Students often get overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of PANCE prep resources available to them. It’s hard to know which to choose, given the realities of being in PA school—not only are finances often a limiting factor, but so is time! There’s simply not enough time to make the most of all the resources available, which is why it’s important to select resources that are right for you.
If you’re wondering how to navigate it all, we can help. Let’s have a look at the PANCE prep options that are out there, so you can see which ones may be a good fit.
6 PANCE Prep Options
1. Question Banks
Question banks (Qbanks) are the one PANCE prep resource I would recommend for everyone. Not only do they help test your knowledge in a question-based format, they can also help build your test endurance! When it comes to the PANCE, half the battle is test-taking skills and being able to focus for all 300 questions.
If you’re looking for one you can check out for free, maybe start with a free trial of the Blueprint PA PANCE Qbank. This consists of 3,800 NCCPA-formatted questions across all PANCE blueprint topics. You’re able to create general exams and exams on specific topics. Each question also has thorough explanations, including specific information on why each incorrect answer choice wasn’t correct. You’re able to thoroughly review the content areas you need improvement in, which can help optimize your studying.
For students who specifically struggle with test-taking or are worried about their end of rotation exams during the clinical year, we can help. There are bundle packages that allow you to also gain access to 1,750 additional questions in the rotation exam question bank. This bundle also has a 600-question PANCE power pack. The power pack contains high- yield topics and is recommended for review as you get closer to taking the exam, so you can guide your studying in last-minute areas of weakness.
2. Live Review Course
The PANCE Live Review Course is a great PANCE prep option for students that are anywhere from three weeks to about three months away from taking the PANCE. It’s four days long and has 30 hours of PANCE review. As a review course, it’s best to take it when you’ve already studied most of the material and are looking to ensure understanding prior to taking the exam.
The live review course is unique in many ways:
100% Remote
This means you don’t need to spend unnecessarily on travel or hotel stays and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.
Dual Instructors
Second, this course has two live instructors that present the material in a well-organized and engaging way while covering the PANCE blueprint.
Engaged Learning
Finally, there are many components of active learning, including pop-up question prompts and NCCPA-style PANCE review questions. Instructors not only present the material, they review test-taking skills and lead strategy discussions.
I think the best time to take this course is about a month before the PANCE. By this time, you’ve studied all the material, can appreciate the review, and participate in the active learning portions of the course. You’ll also have enough time after the course to thoroughly review areas you struggled with before taking your exam.
3. PANCE Tutoring
This is another great PANCE prep option. Blueprint PA offers one-on-one tutoring for any stage of your pre-PANCE journey. This is perfect for students who need extra help understanding the material or have shown weakness academically during didactic or clinical year.
It’s also a great option for those who didn’t pass their first attempt at the PANCE and are preparing to retake it. Tutors can work with you to fully analyze areas in need of improvement and explain difficult material. This resource is completely tailored to you, and includes access to the “smart” PA study planner and Qbank.
While this is the most expensive of the PANCE prep options, it’s also proven to be one of the most successful. If you’re struggling or could use some guidance when it comes to studying and comprehending the material, I highly recommend working with a tutor.
4. PANCE Podcasts
This is a free PANCE prep option available to students looking for a general review of topics. There are many podcasts available. I recommend listening to them while you’re commuting, taking walks, cooking, or cleaning. While podcasts shouldn’t be your only source of review, they really are a great supplement to your study plan.
5. Flashcards
I tend not to be a huge advocate for flashcards. They take a lot of time to make and often don’t really test your understanding. Still, they can be useful for drilling in those topics that simply require memorization.
A good example of this would be using flashcards to remember antibodies for certain rheumatologic conditions, or pathogens for different pediatric illnesses. However, if you’re only a few weeks out from taking the test, I wouldn’t recommend spending much time making them.
6. Review Books
When it comes to PANCE prep, I think every student should have one or two review books they rely on to guide their studying and help explain difficult topics.
However, I wouldn’t recommend buying more than that because you won’t have the opportunity to really utilize them. While there’s always the option to try and sell them after you pass the PANCE, many of them update yearly and lose their value quickly. Therefore, having more than one or two books doesn’t really make sense after everything is said and done.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there’s a lot of PANCE prep materials out there. While individual preferences vary, I strongly recommend using a PANCE Qbank. The other PANCE prep options covered here will also help you crush it on exam day. Good luck studying and please reach out if you have any questions!
Looking for more (free!) tips to pass the PANCE on your first try? Check out these other posts on the blog!
