What's new
What's new in October 2026
Everything we shipped to BoardPal in October 2026.
Oct 8 to 14 · 45 improvements
14Oct · Wed
See what each daily study time gives you
Improved- Improved
A PDF that will not download now has a way through. more ▾less ▴
If a cram sheet PDF does not download in your phone's built-in browser or inside an app like Messenger, the reader now offers to share the file straight to your phone, or to copy the page link so you can open it in Chrome.
A simpler Plan progress card
Improved- Improved
Plan progress is simpler, with the days left to your exam on top. more ▾less ▴
The Plan progress card on your Study Plan now shows just the road to your exam and this week's tasks. Your whole-plan total and topics covered per section are one tap away, and the card remembers if you keep them open. The top line also counts the days left until your exam.
- Improved
12Oct · Mon
See how many flashcards you have learned
Improved- Improved
Cards you blank on come back later in the same session. more ▾less ▴
A card you tap Again on now comes back a few cards later in the same session, so you see the answer again while it still matters.
- Improved
The finish screen shows your ratings and stays on screen. more ▾less ▴
The end of a session shows how many cards you rated Again, Hard, Good and Easy, and it no longer disappears a moment after it appears.
- Improved
Easier-to-read text, bigger buttons, and a safer delete. more ▾less ▴
Small text on the flashcard pages is darker and easier to read, buttons are easier to tap, and deleting a deck you made now asks first.
A livelier Study Plan calendar
Improved- Improved
Small, light animations on ticks and week changes. more ▾less ▴
Tick boxes give a small pop when you finish a task, and the calendar slides gently when you change weeks. If your phone is set to reduce motion, all of it stays still.
Catching up on your Study Plan feels lighter
Improved- Improved
Slipped tasks gather in one catch-up card instead of red chips. more ▾less ▴
Tasks that slipped past their day are no longer painted red. One card under Today says how many sessions are left to catch up, and one tap spreads them over your lightest days, with the same preview and Undo as Rebalance.
Your Study Plan opens on today
Improved- Improved
The Study Plan opens with today's tasks and a ring that fills as you tick. more ▾less ▴
Your Study Plan now opens with Today: today's tasks with big tick boxes and a ring that fills as you finish, plus how much time is left. Finish the last one for a small celebration. Ticks show on the calendar below right away.
- Improved
Plan settings fold into one bar; how-it-works tips sit behind the "?". more ▾less ▴
Your plan's six settings (dates, exam sections, focus, daily time, rest days and flashcards) now sit behind one Plan settings bar, which shows your dates, daily time and rest days at a glance. Tap it to change any of them. How the plan works is behind the "?" next to your daily time, and Add to my calendar moved below the calendar.
Clearer leaderboard explanation and topic name
Improved- Improved
The leaderboard now explains clearly how your rank is worked out. more ▾less ▴
The "How ranking works" box on the leaderboard now explains what counts, how many questions you need to join, why a high % on a few questions can rank below a slightly lower % on many, how ties are broken, and when each board resets.
Drug classes topic fully revised
Improved- Improved
187 drug classes questions rebuilt from drug labels: shorter, harder choices, clearer explanations. more ▾less ▴
187 pharmacology questions were rebuilt across the drug classes topic: heart and blood thinners, brain and mental health drugs, hormones, stomach and lung drugs, and anti-infective, cancer and pregnancy drugs. Each one now tests a fact taken from the drug's official label, many on drug facts the bank had not tested before, so fewer questions repeat each other. Questions are shorter, all four choices look right at first glance, and every explanation starts with the answer. The correct letter stayed the same in every one.
Updated BIR seal on the About page
Improved- Improved
The About page now shows our updated BIR Registration Seal Badge. Its QR code opens our current registration on the BIR's own website.
- Improved
11Oct · Sun
Seven more topics fully revised
Improved- Improved
92 questions in seven topics rebuilt: shorter, harder choices, clearer explanations. more ▾less ▴
92 more questions were rebuilt in seven topics: primary health care and herbal medicines, health records and reporting, school and workplace health, the Philippine health care delivery system, the two community health laws topics, and substance use. Questions are shorter, all four choices look right at first glance, and every explanation starts with the answer and explains its terms in plain words. The correct letter stayed the same in every one, and every topic in this group is now fully revised.
Clearer explanations in ten more topics
Improved- Improved
504 explanations in ten topics rewritten in plain words, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
504 explanations in ten topics were rewritten in plain words: anxiety disorders, growth and development theories, stomach and bowel problems in children, heart problems in children, pneumonia, blood vessel disease and high blood pressure, heart and circulation problems, the brain and nerve exam, water-balance hormone disorders, and the reproductive system. Each one now starts with the answer, each wrong choice opens with the reason it is wrong, and hard terms get a short meaning the first time they appear. Questions that ask which statement needs correction now call the true choices accurate, never correct.
Tidier pages: nothing hidden behind the floating buttons
Improved- Improved
Neater line breaks and easier-to-read text across the app. more ▾less ▴
Headings and paragraphs across the app no longer leave a single word alone on the last line, and longer notes, help answers and lessons keep to a comfortable line length on tablets and laptops.
- Improved
Card titles and deck names no longer get cut off. more ▾less ▴
Resources and Flashcards show full card titles and your own deck names on two lines instead of cutting them off, and the two guide lessons now use one font throughout.
Upgrade your plan or add time, with unused days credited
Improved- Improved
Home's plan-ends-before-exam reminder links to your upgrade options. more ▾less ▴
If your plan ends before your exam date, the reminder on Home now links straight to your upgrade options.
Easier reading on the About and policy pages
Improved- Improved
About and policy pages are easier to read on bigger screens. more ▾less ▴
The About, Terms, Privacy and Refund pages now use a narrower column on tablets and laptops, so each line is a comfortable length to read. On the About page, the text beside Byron's photo no longer leaves a single line stranded underneath it.
