, we want to create the perfect studying tool that you can use- wherever you are.

With our ✨ Multi Modal Question Banks ✨ you can study with ease no matter where you are! Whether you’re at home on your laptop, on the go with your phone, or kicking back on your tablet you can access all our Question Banks unrestricted. You should be able to access materials to study for your exams in the way that is easiest for you, whether that’s sitting at a desktop or cramming a few questions in between rotations. Our goal is to make our products accessible no matter what the situation is.

All you need to do is go to our website, sign in, and start testing! 🥳 Want to try it out RISK FREE? Give our Free Trial a whirl and see how we can help you!


⁠Did you know we offer a FREE trial for our question banks? Just head over to our website (exams.mypsychboard.com) to get started today risk-free (with no Credit Card required!)

Feeling like you need a bit of extra help?

Contact us OR sign up for our tutoring!