I just found out I passed the Naplex with a very high score! The first time I took it I made a 70. I think it was due to nerves. I had a panic attack right before my exam. I also ran out of time. I definitely like the new version better than the old. The first time I used RX Prep and it was just too much to absorb. I also studied everyday all day 8-12 hours for six weeks. This time I needed a new approach (I made it through pharmacy school by cramming smh).
For the November Naplex:
- I studied 4-5 hours a day for three weeks and 12 hours a day on the weekend
- During that time I covered MULTIPLE topics. I spent at least two hours on calculations/biostats daily
- I wanted to spend more time answering questions versus reading because I needed to learn to quickly eliminate wrong answers and think about what the question was asking me.
- My RX Prep was expiring and I wasn't spending money for it again. I did all of the calculations in the testbank again twice before it expired. I also watched and did the test bank questions for biostats again and the topics I didn't perform in well on my prior exam (glaucoma, compounding, Hep B/C)
- I purchased a month of Board Vitals. I liked it because the questions made me think and it also showed me the subjects that I was weak in. I completed all 1400 questions in the three weeks. After, I went back in my RX Prep book and read the topics I didn't do well in.
- I did the SND calculation packet three times. RX PREP MATH IS TOO EASY in my opinion!
-Someone posted notes that I used. I read them twice. They are old bc new guidelines have come out but it was very helpful. It has the core of what you need to know... Ill post them below. (You must have prior knowledge.. I read RX Prep cover to cover my first exam, but information was getting jumbled bc it was a lot)
What I got on my exam:
-PANCREATITIS, PANCREATITIS, PANCREATITIS!!! I got 3 cases!!!! Not my best subject...
- You must know biostats! How to interpret, calculate and extract data! RX Prep was sufficient in my opinion, but you must practice these!!!!!!!!
-Compounding. I literally guess on every single compounding question. RX Prep IS NOT ENOUGH! I relied on calculations and biostats to pass this portion of the exam
-You must know lab values!!! At least 25-30 questions had something to do with lab values. What causes this lab value or based on this lab value what does the patient have. I think this is chapter 15 in RX Prep book...
-Side Effects! - a must!
-ID (treatment and organisms), Asthma/COPD (treatment, regimens, counseling), Minimum HIV and Onc - know that basics! All HIV combos, SE of classes, chemo man, treatment of SEs caused by cancer, Diabetes, Toxicology/Antidotes
-Calculations! You must know EVERY FORMULA! Especially the random ones ! UNITS are a must!! Pay attention to what they want the answer in and rounding!
-I got three questions on diagnosis. What do you use or how do you determine something?
-Doses!!! This was tied into the calculations. The only way you could answer the question was if you knew the dose (Common ones in RX Prep-- APAP, Ibuprofen, Lovenox, Heparin, Alteplase... That's all I can think of) - Pay attention when taking your exam! Sometimes they give you a dose in the lab value chart and three questions later you get asked a question on that dose. Happened to me twice. Only reason I knew the dose was bc I wrote it down just in case. Anything where the dose is mg/kg/day.... know it!
This exam was VERY RANDOM! Many questions were "either you know it or you don't". About 50/50 when it comes to questions being attached to cases or not. Very hard to do process of elimination on some. Always look at allergies and contraindications!!! This can help you eliminate things. Look out for random facts about drugs!
You must go in the exam CONFIDENT. You got this! I took the entire 6 hours. Literally had 10 seconds to spare. I also double checked every single math problem bc I knew math would save me. I caught errors I made doing this (not changing units, not rounding appropriately). I am also a VERY slow test taker.
DONT FORGET TO EAT THE NIGHT BEFORE, MORNING OF AND ON YOUR TEN MINUTE BREAK!! AND PRAY!
We got this! If I can do it I know you all can! GOOD LUCK!
