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"Nudging Aspiring Pharmacists towards Legendary EXcellence"
413 Plays3 years ago
Whether you're looking to optimize your study routine or sharpen your test-taking skills, join Hunter and Callan as they discuss their own experiences with the NAPLEX and share techniques for tacking this challenging exam. From time management to content review, they discuss many aspects to test taking success, highlighting effective study methods, resources they used to pass the exam while excelling in their APPE's. Please note, this episode does not delve into copyrighted material of the exam.
Check out the resource we wish we had as test takers and make an account with PYRLS today! Sign up at www.pyrls.com for numerous free-content, including the NAPLEX practice exam, with rationales included!
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Transcript
Introduction to the PKPD Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to Practical Knowledge for Personal Development, or PKPD for short, a pharmacy podcast where we explore the various ways to grow as a person and pharmacist by discussing common questions asked by pharmacy learners.
00:00:15
Speaker
Our ambition is to see our listeners achieve their personal and professional goals.
Strategies for Passing the NAPLEX
00:00:19
Speaker
I'm your host, Hunter Rondo, and joining me today is my fantastic co-host and fellow NAPLEX survivor, Callan Blike.
00:00:26
Speaker
That's right.
00:00:26
Speaker
We're here to share our personal experiences, tips, and strategies that helped us not only pass a NAPLEX, but also excel in it.
00:00:34
Speaker
So we know firsthand the challenges and stress that you guys might be facing.
00:00:38
Speaker
So consider us your NAPLEX mentors for the duration of this episode.
00:00:42
Speaker
All right.
00:00:43
Speaker
Well, let's dive in.
00:00:44
Speaker
Callan, give us a good overview of what on earth is the NAPLEX?
00:00:48
Speaker
Many people know that it's the test that we take to get our pharmacist's license, but what is it composed of?
00:00:55
Speaker
How long are you sitting there taking the test?
00:00:57
Speaker
What even does this thing test us on?
00:01:00
Speaker
So I would say, first off, the NAPLEX is
00:01:04
Speaker
a competency exam, right, to become a pharmacist.
00:01:08
Speaker
So it's not going to ask you all these really tricky questions.
00:01:11
Speaker
It's a six-hour exam.
00:01:13
Speaker
It's 225 questions, and it's on a computer.
00:01:16
Speaker
And so you'll go to Pearson VUE and take the test on the computer.
00:01:21
Speaker
The exam is now reported as pass or fail, and there's about five attempts, I believe, to pass the exam.
Preparing for NAPLEX: Resources and Techniques
00:01:28
Speaker
Yeah, so I've heard about people taking the pre-NAPLEX.
00:01:31
Speaker
I myself, I took it and I think I, if I remember right, I got a passing score with the pre-exam.
00:01:37
Speaker
So I was like, okay, I feel comfortable.
00:01:40
Speaker
I feel like I can take it.
00:01:41
Speaker
Did you take the pre-NAPLEX?
00:01:43
Speaker
I did.
00:01:43
Speaker
My school offered it.
00:01:45
Speaker
So we were actually lucky to take it for free, but I took it and I felt comfortable after it.
00:01:50
Speaker
And it was a pretty good gauge, I think.
00:01:54
Speaker
Now, a question I get asked a lot is, is there any utility in doing more than one pre-NAPLEX?
00:02:00
Speaker
That is a question.
00:02:01
Speaker
Personally, I feel like it's a waste unless you like if you I feel like if you pass it the first time, there's no reason you need to keep taking it.
00:02:08
Speaker
Well, I mean, looking back, right, you can say that.
00:02:10
Speaker
But when you're like scared and anxious, you're like, I think I need three different practice exams.
00:02:15
Speaker
So I don't know.
00:02:16
Speaker
I know I loaded up on like three different ones just because I was trying to practice everything I can.
00:02:23
Speaker
I don't know about you, when you look back or did you take a lot of pre-exams or did you practice?
00:02:28
Speaker
Like what was that study strategy like for you?
00:02:32
Speaker
I mean, for me, I took the pre-NAPLEX just to see if I was ready, like if I needed to push my exam back.
00:02:38
Speaker
But as far as like an actual testing strategy, I just use the Rx prep book.
00:02:42
Speaker
But that was, oh my gosh, that thing is so freaking expensive.
00:02:46
Speaker
And it's so much content.
00:02:48
Speaker
It's so detailed, which like I get, there's a lot of good information in there.
00:02:52
Speaker
But for a test of minimum competency, I'm
00:02:55
Speaker
Like I felt like I approached that test like I was trying to get like 100% on a pharmacotherapy exam where it's a pass fail test.
00:03:04
Speaker
It's a test of minimum competency.
00:03:06
Speaker
If you get 100% on the NAPLEX, no one cares.
00:03:10
Speaker
Mm hmm.
00:03:11
Speaker
And there's no way to know if you got 100, too.
00:03:13
Speaker
Or if you got 70.
00:03:14
Speaker
So that's the issue.
00:03:15
Speaker
It's not like you can even gauge how well you did.
00:03:18
Speaker
You just passed or you either failed.
00:03:20
Speaker
So you could be very close to passing or you could be you could exceed that.
00:03:24
Speaker
So you just really don't know.
00:03:26
Speaker
And, you know, just pass it.
00:03:28
Speaker
It's it's you don't have to get 100 percent on this.
00:03:31
Speaker
Now, that being said, everyone's experience will differ with how well of a test taker you are because every standardized exam, there are certain strategies that you can employ that kind of like how you would approach the SAT or even the
00:03:46
Speaker
now kind of outdated PCAT.
00:03:48
Speaker
Like if you see certain question or certain answers to the question, you're like, oh, this is obviously wrong.
00:03:52
Speaker
Well, then don't spend any more time thinking about it.
00:03:54
Speaker
Like, I mean, there's all this, whatever approach that you've taken to prior standardized exams, those strategies are likely still going to hold up against this exam.
Clinical Preparation and Real-World Practice
00:04:03
Speaker
One thing I do remember that was pretty different over the last few years is historically, I remember the NAPLEX was more like very heavy calculations, but it's moving more towards these case based tests or case based questions.
00:04:16
Speaker
Did you experience that?
00:04:18
Speaker
Like, were you taught that in pharmacy school and then kind of saw that on the exam?
00:04:23
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I think my pharmacy school really prepared me well for the clinical portion.
00:04:28
Speaker
And so having rigorous appies and then going into the NAPLEX, I've almost felt like whatever I saw in my appies and I saw a case and also preparing for residency interviews and having different clinical cases too really prepared me for the NAPLEX.
00:04:43
Speaker
Yeah, so with that being said, I felt like going into the NAPLEX, I felt very confident and solid.
00:04:48
Speaker
So shout out to you or I.
00:04:50
Speaker
but the calculations definitely I needed to, you know, brush up on.
00:04:54
Speaker
I think that was a big part of it.
00:04:57
Speaker
You know, I felt so out of the clinical cases, but the math was definitely something that was hard to recall, I think, taking it my P1 year.
00:05:06
Speaker
So that's what I felt like was challenging to me, but I don't know about you.
00:05:10
Speaker
So you describe your pharmacy school did a lot to prepare you for the NAPLEX.
00:05:15
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we have a pretty high pass rate.
