The RD Exam: From My Perspective
"Dun dun dun..." That's sort of how it feels when we think about the RD exam, doesn't it? Like a tidal wave of infinite knowledge, fear, and an abyss of lab values and government program titles. Yikes. If you're anything like me, and countless others, you've read every single blog post there is. Yup, every single one chronicling the 4+ times people have failed. I'm here to tell you, DON'T put yourself through that. Though, you probably will. And that's okay, because it means A LOT to you. I was in your shoes just 2 weeks ago, and I completely get it. I'm here to tell you to keep trekking hard, but relax. You've taken exams MUCH harder than this one. Before I ramble on, lets take a deep breath together, because I know you haven't taken one in the last 48 hours r/t severe stress AEB dreams of percentiles, lab values, and TPN calculations. Inhale... 1, 2, 3, 4... Exhale.... 1, 2, 3, 4.... Onward.
This exam isn't meant to trick you or be the thing preventing you from becoming a Registered Dietitian. This exam is to ensure you have the critical thinking skills necessary of an ENTRY-level RD. Don't fret over every single lab value. Sure, it's great to know the general values. But I'd be more concerned understanding WHAT lab values would be high, low, or normal - and why. That way, when you are comparing several cases, you can use critical thinking skills to assess and deduce what the nutritional issue is. For instance, marasmus versus kwashiorkor.
If I could go back and give myself one bit of advice, as I was entering the field of dietetics, as a wee RD-2-be, it would be to become a sponge the second you begin. Every single class you take, truly understand the takeaway message. For instance, in management it's been drilled into us, as Inman reminds us, that a participative management style is most conducive to the success of an organization. Understand that deeply. Dive into every volunteering experience you have in that class. Use that newfound knowledge in any way you can. How does that carry over into real world application? Do this in every class you have - MNT, metabolism, food service... Get as many experiences as you can to apply this knowledge and ensure it's deeply engrained in your psyche. Volunteer, work, join programs on campus. Whatever you can do! Do the same thing in your dietetic internship. Always refer back to the key knowledge you've learned. Ask questions. Apply the knowledge. Think critically. Understand why. Soon, it will become second nature. That "second nature" application is exactly what this exam tests you on.
Once the day arrives, and you're set in study mode... there are a few things to keep in mind! I'll go through what worked for me, and what advice I'd give to anyone doing the same.
1. Set the exam date as soon as possible.
If you've just finished your dietetic internship, you have tons of real-life experiences to draw from. You've just spent a year utilizing knowledge, and the information is fresh in your mind. Not to mention, if you're anything like me, you'll want to drag it out as long as possible. At this point, you should already feel comfortable with those critical thinking skills. Those skills are not taught by Inman, but by experience. I'd give yourself about 1-3 weeks depending on how you study, which brings me to my second point.
2. Study how you've always studied
I know - maybe you're a crammer like me. In undergrad, I'd wake up at 4 am and study all the material before my exam at 8. Hence, why organic chemistry was never my forté. Definitely doesn't work for all classes. But, in general this worked for me. I'd use the least amount of time necessary and TRULY utilize that time. Not the best, but I've come to accept I work well under pressure.
I know what you're thinking. "I'm the same way, but 300 pages?! How do you do that with Inman?!" I had a hard time figuring out how to do this at first. I took about 2 months to study. I studied anywhere between 1-4 hours up until the last week. The week before the exam, I studied 10-14 hours a day. I'm including 30 minute to 2 hour breaks several times throughout the day. I'm a morning person, so I woke up at 6 am to begin, knowing my brain would be in off mode by about 6 pm.
First, I went through each domain with Inman's audio, highlighting all the parts she said "note" on. Those parts are especially important. When I was getting ready, driving, at the gym, I'd have Inman's audio on repeat. I'd talk along with her, stumbling upon each word, like a little kid pretends to know the lyrics of a new song. "Exactly, if the greens become mushy it's due to alkalinity. Exactly Jean. That's right. That's why you don't cook veggies in an aluminum pan!" Gotta make it fun ;]
After I had all the crucial parts highlighted, I'd go through and actually study the material. Which brings me to #3.
