Passing the SBB: How Do I Not Get Crushed Again?

[jhaig]

I took the SBB exam last year and didn't do too well, at least not well enough to pass. I thought I had prepared as well as I could have, but when exam day came I had no luck. Am I crazy or did a good portion of the exam deal with topics and other things that I'll never see or use?

Should I have expected not to pass the first time? I have a 4-year degree in biology with 14 years of clinical experience with the last five as a blood bank supervisor (five of the fourteen years were not in blood bank). I thought I was prepared but I must have missed something. I couldn't find very much information on preparing for the exam so I tried to prepare on my own. I'm looking for advice for those of you who have passed this thing.

Any information or advice would be helpful. Thanks.

[donellda]

Don't feel bad. I have written the exam twice and gotten the exact same mark both times. I found that both times I wrote there were a lot of questions about medications which I had never heard of. I had taken the MABB SBB Lecture series and used the notes from the lectures to study and both times walked out feeling like I had written an exam on mechanical engineering or some subject I had never heard of before. I also remember getting the same question twice and none of the choices matched my own calculations either time. I'm trying to decide whether I should put myself through this torture again. There is a course to help prepare for the SBB through one of the universities in Chicago. I have a pamphlet in my office at work. I'll look for it tomorrow for you.

[David Saikin]

I was fortunate enought to be the LAST group that had a "practical" exam. On our written test the board included 5 patient management questions. This type of question was going to replace the practical. The entire scenario was very subjective and fortunately, for me, it was not graded. The exam is made to be demanding, and it is my opinion that it is designed for those who attend formal SBB training programs. Experiential knowledge is not enoiugh to make it through. There is the "trivial pursuit" aspect to portions of it. But it can be done. I had a tech ask me if I thought she should take the test. I told her "yes, even if you don't pass, look at all the knowledge, practical and theoretical, you will be exposed to." Anyway, take it again if you want that credential. A lot of times, SBB blood bankers will band together and have an area wide training session for local testees. Our local ARC rep is very active in this process. Good Luck!

[Eagle Eye]

www.uic.edu offers SBB certification programe for who has enough experience and like to take exam and there is a traditional route where you are required to do a research project or write a paper and you have to work on wet specimen. WHole prog. is online you do not need to go to chicago at all. I completed the course and I am preparing for the exam. I should have taken the exam right away after the course but got busy at work.

The prog is very extensive but I learn a lot. I will try to take exam and see if I can pass the board with my 3 year blood bank experience and the prog. knoweldge. You can e-mail Veronica for more info.

Veronica N. Lewis, MS, MT(ASCP)SBB

Clinical Assistant Professor

Director, Specialist in Blood Bank Technology Certification Program

Biomedical & Health Information Sciences (MC 530)

College of Applied Health Sciences

University of Illinois at Chicago

1919 West Taylor Street

Chicago, IL 60612-7249

Voice: 312-996-6721

Fax: 312-996-8342

E-mail: veronica@uic.edu

[Seveets]

In 2 weeks, I will be a graduate of the UIC SBB program and will have a nice certificate to hang on the wall. Whether I pass the SBB exam is another story. With online learning I was not forced to memorize anything, and I think that will be my downfall. I will continue to review before I take the exam so we will see...........

Although expensive (work did reimburse some of it) it was worth it.

[johna]

Several years ago (too many to mention) I was the Manager of Exam development at the ASCP in Chicago. In that capacity I worked with all the exam committees in developing their questions. This was shortly before computerized testing came to be.

To get to my point, I would just like to encourage everyone who has had problems with the exam not to lose faith. Bear in mind that you are dealing with what I consider the most difficult exam put out by the ASCP. During my few years at the ASCP the pass rate for this exam was always the lowest of any other. The SBB exam committee always consistently seemed to come up with the most difficult exam questions. The mindset being that blood banking is the most critical of the laboratory disciplines that have an immediate impact on patient wellbeing. Like David I also took a practical exam for SBB certification and as he mentioned the written exam back then was quite light on patient and staff managerial issues. That's certainly not the case today.

Aside from the difficulty issue I think that the low pass rate was also due to some individuals thinking that, because they were a blood bank supervisor, there was very little preparation necessary. Wrong! In any case, if you've taken the test once and not passed at least this gives you a feel as to what it's all about. Good luck, try to find others in your area to study with and keep a positive attitude even if you have to go back for a third time.

