studying techniques for NRRPT-any advice?

[sjyu]

I'm well into middle age-only in years not in attitude-but my brain is not holding onto this information.

What were some of your studing techniques that helped keep all this info in your brain for the test.

I'm taking next year at the earliest.  My work is providing all the study materials and I'm using them daily.
-Pacific Radiation Corporation's "Gollnick Basic Radiation Protection Technology Self-Study Course." 
-the NRRPT exam cd from recommended by nukeworker
I have access to any health physics text book I want through inter-library loan.

I'm slowly seeing an improvement when I take the practice exam but it's like I'm wading through molasses.   Doing the practice exam has helped tremendously because I tend to overlook the all important "which is not the answer?"

What I'm doing now is reading the chapters into a voice recorder, replay it as I read along, then  I outline the chapters in a notebook and take just the main points from each chapter  and put that into a new file in the voice recorder.  During the day at work I'm listening to it as I have time.   

Work even sent me to a week long prep course a couple years ago, well before I was anywhere near thinking about taking the test.  I'd only been working in the field for a year. (They really want all the techs to pass the test.)

A co-worker passed the test last year and is going over problems with me weekly. I get to the point I can do it with him and take home a lot of practice problems and then a month later when we review I'm like 'oh, hey ...hmmm...how do I do it again?"

[grantime]

Sounds like you are doing the right things.  Read everything you can and work all the problems you can find. AND don't expect to become an expert overnight.   Hang in there and keep up the daily work.   You will do fine

[UncaBuffalo]

-the NRRPT exam cd

While you are taking the practice exams, make a note of any questions you weren't sure of the answer on (NOT just the ones you end up missing).  Then, look up each question (google or hardcopy) and look at the material you find for 3 to 5 minutes...you aren't trying to learn it all in one sitting, you just want to slowly get used to the basic outline of the material you aren't familiar with. 

If you use this technique, you probably won't ever be an expert on medical...or x-ray...or whatever portions of rad protection you aren't currently strong in, BUT you WILL gain enough familiarity with the key words and tricky phrases needed to pass the NRRPT multiple choice test.

AND, keep taking those practice tests...again...and again...and again...

Good luck. 

[Protectologist]

I found that takinig practice tests helped me the most. Radware will generate practice exams for you to take and will offer enough variety in questions to cover the full scope of the exam. And then, like sjyu said, look up the answers.
Then take another exam. For me it was about practicing taking the exam not about trying to learn the full universerse of knowledge. Get good at taking this test so when you walk into the exam room you're comfortable and relaxed.

[sjyu]

I find myself half way memorizing the questions from the practice CD and knowing the answers because I recongize the question. Is that good or bad? 

I guess it's just a matter of keep on keeping on doing what I'm doing. Slow and steady.

I'm actually writing the test questions and anwers down as I take the exam because I find if I write and read it stays in my brain. With space to add notes at problems I don't know-or have a clue.  I'm tackling one section at a time until I get it down pat and then I'll add the next one. 

I  really know nothing about neutrons or neutron interactions or neutron fluxes etc.  But hey, give me a nuclear medicine or lab setting and I'm good.

Thanks for the suggestions all.

[UncaBuffalo]

I'm well into middle age-only in years not in attitude-but my brain is not holding onto this information.

A co-worker passed the test last year and is going over problems with me weekly. I get to the point I can do it with him and take home a lot of practice problems and then a month later when we review I'm like 'oh, hey ...hmmm...how do I do it again?"

I'm tackling one section at a time until I get it down pat and then I'll add the next one.

If (as your first post indicates) you are having trouble retaining the information, I think going section by section & trying to get it 'pat' is the wrong approach.  There's a chance you will get to test time and only know the last section you studied.  If it was me, I'd be studiying a little of everything.  Don't worry about 'pat' - it's a multiple choice test...

[retired nuke]

I took it a long time ago, and during an outage.

My study method was t read / study Gollnick, Knoll & Cember - those 3 books cover rn near everything. Rad Health handbook as a side reference.

I had a stack of practice tests.

I would take a test, and then grade it (I didn't study the "graded" practice tests with the correct answers marked) and then identify which areas I was weak in. Then I'd go back for a few days and study those areas, do a quick overall review, and take another (different) practice test.

Lather, rinse, repeat.... until I got consistently > 80% on the practice tests.

I took a day off during the outage (working nights) and drove to Browns Ferry for the test. Forgot my calculator, found out I really didn't need it.

Good luck - 

[IPREGEN]

Your brain glue being what it is, work on the problems on a regular basis until the test.
Divide your study materials over a periods of time to do it all twice and then recap with a review. When solving problems, use pencil and write everything down, just don't look at it and believe that you know it.

Keeping track of the units on the test is very important. They are happy to mix cfm, cc's, pico's and nanos.
Answers may look like this
A. .001 uc/l
B. .00000001 pci/cc

So the message here is, don't just look for a number match to be sure you have the right answer. You gotta do the work every time.

And lastly, when I opened my test, the very first question blew me away, couldn't do it, I moved on and did everything else.
Don't let a couple of questions kick your mental butt, but study to be able to answer everything

[sjyu]

When I go through section by section, I add another section and continue with the 1st sections I've already covered.  That way the practice tests continue to have each section I'm working on.  I was getting very discouraged taking the practice tests with all the sections include because I'd get about 25% correct. Now, I'm up to 50-60%. 

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I guess it's just a matter of staying with it and not slacking off with studying and continue to practice the problems. 

Do you think the Cember problems are a little much for NRRPT?  He seemed to really enjoy advanced math. 

[grantime]

If you can work all the problems in Cember you will probably pass the CHP test as well as NRRPT.  Perhaps a bit heavier on theory than you need but better to over prepare

[UncaBuffalo]

Do you think the Cember problems are a little much for NRRPT? 

...or a LOT too much...

[RADSLINGER]

sjyu , it is now 1 day after the NRRPT Aug. exam, did you take the exam and what was your take on it ?
Hopefully, your studying paid off.

[sjyu]

I convinced my boss that it requires 5 years experience and I only had 3 years officially as a HP tech. 

He's convinced that my 7 years working as a Nuc Medicine research tech should count as a few years.  He kept saying "what do you have to lose?" 

I looked it up, if I don't have enough experience they keep $50 of the fee....so the next time he said "what do you have to lose?"  I quickly told him "$50"

So I have a reprieve, I'll try in Aug 2012.  Because I am still struggling, I'm up to 60% correct on the practice tests...so I am seeing progress. Slow and steady.

[Dave Warren]

My study method was to read / study Gollnick, Knoll & Cember - those 3 books cover rn near everything. Rad Health handbook as a side reference. I had a stack of practice tests.

Where did you get the practice tests? Which book are you referring to (title)? Is that the ABHP Exam Prep Guide?

[retired nuke]

Where did you get the practice tests? Which book are you referring to (title)? Is that the ABHP Exam Prep Guide?

20 years ago - NRRPT practice exams I got from somebody at an outage.
Gollnick was probably rev 1...

Knoll - Radiation detection and measurement http://www.amazon.com/Radiation-Detection-Measurement-Glenn-Knoll/dp/0471073385 - again, I had earlier edition
Cember - Introduction to Health Physics http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Health-Physics-Herman-Cember/dp/0071423087

They were my texts at Ocala...


Now that took me 2 minutes... do I have to quote Mikey on your dumba$$ ?

[Dave Warren]

No, I was just confirming that you didn't have some super secret hookup that you were hoarding from the rest of us?

I got different results when I searched the authors and just wanted to be sure.

Thanks, tough guy....