Exam strategiesLesson summary - Reader format
A practical pacing lesson for board-style exams: first pass for fast wins, second pass for flagged judgment calls, and a final scan for misreads.
Start with a fixed time budget
A two-hour, 100-item board block gives about 72 seconds per item. The goal is not to spend exactly 72 seconds everywhere. The goal is to notice when an item is stealing time from easier points later in the set.
First pass means fast certainty
Answer items where the rule, definition, or computation is clear. Skip long fact patterns that need comparison, and mark only the items where a second read can realistically improve the answer.
Second pass is controlled review
Return to flagged items after all easy points are banked. Re-read the call of the question, eliminate two choices, then decide. Avoid changing answers unless you find a concrete mismatch with the stem.