00:05:18
Speaker
Now, I don't know what it's looking like.
00:05:19
Speaker
I know a lot of pharmacy schools are, you know, we're seeing some changes in the pharmacy or the NAPLEX pass rate.
00:05:26
Speaker
But for the most part, they really did prepare us well.
00:05:30
Speaker
And, you know, I felt pretty solid, especially with my appies.
00:05:33
Speaker
I picked rigorous appies too to prepare me for residency.
00:05:36
Speaker
So, yeah, I mean, I felt like the clinical cases were pretty straightforward, at least.
00:05:43
Speaker
And really the only thing that
00:05:45
Speaker
I think that I really found difficulty in was the math.
00:05:49
Speaker
But what about you?
00:05:50
Speaker
But you said it wasn't that clinical heavy, because I felt like it was very calculation heavy.
00:05:56
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, so I'll talk more about my experience later.
00:06:00
Speaker
But the reason why I asked that about your pharmacy school's experience, like really preparing you and really getting you to succeed, my pharmacy school kind of took the opposite approach.
00:06:11
Speaker
They were like, here's your coursework, here's the content, this is the type of stuff that's on the NAPLEX.
00:06:16
Speaker
But as far as like
00:06:19
Speaker
intensive experience or preparation for us to pass the exam.
00:06:23
Speaker
Oh no, we did not get practice NAPLEX exams.
00:06:26
Speaker
We didn't get practice or the RX prep book at the discount.
00:06:30
Speaker
I, I think the only way we got that was actually like one of my, if I remember right, one of my classmates like reached out to RX prep, facilitating the group code.
00:06:38
Speaker
They were very much like, Oh,
00:06:40
Speaker
You all are adults and you can do it.
00:06:43
Speaker
We trust that you know how to pass a test.
00:06:46
Speaker
And I think there's some truth to that because where I was at University of Kansas, they have had consistently one of the highest first pass and complete NAPLEX pass rates, like upper 90s, if not like, I'm pretty sure one year was like 99, 98.
00:06:58
Speaker
So yeah.
00:07:01
Speaker
I've always been torn.
00:07:02
Speaker
Like, do you go to a school that like really handholds and helps you through that?
00:07:05
Speaker
Or do you get a school that says, we're going to give you the tools, but this is up like it's on you to pass the exam, which is, you know, in a way it's kind of risky because when you think about it, that's what some people look at for pharmacy school successes or pharmacy school success.
00:07:20
Speaker
How, what are their NAPLEX pass rates and what are their MPJE?
00:07:23
Speaker
So yeah.
00:07:24
Speaker
I know I kind of felt like, all right, if I'm going to pass the NAPLEX, I need to figure out a system to make sure I feel comfortable with the content.
00:07:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:07:32
Speaker
I mean, that's a good point.
00:07:34
Speaker
I think I wouldn't say you are really held our hands when it came to studying for the NAPLEX.
00:07:41
Speaker
I think throughout the four years, they were very hard on us and challenged us clinically in whatever we were studying.
00:07:49
Speaker
So I think by the end of it, we were so used to, you know,
00:07:53
Speaker
these complex questions that when we saw the NAPLEX, we're like, oh, this is a no-brainer.
00:07:57
Speaker
But they did.
00:07:58
Speaker
With that being said, we didn't have like a forced NAPLEX like prep.
00:08:01
Speaker
I think a lot of schools are now doing that where they make you do certain quizzes and stuff every so often in your last year.
00:08:08
Speaker
And I think that's great too to brush up on.
00:08:11
Speaker
I think looking back, I wish I sort of had that.
00:08:13
Speaker
But we did.
00:08:15
Speaker
I think the only one of the benefits was having the RX prep, now UWorld, and
00:08:22
Speaker
the RxPrep pre-Naplex for free.
00:08:25
Speaker
So we all got a code and we were able to have that for free for a certain amount of time.
00:08:28
Speaker
So that's really nice.
00:08:30
Speaker
Was it free or did it come out of your tuition?
00:08:33
Speaker
It probably came out of our tuition.
00:08:36
Speaker
Let's be real here.
00:08:36
Speaker
I'm just teasing you.
00:08:37
Speaker
Yeah.
00:08:38
Speaker
Well, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:08:39
Speaker
So, you know.
00:08:41
Speaker
So I guess the main point there is if your school offers it, it's probably coming out of your tuition.
00:08:45
Speaker
You should probably use it.
00:08:46
Speaker
Oh, I'm using it.
00:08:48
Speaker
Yeah, if I'm getting it for free, I'm sure I'm paying it somehow, some way.
00:08:52
Speaker
So let's talk a little bit about our experiences with the content that we saw.
00:08:56
Speaker
But full disclaimer, don't know where this is going to be at in the episode, but you're not going to get any freebies from the episode.
00:09:04
Speaker
We're going to talk about the things that are the strategies that we found helpful for taking the exam, but you're not going to get a, oh, I saw this specific question and this is how I answered it.
00:09:14
Speaker
I think I was right.
00:09:15
Speaker
That's not happening on this.
00:09:16
Speaker
Just like the MPJE episode, no freebies here.
00:09:20
Speaker
Exactly.
00:09:21
Speaker
Yeah.
00:09:21
Speaker
So what was your experience like?
00:09:24
Speaker
Because I think we kind of had, I guess now listening to you, we sort of had a little bit of a different experience taking the NAPLEX.
00:09:30
Speaker
So I'm curious to what it was.
00:09:31
Speaker
Yeah.
00:09:31
Speaker
Wouldn't you take it?
00:09:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:09:34
Speaker
Because I took mine, I took my exam a year before you because I graduated in 2021.
00:09:40
Speaker
And that was the year I was told, all right, there's, I can't remember if it was that year that the changes were going to be implemented, but they had said, you know, anticipate a lot more case-based clinical application questions.
00:09:51
Speaker
So that's really what I spent the majority on.
00:09:53
Speaker
I like really hit the RX prep book and the test bank questions really focusing on the pharmacotherapy.
00:10:00
Speaker
Like if I had a patient with this disease, what are my drug options?
00:10:03
Speaker
How, what are, what are the key considerations I need to have for each agent?
00:10:08
Speaker
So the other aspect was, you know, there's also the compounding, there's like some public health pieces, there's some less pharmacotherapy specific cases, and more of like the calculations, which is what I was told the NAPLEX used to be more of.
00:10:23
Speaker
So I made sure I was familiar enough with the calculations to where I could do them, but I didn't spend a significant amount of time.
00:10:29
Speaker
I did it enough to where I felt comfortable and I could approach a question like that.
00:10:33
Speaker
But I put my eggs in the basket of pharmacotherapy.
00:10:38
Speaker
And when it
Time Management and Exam Techniques
00:10:39
Speaker
came test time, this is what's going to drive some people crazy.
00:10:42
Speaker
I know any calculations professor that I interacted with would be like, why would you do that?
00:10:48
Speaker
But the calculations questions, I was like, oh, I know how to do this.
00:10:52
Speaker
But I felt so confident and comfortable with the clinical application questions.
00:10:56
Speaker
I honestly skipped almost all the calculation questions.
00:10:58
Speaker
Like...
00:11:00
Speaker
I did a handful of them like, okay, yeah, this is where I feel like I got this right.
