How to Study for the NAVLE

This is a Vet Gazette post originally published in August 2010, but I'm pulling it from the archive as many fourth year students out there are starting to think about the NAVLE. Please enjoy (as much as one can enjoy the thought of studying)!

This post is a little bit long (alright, it's really long) but it should be quite helpful. Last year the Education and Licensure Committee put together a survey of past 4th year students to gauge how they studied for NAVLE. The results are compiled here to give you a good idea of how those before us survived. Happy reading!

Hello eager vet students! Summer is the time for fun, enjoying some much needed time off from the rigor and grind of our curriculum…unless, of course, you’re in the class of 2011. For you all this may be the most important time of your educational career as you prepare yourself in a hospital setting for practicing your profession to the utmost of your abilities and get ready to take the NAVLE, the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination! The SAVMA Education and Licensure Committee conducted a survey of graduating fourth year students from all the veterinary schools this past spring, asking them questions like:

• When did you start studying?
• What books did you find most helpful?
• What review service helped you?

We’ve worked hard to compile the answers to these questions, and in this issue of The Vet Gazette we’d like to offer you some highlights. In addition, we will send specific information from YOUR graduated seniors to your SAVMA delegate. So, if you have more questions or want more information, please feel free to contact them. Read on, and we hope you find some advice to guide you in your studies, and GOOD LUCK THIS FALL!

Congratulations to Iowa State, which had the most student participation! A special thanks also goes out to Colorado State with the second highest participation.

37% of students recommend studying btw 3-7 hrs per week, with over half of students beginning to study in August or September. Although some students recommended starting to study later than that, August or September was the overwhelming common beginning month of study. Remember, YOU know how you study best, so plan ahead and give yourself enough time.

We asked students what materials they felt were most useful for studying, including books, school hosted review sessions, and computer/online based reviews. By far students felt that their class notes were the most helpful of all review materials. To all the underclassmen, remember that the next time you feel like skipping lecture.

Among the books students felt were most helpful were:

            Coté, Auburn Species Guide, NVMS Books, Merck manual, Veterinary Nerd book, Ettinger books

Those books they found somewhat helpful included Pasquini books, and the least helpful to students responding to the survey were the Mosby review books.

The computer based/online review programs appeared to be evenly utilized by students, and their level of helpfulness was likewise fairly even. In general, students seemed to find VetPrep to be more helpful than Zuku reviews, but most students found that the materials provided by the NVBME on their website were very useful in preparing to TAKE the exam. It’s never too early to check out what’s heading your way, so take a peak at the website no matter your year at http://www.nbvme.org/?id=12.

Many students were kind enough to share their scores to give you an idea of how your colleagues are doing on the exam, and we have also included a breakdown based on your school. The majority of students are scoring between 500-600. Scores are also provided on the NBVME website for the whole nation, not just those students who responded to our survey.

Finally, here are a few words directly from your fellow students who took the test last year:

“Focus on diagnostics and treatments.

Start in the late summer. Do Vetprep or Zuku, they both seem to be really good.  Take notes on questions you get wrong in a word document, then review them while you are walking to school or when you lay down in bed at night for a few minutes. You'll spend less time per week initially, then more time as it gets closer.  Aim for 5 hours a week until it's about 6 weeks away, then transition to about 15 hours a week.

Don't stress out.  It is very hard to review your material while in clinics.  Just balance studying with stress relieving activities.

Use different study aids because just one is not good enough.  Focus on the areas that you do not feel strong in.  During clinics take the hard cases so that you know this information for boards and your future.  Don't stress out or lose sleep because more than likely you will be fine!

Much of my knowledge came from learning clinics. Try to take medicine courses close to boards. Don't get bogged down in facts, but instead think of scenarios.

The weekend before taking boards go over piglet diarrhea.

It helped me most to study from the cases I saw on clinics prior to the exam. By scheduling rotations that I knew were a weakness for me prior to my exam, I could spend more time with that subject.

There are such a variety of questions that studying can seem overwhelming. It is convenient to have an external source to help concentrate your studying or help identify weaknesses that require more time.

You are probably going to feel like you failed no matter how much you study. Don't let studying take away from more important things like sleep, health, and family time.

Don't only rely on the the multiple choice questions provided by review services.  Read, read, read!  If written material is provided by the review services (eg. VetPrep Power Pages) make sure to leave enough time to read them all before the test.  Use free online resources that have review pages on various species and disease.  A good site is www.gumshoevet.net.  An important study tip to remember is to continue to study up until the week of your exam, don't rush through your study materials months in advanced to simple finish them.

Do a little at a time so that you do not get overwhelmed.  You are not going to know everything, so spend time on the main subjects (dog, cat, horse, cow) & then go back & study the other stuff if you have time.  Stay calm.  Take the test in November, so you basically have an out if you do not pass...you can take it again in April...not preferred, but it takes the pressure off.  Know your study habits and pick a study method that works for you.  I picked the flash cards b/c they were portable & I didn't absolutely have to have internet to study.  It worked for me.  I knew too that if I just did VetPrep or Zuku, I would get bogged down in how I was doing & I wouldn't learn as well.  I do suggest one of those programs though, just so you get into the habit of answering multiple choice tests.  I liked the Vin  review b/c it has a timer on it & it desensitized me to the timed part of the test.  One minute is a LOT longer than you think.  Good luck everyone...stay positive and never ever say "I am so gonna fail" !!!  NAVLE is a fair test and you are gonna do great!

Take the extra time to research cases you have while in clinics.  That seemed to help me a lot.”

Good luck to all of you on clinics and in the classroom. Enjoy your summers and start the next semester off with a BANG!

-The ELC