Finally passed my DANB RHS after failing twice — here's what worked

by Marcus T. 153 views3 replies
M
Marcus T.OP
May 27, 2026

Okay so I've been lurking on this forum for months and I feel like I owe it to everyone to actually post something useful. I failed the RHS component of the DANB exam twice — first time I scored a 68 (passing is 75) and second time a 71. I was honestly about to give up and just stay as an assistant forever, but my office manager basically dared me to try again so here we are.

What finally clicked for me was switching how I studied. I'd been reading the same review book over and over, which clearly wasn't working. This time I spent about 3 weeks doing timed DANB practice test questions every single day — like 30-40 questions in the morning before work. The immediate feedback on what I got wrong was way more useful than re-reading chapters I thought I already knew. Infection control and radiography technique kept tripping me up specifically.

If you're in the same boat, don't skip the study guide sections on patient management — I underestimated how many questions come from that area. Happy to answer questions if anyone is prepping right now.

M
Marcus T.
May 27, 2026
Congrats!! I passed mine last spring and the timed practice questions were also the thing that saved me. I kept running out of time on the real exam until I forced myself to do timed sets. Infection control was brutal for me too — I made a one-page cheat sheet of the exposure categories and reviewed it every morning the week before. That alone probably added 5 points to my score.
S
Sarah M.
May 28, 2026
This is really encouraging, thank you for posting. I'm scheduled for my first attempt in about six weeks and I'm terrified. Quick question — did you use any specific resource for the radiation safety portion? That's where I feel weakest right now. I've gone through my program notes twice but the content still feels slippery, especially the MPD calculations and film badge stuff.
P
priya.test
May 28, 2026
Third time really is the charm sometimes. I retook the GC component twice before it clicked. The exam tips that helped me most: flag anything you're unsure about and come back, don't second-guess your first instinct on the ones you do know, and get there early so you're not rushing. Good luck everyone still in the trenches.

Join the Discussion

Sign in or register to reply with your account, or reply as a guest below.