00:11:04
Speaker
This is good.
00:11:05
Speaker
This one's good.
00:11:06
Speaker
And I was like halfway through the exam, like I don't feel bad about any of the answers that I'm putting in.
00:11:12
Speaker
So I just skipped a lot of them.
00:11:13
Speaker
I still passed and I was my year of taking it.
00:11:16
Speaker
We could still see our scores before it switched over to the pass fail.
00:11:22
Speaker
And I got a really high NAPLIC score.
00:11:25
Speaker
So, I mean, there's some truth to that.
00:11:28
Speaker
Yeah, so I'm not telling everyone to completely gloss over the calculations and skip over it.
00:11:33
Speaker
But if you feel confident in your question or the answers that you're providing, don't like spend, because the thing is, when you think about the questions, and I don't know how they're ranked or scored or whatever, but you only have so much time to take the exam.
00:11:50
Speaker
Now, granted, I walked out of the exam with way too much time.
00:11:53
Speaker
I think I had like an hour and a half
00:11:54
Speaker
Oh, you're one of those.
00:11:55
Speaker
I'm sorry.
00:11:56
Speaker
I'm sorry.
00:11:56
Speaker
Yes, I'm one of those.
00:11:57
Speaker
Okay.
00:11:58
Speaker
You're annoying.
00:11:59
Speaker
We are going to exclude you from this podcast episode now.
00:12:03
Speaker
I used up all the time and I still think I didn't have enough time.
00:12:06
Speaker
And yeah, I'm very jealous because I think I had a co-resident who just said the same.
00:12:10
Speaker
And like, yeah, I just walked out like with an hour left.
00:12:12
Speaker
I'm like, how did you do that?
00:12:14
Speaker
It was like, I couldn't even think.
00:12:16
Speaker
Can you tell I used to be bound for like emergency medicine?
00:12:19
Speaker
Like I know I like questions right away.
00:12:21
Speaker
I don't want to think too much.
00:12:22
Speaker
I was like, those people who finished an Apex early, there is something going on there because I am not that person.
00:12:28
Speaker
So if you're like me listening and you're scared, do not feel alone because I used up all the time and I still felt – and I was still rushing through the last maybe 30 questions.
00:12:36
Speaker
So if I could give any advice looking back, it's definitely to, you know, take your time but also don't spend so much time getting caught up in one question.
00:12:45
Speaker
Yeah.
00:12:46
Speaker
And just keep moving forward.
00:12:47
Speaker
And so I think that's something that I really struggled with.
00:12:50
Speaker
And, you know, looking back, I'm like, wow, I wish I had more.
00:12:54
Speaker
I took more time to really answer the questions effectively in a timely manner.
00:12:58
Speaker
And that's really important, too.
00:13:01
Speaker
Yeah, especially, I mean, it's a minimum competency exam.
00:13:05
Speaker
You only have to get so many right.
00:13:07
Speaker
If you skip everything, then of course you're going to fail.
00:13:10
Speaker
But knowing like, okay, this question, I can't remember right now.
00:13:15
Speaker
I just have that block.
00:13:16
Speaker
I've already spent this much time and I am not ringing any bells and I'm stuck here.
00:13:21
Speaker
Skip it.
00:13:22
Speaker
Yeah, you have a certain amount of time and it's just not worth it when you can really spend your time on another thing.
00:13:26
Speaker
I think I saw a couple of calculation questions.
00:13:28
Speaker
I'm like, I have no idea how to go about this and I just got to skip it.
00:13:33
Speaker
And I have to just trust myself and know that I can spend more time on another question.
00:13:37
Speaker
That's, you know, that's worth it for me.
00:13:39
Speaker
So, so yeah, I mean, I had a different, I think, experience, you know, from you where I thought it was more calculation heavy.
00:13:45
Speaker
And yeah, and I thought, I was like, man, I'm
00:13:49
Speaker
I wish I studied calculations a lot more.
00:13:52
Speaker
I underestimated it.
00:13:53
Speaker
And I think RxPrep did a really good job at highlighting the calculations portion.
00:14:00
Speaker
However, I think they did go in depth with the clinical portion.
00:14:03
Speaker
And I think there's a lot of things that you can emit from that, from that, you know, from that, from studying.
00:14:09
Speaker
So there's, you know, pros and cons.
00:14:11
Speaker
Agreed.
00:14:11
Speaker
I remember there were some practice questions on RxPrep that I was like, I didn't even know this was something to consider.
00:14:17
Speaker
And I'm asking all my preceptors if they've ever heard of this.
00:14:19
Speaker
And they're like, oh, no, I learned something today.
00:14:22
Speaker
I don't think it's applicable to my practice or ever will be.
00:14:25
Speaker
But cool fact.
00:14:27
Speaker
I mean, it's great if you want to get, you know, extra knowledge and extra clinical knowledge before you go into residency.
00:14:33
Speaker
I felt like very prepared.
00:14:35
Speaker
But when I took the exam and sat down, I'm like, wow, I wish I just made a quiz of the top 200 drugs, knew their indications and main adverse effects, and I would be good to go and study the calculations well.
00:14:45
Speaker
And I thought, you know, I thought that was sufficient enough to pass.
00:14:49
Speaker
But that's my experience, right?
00:14:50
Speaker
Everyone's going to have a different opinion.
00:14:53
Speaker
So, you know, maybe as time goes on, they're going to change in that place a little bit more.
00:14:58
Speaker
But that's kind of my thoughts to it.
00:15:01
Speaker
Yeah, I think we should build a little bit off of what we saw on rotation because I agree there's a great way to incorporate what we studied and prepared for the NAPLEX to what we saw in clinical practice.
00:15:14
Speaker
But like we said earlier, the NAPLEX is a test of minimum competency.
00:15:18
Speaker
What you're going to see on rotation is going to be
00:15:22
Speaker
somewhat similar, but there's going to be very big differences.
00:15:25
Speaker
I can say as now an almost graduated PGY2 ID resident, looking at some of the stuff on the RX prep book and what I can try and remember from my prior training, it's like, oh my gosh, no, I don't agree with this at all.
00:15:39
Speaker
And in fact, I would purposefully answer it wrong to prove a point, even though it wouldn't do anything.
00:15:44
Speaker
But you're going to see things on...
00:15:48
Speaker
the rx prep book and your other naplex prep resources that are different than what's on on the exam and when you think about it clinical practice is evolving a little bit faster than what's being covered in that material even we see that with like what you experience on rotation and in the classroom
00:16:03
Speaker
I mean, when we do our episode on like, you know, how to succeed and fail in a rotation, just referring to your school notes and not knowing how to look at PubMed in the latest and greatest clinical, clinical trials and evidence, you'll, you'll be behind.
00:16:17
Speaker
So,
00:16:18
Speaker
It is very important that when you go through your rotations, know that, yeah, what you see on a on the exam may be different than what is actually done in practice.
00:16:28
Speaker
That is OK.
00:16:29
Speaker
Just remember the difference of like, oh, this is how it's done in practice, but this is what I've learned from from pharmacy education and and all that stuff.
Study Planning and Focus Areas
00:16:39
Speaker
So, I mean, we could talk about resources.
00:16:41
Speaker
I know we touched upon a little bit of RxPrep, and now it's actually UWorld.
