Pharmacology and Ocular Disease Exam

Today I took the mother of all exams: the Florida Optometry Board Pharmacology and Ocular Disease Exam. It's just like the PAM Exam from the NBEO Part 3, but about 100x harder!! These are obscure references and unusual presentations. You have to pick two differentials based on the initial information they give you.. then they give you a few more sentences. Based on all the info you narrow your top two choices down to one choice. From there they ask you two more questions about your final diagnosis.

Unlike the NBEO there is no credit if you pick a wrong answer, but treat it correctly. It's just wrong.

I got to the exam 30 minutes early like I was supposed to. Went through the same tutorial I went through yesterday with the jurisprudence exam. Then, the hell began. On my second case, the computer froze. I had to get the proctor to reboot the computer. Thank GOD it didn't eat my exam and I got to start over exactly where it had frozen. I would have killed someone if i'd had to start over. Then about case 17 it froze again.. and on case 22 it froze again. I was really ready to murder. The second time though, while the proctor was rebooting my computer, I took a much needed potty break. The test is 5.5 hours long.

After 27 cases and 3.5 hours.. I was done. Two of the cases weren't scored, but they won't tell you which ones since they're pilot cases for next year. I went through all of my answers.. changed only one case around... and then hit "Submit". it was the longest two minutes of my life while it processed my score. I said MANY prayers, hoped all my parents scrifices to the test gods were in line, and waited.

I needed a 70% to pass (even though Dr ken told me there would most likely be a small curve when they throw out some questions)..... and it told me.. I'd made an 82%.

I PASSED THE BITCH OF A TEST !!!

Look out clinical practical on Sunday.. you're my final hurdle!!