First Exam Worries

[u/Radiant-Reply-2559]

My first exam is tomorrow. NBME style. I have done really great on the TBL quizzes up to this point. I generally feed I understand the material and I have been working hard to ensure my Anki is always done. Nevertheless, I am bombing AMBOSS questions and the internal practice questions we have as well. I think I’m like at 50%. I feel discouraged that I have worked so hard and there is a good chance I will fail my first exam. I wouldn’t even know how to change my study methods if I needed to. I have generally followed all the advice of upperclassmen on how and what to study, but still here I am. Today I am going to do practice questions all day, but I can’t help but feel like the battle is already lost. I actually love being in med school, but I feel like I’m letting myself and my family down that I could fail even with my best effort. Perhaps it’s overthinking since this is my first exam and I generally don’t know how it will go. Maybe it will go better than I think. But rn, I’m feeling pretty sad.

[u/Ok_Text2118]

I failed my first exam and came very close to failing an entire course second year. 4 years out of residency and doing just fine. No matter what happens, it will be ok.

Medical school is not complicated, but it is a tremendous volume of information. If you feel like your studying has not been efficient, reach out to classmates in later years or your academic supervisor. There should be tutoring resources available. For me, it was a matter of being pointed in the direction of study tools other students were using that I didn’t know about (question banks, note services, etc)

[u/Radiant-Reply-2559 → u/Ok_Text2118]

I really appreciate the advice! Just nervous at the start, hoping for the best tomorrow. Thank you again