00:16:45
Speaker
So I know we keep us old, old folks over here refer to it as RxPrep, but it's UWorld now.
00:16:52
Speaker
Calling it RxPrep makes my hair recede even more.
00:16:55
Speaker
Can we just give a shout out to that wonderful woman on RxPrep videos?
00:17:00
Speaker
Do you know what I'm talking about?
00:17:01
Speaker
I never watch the videos, so I don't-
00:17:04
Speaker
Oh my gosh.
00:17:04
Speaker
It's this queen.
00:17:05
Speaker
She's so great.
00:17:06
Speaker
I forget her name.
00:17:08
Speaker
But she's like all over all the like, Oh, all the Gen Z pharmacists are like Gen Z new grads are like posting about her.
00:17:15
Speaker
So she's great.
00:17:16
Speaker
She was so funny on the, I need to go and look at that then because I can remember there's the woman that's in the book and she just like portrays the guy in there as a complete idiot.
00:17:27
Speaker
And it's kind of funny.
00:17:28
Speaker
Yeah.
00:17:29
Speaker
Oh yeah.
00:17:29
Speaker
Study tip gal or something.
00:17:31
Speaker
Yes.
00:17:31
Speaker
That's it.
00:17:31
Speaker
Yeah.
00:17:32
Speaker
Yep.
00:17:33
Speaker
Yep.
00:17:33
Speaker
Yep.
00:17:34
Speaker
No, there's, if you get, you can get you world, but you also get access depending on what package I think you get.
00:17:39
Speaker
You can also get access to the videos if you're not really a person to read the book.
00:17:43
Speaker
So she actually taught certain topics and, uh, I just keep seeing a lot of funny memes about her and, and she's great.
00:17:50
Speaker
She's super funny.
00:17:51
Speaker
So she keeps the, she keeps the atmosphere, uh, bright and, uh,
00:17:56
Speaker
Okay.
00:17:57
Speaker
Vibrant, I guess I should say.
00:17:58
Speaker
But yeah, we'll come back to that.
00:17:59
Speaker
I'll have to look at that.
00:18:00
Speaker
I'm curious now.
00:18:02
Speaker
Yeah, that's funny.
00:18:03
Speaker
But yeah, so I mean, as far as resources go, what do you feel like helped you?
00:18:08
Speaker
What do you, I guess, what would you say looking back?
00:18:11
Speaker
What do you wish you did differently, maybe studying for the NAPA?
00:18:14
Speaker
So I think one of the things I was very glad I did was I started studying early, but not with the idea of like, I'm going to master this Rx prep book and get all through it in a certain time.
00:18:24
Speaker
It was, I just wanted to take my time.
00:18:25
Speaker
I didn't want to stress about it.
00:18:27
Speaker
Like when you think about, um,
00:18:29
Speaker
the time that you have on your rotations, you don't want to take away rotation time for NAPLEX prep time or MPJE prep time.
00:18:38
Speaker
If you're applying for residencies, you're already going to have a ton of time taken away from that.
00:18:42
Speaker
You could be investing in your rotations all for residency applications, or if you're also working a job on top of residency, which I did.
00:18:51
Speaker
And that was so time consuming.
00:18:53
Speaker
It was very hard to find any time for myself.
00:18:56
Speaker
So yeah,
00:18:57
Speaker
Planning out how you're going to prep for that exam long in advance and just really have a plan, a study plan that you can adhere to that really fits your, your needs and what you, well, what you need to pass.
00:19:10
Speaker
That question gets asked all the, all the time.
00:19:12
Speaker
How much do I, or how much do I need to study for the exam?
00:19:15
Speaker
It depends on how well you perform, perform on exams.
00:19:18
Speaker
How well do you retain information?
00:19:20
Speaker
how long do you need reading a chapter to absorb that information and how many times you need to do practice questions before you feel like you've really got the material down.
00:19:30
Speaker
Some people can do that in four days.
00:19:31
Speaker
Some people can do it in four months.
00:19:33
Speaker
I think looking back to, I wish I did what you did where I think I, you know, I wish I studied a lot earlier on in my P in my P four year or during my P four year, I should say.
00:19:47
Speaker
And yeah, I mean, I,
00:19:49
Speaker
I was kind of cramming at the end because I was so busy with appies and preparing for residency and getting and moving and stuff.
00:19:56
Speaker
So it was very hectic time.
00:19:57
Speaker
So I wish I took that time earlier on just to kind of space it out and not feel as stressed towards the end of it, which I think would have relieved a lot of anxiety and test anxiety when I went in to take the actual NAPLEX.
00:20:08
Speaker
Because, you know, the worst is just being super anxious for it and really being able to think straight just because you're anxious.
00:20:13
Speaker
You know, it doesn't mean that you're not smart or anything.
00:20:15
Speaker
But, you know, I think it would have definitely helped me.
00:20:18
Speaker
So I think studying early is a very, very good idea.
00:20:23
Speaker
And you don't have to master it in one day.
00:20:24
Speaker
Just read a couple pages a day, you know.
00:20:28
Speaker
Study calculations for one hour a day a couple months before the Netflix.
00:20:32
Speaker
And just hold yourself to it.
00:20:34
Speaker
And I think that's a big, big thing.
00:20:36
Speaker
Something too that I liked that I tell anyone that's preparing for the exam.
00:20:41
Speaker
And I was telling my mentee this actually today.
00:20:43
Speaker
One of my favorite things I did with the RX prep book to really help me understand the difference between clinical practice and what I learned in school, what's going to be on the test was depending on the rotation I had and what learning activities I had that week,
00:20:57
Speaker
I would try and overlay the, like use the RX prep book as a supplemental material to learn for it.
00:21:04
Speaker
So like, all right, we're going to do a topic discussion on community acquired pneumonia.
00:21:08
Speaker
Okay.
00:21:09
Speaker
I would read the community acquired pneumonia guidelines.
00:21:11
Speaker
I would read any pre readings that my preceptor would give me, but I'd also look at the RX prep chapter and see, okay, what in here talks about pneumonia.
00:21:19
Speaker
Okay.
00:21:20
Speaker
Why are there huge variations between the antibiotic that's recommended here?
00:21:24
Speaker
So I found that helpful because I learned, all right, this is how I'm going to answer a test question, but here's how I'm going to answer when I'm taking care of a patient when I have this other information.
00:21:33
Speaker
Because, you know, I have yet to have a situation where I was like, ah, I've seen this exact kind of patient on a test.
00:21:42
Speaker
You don't have that information.
00:21:44
Speaker
You can't put an entire electronic medical record into a single standardized exam question.
00:21:49
Speaker
I think another thing looking back too is I, you know, when reviewing the exam and taking the pre-naplex and seeing, you know, questions that I got wrong,
00:21:59
Speaker
I, you know, I started practicing things that I felt comfortable in and I would keep going back to those sections, right?
00:22:05
Speaker
So like infectious diseases, I felt very comfortable in and it almost felt like my comfort zone studying that material and I sort of avoided the material that I didn't like.
00:22:14
Speaker
And so I don't know if you have any advice on how to study the things that don't really interest you because I always feel like those are the parts that you might not do as well, you know, in.
