I left on Thursday the 27th for Philadelphia and finished reading the FirstAid book's mini-cases on the plane. However, I had acquired a nasty virus that was wearing me down. By the time I go the hotel I was exhausted and hadn't started to practice writing out the full cases.
After a long nap I managed to write out 4-5 cases and review another 10 or so. I didn't feel well prepared but knew that passing is all I need and sleep was probably more important. Luckily the cold and nap didn't keep me from getting a decent night's sleep.
The proctors running the exam were nice enough and really explained everything in detail. None of us examinees were nervous when it was time to start. After the first four cases we had lunch. Then four more cases before a short 15-minute break. After the last four cases, I left as quickly as possible to catch my flight back to Phoenix.
The PE exam seemed like most things in the osteopathic world - a joke designed to pad AOA egos and save face for them in front of AMA MDs. I am pretty disgusted that I had to spend over $1500 and two days for a brain-dead test with actors worse than the ones we had for on-campus standardized cases. I found the cases in the FirstAid book on the USMLE Step 2 CS much tougher and more realistic.
If the AOA and osteopathic community were really interested in improving patient care and physician education they would have tried something new instead of just copying the allopathic tests for millionth time.
My irritation with the NBOME and AOA was almost enough to make me forget how irritated I was with their preferred hotel, Marriott, for nickle and diming me bill to the point of being a rip off.
The flight home was fine and allowed me a chance to read up on my forthcoming Neurology rotation. But to top the trip off, I arrived home to find out that our four year old desktop PC had died.
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