3. Utilize several learning styles - especially your dominant ones.
For me, I'm more of a visual learner. Visually seeing and writing words is what works for me. However, what really drills in the information is using ALL learning styles. Listening to Inman, seeing the highlighted colors on the page, reading the words, writing the important parts, and explaining it out loud to my poor mother all day, q day. LOVE YOU MOM.
4. TAKE BREAKS.
We're more productive when we allow ourselves down time to absorb the information. Sure, we can sit there for 10 hours straight, but how much will we really absorb? When your bucket is full, pour some out - that's what I always say. Take a break, go for a walk, go to the gym, put your favorite tunes on. Studying is a priority, but so is your mental health. You have to make sure you're not run down or else the time spent will not truly be productive. Consider the time you think you'll need for breaks before you set the exam date, so you don't feel rushed.
5. Do the practice questions!
One of my best bits of advice! I'd say one of the most critical parts is knowing HOW the questions will be asked and getting used to them. I used several study materials. Jean Inman's Review of Dietetics was my main source of review information. I loved the questions in the back, because I found that quizzing myself with them really showed me the areas I knew the information on. The questions are pretty straightforward. My program got us Eat Right Prep from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This was one of my favorite tools, because the questions are most similar in structure to those on the exam. However, I actually think they're more difficult. But understanding the way that questions will be asked and what to pay attention to is very important. I was able to see that sometimes I missed what they were TRULY asking due to the wording or skipping over parts. The last thing I used was the app called Registered Dietitian Exam Prep. This was great for on-the-go, when I wanted to quiz myself at the gym, waiting at the doctor, or on breaks.
The more exposure you can get to the questions, the better. You'll find information you weren't familiar with, and you will get used to question structure.
An important thing to keep in mind when unsure with a question is to always get down to the ROOT of the question. What is the descriptive word they are asking you to consider? Which answer aligns most with that? Break down the question semantically, and the answers too. You'll usually be able to whittle it down to 2 answers, but determine which is most pertinent to solve the problem at hand.
6. EXAM DAY
The night before the exam, finish your studying early enough to R E L A X. Have a cup of tea, draw a bath, go for a walk, meditate, do what you usually do to relax. Go to bed early. At this point, you know what you know. Don't fret. Please, don't fret. I PROMISE you, you know a LOT more than you think. You will be nervous, and that is OKAY. You are underestimating yourself. You've spent 5 years in the field of dietetics, you are an expert in this information. You have kicked ass studying, and you know what you know. When you take the exam, trust me that you will be 70% over-prepared. And that's a good thing.
Wake up the next morning, make yourself up, have a good, healthy breakfast. Look yourself in the mirror, and say "today __insert date__ is the day, I, ___insert name___, became ___insert name___, Registered Dietitian. I am a Registered Dietitian." In fact, I will be honest. I did that every single day approaching the exam. I envisioned the moment I passed - what it felt like, how I'd react, what I'd do, being able to say, "I'm Kristina Cooke, Registered Dietitian."
Trust me when I say, trust yourself. Although tough, it's less complex than you're actually thinking.
My personal experience with the RD exam ---
I had just started a new job, and was getting anxious as I knew I'd have a few less days to study since I'd be working. But, I kept in mind that working as a clinical dietitian was, in essence, studying medical nutrition therapy. Although, anyone who knows me knows that I work well under stress. But, I still freak out. I spent the last 5 days before my exam studying each domain, listening to Inman, and taking the practice exams. The last 2 days before, I reviewed each domain briefly, once more, paying special attention to the areas I felt weaker in. For me, food service and management.
The night before the exam, I entered this sort of lofty-zen-cloud-like delirium where I felt I knew what I knew. I had a strange calm come over me. I had studied way more than I thought I could. I envisioned my dreams coming true. I prayed and asked the universe for all that I could. This was it. I stopped studying around 7 pm, went for a nice walk, set my alarm, and was in bed by 9.
