Know the Tips for the preparation of the National Exit Test. ....
Jul 22, 2020 11:48:18
The newly amended NMC Bill is already approved by the cabinet and is all set to replace NEET PG with National Exit Test, also known as NExT. Nothing is much clear about the preparation, so we decided to do the same for all PG aspirants. This article will not only help you with the tips to prepare for the NExT Exit Test but will also throw light on the recent changes and updates regarding the Exit Test MBBS. So, what are you waiting for? Read this article and get answers to all your doubts.
The National Exit Test for MBBS will not be happening after your internship; it will be happening in the final year itself. Though it is not yet officially announced, this exit test for MBBS will most probably replace the final year MBBS exams. So, “I have enough time” attitude is surely not going to work this time. You have to start your preparation early so that you can cover this lag of one year.
Even though in NMC’s proposal, a lesser number of subjects are mentioned, don’t make a blunder of covering the partial syllabus. Even when preference is given to final year subjects, do not leave any subject behind. The entire MBBS syllabus consists of a lot of vertical and horizontal overlap of subjects. So, even if a particular question is being asked from your final year syllabus, your basics should be strong enough to crack the solution.
Still can’t understand? Let me explain to you with the help of this simple example. Do you think you were able to crack your class 12 board exams by studying only class 12 concepts? Some of you might be thinking - “Yes, that’s the fact.” But trust me, it is not true. You were able to pass those because of your basic concepts that were built right from kindergarten. Similarly, in order to master any final year subject of MBBS, your focus should be to strengthen your basic subjects right from the first year.
The main purpose of NExT is to produce more skillful doctors and therefore it is thoroughly going to check your skills as a successful doctor. Therefore, you need to practice more application-based and clinically oriented questions if you really want to crack this Exit test of PG medical exams. Practice as many as image-based questions possible. And don’t just start practicing them from any random medium. Practice these questions only from the mediums which are authentic enough for PG medical exam preparation. Some of those mediums are -
We simply can’t deny the importance of previous year question papers in any exam but it is going to be even more important when it comes to NExT Exit Test preparation. NExT is a newbie but still, previous year papers are going to be the game changers out there. Why so? Here is the reason why. In recent years NEET PG papers have shown traces of being clinically oriented. Even image-based and video-based questions had a significant proportion in this NEET PG 2020. Moreover, one-liners were replaced by long paragraph type questions which is why the paper was so long this time. Experts say NEET PG and NEXT have got the inspiration to include these more clinically oriented questions from exams like USMLE which had started preferring paragraph type questions from the last few years. So, apart from practicing recent years' questions of NEET PG and AIIMS PG, we strongly advise you to thoroughly go through the previous years' papers of exams like USMLE.
Unlike NEET PG, the National Exit Test will be conducted in an online mode. MBBS students who are much more habitual to offline mode of preparation, have to be well aware of this format by frequently appearing in mock tests. And, these mock tests will no longer will your traditional offline mock tests that are conducted at your coachings. Spend more and more time on these online tests and regularly monitor your speed to give the best at your exams. They have to be the online ones. Even when you are practicing MCQs, try doing that on some online medium rather than practicing them from your books or offline modules. This will gradually develop your proficiency with these online mediums.
NExT Part-1 will be conducted in three days. Three hours for Pre-Lunch and One & half hours for post-lunch, for each day. Therefore, don’t make false assumptions about getting relieved after a traditional one-day exam. You should be prepared to nail the exam scheduled for the next two days as well. Try attempting your tests in that manner itself. If you could attempt them at the same time at which the NExT final test will be scheduled, then that’s even better. Don’t just rehearse this schedule for once or for twice. Your last month of preparation should be dedicated to making yourself habitual with this new format.
Even though both the houses of parliament have passed the bill for NExT, it is still in its approval stage and therefore might undergo some changes. Therefore MBBS batch 2017 and beyond are suggested to keep a keen eye on such updates to not miss crucial news about National Exit Test. But this doesn’t mean you are going to pay attention to every single humor out there regarding NExT. Rely only on information available on genuine websites like mciindia.org which will prevent you from being in the trap of any false information. Moreover, don’t spend your precious preparation time by just running after updates. In 2019, many websites had false claims that the National Exit Test will go live in that particular year. Students who spent their time relying on such false info suffered badly. Whereas, those you had paid attention to their studies rather than giving attention to such rumors, performed comparatively better.
Eat a hearty breakfast, a well-balanced lunch, and a light dinner. Choose food that is rich in vitamins, minerals rather than fats. This in turn will improve your concentration and memory. Also, take care that you don't overstuff yourself as this is going to give a spin to your brain. Exercising regularly and drinking plenty of water is another thing that you have to take care of.
The syllabus will be quite vast and almost every PG aspirant suffers from the worry of not being able to cover the syllabus. Trust me, that's absolutely normal. But that doesn't mean you overburden yourself by studying for long hours. By long, I mean more than 9 hours a day. Studying for impossibly long hours would affect your retention in the long run. Even at times, if you feel discouraged, take a break to regain focus.
So, these were some tips from our side which will guide you to prepare better for the National Exit Test. Apart from the tips, we also tried to throw light on this lesser talked topic to clear dilemmas of aspirants. We would still suggest that you do what works for you. Everyone is different. Some like to be on their own and others do better in group studies. Do whatever puts you in the best frame of mind and don’t leave any stone unturned.
We hope these tips would prove to be of great help to you and help you ace NExT will flying colors.
All the Best!
