How Dr. Mike Moore is reframing exam preparation as physician formation at PNWU
When Dr. Mike Moore asks second-year osteopathic medical students to describe their feelings about board exams in a single word, the answers rarely sound like confidence. More often, he hears overwhelmed, unsure, or scattered.
For many students, board prep feels less like a milestone and more like a threat.
But for Dr. Moore — Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, and faculty advisor to PNWU’s military medicine scholars — that starting point is precisely the opportunity.
His philosophy is simple: success on standardized exams, and in medicine, comes less from cramming content and more from consistency, reflection, and adaptability. In his view, exam preparation is not a detour from becoming a physician — it’s the training ground for it.
Rather than prescribe more flashcards or memorization tricks, Dr. Moore leads students through the Master Adaptive Learner model:
Plan →
Learn →
Assess →
Adjust
Under Dr. Moore’s leadership, that model is not just a slogan, but a lived cycle.
This semester, Dr. Moore kicked off a new Lunch & Learn series for second-year PNWU Osteopathic Medical Students preparing for COMLEX-USA Level 1, the first exam in the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States series, a national standardized test for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) graduates.
Through the series, PNWU Student Doctors are challenged to build two-week micro-plans, establish daily recall habits, and conduct weekly After-Action Reviews — a practice rooted as much in military precision as it is in educational theory. They commit to shorter bursts of effort, consistent feedback loops, and continual adjustment. The goal isn’t to just “feel ready,” but instead, to operate like professionals long before residency.
To illustrate the difference, Dr. Moore offers the following comparison:
First, picture Learner A. We’ll call him “Bill.” Bill collects endless resources, avoids feedback, and crams late.
Meanwhile, his classmate “Jill” (Learner B) chooses one primary source, practices active recall, and adjusts weekly.
“Same cognitive ability, different results,” explains Dr. Moore. “Why? Because professionalism is consistency, reflection, and follow-through.”
Dr. Moore’s system breaks preparation into small, repeatable cycles. Instead of binge-studying, students learn to set short-term goals, test strategies, and recalibrate. That sustainability matters, he argues, because medicine is a marathon. The habits students build now will carry far beyond a single exam.
For Dr. Moore, the change is most exciting because of what it represents: an emotional shift from chaos to clarity.
“Our students go from feeling overwhelmed to feeling in control,” he says.
When they realize they can build sustainable, patient-centered study habits, they don’t just gain efficiency — they gain agency. That confidence carries into rotations, residencies, and ultimately, into how they care for patients.
After all, board prep is about more than acing a test. It’s about becoming the kind of physician who adapts, improves, and endures.
“Professionalism isn’t just about knowledge,” says Dr. Moore. “It’s about showing up, managing your time, responding to feedback, and improving continuously.”
And in that sense, board prep isn’t a hurdle, but a rehearsal for mission fulfillment.