The next morning I woke up, briefly reviewed a few key points I felt slightly weaker in. I had my usual coffee with half and half and stevia, scrambled eggs with spinach, and whole wheat toast. I took a good 30 minutes to relax (AKA, bounce between silent freak outs and re-entering my zombie-like zen). I left the house early enough to arrive to the testing site early.
Once I entered the room, you take a number and read the exam rules. Not a word I read permeated my mind. HA. I was so nervous, I felt that it was reverberating from my body. I looked around and realized everyone in that room felt the same way. Finally, my number was called. I locked my belongings in the locker, sat for my picture, they read my palm vein, etc. I was given a marker with a booklet of laminated paper to write on. The computer has a calculator you can use, or you can ask for one before you enter.
The time had come. My organs were vibrating in fear. I was shaking. The administrator, bless her soul, was the sweetest woman. All smiles, loving, sweet energy. Just being in her presence calmed me. She sat me at my computer, with my earplugs and sound-proof headphones, and I began. When the first question popped on the screen, I slipped into this sort of "do-or-die" mode.
I had a strange calmness come over me, and my mind became very clear. I knew I was prepared. I critically broke down each question, semantically. I wrote "ABCD" on my paper if I was unsure, crossed off the ones I knew were wrong, and chose my answers. About half way through, I panicked, realizing I had about a minute per question left. In reality, that was a good amount of time. But, the freak outs come as they please, don't they? From that point, when I knew an answer I just simply answered. Finally, I realized I was at question number 123. At 125, if you pass, the exam will stop and bring you to a survey page. Otherwise, it will tack on another 20 questions for you.
I did a little "OMG DEAR UNIVERSE, EVERYONE OUT THERE PLZ LET IT STOP AT 125, OMG PLZ." Low and behold, it stopped. The hourglass appeared, I felt each heartbeat in my throat, like a beating drum... and it brought me to.... the survey page. YES, YES, YES, STRONGLY AGREE, SURE.
Finally, the last page popped up. The page I had been waiting for not only these last 2 weeks, but the last decade of my life. My career in dietetics, my life, sort of flashed before my eyes. This moment had been so built up in my mind. I had worked SO long and hard for this. But here I was, hoping and wishing on this moment.
"Congratulations! Kristina Cooke, you have passed the exam for Registered Dietitians." My reaction was almost a reflex. The muscles in my neck lost all control, as my face fell into my hands. Pure bliss and gratitude welled from my chest and poured from my eyes, involuntarily. I silently rejoiced in this moment. I couldn't believe how surreal this felt. I looked up and mouthed, "I'm a Registered Dietitian." I wiped my tears, turned around with a beaming smile, and raised my hand so I could be escorted from the room.
The sweet woman from earlier took me out, printed my paper, and congratulated me. I called and texted everyone important to me, and went straight to the store to get 2 bottles of champagne, of course. I came home, popped one, and celebrated!
This journey has taken 10 years from the moment I knew I wanted to be an RD at age 17. Now, 27, I am happy to say it's all paid off. Life throws you curveballs. These last 10 years of my life I have experienced the hardest things I'll probably ever have to experience. Personally, professionally, all of it. I lost 2 of the most important people to my life, my father and my sweet Oma, and that set me back for a while. I moved, and moved, and came back home. But I just want to remind anyone on their journey, that I know it's hard. I know sometimes it feels like you can't do it, or you won't survive. I know you'll experience things that make you ask yourself, "how can I wake up tomorrow, as the whole world continues to carry on, when I don't even feel like I can get out of bed?" I know it's hard. But you can. And you will. There is something stronger than all of that inside of you. Nurture it!
So to all of you RD-2-be's on your journey ahead, I wish you nothing but the ABSOLUTE BEST. I know you'll all kick butt. And if anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Happy studying, and much love!
XO,
Kristina Cooke, RD