[adiescast]

I believe University of Texas Medical Branch still offers their Last Chance Review in Houston. It is an excellent review of what is on the exam. There may be other schools that offer the same chance. ASCP has a list of recommended resources for study. You have to memorize a ton of information because you don't know which questions you will get on the computer exam. It helps to have a study partner or two as well. I have to agree that the exam seems designed to pass those who have taken the SBB programs, or the SBB programs are just the best preparation for the exam (I'm not sure which!). I went through a program and passed on my first try. My two classmates had the same experience. A co-worker who studied with me before the exam has tried 5 times and still not passed, even though I shared everything from my program with her.~shrug~

Good luck!

[Seveets]

Unfourtanely, I FAILED.

I got my Performance Report with scaled scores which is supposed to "assist in determining their relative strengths and weaknesses" but without the secret formula, I can't make heads or tails of it.

Not sure if I want to take it again but they give you 5 years to decide if you want to spend the $ again.

[donellda]

Sorry to hear about this Chris. It is a very difficult test to pass. I wrote it twice and got exactly the same score both times. From my performance report the first time, I decided to focus on the area I did not do that well on when I wrote the test the second time. I did well in that area and messed up on the sections I did well on the first try. I think they should take both my exams and combine them to make one passing one:p. I am not so sure I want to try a third time either. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Eagle Eye]

I took my test last week and I pass my SBB. I took it first time. Chris, please do not get upset and please fill out form again. Everything is fresh in your mind right now study little harder and give it a try again.

Few tips: Are you good in lab math? Because I know I needed to use my calculator so many times. ALso you need to read your questions..I started reading fast and at first I picked wrong answer and when I read it again I realized that my answer was wrong. Read again and got it right.

Chris, on your letter do you have total score/ maximum you can get? I just wanted to figure out my percentage.

Thank you. ANd go for it again.

[Mabel Adams]

I took the exam in 1997 after studying on my own. I read Issitt cover to cover and found that most of the really hard stuff on the test was the weird antigens (I have never forgotten that Gonzales a is found on category IV partial D cells!) so I was glad I had read it. I left the test certain I had failed. I believe that I had divine intervention because there is no explaining how I passed. There was also no deciphering from my score whether I had barely scraped by or what--even after I emailed ASCP for clarification.

One thing I found was that the test really did follow the content guideline for what percentage of the questions would be in what category.

Sounds like the test may have gotten harder. Glad I didn't wait any longer.

[Seveets]

That's great news aakupaku.

I got a 330 and the minimal passing score was 400 but it's scaled (what ever that means)

Each sub section (serology, products, etc) is scored but they don't explain it. I don't know if I didn't passed because of one question or ten.

I work in a small hospital in a smaller lab... SBB initials would mean nothing to the bottom line but would be a source of pride (at least for 3 years).

I probably will take it again (since you don't have to apply again - just pay) but not sure when....

[Mabel Adams]

And Congrats Aakupaku!!!

[Seveets]

Well Mabel, I certainly would have gotton that question wrong.

The test was 2 1/2 hours long with 100 questions. At the end after your final submisson it flashes on the computer screen if your a loser or not.

"FAILED" flashed on mine. At least I didn't have to wait to know. The hour drive in traffic to get home from the testing site was not fun....

[Mabel Adams]

Yeah, I took it before intant feedback. I guess it was 1998 not 1997. I was devastated the whole 2 hour drive home (glad my husband went with me) but then I got my scores a week or so later. See, God had more time to intervene then.

My advice is to keep trying while you are young. I hate to say it, but it does get a wee bit harder to learn and remember once you are staring 50 in the face. Or at least it has for me.

And suggest they come up with a gentler message than "failed" to fling at you, for heaven's sake.

[Eagle Eye]

Hi, Chris,

You know that this is an adaptive test. They give us 10 question and determine our level 400 or 450 or 500 etc. Then you will be given question according to yuor level. If you were at 400 level initially you would get 400 level question...if you answer it correct the next question will be higher level. Question will become harder until you answer it incorrectly. If you answer is incorrect you will get same level question again and again you answer incorrect the computer will pull easier question.

SO my assumption is if your questions are becoming harder and harder you are most likely to pass the exam (if you do not go back and change too many answer).

You need to answer less answer correctly to pass the exam if they are higher level question.

By the way the test is setup in such a way that you can not fool the computer if you start answering all question incorrectly to get easy exam ...computer will figure out that and will switch to non adaptive test.

Mabel you are right ...I had some questions reagarding antigens ...I am trying to figure out that my answers were correct or not.

ANyway Thank you.

