I want you to read this email I received. I want you to read it because it’s probably the third one I’ve gotten like this week.
I have withheld any identifying information because it’s not relevant. What is relevant is the “feeling” of the email. That’s why I’m including it.
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Hi Brian,
I hope you are doing well and hope this email finds you and your family well. I am reaching out to you for some help, advice and most of all reassurance. I took the pance 2/2019 and 6/2019 and failed both times. I have attended the CME resources conferences twice as well as a Certified Medical Educators course. I have purchased your review materials, Rosh, Smarty Pance, CME 4 Life on demand, and most recently Rutgers review with exam master. I have read PPP front to back several times and will continue to do so. I listen to your podcast whenever I am driving, on the train or in the gym and find it to be so helpful, THANK YOU.
I have just recently found out that I have had a learning disability since I was young which has oddly given me more hope knowing that there is a reasoning behind my struggle. I have tested with accommodations for the majority of college and PA school and will be testing with accommodations for the pance the 3rd time. I am hoping and praying this will help to improve my score and finally pass but I was just wondering if you have any other recommendations for me. Are there any other resources you would recommend to purchase or review? Our school purchased Kaplan for us but that expired although I did watch all the videos and practiced some questions.
As some background info, I graduated from **redacted** PA program that didn’t really provide a just education for us. With that being said, I am grateful to the opportunity of getting in and getting me where I am today but I do not think **redacted**. I know of at least 4 other people who did not pass as well.
My biggest fear through all of this is that I won’t be a competent PA to treat patients. That I won’t be good enough to help them or that they deserve better than what I can give. I do feel like I had a lack in the base knowledge and the past 6 months have allowed me to regain knowledge in the areas I was missing. Focusing on the pathophysiology of diseases, rather than just memorizing.
So sorry for this long email, you seem to be someone I have wanted to reach out to but have been scared. I also just wanted to say thank you in advance for your help and what you have helped me with so far.
Sincerely,
** Name Withheld**
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Because there are so many of these, I figured I’d share it with the whole community and hopefully answer a lot of people out there wondering the same things.
This person is struggling, but they don’t see the reason why. They’re trying to “work harder” and wondering why they aren’t getting anywhere. Driving faster in the wrong direction doesn’t work.
There are three main points from the email that I want to address.
#1 What other resources should I use?
“I have attended the CME resources conferences twice, as well as a Certified Medical Educators course. I have purchased your review materials, Rosh, Smarty Pance, CME 4 Life on demand, and most recently, Rutgers review with exam master.”
No other content material is going to help. There’s a saying, “A man with two watches never knows what time it is.” Rather than being helpful, you start second-guessing sources and explanations. Finding a presenter or layout you are comfortable with is important, but once you do, your done buying medical content books or courses.
#2. I think my program sucked and didn’t prepare me well. I’ve heard this complaint a lot. Here’s the problem, you can place blame on the faculty or the program, but it doesn’t matter. It’s like blaming the umpire that you struck out with bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. You may be 100% right, but it just doesn’t matter. Take a deep breath and get over it. It’s not fair, but it is what it is. If you carry that excuse with you, you’re not going to grow.
#3. I’m not sure I’ll be a good practitioner because…
This answer has two parts.
Even under the best of circumstances, no one feels like they know enough to be a good practitioner. PA school set the foundation. You learn so much in the first few years on the job it’s unbelievable. Would it be better if you had a stronger foundation absolutely, but if you’re diligent and willing to work, you’ll be just fine.
Part two.
STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT!!!! You don’t have the luxury of worrying about how you’ll do in practice. You need to focus 100% of your attention on passing this exam. You don’t need any other distractions or reasons to doubt yourself.You need complete focus and commitment to passing this exam.
What’s missing here and for so many people isn’t more content knowledge. It isn’t another course or better teachers. What’s missing is study skills, test-taking skills, confidence etc.
Those intangibles that take you from sitting in lectures to using medical knowledge to pass exams and treat patients. Those are the skills you need. They take time to develop. I created the Physician Assistant Exam Scholars newsletter to teach these skills and, just as important to teach them slowly, over time. The ideas I cover take time to settle in. They take time to adapt to how you work, but from what I’ve seen over the past 8.5 years, content isn’t the reason people fail.
The November issue heads to the printer soon.