00:22:25
Speaker
Yeah, so let's say it's an area that I've really tried to practice for all of my standardized exams is when I go through practice material, the stuff that I get wrong, I write on a piece of paper or write it on a Word document of what I got wrong.
00:22:39
Speaker
And so I'm taking note of where I suck so I know where I need to spend more time on.
00:22:44
Speaker
And until I feel confident in answering those types of questions in those domains, it stays on that priority sheet.
00:22:52
Speaker
So it's, I don't know, I call it, I originally called it the fishbowl method because I had like a bowl next to me and like not that kind of bowl, a like salad bowl or like it was a large glass and I was just writing down like, oh, okay.
00:23:06
Speaker
Cause I was actually studying for the PCAT.
00:23:09
Speaker
That archaic thing.
00:23:11
Speaker
If I got a question wrong, I was like, okay, what is this question assessing my knowledge of?
00:23:16
Speaker
Okay, this, this, and this.
00:23:17
Speaker
Wrote that on a piece of paper, threw it in the fishbowl.
00:23:19
Speaker
And so when I was like, all right, time to study.
00:23:22
Speaker
What do I want to study right now?
00:23:23
Speaker
Anything in that fishbowl was stuff I needed to work on.
00:23:26
Speaker
So...
00:23:27
Speaker
Is it a way also forcing myself, like, I don't get to choose.
00:23:30
Speaker
I can't get around that.
00:23:31
Speaker
I just want to study what I like to study.
00:23:34
Speaker
Like, nope.
00:23:35
Speaker
What is in there is what I need to prioritize.
00:23:38
Speaker
I would study HIV very well and keep looking over it, and I'm like, I really got to go to oncology.
00:23:42
Speaker
There are certain sections to...
00:23:45
Speaker
When I was taking the exam, I'm like, all right, I should have focused a little bit more on this.
00:23:49
Speaker
And I had time to, but I was focusing more on other things.
00:23:52
Speaker
So designating that time and knowing which spots are your weak spots is really important.
00:23:59
Speaker
Can you give any advice on like when to take
Test Dates and Residency Preparation
00:24:01
Speaker
the NAPLEX?
00:24:01
Speaker
Because I feel like students are up in the air.
00:24:04
Speaker
You either are like, oh, I'm just going to keep pushing it back and pushing it back and everyone keeps rescheduling theirs.
00:24:10
Speaker
Or do you just take it and get it over with?
00:24:13
Speaker
I mean, I have mixed feelings about it.
00:24:15
Speaker
I think you're never going to truly feel ready for an exam like this until you actually sit down and take it.
00:24:20
Speaker
And then you're like, wow, I wish I took this two months ago.
00:24:24
Speaker
Um, yeah, I completely agree because that's the approach I do with the MPJE recently.
00:24:28
Speaker
Like as soon as I was able to take that Missouri MPJE, I just scheduled the earliest date that I could because I was like, I'm going to study as much as I feel to the point where I feel comfortable.
00:24:39
Speaker
Whether that's two months from now or in this case, it was like three weeks.
00:24:42
Speaker
Don't do that.
00:24:43
Speaker
Don't do that.
00:24:43
Speaker
So I'm not saying do that for your first exam like this.
00:24:47
Speaker
Don't, don't.
00:24:48
Speaker
Like I said, everybody's experience is going to be different.
00:24:51
Speaker
So pick a date that, you know, reasonably you're like, all right, I think I could get the amount of studying I need in that amount of time.
00:24:58
Speaker
And hold yourself to it.
00:25:00
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
00:25:00
Speaker
I felt like scheduling my NAPLEX was a really big thing for me because it held me to a date.
00:25:05
Speaker
Exactly.
00:25:06
Speaker
And I was sort of tight on money, so I couldn't schedule my NAPLEX like a regular, I don't know, like a regular person.
00:25:13
Speaker
So I had to keep waiting until I actually had the funds to pay for it because it's very expensive, as we know.
00:25:19
Speaker
And so I was still a resident, you know, doing orientation, but I, you know, just couldn't afford it.
00:25:25
Speaker
And I couldn't take it early, unfortunately.
00:25:27
Speaker
And so...
00:25:29
Speaker
I had to kind of postpone it, but, you know, if I could, I maybe I would have taken it a little bit early.
00:25:35
Speaker
Something we should highlight too, though, is if you can.
00:25:39
Speaker
Such like we should have said this in the like transition from student to PGY1 resident episode, but try and get this crap knocked out before you start residency.
00:25:48
Speaker
It's not always possible.
00:25:50
Speaker
It's not always possible.
00:25:52
Speaker
I would totally recommend that.
00:25:53
Speaker
Unfortunately, some people graduate like in July.
00:25:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:25:57
Speaker
I don't know.
00:25:57
Speaker
There's one.
00:25:58
Speaker
My pharmacy school was like that.
00:26:00
Speaker
Mine.
00:26:00
Speaker
I couldn't take my exam until like two weeks in orientation.
00:26:04
Speaker
I was the same way.
00:26:04
Speaker
Plus on top of not financially being able to afford it.
00:26:07
Speaker
So it was like even more.
00:26:08
Speaker
And I'm like, where is my ATT at?
00:26:11
Speaker
So if you can relate, you're not alone.
00:26:13
Speaker
But if you are one of those lucky people that are able to take it early, you probably maybe have already taken it in May.
00:26:21
Speaker
Try to take it earlier.
00:26:23
Speaker
It will save you a lot of time.
00:26:24
Speaker
And especially too, if you're someone that thinks they're going to fail, you know, there's, it's different for everybody, but if you take it earlier, you have more time to retake it.
00:26:34
Speaker
You know, that's something you need to work with your employer, your RPD, that what would happen if you fail, how flexible can they be?
00:26:41
Speaker
Surprisingly, places are pretty flexible.
00:26:43
Speaker
You just have to ask and know how to read your residency manual and, you know,
00:26:48
Speaker
and working with your employers so it's not the end of the world if you fail so don't don't think that so don't do don't do that approach of like i'm just going to take it right now and then let's see if i pass it if i have to retake it oh well like don't don't go that crazy but
00:27:06
Speaker
That's an, that's, that's also very expensive because you get to pay all of the fees a second time.
00:27:11
Speaker
Yeah.
00:27:12
Speaker
Take that into consideration too.
00:27:14
Speaker
Um, I also got a question.
00:27:16
Speaker
I think it was in one of my DMs.
00:27:18
Speaker
Um, it might've been on TikTok, but what do you recommend for some students that have failed the NAPLEX multiple times?
00:27:25
Speaker
What would you say would be your advice?
00:27:26
Speaker
Cause I was thinking about this question.
00:27:29
Speaker
I was like, how do I, how would I go about this?
00:27:32
Speaker
I don't know.
00:27:33
Speaker
I think it would depend right on which sections I got wrong.
00:27:36
Speaker
Is it consistent?
00:27:37
Speaker
Am I getting like the same calculations portion wrong every time or is it more like clinical pharmacotherapy stuff?
00:27:44
Speaker
So I think it would really depend and I'd sort of find my weak spot.
00:27:48
Speaker
If it's all of them, then that's totally fine too.
00:27:51
Speaker
I think then you have a different study approach.
00:27:53
Speaker
But I think it's a little bit easier when you can kind of pinpoint where your weak spots are.
