sas5814 Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 A new quarter is starting and I stumbled on this a few weeks ago. It seems they are reviewing questions for stinkers and giving some relief. I missed 7 last quarter (!) and was flipping out. 5 of them were removed. Removed and Replaced 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 1 Moderator Share Posted July 1 can someone summarize?? to lengthy for me..... I had 25 questions with that were dropped and rescored??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 1 Author Share Posted July 1 (edited) Here is the TL/DR as best I can recall. Removed question means it sucked and they tossed it. Replaced question means you will get another question in a later quarter that will replace the one already answered. Removed question, if you got it right, won't change your score. Removed, if you got it wrong will improve your score. Replaced question if you got the first one wrong and the replacement question wrong doesn't hurt you because you replaced a wrong answer with a wrong answer. If you got the first one right and the replacement question wrong it hurts your score because the one you got right has been replaced with the one you got wrong. Replaced questions are picked because 1) you got it wrong or 2) you got it right but graded it highly relevant and low confidence so you got another one in the same subject. That is my best summary. Your mileage may vary. Additional info. I did my first 10 questions for this quarter and they have reached a new level of suck. Wrong answers, multiple choices that are all correct but you have to pick the NEXT thing to do, one that is so far removed from primary care common knowledge you couldn't see it with a telescope and, one that was personal fav, a question where all the answers were non medical...more like suggestions you might make. Have fun kids. Edited July 1 by sas5814 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 3 hours ago, sas5814 said: first 10 questions for this quarter and they have reached a new level of suck. Wrong answers, multiple choices that are all correct but you have to pick the NEXT thing to do, one that is so far removed from primary care common knowledge you couldn't see it with a telescope and, one that was personal fav, a question where all the answers were non medical...more like suggestions you might make. Have fun kids Grreeaaattt. Looking forward to it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 I don't really understand what Scott explained up above. Logging in to NCCPA showed me that I had 2 questions thrown out in Q1 of my cycle and zero questions in Q2. I am not sure what that means or how it impacted my scores. The questions are not clinically real or appropriate to 99% of ambulatory providers. I have not delved in to this quarter yet but have a sense of dread. It sucks to "learn" how to test rather than LEARN something medical or refresh knowledge. My spidey sense tells me whoever writes these questions has not donned a stethoscope in a decade or worked full time in ambulatory care. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 2 Author Share Posted July 2 Decided to plow through just to get it over with. Worst quarter yet. Apparently walking around knowledge includes a lot of ER experience including really sick infants and the ability to make a diagnosis and "next thing to do" treatment plan from a 1 view pelvis x-ray on an old man. My understanding is you get scored on your best 8 quarters. This was #7 for me. If I am passing after next quarter I may not take the rest, Color me frustrated and a bit disgusted. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 2 Moderator Share Posted July 2 2 hours ago, sas5814 said: My understanding is you get scored on your best 8 quarters. This was #7 for me. If I am passing after next quarter I may not take the rest, Color me frustrated and a bit disgusted. yup as soon as pass pops up I am done.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakaHoo Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 They don't hold the last 4 against you, and you get 12.0 credits of CME. May continue just for the CME that is already paid for. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 3 Author Share Posted July 3 2 hours ago, ShakaHoo said: They don't hold the last 4 against you, and you get 12.0 credits of CME. May continue just for the CME that is already paid for. Makes sense if you need the hours. I am (fortunately) way over for this cycle already so I'm bowing out as soon as possible 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 3 Moderator Share Posted July 3 6 hours ago, ShakaHoo said: They don't hold the last 4 against you, and you get 12.0 credits of CME. May continue just for the CME that is already paid for. At like 224 hrs for cme. Not finishing once I get the pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakaHoo Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Interesting, I stop logging CME all together after I hit 100 credits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Your credits have rollover capacity - don't stop logging them!