Well I took my EMT exam...

[Johntom2000]

and failed...back to the drawing board...This was my first time taking any type of medical exam. I went to amzon and ordered EMT Basic Exam Secrets Study Guide: EMT-B Test Review for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Basic Exam (Paperback). I really don't like how the bradey book helped very not well layed out on what type of questions was on the test of what I can remember. Well got to get ready get ready for work.

later guys,

John

[okmedic]

Sorry to hear about your test Johntom. The best advise I can give you is read and reread your textbook. You can buy all the practice books and study reference you want, but it doesn't replace that textbook. Study up and get ready for that next exam. Good luck!!

[Johntom2000]

ya am going to mix in the study book wiht the text book. Hopefully it will give me a better understanding.

[Dustdevil]

There are only two possible ways to fail that test:

• 1. Be a complete moron

2. Overthink it

• The key to success on the retest is to determine which of those two applies to you. If it's number 1, the key is persistence. You will never actually learn the material, or you already would have. So just keep taking the test until you luck out and pass it by one question, or until you run out of money and chances, or until you get hired at McDonalds.

If it's number 2, study moderately, but retake the test by making absolutely sure that -- before you answer each and every question -- you say to yourself, "A. B. C.", because 99 percent of the questions are simple questions about the ABCs. So, again after you answer the question, go back and look again. Did your answer take the ABCs into consideration in the proper order? If so, it's right. If not, quit overthinking it and remember ABC!

[Johntom2000]

well am not dumb...I spent alot of restless nites studying for this test...so..I am thinking I was over thinking it all. so....it does take people 2 or 3 times to pass it. I take it you passed on your first try?

[Dustdevil]

I take it you passed on your first try?

Written, yes. But I flunked the skills the first time. And a few times since then too, lol. There is a lot of subjectiveness in many skills testing stations, so you can know your stuff and still flunk one.

But seriously, problem #1 is the most common reason for failure of the written, sadly enough. Just read through the "Taking The Test" forum (where you should have posted this thread) a little bit and see some of the illiterate idiots there. But yeah, plenty of people overthink it. I went back and challenged the EMT-B test a few years back just to see how much it had changed over the previous thirty years, and I honestly walked away wondering if I had passed. Of course, I did pass, but the more you know, the more you overthink it, so I wasn't sure I did! This is one factor that actually puts the better students at a disadvantage. Unfortunately, the test (as well as the entire course) is not designed for medical professionals. It's designed as a simple monkey see-monkey do first aid course, with very little room for intelligent thinking. If you start trying to intelligently think through each question, it hurts you. You have to simply remember ABC, and apply it blindly to each question to get your answer, without trying to make any diagnosis or read into the situation. For that reason, your first guess will usually be the right one, assuming you know your stuff.

Good luck!

[spenac]

well am not dumb...I spent alot of restless nites studying for this test...so..I am thinking I was over thinking it all. so....it does take people 2 or 3 times to pass it. I take it you passed on your first try?

Hope you do better. Just relax, don't even open a book night before or day of exam.

Now not to brag I passed ECA, EMT-B, and EMT-I each in 1 attempt, written and skills. Once off injured reserve I will do my paramedic clinicals then see how my paramedic exam goes, probably fail and be a worthless EMT-I the rest of my life.

[sirduke]

Overthinking the questions is probably the most common error, unless of course you don't know the material. As previously mentioned, ABC's come first, don't let the fancy stuff lead you astray.

One resource I used prior to taking my EMT-I test was learnatest, I took both the EMT and Paramedic test several times, the questions on those test were very close to the Registry test when I took it.

I don't know where you are, but here is a link you can use to find the test. It is a free sign up, or was last time I was there. Try it if you want.

www.docolib.org

Once there, got to the learn a test link and register.

Good luck, and don't over study the night before.

[firedoc5]

How much did you miss it by? If it was by just a point or two I'd say you did over think it. Or you could have just had an off day. Find out which areas you had problems with and go over them again, almost like starting from scratch. You may catch something that you missed the first time you studied it.

Just relax. Don't get stressed out about it. You're not the first to fail the test the first time and won't be the last.

If you feel like you need help in understanding something or would like to be tutored, don't hesitate to ask. And there are many here that are more than willing to help out.

[Cecilia]

I didn't wanna make a new topic, cause i already ranted in my blog, but I also failed, by ONE point!