It’s a constant struggle. One might even call it a war. I’m in the trenches every single day.
What is the last hurdle of PA school? What is the pinnacle achievement of PA school?
Passing a test.
How do you prepare for this brutal ordeal? You prepare by learning tons of medical content and by taking an ungodly number of tests.
Here’s the problem.
I went to my kid’s travel basketball practice last night. I haven’t been to very many of his activities lately, so I planned to stay and watch practice. Two of the coaches weren’t able to make it, so there was just one poor soul trying to turn this herd of 9- & 10-year-olds into a basketball team.
He set them up on the end line in two lines. Then he had them dribble, two at a time, from one side of the court to the other, and back. Then he had them practice a stutter step move as they went down the court. Next came crossovers.
The coach (who is a very nice man and volunteering his time and energy after probably a very long day at work), stood next to the two lines and called out, “go,” when the next two kids should head down the court. That’s it.
These are nine-year-olds. They don’t know what they are doing. Some of them are running full speed down the court. Almost none of them understand that when you do a stutter step, your body should change speeds. They were moving their feet, but still running.
They kept doing it, over and over. Not only are they not learning it, they’re developing habits of doing it the wrong way.
My little league coach used to say, “ Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.”
In the February issue of Physician Assistant Exam Scholar’s Newsletter, I’m going to walk you through test-taking like you’ve never seen it before. I’m going to get you so geared up and ready for an exam, you won’t be able to contain yourself.
If I could sit with you for an hour and go over how I eat exams for breakfast, this is what I’d pound into you for that hour. I’m so excited to share it with you. This stuff will work on any exam, but the PANCE won’t know what hit it.
Physician Assistant Exam Scholar’s Newsletter
Brian Wallace