For the November Naplex:
- I studied 4-5 hours a day for three weeks and 12 hours a day on the weekend
- During that time I covered MULTIPLE topics. I spent at least two hours on calculations/biostats daily
- I wanted to spend more time answering questions versus reading because I needed to learn to quickly eliminate wrong answers and think about what the question was asking me.
- My RX Prep was expiring and I wasn't spending money for it again. I did all of the calculations in the testbank again twice before it expired. I also watched and did the test bank questions for biostats again and the topics I didn't perform in well on my prior exam (glaucoma, compounding, Hep B/C)
- I purchased a month of Board Vitals. I liked it because the questions made me think and it also showed me the subjects that I was weak in. I completed all 1400 questions in the three weeks. After, I went back in my RX Prep book and read the topics I didn't do well in.
- I did the SND calculation packet three times. RX PREP MATH IS TOO EASY in my opinion!
-Someone posted notes that I used. I read them twice. They are old bc new guidelines have come out but it was very helpful. It has the core of what you need to know... Ill post them below. (You must have prior knowledge.. I read RX Prep cover to cover my first exam, but information was getting jumbled bc it was a lot)
What I got on my exam:
-PANCREATITIS, PANCREATITIS, PANCREATITIS!!! I got 3 cases!!!! Not my best subject...
- You must know biostats! How to interpret, calculate and extract data! RX Prep was sufficient in my opinion, but you must practice these!!!!!!!!
-Compounding. I literally guess on every single compounding question. RX Prep IS NOT ENOUGH! I relied on calculations and biostats to pass this portion of the exam
-You must know lab values!!! At least 25-30 questions had something to do with lab values. What causes this lab value or based on this lab value what does the patient have. I think this is chapter 15 in RX Prep book...
-Side Effects! - a must!
-ID (treatment and organisms), Asthma/COPD (treatment, regimens, counseling), Minimum HIV and Onc - know that basics! All HIV combos, SE of classes, chemo man, treatment of SEs caused by cancer, Diabetes, Toxicology/Antidotes
-Calculations! You must know EVERY FORMULA! Especially the random ones ! UNITS are a must!! Pay attention to what they want the answer in and rounding!
-I got three questions on diagnosis. What do you use or how do you determine something?
-Doses!!! This was tied into the calculations. The only way you could answer the question was if you knew the dose (Common ones in RX Prep-- APAP, Ibuprofen, Lovenox, Heparin, Alteplase... That's all I can think of) - Pay attention when taking your exam! Sometimes they give you a dose in the lab value chart and three questions later you get asked a question on that dose. Happened to me twice. Only reason I knew the dose was bc I wrote it down just in case. Anything where the dose is mg/kg/day.... know it!
This exam was VERY RANDOM! Many questions were "either you know it or you don't". About 50/50 when it comes to questions being attached to cases or not. Very hard to do process of elimination on some. Always look at allergies and contraindications!!! This can help you eliminate things. Look out for random facts about drugs!
You must go in the exam CONFIDENT. You got this! I took the entire 6 hours. Literally had 10 seconds to spare. I also double checked every single math problem bc I knew math would save me. I caught errors I made doing this (not changing units, not rounding appropriately). I am also a VERY slow test taker.
DONT FORGET TO EAT THE NIGHT BEFORE, MORNING OF AND ON YOUR TEN MINUTE BREAK!! AND PRAY!
We got this! If I can do it I know you all can! GOOD LUCK!
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) since mid-August. I watched about 66 chapters of videos out of the 77 that RxPrep offers, and typed notes while watching them (referring to the book to fill in any holes in my notes). Following the videos, I completed all of their respective online questions and did fairly well on most of them (A few 70s% - 90s%). Once I finished the videos, I started reviewing the notes I typed for about 40 chapters (in-depth review). During all this time I have done biostats/calculations for about an hour a day - timing myself the last couple days to see how I fare on time. I am hoping this will be sufficient for the new NAPLEX. Any other recommendations/advice? I re-take my test next week. 
