How I Studied for the Boards

I wanted to start out by saying that this blog post is simply covering how I studied. There are many different materials and study techniques and you have to do what works for you!

How long did I study?

I stared studying around January/February of my last semester before graduation and I would study for a few hours a week.

Then after graduation, I committed to about 3 weeks of studying where I studied around 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. I would also do a little additional reviewing on evenings and weekends.

Where did I study?

I personally went to my local public library to study. There were less distractions here than at home. I would usually study in a quiet room for about 4 hours.

What materials did I use?

I used the TherapyEd book, took the TherapyEd course, and used the AOTA PDFs and online quizzes. My favorite study materials were the AOTA PDFs and online quizzes. I feel like these questions were the closest to those on the actual exam. I also felt like the PDFs were really thorough and covered almost everything I needed to know.

How did I study?

I took the TherapyEd course in February (4 months before I tested) and found it really beneficial. They basically teach you how to take the test which gave me peace of mind. Then when I began studying on my own, I went back to my tried and true study method. I had realized in college that I learn best by writing everything out. I would choose one or two topics for each day. Then I would go through the PDFs and TherapyEd chapters together and make my own outline of important information. I was then able to color code and make charts. I also made separate charts for topics that needed to be memorized, like developmental milestones, spinal cord levels, etc. I organized this in a big binder (we’re talking 3″ binder with dividers) and reviewed frequently.

I did AOTA online quizzes every study day. I would do questions to correspond with the topics I had studied that day. On weekends, and if I had extra time, I would take additional quizzes of mixed topics or to review sections I was scoring lower in.

I also found a lot of YouTube videos that were beneficial. I made a list of videos and would play them when I was tired of looking at the material.

Also, I did NOT study the day of the test. I took my binder with me, thinking I would study in the car as my mom drove, but decided against it.

How did I feel after the test?

This seems to be what everyone wants to know.

I felt fine. I walked over to Panera and ordered myself a full meal plus a cookie and smoothie. Then I went home and went to bed. (How you feel after the test is not a good predictor of if you passed or not!!)

I do recommend keeping yourself busy when your waiting for scores to come out. I had to wait a week and was so nervous. So plan activities with friends and family to keep your mind occupied.

Would I do anything differently?

Nope.

I think that starting to review early was the most beneficial for me because then when I graduated and started my more intense studying, it was more of a review as I had seen everything before. I know that everyone’s schedule is different and this might not work for everyone, but even watching the ocassional YouTube video or listening to a podcast