00:27:58
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's a lot to unpack there because everyone has different reasons why they could be failing multiple times.
00:28:04
Speaker
I think at that point I would be looking into seeing if there's some non-clinical, non-test-taking issue.
00:28:14
Speaker
I'm thinking, is there some test-taking anxiety that needs to be addressed?
00:28:18
Speaker
Do you need to see a therapist or a psychiatrist?
00:28:22
Speaker
At that point I'd be wondering, you probably know the stuff,
00:28:25
Speaker
you probably like you can do it.
00:28:27
Speaker
You just need to request the reasonable accommodations or get the therapy that you need.
00:28:31
Speaker
I had a classmate that was like that, like she was really struggling with exams.
00:28:35
Speaker
And then once she like got the accommodations that she needed, now she was like beating many people in the class.
00:28:41
Speaker
Like it's not so much a, you are bad at taking the, like you don't know the content, like you just need the accommodations.
00:28:49
Speaker
So I think that's what I would be first thinking about.
00:28:52
Speaker
And if that's not been done,
00:28:54
Speaker
then I mean really doing a lot of self-reflection, like ask yourself, why are you failing so many times?
00:29:00
Speaker
Are you spending too much time on questions?
00:29:02
Speaker
Because that hangs a lot of people up.
Introducing Pearls as a Resource
00:29:04
Speaker
Are you not doing well in calculations?
00:29:07
Speaker
Is the clinical knowledge not there?
00:29:09
Speaker
Or is it a certain domain area?
00:29:11
Speaker
I feel like if you're failing at multiple times, it's probably not just one area.
00:29:16
Speaker
But again, this is just pure guessing or anecdotal information
00:29:22
Speaker
or anecdote, but I don't think it's so much not knowing the exam, just not knowing how to take the exam.
00:29:27
Speaker
Exactly.
00:29:28
Speaker
Yeah.
00:29:29
Speaker
Or not having the resources you need to succeed taking the exam.
00:29:34
Speaker
100%.
00:29:34
Speaker
I think it comes down to the resources.
00:29:36
Speaker
I don't think that somebody's just not capable or they're just not smart enough.
00:29:39
Speaker
I think there's probably something underlying perhaps.
00:29:42
Speaker
And I can't assume or anything, but yeah, definitely get those accommodations and see if it helps you.
00:29:50
Speaker
All right, so now I think it's time we highlight what I'm super excited about.
00:29:55
Speaker
The reason for us wearing our sweaters, but although full disclaimer, I have joined with Pearls as being a clinical content advisor, but we're not getting paid for how many people sign up or anything like that.
00:30:09
Speaker
We just, we, you know, we share the vision that they have of wanting to be, you know,
00:30:15
Speaker
equitable in people being able to, you know, take the exam, not because if you think about it, you know, there are a lot of companies that their business model is preying off of people like having anxiety about things.
00:30:28
Speaker
Like I can't tell you how many like test taking prep courses are like, oh, you are not going to fail if you take our stuff.
00:30:36
Speaker
Are you worried about failing?
00:30:37
Speaker
We'll just pay $1,300 and we'll make sure you won't fail.
00:30:40
Speaker
Like I hate that so much.
00:30:42
Speaker
Like people already have terrible test anxiety as is.
00:30:45
Speaker
So seeing someone like Pearls who has made a practice NAPLEX exam with the rationales to each question included for 225 questions free if you sign up.
00:30:56
Speaker
So by making an account with them, which they do have a free version, this free version gives you access to a bunch of their pharmacotherapy charts that are great for using on rotation.
00:31:06
Speaker
But also this free NAPLEX test, this free NAPLEX practice exam, 225 questions.
00:31:12
Speaker
I've gone through and looked at the questions and they're solid.
00:31:14
Speaker
They're not stupid questions that are like, which of the following is an antibiotic?
00:31:19
Speaker
Amoxicillin?
00:31:20
Speaker
a tour of a statin or Humira.
00:31:22
Speaker
Like it's not those kinds of questions.
00:31:24
Speaker
Like these are very well thought out questions.
00:31:27
Speaker
I wasn't even a part of making it.
00:31:28
Speaker
So I, I hope I get to at some point because, you know, writing those kinds of test questions can be a lot of fun.
00:31:34
Speaker
But looking at the questions, like they're solid.
00:31:36
Speaker
They, I, I'm impressed with it.
00:31:39
Speaker
I seriously wish I had something like that when I was a fourth year student going on to take my, my NAPLEX because test taking materials expensive.
00:31:47
Speaker
So to see a company like this saying, Hey,
00:31:49
Speaker
Here's something that we put a lot of effort into making a high quality product for free.
00:31:54
Speaker
That is some smart marketing.
00:31:57
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's amazing.
00:31:59
Speaker
It's just that you're promoting the profession and you're also making it equitable for all these pharmacy students to access it.
00:32:06
Speaker
And I love it.
00:32:08
Speaker
I love Pearl's content in general.
00:32:09
Speaker
Even before I found out about this NAPLEX, I actually subscribed to their emails because I'm not doing so many clinical things.
00:32:17
Speaker
But I love seeing their charts and they always have updated charts.
00:32:20
Speaker
charts that they, you know, will update you on.
00:32:22
Speaker
So I love seeing their emails.
00:32:25
Speaker
I love seeing things pop through.
00:32:26
Speaker
It's super easy to read, very fun visual graphics.
00:32:30
Speaker
And I use them a lot on my Appy rotations and even just referring back to things for the NAPLEX too.
00:32:36
Speaker
So definitely take a look if you're an Appy student or pharmacy student in general too.
00:32:40
Speaker
You don't even have to be going into residency or taking the NAPLEX.
00:32:44
Speaker
Definitely subscribe and, you know, take a look at their content.
00:32:46
Speaker
It might help you.
00:32:47
Speaker
Yeah, something I didn't even realize looking at it, you know, I know they have some type of special pricing for pharmacy students, if I'm not mistaken.
00:32:55
Speaker
But, you know, as someone who has moved into a specialist in the specialist realm, like I've done a PGY2 in ID.
00:33:03
Speaker
That's like all I've really seen for the last year.
00:33:05
Speaker
Yes, I'm trying to stay up to date on like my internal medicine topics.
00:33:08
Speaker
I'm still caring for patients that have non ID problems.
00:33:11
Speaker
But the charts on here have been pretty helpful of like, oh, there was a big update to COPD management recently.
00:33:18
Speaker
Oh, okay, here's a quick way to like brush myself up on any major changes.
00:33:23
Speaker
So I'm a big fan of pearls and I haven't even been using it that long.
00:33:28
Speaker
I know.
00:33:29
Speaker
I actually use it in pharmacy school a little bit, and I love their desktop widget.
00:33:32
Speaker
And this is not like an ad or anything, but I love seeing it.
00:33:34
Speaker
And they actually gave like fun pharmacy facts every day.
00:33:38
Speaker
You just pull up your computer and it would say some cool thing and some sort of tip.
00:33:42
Speaker
So it always – it could help you memorize things and study for the Netflix.
00:33:45
Speaker
I don't know.
00:33:46
Speaker
It's just another cool thing they do.
00:33:49
Speaker
So I love that they're making it accessible for students.
