Finally passed my CRA exam after two attempts — here's what worked

So I finally got that passing score last Thursday and I'm still kind of in shock. I failed my first attempt back in February by just 4 points, which was brutal. I'd spent maybe 3 weeks studying, mostly just reading through the AHRA study materials, and honestly thought that would be enough. It wasn't.

Second time around I completely changed my approach. I gave myself 8 weeks, built a real schedule, and started doing a CRA practice test every weekend to track where I was weak. Radiology regulations and patient safety kept killing me, so I drilled those sections hard. I also leaned on a CRA study guide that broke down all 7 content domains with practice questions — way more useful than just re-reading the handbook.

My biggest CRA exam tip: don't underestimate the management and communication section. I assumed my day-to-day experience would carry me through it, but the exam tests it very specifically. Anyone else in the middle of prep right now? Happy to share more specifics about resources or timeline.