Test anxiety is very common among medical students. It is also normal to feel some level of anxiety or stress regarding an exam. Anxiety can be a motivator. However, at very high levels, anxiety can interfere with your learning and test performance .
What causes test anxiety?
- Prior negative test-taking experiences
- Prior to beginning medical school, many students have never failed an exam. Failing an exam in medical school can be humbling experience and can also cause anxiety
- Fear of failure
- Lack of preparation can raise anxiety levels
- Poor time management
- Worrying about how anxiety will effect you can be debilitating builds as testing situation approaches and interferes with preparation
- Poor study habits
- Lack of organization
- Cramming versus following a structured plan
- Inability to anticipate what the exam will cover
- Lack of confidence
- Negative thought processes
- Pressure to perform well
- Perfectionism and feelings of unworthiness leading to unreasonable goals
- Self-esteem v. Performance
- Focusing on negative consequences of failure rather than preparing to succeed
What are the symptoms of test anxiety?
Physical
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Extreme body temperature changes
- Excessive sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Light-headedness/fainting
- Rapid heart rate
- Dry mouth
Emotional
- Excessive fear
- Disappointment
- Depression
- Anger
- Uncontrollable crying or laughing
- Feelings of helplessness
Cognitive
- Racing thoughts
- Going blank
- Difficulty concentrating
- Negative self-talk
- Feelings of dread
- Comparing yourself ot others
- Difficulty organizing your thoughts
- Behavioral
- Fidgeting
- Pacing
- Substance abuse
- Avoidance
Tips for reducing test anxiety
- Preparation
- Develop good study habits
- Spread studying over several days
- Ask for help when needed
- Eat good foods
- Get adequate rest
- Exercise to build energy
- Attend class regularly
- Complete all assignments in a timely manner
- Make and take practice tests
Control the fear
- The underlying source of test or performance anxiety is the fear of failure
- Pay attention to what you are thinking and saying to yourself in anxious situations
- Self-talk will likely reflect an expectation including fear of failure
- Change your self-talk
- Change: I can’t do it to I can do it!
- Change: I ’m stupid to I’m smart.
- Change: I don’t know to I do know.
Keep a positive attitude
- Develop reasonable expectations
- Do not allow your grades to become dependent on one exam
- Avoid negative and irrational thoughts about catastrophic results
- Reward yourself for dedicated studying and good performance
- Encourage yourself
On task self-talk
- Counter distractions and help yourself focus on the task at hand by telling yourself what to do
- Talk yourself through the task
- Tell yourself you are succeeding
- Keep your mind focused on the present
- One thing at a time
- Say to yourself: “I am becoming a medical doctor.”
Be prepared
- Practice, practice, practice!!!!!
- Study, study, study
- Improve your study and test taking skills
- Be on time
- Have all the tools
- Learn and practice anxiety management techniques
Learn and practice relaxation techniques
- Deep breathing exercises
- Imagery and visualization
- Deep muscle relaxation techniques
- Don’t arrive too early
- Don’t get distracted by others
- Check to make sure you have everything you need
Be healthy
- When you are physically and emotionally exhausted your body and mind are less able to tolerate stress and anxiety
- Get adequate rest
- Eat appropriately
- Don’t have time? Get help with time management