00:33:53
Speaker
But yeah, okay.
00:33:53
Speaker
Well, that's our promo for pearls.
00:33:55
Speaker
Go check them out.
00:33:57
Speaker
There's no code you need to put in saying that you're from the podcast.
00:34:00
Speaker
Probably a good idea to do that next time though.
00:34:04
Speaker
Just go enjoy the free content that they have and just study.
00:34:09
Speaker
And I'm glad they have that out there.
00:34:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:34:13
Speaker
All right.
Balancing Personal Life with Professional Growth
00:34:14
Speaker
Let's dive into our peaks and troughs.
00:34:17
Speaker
I think I went first last time.
00:34:19
Speaker
So...
00:34:20
Speaker
are you ready or do I need to hit pause while we think about it for a second?
00:34:25
Speaker
No, I think I'm good actually.
00:34:27
Speaker
I had a, you know, I had a very rough week, but I also had a very good week if that makes sense.
00:34:32
Speaker
So, um, yeah, definitely a lot of peaks and troughs.
00:34:35
Speaker
So let's start with my peaks.
00:34:37
Speaker
I think my peak would definitely see my pharmacy students succeed in sort of
00:34:43
Speaker
come full circle, right?
00:34:45
Speaker
Like seeing her go from, you know, P like a P2 to P3 and just being able to mentor her.
00:34:52
Speaker
And I remember when I was in her situation and her shoes.
00:34:55
Speaker
So just seeing her like do very well and reach her goals and not only me acknowledging her, but like my boss acknowledging her and for her hard work.
00:35:05
Speaker
And it's been really great to see her grow, you know, as a young researcher.
00:35:09
Speaker
So that's what I love.
00:35:11
Speaker
Makes my job worth it.
00:35:12
Speaker
And
00:35:12
Speaker
this is why I go to work.
00:35:13
Speaker
So I absolutely love it.
00:35:15
Speaker
Just a good reminder of why I am where I am.
00:35:18
Speaker
We also have a couple other people, new students and new trainees.
00:35:22
Speaker
So it's great having them rotate through the lab.
00:35:25
Speaker
That's an awesome peak, and I think we have a theme this week because my peak is also about mentoring.
00:35:33
Speaker
I have a student that's from, or we're from, I cannot speak today, from where I went to pharmacy school.
00:35:40
Speaker
Shout out, hey, Roz.
00:35:42
Speaker
So, I mean, my peak is getting to see someone who is as passionate about infectious disease as I am, but also seeing that self-reflection happening this early.
00:35:54
Speaker
So we had talked a bit about how do we ask those questions?
00:35:58
Speaker
How do we figure out if residency is right for us?
00:36:00
Speaker
How do we look at the things that are going to help us become a future good resident, good pharmacist, and then eventually a good preceptor?
00:36:10
Speaker
And based off of what we had talked about in our last meeting, she had done it.
00:36:14
Speaker
She had employed it.
00:36:15
Speaker
She was like, yeah, I took that advice.
00:36:17
Speaker
I implemented it.
00:36:19
Speaker
And I realized this is what I'm going to want and what I don't want in a residency program.
00:36:23
Speaker
I'm like,
00:36:24
Speaker
The fact that you have this down in June is so far beyond your peers.
00:36:28
Speaker
This is fantastic.
00:36:29
Speaker
So, you know, seeing someone who is that motivated and also someone that takes advice, like,
00:36:36
Speaker
I feel like, you know, within this era of like so much information, so much knowledge out there that, you know, being an expert is not looked at as highly as it used to be.
00:36:45
Speaker
So I think having someone who's like, yeah, I'll take your advice.
00:36:48
Speaker
And then you see them do it and they have a great results.
00:36:51
Speaker
Like they're happy.
00:36:52
Speaker
You're happy.
00:36:53
Speaker
Like, this is good.
00:36:53
Speaker
I like this.
00:36:54
Speaker
I love that.
00:36:54
Speaker
Yeah.
00:36:55
Speaker
I can agree.
00:36:55
Speaker
It gives me all the warm fuzzies.
00:36:57
Speaker
So yeah, no, I, I, yeah, it just makes me happy.
00:37:01
Speaker
And
00:37:01
Speaker
Yeah, seeing someone so excited about like research and doing really well in it too and taking that advice is just awesome.
00:37:07
Speaker
So I love when students ask questions, they're inquisitive, they want to learn.
00:37:12
Speaker
That's like all I can ask for.
00:37:14
Speaker
And so I'm just super excited when I get a student like that.
00:37:17
Speaker
You know, you don't have to be the smartest, but when you're just curious and you're just genuinely, you know, you just want to learn and grow as a pharmacist in general, it's awesome to see stuff.
00:37:26
Speaker
Oh yeah.
00:37:27
Speaker
Every, every preceptor will take someone who's willing to learn over someone who already knows everything like every single time.
00:37:35
Speaker
So my trough, I kind of had a rough weekend.
00:37:39
Speaker
I think, um, I had sort of a family emergency, had to fly out pretty abruptly and then, um, you know, had to deal with the death of one of my close family members.
00:37:49
Speaker
And so, uh, that's definitely my, my trough.
00:37:53
Speaker
Um,
00:37:54
Speaker
But just sort of navigating that and work and having a lot of new things sort of come in and feel really anxious for that and also feel like I have this obligation, you know, for my family.
00:38:05
Speaker
It's really hard to kind of balance those two things.
00:38:08
Speaker
But I think at the end of the day, it's, you know, take that time for yourself.
00:38:12
Speaker
I look back.
00:38:12
Speaker
I'm like, you know what?
00:38:14
Speaker
It's okay.
00:38:14
Speaker
I can take an extra day or two off.
00:38:16
Speaker
It's not the end of the world.
00:38:17
Speaker
And people will live and people will survive in the lab without me.
00:38:22
Speaker
But, you know, you need this time to spend with your family and it's important.
00:38:26
Speaker
So, you know, if you're kind of in that situation, kind of maybe, I don't know, think –
00:38:33
Speaker
I don't know if you're in the same situation.
00:38:34
Speaker
I don't know.
00:38:35
Speaker
Do you have any advice Hunter?
00:38:36
Speaker
Do you have any other experience?
00:38:38
Speaker
No, I mean, even thinking about that, you know, whenever I, I was in a similar situation to you when I was an appy student, it was whenever mid-year was virtual and my grandfather had passed away of COVID and the funeral was going to be on the day of the showcase that had, I think it was like the morning and evening session.
00:38:58
Speaker
And I was like, mom and dad, like, I can't miss the showcase for grandpa's funeral.
00:39:04
Speaker
So my grandmother moves the funeral to the following Monday or when?
00:39:11
Speaker
No, was it Monday?
00:39:11
Speaker
Oh, gosh, I can't remember the dates now.
00:39:12
Speaker
But I remember the funeral got moved.
00:39:14
Speaker
So my family could accommodate me to attend the day of both showcases.
00:39:20
Speaker
Now, granted, the day that the funeral was moved to, there was the afternoon showcase, which
00:39:25
Speaker
Which, you know, looking back, looking in the moment, I was like, oh my gosh, my family's so awesome.
00:39:30
Speaker
They're being so accommodating for me.
00:39:31
Speaker
Now I look at it, it's like, holy crap.
