Just typing this title stimulated my sympathetic system…our first part of boards are just five weeks away. While I am anxious about that day and my performance on that exam, I am also *starting* to feel confident in myself and my knowledge on the material. Part 1 Boards entail six sections which include: Spinal Anatomy, Chemistry, Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology. You are permitted to register for the exam after your 4^th trimester, as that is when you will have covered all that material within your courses. Thankfully, there are condensed books and apps to help you prepare and review (as well as old PowerPoints from classes). One of the advantages of being a part of the NUHS community is having professors that have written board exam questions. While they teach their courses, they emphasize high priority topics that may appear on board exams and are crucial to know in practice. Last week, Dr. Ott took time out of her day and scheduled a three-hour session to help us review physiology and chemistry concepts. We were able to ask her questions on topics we’ve come across while studying that we feel hazy about. I am incredibly thankful she provided that session.

Juggling 10 courses and Part 1 Board Review requires intense time management, but I’ve found that meeting with classmates at least once a week to review really helps. It forces us to stay on top of material, helps us put brains together when answering questions, and enables us to teach each other concepts we might have forgotten. My goal has been to answer 100 questions in my Chiro app each day. If I feel unsure in one section, such as in Spinal Anatomy, I force myself to do at least 100 questions of that subject in one day while also reading sections in my ChiroEssentials book. Otherwise, I aim to do at least 50 questions in two sections each day to keep refreshing material studied. NUHS has a very high passing rate in board exams. As I study, I recognize most of the material and do feel professors taught the concepts well. I can’t wait for the day after the board exam is over…you’ll find me on a beach snoozing away to the sounds of the waves and the sunshine warming my skin.