[donellda]

I agree that it is best to try to write as soon as possible while everything is still fresh. I wrote in 2000 and I had to wait to my results in the mail. I'm not sure which would be worse, seeing it on the screen or waiting for a week for the results. I just remember the second time thinking that they made a mistake because the score was exactly the same, 376. Anyway, you know what to expect now so maybe it make things a bit easier for you.

[Mabel Adams]

http://www.ascp.org/Certification/ForProgramDirectors/statistics/statJanJun06.pdf

Mean score 446

range of scores 130-662

std dev'n 140

# of tests taken 40

# & % passing 24 60%

# & % failing 16 40%

SBB schools pass rate 18 90%

Total certified (since 1954?) 4,887

These are the stats from the ASCP website from Jan-Jun 2006. The pass rate was a little higher that time than usual. Anyway, if you didn't pass yet, you appear to be in good company. Note that the low scores are always in the hundreds. With scores in the 300's you are certainly within shouting distance.

And if you want to feel even better, look at the pass rate for DLM (diplomate in lab management) of around 10%!

Ah, consider the tortoise who never gets anywhere unless he sticks his neck out.

[sshel55]

I would like to add that there are still some really excellent SBB programs out here that will provide an outstanding learning experience and environment to help prepare you for the examination. You may certainly prepare for the exam by either studying independently or participating in an on-line program. All these options are excellent for some people. However, there are those who really need the structure and support that is provided by an SBB program. In our program you have class every Wednesday, you have regular exams with feedback from the instructor and you design and manage a research project. You get experience writing and submitting papers for publication and you get experience with public speaking. Of course you may have to sacrifice some for the 12 months you are enrolled in the program but at the end you will have knowledge and experience that is hard to match. Obviously we can't guarantee that you will pass the exam on the first try, but our total pass rate is 100% over the past 5 years. If you are interested in more information please e-mail our SBB education coordinator, Karen Byrne. kbyrne@cc.nih.gov

Sherry Sheldon, MT(ASCP)SBB

Supervisor and SBB Program Director

NIH Clinical Center Department of Transfusion Medicine

Bethesda, MD 20892-1184

ssheldon@cc.nih.gov

[AMcCord]

I believe that the pass rate for 1st try non-SBB school candidates is usually around 50% or less, so try again. It is possible to pass.

I agree with the comment about trivial pursuit. They throw a lot of very obscure things at you, probably to test for depth of knowledge. Study deep! Issitt is a great source as is Geoff Daniels - Human Blood Groups.

Good luck!

[yolis76]

This SBB program has since been moved to Rush University. Please see below:

Veronica N. Lewis, MS, MT(ASCP)SBB

Assistant Professor

Director, Specialist in Blood Bank Certificate Program

Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Rush University, 1021B-AAC

600 South Paulina Street

Chicago, IL 60612

Phone: 312-942-2402

Fax: 312-942-6464

E-mail: Veronica_Lewis@rush.edu

[stephtu]

I failed the SBB exam the first time I took it too. But, I passed the second time around. It is much easier the second time around knowing what to expect. Don't give up!

[ckcheng]

I agree SBB(ASCP) exam is a difficult test. Do not give up. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in Houston does offer SBB Last Chance Review every year if you do not have time to join a one year program. They also give talk in AABB Meeting called Specialist in Blood Banking Technology/Technologist in Blood Banking (SBB/BB) Exam Review: Where Do I Begin?

Also, read lastest edition of Technical Manual and Standards from the first page to the last page. Memorize it. Prepare well before you take the exam.

CK Cheng, MSc, SBB(ASCP)

HONG KONG

[Barb Thompson]

I agree with ckcheng. I thought the test was hard and the questions were tricky. I went through an online SBB program, also went to the last chance review and the session at aabb in 2006. I took the test May 1 and passed on the 1st try, thanks to the SBB program. I know people do pass without going through a program, but, after having taken the test, I know I would not have been one of them. If you check the stats on the ascp website, you can see that the average score has been rising over the years and is now above the passing score of 400. The high score is also rising. 5 years ago, the high score was around 625, now it is closer to 800.

If you don't pass the first time, don't give up. Get more study guides and try again. Also, right after the exam, write down as many questions as you can remember, so you know what to concentrate on for next time. It's not all from the Technical Manual.

Good luck!

Barbara

[ckcheng]

Hi Donellda, want to know if you still have a copy of the MABB SBB lecture notes. The Assoication does not offer the SBB lecture these few years cuz from the response, there were no enough students. Can you give me a copy of the notes?

CK Cheng, MSc, SBB(ASCP)

HONG KONG