00:39:35
Speaker
That was horrible.
00:39:36
Speaker
I can't believe I even asked that.
00:39:39
Speaker
Like, looking back, I should have messaged everyone I was interested in talking to saying, look, I really wanted to show up to your showcase today, but my grandfather passed away.
00:39:47
Speaker
Like,
00:39:49
Speaker
It was one of those eye-opening moments of, you know what, life events happen and you are going to have conflicting priorities, but being able to make the call of family is more important right now.
00:40:00
Speaker
It's hard.
00:40:00
Speaker
It is so hard.
00:40:02
Speaker
So I'm proud of you for taking that extra time because it's hard.
00:40:07
Speaker
Yeah.
00:40:07
Speaker
I mean, looking back to I wish I took even more time as well.
00:40:11
Speaker
You know, I'm like, does it really matter?
00:40:14
Speaker
You know, looking back at my priorities and it's just really hard.
00:40:16
Speaker
You're a student, you think certain things or, you know, you're a new grad and, you know, you think of your priorities are just different.
00:40:23
Speaker
And so it's it's definitely a tough thing.
00:40:25
Speaker
But, you know, think about it for a second and see what the bigger picture is.
00:40:31
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely.
00:40:32
Speaker
I probably do the same thing, though, if I was a student case.
00:40:34
Speaker
Yeah, they're that those virtual cases were very important.
00:40:37
Speaker
So, you know, you think it's the end of the world when you're a student, but you're in this position, like doesn't even I didn't show up to the showcase to be quite honest with you to even match.
00:40:47
Speaker
But everyone puts that in your head.
00:40:48
Speaker
So, yeah.
00:40:50
Speaker
And you don't want to let anyone down.
00:40:51
Speaker
Everyone's overachiever to in pharmacies.
00:40:53
Speaker
So.
00:40:54
Speaker
For sure.
00:40:55
Speaker
Yeah, so anyways.
00:40:57
Speaker
My trough is not near as severe as yours.
00:41:02
Speaker
It was more lighthearted.
00:41:03
Speaker
It was more... One of the ways I have tried to stay consistent with exercise is I will use the VR.
00:41:10
Speaker
There's...
00:41:11
Speaker
So there's like the supernatural boxing.
00:41:13
Speaker
It's a ton of fun.
00:41:15
Speaker
But one of the ways, like if I'm really struggling to say like, am I going to work out today?
00:41:19
Speaker
Like I try to tell myself like, no, I want to have fun today.
00:41:21
Speaker
So I'll do a game called Blade and Sorcery, which is a gladiator arena.
00:41:25
Speaker
And let me tell you, it is so much fun to throw on that headset, be in the middle of an arena.
00:41:33
Speaker
Like the living room now is an arena and I am holding swords, pretty much reenacting 300.
00:41:38
Speaker
Does your wife get to play too?
00:41:40
Speaker
Oh yeah, she's played it too.
00:41:41
Speaker
She doesn't like the Blaine Sorcerer one.
00:41:43
Speaker
Can you guys play together though?
00:41:44
Speaker
We can't play together for that one, but there are other multiplayer games like that where we can be active.
00:41:49
Speaker
But this one, this is more single player, but it is so much fun because I will get so into it.
00:41:56
Speaker
That sounds so fun.
00:41:57
Speaker
I've always seen those and I'm like, I really want to do it.
00:42:00
Speaker
It's so much fun.
00:42:02
Speaker
Totally worth it.
00:42:02
Speaker
I mean, you know, the headsets are worth like $300 and the game itself is like $40 or $50.
00:42:07
Speaker
But oh my gosh, it is the best way for me to unleash like mad feelings, sad feelings.
00:42:15
Speaker
Like now the game can be very graphic.
00:42:18
Speaker
So like on the days where I'm like, I just had a terrible day at work and I'm like, come here.
00:42:21
Speaker
Like I take their head off.
00:42:22
Speaker
I'm like, oh, okay.
00:42:25
Speaker
Um, I don't know if this is a healthy way of getting rid of my emotions, but it's working and no one's getting harmed.
00:42:31
Speaker
I don't know.
00:42:32
Speaker
It's, it's one way.
00:42:34
Speaker
Hey, it could be worse.
00:42:35
Speaker
You go to other coping skills.
00:42:36
Speaker
So I'm glad it's VR.
00:42:38
Speaker
I, you're not to give a drop that recommendation, maybe in the podcast, uh, like bio or blurb or whatever the comments.
00:42:44
Speaker
Yeah.
00:42:45
Speaker
Yeah.
00:42:45
Speaker
Like you recommend this VR, you know, I mean, I have so much fun with like when I get, whenever I get a long sword and a shield, um,
00:42:54
Speaker
I will be like, all right, what have I seen in movies before?
00:42:57
Speaker
Smack them with the shield.
00:42:58
Speaker
And then come down with the sword.
00:43:00
Speaker
Oh, I've got them on the ground.
00:43:01
Speaker
They're disoriented.
00:43:02
Speaker
Wham, wham.
00:43:03
Speaker
And I'm like, if someone is looking at me in the window, they think there is something wrong with me.
00:43:07
Speaker
But it's just me getting my stress out.
00:43:10
Speaker
Some people go to the gym.
00:43:12
Speaker
Some people play VR.
00:43:14
Speaker
And that's all you need to know.
00:43:16
Speaker
Well, hey, you have to learn how to like the VR and being indoors when you're in Minnesota because these winters keep you from going outside.
00:43:22
Speaker
You either learn the winter sports, which, you know, we're not staying up here.
00:43:26
Speaker
If you're not a winter sport, too.
00:43:27
Speaker
If you're not a winter sport person, then there's no need to, you know.
00:43:30
Speaker
Well, I mean, the winter sports are cool.
00:43:31
Speaker
The winter sports are awesome.
00:43:32
Speaker
I got to go skiing for that time in February, but it is so expensive to get into winter sports, to get good quality equipment.
00:43:40
Speaker
That's a high barrier to get into that.
00:43:42
Speaker
So VR is like, all right, here's 300 bucks in a video game.
00:43:46
Speaker
Go nuts.
00:43:48
Speaker
But all right.
00:43:48
Speaker
Yeah.
00:43:49
Speaker
Thanks for everyone
Final Encouragement for Candidates
00:43:50
Speaker
listening in.
00:43:50
Speaker
I hope you guys can take some of our NAPLEX tips and tricks and advice.
00:43:54
Speaker
And I hope it sort of helps some of you guys out there.
00:43:56
Speaker
And good luck taking your NAPLEX exams.
00:43:59
Speaker
Again, it's not the end of the world if you don't pass.
00:44:02
Speaker
But, you know, study hard, make us proud, and you're going to do our profession very well in the future.
00:44:08
Speaker
Anything else to add, Andrew?
00:44:09
Speaker
I mean, if anyone has questions, you can always message us on our on our website.
00:44:13
Speaker
You can if you have specific comments about the episode, if you found it helpful, if there are things that we missed and you'd like us to bring up in a future episode or do a whole episode on it, message us.
00:44:23
Speaker
We're on Twitter, we're on Instagram.
00:44:25
Speaker
All right.
00:44:26
Speaker
Well, we'll see everyone on the next episode.