We know there are thousands of students taking the NREMT right now. We thought we’d ask our Chief Knowledge Officer and exam prep guru Dan Limmer for a review of some of his favorite pieces of exam prep advice.
This is what he said.
When preparing for the NREMT:
- Ignore most of the things you hear on social media about the NREMT. While many comments are well intended, others are just plain wrong. If you have questions, reach out to your instructor, a mentor, or even Limmer Education.
- One piece of wrong advice on social media is, “Just go back to your book. Everything you need is there. Read it cover to cover again.” Your book is a great learning tool in class—and a great resource to look up things as you prepare. But if you studied in class, it is time for something new. The NREMT will ask you to apply, not recall. You need a different tool once you switch from studying for a class to preparing for the NREMT.
- When you use exam prep apps, the ones that make you feel good may not be the ones you need. People rarely feel like they passed when they leave the testing center. The experience with your preparation should provide challenging questions to simulate the NREMT and help you learn the material better as well as understand how the questions will be asked on the big day.
- When you get a question wrong as you study, don’t just move on to the next question. Look at the rationale, then look back at the question. Determine what you missed in the question that would have led you to the correct answer.
- Study the nooks and crannies: GCS, rule of 9s, CPR rates and ratios, obstetrics, and childbirth complications.
When at the NREMT testing center:
- Breathe and relax.
- Don’t do a brain dump on the paper you are given. Don’t study in the parking lot. You know what you know when you get there. There are no magic tricks to help you. Desperate last-minute things cause more stress than benefit.
- Read each question twice before looking at the choices. Force yourself to do this. NREMT questions are written so there is no fluff. Almost every word in the question has some relevance. If you miss part of the question—or the importance of a particular finding—you will get the question wrong.
- When sitting in front of the computer, don’t fixate on the time or number of questions. Answer each one to the best of your ability, then move on. Worrying about a question that has passed hinders your ability to effectively evaluate the question in front of you.
- Finding there are questions you don’t know the answer to may actually be a good thing. The exam serves up increasingly challenging questions if you are doing well. Don’t freak out. Plus, the EMT and paramedic exams have about ten pilot questions (more on the AEMT exam), which don’t count toward your score.
We know it is a stressful time as you head toward the NREMT. You’ve worked hard to get here, and a lot rides on this one exam. When you finish, come back and let us know how these tips worked for you.
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