MGH Board Review

[armygas]

[url]http://www.amazon.com/MGH-Board-Review-Anesthesiology/dp/0838563481[/urhttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RPkneL7GL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg


I have learned that many of you are still being asked the "K" type of questions on exams. If you are one of those individuals, you may want to invest in this book.

[Scout]

Forgive my ignorance, but "k" type of questions?

[armygas]

Forgive my ignorance, but "k" type of questions?
the answer is:

A.
B.
C.
D.

1. A and C
2. B and D
3. A, B, and D
4. None of the above

[ethernaut]

umm, i hate these...

[MmacFN]

Yup

Not to mention they are not on the Boards for either MDAs or CRNAs as they are considered antiquated.

[Nancicrna08]

Did they just stop that with the MDA's?

My first few months of clinical this past year (July/Aug) I had to go to daily "lectures" with the CA-1's. We'd have quizzes and some of them had k-type questions. Maybe they were just old quizzes -reused. Interesting to know they stopped that.

By the way, I like the MGH Board Review Book too.

[ethernaut]

we have tests in class with crap like K questions.
we've all tried to get the PD in a headlock, but to no avail.
oh well, maybe by graduation we'll succeed..

[MmacFN]

I think they stopped in 2003.

Also, the USMLE (exams for medical students) also do not use them anymore.

[MmacFN]

heheh

Use "The Peoples Elbow" and take em down! :pound:



we have tests in class with crap like K questions.
we've all tried to get the PD in a headlock, but to no avail.
oh well, maybe by graduation we'll succeed..

[buckeye_medic]

Well,
I can say that a significant majority of my test through the didactic training included the multiple multiple choice questions. Like everyone else I hated them, but I realize that I would rather have harder questions during training and then easy ones during the certification exam, advantage the student.
Our A&P instructor only had multiple multiple "K" type questions along with short answers, drawing diagrams, and more short essay, equations. It really sucked but after all of it, I'm glad. I may be the lone and only opposite opionion, but I believe you cannot fake it with a "K" type question.

[MmacFN]

Well it depends on the material.

Some people can memorize everything and get all the answers right, however, that does not mean they can put any of it together in clinical.

Also, K questions are "ok" depending on the volume of information. Sure, you have a quiz on a few ppt packets and its OK as one can 'memorize' that much and do well on the exam. Make it on an entire semester and thats another story. You simply cannot know the minutia that well in volume.

Also, a few K questions dont hurt if you are evaluated another way. I am ALL for essay and short answer questions since they are the ONLY true way to know if someone understands the concepts as opposed to regurgitating minor facts. However, on our exams we ONLY have multiple choice questions.

Why then, did the AANA and the ASA (as well as all the USMLE medical exams) remove "K" type questions and consider them unfair from boards and exams? If it were true that they indicated better understanding by the student why remove them? Because they do not test better "understanding" just a better memory or recognition skill.

So I think it is really dependent on the situation and the environment. Let me ask you this:

What would you rather the CRNA putting you to sleep to know?

1) The concepts
2) The ability to regurgitate specific facts
3) The ability to recognize which 2 specific facts answer the multiple choice question
4) The ability to critically think based on understanding

You can answer:
A) 2 & 3
B) 1 & 4
C) 1, 2 & 3
D) 4

This should be an easy "k" question.

[ethernaut]

Well it depends on the material.

Some people can memorize everything and get all the answers right, however, that does not mean they can put any of it together in clinical.

Also, K questions are "ok" depending on the volume of information. Sure, you have a quiz on a few ppt packets and its OK as one can 'memorize' that much and do well on the exam. Make it on an entire semester and thats another story. You simply cannot know the minutia that well in volume.

Also, a few K questions dont hurt if you are evaluated another way. I am ALL for essay and short answer questions since they are the ONLY true way to know if someone understands the concepts as opposed to regurgitating minor facts. However, on our exams we ONLY have multiple choice questions.

Why then, did the AANA and the ASA (as well as all the USMLE medical exams) remove "K" type questions and consider them unfair from boards and exams? If it were true that they indicated better understanding by the student why remove them? Because they do not test better "understanding" just a better memory or recognition skill.

So I think it is really dependent on the situation and the environment. Let me ask you this:

What would you rather the CRNA putting you to sleep to know?

1) The concepts
2) The ability to regurgitate specific facts
3) The ability to recognize which 2 specific facts answer the multiple choice question
4) The ability to critically think based on understanding

You can answer:
A) 2 & 3
B) 1 & 4
C) 1, 2 & 3
D) 4

This should be an easy "k" question.

man, this is a toughie..
but, i think i'm gonna go with letter "B"