The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the practice exam that I took last week, identify my strengths and weaknesses, and reflect on my overall test-taking experience concerning time management and question format.
Introduction
Tests are crucial for every student as they reflect the student’s knowledge on the tested topic. Upon graduation, every Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner student must pass a licensing board exam to practice. We have all been studying hard to attain the degree, and we can demonstrate our competence by passing the board exam. Test-taking skills are vital in preparation for these exams. Without these skills, one can still fail despite having a good knowledge of the subject matter.
Strengths and Opportunities for Improvement
The test results revealed areas where I have mastered the material and areas that need improvement. I have always felt that I have not adequately studied psychopharmacology, and the test confirmed this. I have always excelled in questions that require reading comprehension rather than rote memorization. From my perspective, most psychopharmacology questions require memorization, which is my weakness. I also realized that I performed well on psychotherapy questions, which I attribute to the knowledge gained from my psychotherapy class and the many practice questions I did last semester.
SMART Goals
I will attempt at least 100 psychopharmacology questions every week and aim to score at least 70%. To achieve this goal, I will:
Subscribe to a psychopharmacology review website with practice questions.
Complete 20 questions every day from Monday to Friday.
I will make a list of the most commonly prescribed medications for common psychiatric conditions and study at least three medications a day, then do practice questions on them and aim for a score of 80%. To achieve this goal, I will:
Make a list of the most prescribed medications and study three medications per day.
Summarize the most important information on flashcards.
Review the flashcards every night before bed.
I will buy a psychopharmacology review book and read it within six weeks. To accomplish this goal, I will:
Divide the chapters in the book into six sections.
Read one section every week.
Make notes as I read to enhance my understanding.
Attempt questions on the chapters read and aim to score at least 80%.
Resources and Study Plan
To accomplish the highlighted goals, I need adequate resources and a thorough study plan. Some of the resources I plan to use include review books, online review questions, and videos. I plan to read extensively and aim to retain as much information as possible. One strategy to enhance retention is to invoke as many senses as possible – visual, auditory, tactile, etc. According to Guerrasio et al. (2017), the more senses one uses while learning, the better one will retain the information. Other strategies include organizing notes, teaching someone else, and organizing discussion groups with my classmates.
Conclusion
From the test I took last week, I realized that I did not perform well in psychopharmacology. Therefore, I need to develop a strategy and study plan to improve this weakness. I have outlined three goals: answering at least 100 questions weekly, studying the most commonly prescribed medications, and reading a review book within six weeks. My study plan includes extensive reading, answering as many questions as possible, forming a discussion group, and teaching someone what I have learned to enhance my understanding and retention.
Add apa reference
Based on your practice test question results, and considering the national certification exam, summarize your strengths and opportunities for improvement. Note: Your grade for this Assignment will not be derived from your test results but from your self-reflection and study plan.
Create a study plan for this quarter to prepare for the certification exam, including three or four SMART goals and the tasks you need to complete to accomplish each goal. Include a timetable for accomplishing them and a description of how you will measure your progress.
Describe resources you would use to accomplish your goals and tasks, such as ways to participate in a study group or review course, mnemonics and other mental strategies, and print or online resources you could use to study.
