Okay so I've been putting off writing this post for a while but I feel like I owe it to everyone who's been in my situation. I failed the RDA exam in October and again in January. Both times I walked out feeling like I'd actually done okay, which made it even more crushing when the results came back. My weak spots were infection control and radiography procedures — I kept mixing up the specifics on barrier techniques and film placement.
What finally turned it around was switching up how I was studying. I'd been reading the same review book cover to cover, which clearly wasn't working. A friend recommended using an RDA practice test to actually simulate exam conditions — timed, no notes, the whole thing. That plus a solid study guide that organized material by topic instead of just listing facts made a huge difference. I studied about 2 hours a day for 6 weeks before my third attempt.
Passed with a 79, which honestly felt like a 100 to me. Anyone else out there who's failed before? What finally clicked for you? And for those prepping now, what exam tips have you picked up that you wish someone had told you earlier?