My life is tests.

Each Monday, two 110-question tests tests on anatomy and physiology mimic the one we will take for our licensure in June. Each week, as we study harder, remember more, the stakes go up. 50 points each. Then 75 points each. Then 100.

Each Wednesday, alternating exams, followed by lecture. Massage techniques alternate with applied anatomy, with additional reviews on hygiene, ethics, scope of practice, and the Ohio Revised Code. We get precious little hands-on time in class, although we do have another mandatory preceptor massage to give, and one (in their mercy) to receive.

Here’s the breakdown of our A&P and Massage exams for licensure. [I'd be interested in learning how they compare with the exams in other states/countries, if you feel like sharing.]

I know that some massage therapists criticize massage schools for teaching students to pass tests, rather than to be successful massage therapists. I’m not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, I’ve openly critiqued my school for not having enough business education, and no training in research whatsoever.

On the other hand, we do get to volunteer in the community, learn from a variety of VERY highly-qualified massage therapists, and discuss our real-life concerns in class on a regular basis. And we have a 100% pass rate for State Boards most years. The average is 55% or so. All the life-skills in the world won’t help you when you have to wait another six months and pay another $300+ to retake the exam. For those who plan to practice in other states, not a single graduate of my school has failed to pass the NCBTMB exam on their first try. Ever. I’ll take prepared any day.

Do I love the new routine? No way. I find it soul-crushing, lifted only slightly by the fact that there are Thin Mints in my freezer as we speak. But the constant comprehensive testing doesn’t need to derail my philosophy that studying is best done within a tight focus. It can actually help.

Mistakes Matter

One of the greatest things about test questions is that you don’t always know the answer. Yes, greatest. Research shows that even guessing answers during a pretest helps your recall of the correct answer later, after you’ve studied it. It’s actually more helpful to spend the time guessing than studying. (Although you do eventually  have to study to get the benefit, obviously.)

Most of the time, you won’t have to rely on pure guesswork. You will probably

  • Eliminate one or more answers, then make your best guess of those remaining,
  • Use the knowledge you have easily at hand to reason out the correct answer, or
  • Already know the information

If the last, answering the question will only solidify the knowledge in your brain. But the real gold is in the questions you missed, reasoned, or guessed.

Why? That’s what you need to study, of course.

The Beauty of the Retest. (And the retest. And the retest.)

Sure, if you only take one comprehensive exam, this method is bunk. Of course there will be lots of material you’ll need to know that won’t be covered in a single test. But three tests a week for most of a school term? That’s a lot of room for a lot of mistakes. I don’t expect to lack for study material anytime soon.

What if you don’t have this kind of setup? You’ve only got one test, or a few, or you’re a genius and answer everything correctly? Turn your exams on their heads and start thinking like a teacher. Or Alex Trebeck.

The shaft of the bone is also called the

A. epiphasis
B. diaphasis
C. metaphasis
D. osteon
E. two of the above

The correct answer here is B. You knew it, and looking at a list of terms for a question you’ve already answered correctly isn’t exactly helpful. So you ask yourself, “What would the question have looked like if the correct answer were A? C? D? How about E?”

Suddenly, you’ve got four new questions to answer, and four new concepts to either reinforce or learn.

The bonus? Foil answers in exams are usually just as important to know about as the correct answer, they just weren’t the correct answer du jour. Eventually “epiphasis” is going to come up, and you’re going to know it already. (Score! Literally! Hooray!)

I may pull my hair out in the next couple months. I hope not, because I’ve grown it out to S3, and I already shed more than an Irish wolfhound. I will definitely keep on blogging through it all, although the degree of coherence might vary with my sanity levels. Should be an interesting ride!

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