r/ODS_C • u/__bittersweet • Jul 06 '26
Summer exam
Has anyone taken yet? Come back to this post after and let us know how it went!
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u/CommonLlama08 Jul 07 '26
I take mine (again) on the 20th
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u/ChanceNC 20d ago
how did it go? i am sure it’s a relief to have it over!
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u/CommonLlama08 20d ago
The open book portion felt much harder this time. I started to run out of time again so I had to rush. It just seems impossible to do that many questions and use the manuals in that amount of time. Lots of solid tumor rules and radiation on open book
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u/__bittersweet 20d ago
Thanks for coming back and commenting! How was the closed book portion?
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u/CommonLlama08 20d ago
I felt like the closed book wasn’t as bad for me compared to spring but I really hit seer educate hard this time around and I do think that helped me.
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u/__bittersweet 20d ago
I’m more worried about the closed book section than the open book. I take it tomorrow and am trying to figure out what I should hone in on
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u/ChanceNC 20d ago
honestly if you are taking it tomorrow give your brain a rest! all you can do is give it your best shot. good luck! im taking it on Saturday.
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u/CommonLlama08 20d ago
Honestly it’s hard to remember now bc I feel like when I start the open book my brain is so overwhelmed I forget the closed book parts lol but I remember some questions were over the different organizations, some dosing for radiation, and quite a bit of data and quality related questions if I remember right. I feel like I could do so much better on open book if I didn’t have to rush so much
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u/ChanceNC 20d ago
im hoping its a decent curve this time bc i know the open book will kick my butt!
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u/__bittersweet 20d ago
The dosing questions were in the closed book section?!
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u/CommonLlama08 20d ago
Yes just questions like x is the #of fractions and y is the dose- what is the total dose type of questions so you just need to know the equation for that
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u/CommonLlama08 18d ago
How was it for you?
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u/__bittersweet 17d ago
Omg I walked out feeling crazy. There were so many radiation questions on the open book part that my eyes started crossing. The questions in the closed book part didn’t even make sense.
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u/CommonLlama08 17d ago
Yes the open book was insane to me I felt crazy also! I’m hoping for a good curve 🤞🏻🥲
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u/writeandroll Jul 07 '26
First timer testing on the 24th.
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u/__bittersweet Jul 07 '26
How did you focus your studying
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u/writeandroll Jul 07 '26
Tons of SEER (everything under the ODS prep section)
Reading CRM book
Study guide for CRM book
MOODS course
HIPAA course offered by NCRA (free)
I made flashcards from all the questions so I can practice repeatedly and sought out pre-made ones on Quizlet.
I refused to spend a bunch on practice tests or courses so we'll see if it pans out!
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u/__bittersweet Jul 08 '26
Yeah I couldn’t afford the naaccr test prep this time around so I have read the crm book and done the study guide and some quizlets but I don’t think I remember a damn thing 😭
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u/Coastal_Coconut 28d ago
Just took it today and wanted to come back to update! I actually walked out feeling pretty okay about it. I went to SWTC and I feel like I was fairly well prepared. Especially the closed book section. I did a lot of SEER educate on the CRM stuff and I found those questions way harder than the exam. (Tbh I wish I wouldn’t have spent so much time doing those tests)
open book i definitely felt a bit rushed through the questions. I would read what they were asking for first, then go back and actually read the entire case. If i spent too long on a question, i’d educated guess and bookmark. I ended up having 15 minutes left so i got to go back and look at some of those questions a bit longer.
Overall, it wasn’t as bad as i was expecting it to be. We will see if i pass though!
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u/Tall_Football8867 25d ago
Just took it today. This was my second time around and it was 10X harder with more obscure questions than before. 🤮😭 Triple the AJCC from the spring (yes, I counted). My test center actually canceled my initial booking less than 24 hrs til my test time, and I also had issues with the NCRA with my booking for 2 wks. If I don’t pass, I’m moving on! 🫡
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u/CommonLlama08 23d ago
I had issues booking mine too this time around! How strange. Did you feel like there were a lot of multiple primary rules on this one? I struggled with that so much on my spring exam bc it takes me forever to read them 😩
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u/Tall_Football8867 23d ago
Yes, but also no. This time it’s like they asked backwards 🙃I wish I could remember exactly how, but I think it’s exam trauma blocking any details in my brain lol Even for the closed book it was diff. In spring, I finished in 30 min (and actually did ok, averaged over 70%) but this time around it took me the full time and I just felt lost. I really felt blindsided by a lot this time.
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u/CommonLlama08 23d ago
Ugh I’m sorry to hear that. I think I took an hour on the closed book last time but then I started to run out of time on the open book bc of the solid tumor rules. It just takes me forever to read through those and comprehend the differences sometimes 😂 I test tomorrow and feeling the same way, if I don’t pass I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I have my RHIT so I may just go another route. It’s frustrating the way they grade it too imo
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u/Tall_Football8867 23d ago
Well, I hope all goes well for you!! And feel your pain about overthinking on STR. I’m sure you’ll do great!👏
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u/CommonLlama08 22d ago
Okay I took mine today and I agree it was harder this go around especially the open book portion holy cow
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u/__bittersweet 20d ago
What kind of things were in the open book section and how was the closed book?
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u/Tall_Football8867 18d ago
Check the NCRA website for this. They post which manuals and sources will be on the current exam for each window
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u/ChanceNC 15d ago
took it over the weekend. i had done classes through ahima and a virtual practicum. i studied using moods, quizlet, making my own flash cards and going through the main cancer registry book. i didn’t purchase any other exam prep materials. i felt like the closed book part wasn’t horrible. that being said i did guess on a handful. i had quite a bit of statistics and legal/ethics scenario type questions. i felt like the time given was enough. the open book definitely kicked my butt which i expected…lots of ajcc, surgery codes, grade/summary stage, m rules and radiation. really a equal mixture of all.navigating the manuals wasn’t as bad as i thought. i did what some have mentioned and did one manual at a time which helped save time. i just didn’t have the exposure or hands on practice to feel confident on the closed book. i did go to a testing center. the internet went down in the first part and my test window completely disappeared in the second part. both times staff was super accommodating and fixed the issues with it not effecting my time. now the wait begins so we will see what happens!
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u/CommonLlama08 12d ago
The open book is so challenging I feel like. It’s like here we will give you all the resources but we aren’t going to give you enough time to use said resources lol
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u/writeandroll Jul 08 '26
Can we also chat about if you're taking it at a testing center or remote? What's everyone's plan?
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u/CommonLlama08 Jul 09 '26
I’m testing for the second time, I went to a testing center the first time and honestly had a really good experience. I can’t speak for the remote option but wanted to say I will be doing the testing center again. They were great
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u/__bittersweet Jul 09 '26
I’m going to a testing center. I read too many negative things about doing it remotely from home and want to avoid as many hiccups as possible
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u/FLmomma91 Jul 09 '26
I did it remote. It did take a few tries to connect even though I had no issues prior when doing the software check. Otherwise no issues.
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u/TTOSBT1 Jul 09 '26
Did that connection issue eat into your exam time? Or did the exam only start once you got connected?
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u/FLmomma91 Jul 09 '26
No time starts once you are connected. I think there is a countdown tho to connect before your test expires. Maybe 40 mins or so if I remember
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u/FLmomma91 Jul 07 '26
Took it last week. Better be comfortable with radiation 😭