Shelby's Story
During my final year of CRNA school, my program required us to make a benchmark on the SEE exam. We had to make a 440 and we would not be able to take boards until we met that benchmark. I took my first SEE exam and made a 320. I thought that I just needed to get more serious for the next one and study a little harder and that I would be fine. I took the SEE for a second time a few months later and only made a 345. At that moment, I panicked and for the first time, I really started to worry if I would ever make that 440 benchmark. I talked to my program director, and he told me about Dr. Peter Strube, CRNA and his tutoring program. I reached out to Peter that day and he got back to me within 15 minutes. We got started the following week.
While in his tutoring program, he assigned me lots of Prodigy exams and material and also set me up with Dr. Michael Storm, CRNA and Annette Storm, CRNA who have an immense amount of tutoring material, books, questions, and videos of study material. Peter also incorporated Matthew Zinder, CRNA who teaches methods of meditation and hypnosis to help tame the stress of these exams as well. With this team, I had specific instructions, study material, goals, and positive affirmations to help me through this process.
After just one month of working with this tutoring service, my SEE score went from a 345 to a 433. Although I knew I would have to take the SEE another time to meet the 440 benchmark, an 88-point jump of my score proved to me that I was on the right track and that this service was working. Unfortunately, after taking the SEE and making a 433, Peter passed away very unexpectedly. This was definitely hard on me since Peter had been there from the beginning and was such a positive light on my situation. I am very blessed and fortunate to have known him. Fortunately, he had set me up with Dr. Michael and Annette Storm and with Matthew Zinder, so I still had a support system.
We got back to work studying and reaching my goals. With the help of the tutors, I passed the SEE benchmark and eventually went on to pass the NCE all within three months after graduation. If I could go back and tell myself anything, it would be to start using the tutoring service sooner. I wish I had started working with the program after my first SEE attempt. Both the SEE and the NCE are such humbling exams, and you don't have to do it alone. I would highly recommend reaching out and using this program! My only regret is not reaching out sooner!
Shelby B. (2024)