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SedRate Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Yes, you can apply your extra CME to the next cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 On 7/3/2024 at 5:36 PM, ventana said: At like 224 hrs for cme. Not finishing once I get the pass. If I'm reading the FAQ properly, I think once you pass you don't have an option to continue on: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 I just finished Quarter 3. One question, I got gungho and answered wrong by stupidity - READ THE QUESTION, DUMMY. One question I proved their correct answer is wrong in less than 3 minutes with two sources......... no idea who writes these things. And the supporting resources are highly credible. NIH, College of Cardiology, etc One question - I will debate with them as not something "any PA should know". This patient would ALREADY be under specialty care and the answers were too narrow and actually more than one answer. The case scenarios describe the use of highly outdated drugs, and frankly don't take into consideration that multiple things will be done at once or have already been done by prehospital staff, nurses or on intake. The questions are loaded improperly for a scenario where the PA would be quite literally by themselves without equipment or staff. I am not learning anything except how to get thru a test that does not reflect normal everyday practice or the standard of care. It sort of still beats sitting under security cameras for 4 hours at a testing center ----------- maybe 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 1 hour ago, Reality Check 2 said: One question I proved their correct answer is wrong in less than 3 minutes with two sources Is there a formal mechanism by which a participant can raise concerns about a question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 9 Author Share Posted July 9 1 hour ago, CAAdmission said: Is there a formal mechanism by which a participant can raise concerns about a question? You can flag a question but there is no opportunity to make a comment or explain what your concern is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted July 9 Administrator Share Posted July 9 1 hour ago, sas5814 said: You can flag a question but there is no opportunity to make a comment or explain what your concern is. I've emailed the main NCCPA testing email about questions before. This is really needed, but got the feeling it has been closed down since the pilot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted July 9 Administrator Share Posted July 9 4 hours ago, Reality Check 2 said: The case scenarios describe the use of highly outdated drugs, and frankly don't take into consideration that multiple things will be done at once or have already been done by prehospital staff, nurses or on intake. The questions are loaded improperly for a scenario where the PA would be quite literally by themselves without equipment or staff. Yes. Why do I have lab results when I haven't finished my physical exam yet? Looking at the list of labs available, I either have the smartest RN on the planet in triage or another clinician in triage who just wants to mess with me, and the scenarios never specify which. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas5814 Posted July 9 Author Share Posted July 9 Just now, rev ronin said: Yes. Why do I have lab results when I haven't finished my physical exam yet? Looking at the list of labs available, I either have the smartest RN on the planet in triage or another clinician in triage who just wants to mess with me, and the scenarios never specify which. There are manifest problems. "What should you do next" with 4 correct answers which would all be ordered at the same time. This hair splitting where one question the answer is call a consultant and the next is to perform some procedure not in scope of practice for primary care PAs. Its schizophrenic. "What is the best medicine" when 3 of the 4 would be appropriate and the answer is highly subjective. Lab results without normal values for reference. My personal fav was an advice question with answers like "tell them not to run their air conditioner." What the actual hell.... 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 10 Moderator Share Posted July 10 I did fill out the recent panre LA survey and signed up to help write the next exam. I will not allow primary care zebras on a "walking around" knowledge exam. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 10 Moderator Share Posted July 10 Just finished 7th quarter of panre-la. Passing with a buffer of around 100 points. Good to know I am at least average. Some of those questions were total zebras that I know were not covered at all in PA school or any review courses I have taken over the last 30 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 I filled out the survey sent same day as my testing - it just asked about the platform and if the “confidence” bubbles made me feel better. Am I reading the reference material. During a timed test? - no. Did I prep for the exam? Why bother? It doesn’t follow standards of care! So far, not ONE method of saying anything about the actual questions. This could be my last cert before retirement. Is this the goal? Recently read a quip… “There comes a point where you no longer care if there is light at the end of the tunnel or not…. You’re just sick of the tunnel.” My current feeling for the daily grind and medicine in general. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 Just remember what's written on the sign below the light at the end of the tunnel: CONRAIL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 11 Moderator Share Posted July 11 that light at the end of the tunnel is actually a train bearing down on you...... just saying careful what you wish for.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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