Failed AANP Then...Passed!

Hi I just wanted to give back and provide support to anyone out there looking for answers on passing their NP boards. I want to start by saying I took my boards in July and failed. I recently just took them today, 9/8 and passed. So to start, I graduated in May and decided to relax and have fun versus jumping right in. I just needed a break. I vacationed and did fun things for about a month. I purchased an online review course by Amelia Hollier. I loved it versus in person reviews because it was at my own pace and I studied as I had time. With my schedule it took me a few weeks to get through the review. It was great and I really learned a lot such as diagnosing murmurs and interpreting hematological disorders, and a lot of different intricates as such. It was a great review and Hollier said at the end of the review to take a few weeks to go through each system on your own which I didn't do.

Next, I purchased Fitzgerald mp3 player that came with her book. I was happy because I felt like I could listen to it during my free time at work and really get a good study in. I also had the Maria Leik book which by this point I was too worn out to take my time to go thru it and study it. I glanced through it and then I did something unimaginable.... I moved my board exam up by 3 weeks and guess what.. I failed it.

I was so upset and sad and it took me just a little bit to get myself together and figure out what to do next. I scrolled the internet for similar situations that could help me and realized I wasn't alone. I immediately started doing my CEUs that same day thanks to reading a bunch of similar situations because AANP doesn't give you a true breakdown of what to focus on, so I did random CEU topics. I finished that in a day then resubmitted my application and was approved within few days. My letter came like 2 weeks after that of areas to focus on which was useless.

Preparing the 2nd time.... I had this imaginary thought that I would retest in 2 weeks.....but I didn't, I retested 2 months later..

I already had the Leik book and decided to update it to the new edition since it came with an app. Once it came, I hit the books hard... planned out in my calendar each lesson... took my time, had a notebook, wrote down everything important by system and would refer to my notes to study that particular system and answering questions from Leiks online app to correlate... I read the entire book and at the near end of my readings, I found out that Hollier had an excellent question and answer book that was great for practice for the boards.

I did not retake that exam until I totally understood everything because the exam is so random that you just don't know what's on it.. I had the information down packed this time... I learned with this exam that you have to KNOW the information and understand it... cramming will not help you at all. I went over my notes until I was blue in the face and I answered questions like crazy the second time around... when I took the exam again I thought it was so easy because I could rationalize and think out the obvious thanks to Hollier's question and answer book, and Maria Leik's review book....

I was able to ace the exam with my knowledge I had acquired. I have a youtube link that can further give you what I did to pass and some advice on the boards... there are many people who look to the internet for help and I would like to say don't give up... you can do it.. just take your time and do it... one little bit of advice... don't purchase too many books... or reviews..it can overwhelm you.... choose a review of your choice... ... Amelia Hollier is a great review and online is convenient and just as good as in person.. Fitzgerald offers too much information for me and its overload for the exam and her style of questioning gave me anxieties... I personally did not like this as a review for boards but will use it to review for my actual NP practice.... she has alot of knowledge.. Stick with Maria Leik review book definitely and I would buy Hollier questions and answer book...