- Improved
10Oct · Sat
Partner share links and code end dates
Improved- Improved
Partners see their code's end date and get a weekly sales summary. more ▾less ▴
The Partner Portal shows the date a partner's code runs until, with a reminder in its last week. Partners also get a short summary email on Mondays after a week with sales.
- Improved
Partner codes now work on every purchase while active. more ▾less ▴
A partner's code now works every time you buy while the code is active, so renewing a 1-Month or 2-Month plan keeps your discount. Other promo codes still work once per account, and checkout now says so before you pay instead of after.
Use a study remote on your phone or iPad
Improved- Improved
Cram sheets turn pages with Page Down and Page Up; left arrow undoes a flashcard. more ▾less ▴
Cram sheets now turn a full page with Page Down and Page Up, which many page-turner remotes send. A page taller than the screen scrolls through first, so nothing gets skipped. On flashcards, the left arrow key now brings back the last card, like Z.
Smoother Apple Pencil writing on the Scratch pad
Improved- Improved
Pencil writing follows your hand more closely on the pad and the question. more ▾less ▴
The Scratch pad and the Pen's freehand mode now use every point your Apple Pencil reports, not just one per screen refresh, so quick curves and small numbers come out rounder and closer to your handwriting.
- Improved
9Oct · Fri
Clearer explanations in ten more topics
Improved- Improved
537 explanations in ten topics rewritten in plain words, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
537 explanations in ten topics were rewritten in plain words: multiple sclerosis, COPD, asthma, Parkinson's disease, increased intracranial pressure, cancer treatment, psychiatric medicines, crisis intervention, care after birth, and kidney problems in children. Each one now starts with the answer, each wrong choice opens with the reason it is wrong, and hard terms get a short meaning the first time they appear. Answers did not change.
Therapeutic communication questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
63 therapeutic communication questions rewritten, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
63 practice questions on therapeutic communication were rewritten to the shape of the board exam. Many used to ask the same thing in disguise: one caring reply against three obvious mistakes. Now all four choices sound like something a good nurse might say, and the situation decides which one fits. The questions also cover more of the topic: the parts of communication, named techniques and blocks, barriers, professional boundaries and the Code of Ethics, and staying safe with an angry client. Most questions went from about 50 words to about 30, and each explanation starts with the answer in plain words.
How we revise questions: one full rewrite per question
Improved- Improved
Each question now gets one full rewrite: wording, choices and explanation together. more ▾less ▴
Questions that still need their wording and choices improved will now get their explanation rewritten at the same time, instead of in a separate pass first. Each question gets one full rewrite, so the explanations you read stay consistent with the choices beside them.
Mental health and stress explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
64 mental health foundations explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
64 explanations for the questions on the foundations of mental health nursing were rewritten in plain words. Each one now starts with the answer, says first why each wrong choice is wrong, and explains terms such as the Mental Health Act, decision-making capacity, therapeutic milieu and countertransference the first time they appear.
- Improved
61 stress and defense mechanism explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
61 explanations for the questions on stress, coping and defense mechanisms were rewritten in plain words. Each defense mechanism is now defined by the one feature that sets it apart from the look-alikes, such as projection versus displacement and suppression versus repression.
A simpler Diagnostic Exam
Improved- Improved
The diagnostic now gives one starting rating instead of subject-by-subject advice. more ▾less ▴
Your Diagnostic Exam now gives you one clear result: a starting rating on the board's scale, with the range it likely falls in. It no longer names a weakest and strongest subject, because 30 questions are too few to tell your subjects apart reliably.
- Improved
Performance shows your starting rating from the diagnostic. more ▾less ▴
Your Performance page now shows the starting rating from your diagnostic, so you have a number from day one and can see how far you've come once your live rating unlocks.
- Improved
The diagnostic is now a one-time check, found on Home and in History. more ▾less ▴
The diagnostic is now a one-time check for everyone, and it has moved out of the menu: you'll find it on Home until you take it, and your results stay in History. To track your progress, use your Performance rating and the mock boards, which measure far more than 30 questions can.
- Improved
Study plans stay balanced unless you choose a Focus. more ▾less ▴
Your study plan no longer reorders subjects based on the diagnostic. If you want more time on certain sections, choose a Focus on your Study Plan.
- Improved
Fairer, more even diagnostic questions. more ▾less ▴
The 30 diagnostic questions are now chosen so every test has the same mix of easier and harder questions, using the questions that best tell a well-prepared student from one still learning. Your starting rating now depends far less on which questions you happened to get.
Labor complication explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
77 labor complication explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
77 explanations for the questions on complications during labor were rewritten in plain words. Each one now starts with the answer, says first why each wrong choice is wrong, and explains terms such as late deceleration, shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse and tocolytic the first time they appear.
Surgery classification explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
50 surgery classification explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
50 explanations for the questions on how surgery is classified were rewritten in plain words. Each one now starts with the answer, says first why each wrong choice is wrong, and explains terms such as elective, palliative, ablative, -ectomy and -ostomy the first time they appear.
Before-surgery explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
59 before-surgery explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
59 explanations for the questions on getting a client ready for surgery were rewritten in plain words. Each one now starts with the answer, says first why each wrong choice is wrong, and explains terms such as informed consent, NPO, anticholinergic and incentive spirometer the first time they appear.
Diabetes questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
70 diabetes questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
70 practice questions on diabetes were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam: insulin types and injections, low blood sugar, diabetes tablets and newer medicines, long-term complications, foot and eye care, and diabetes in pregnancy. Most questions went from about 55 words to about 30, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation starts with the answer and defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter stayed the same.
Malnutrition explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
56 malnutrition explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
56 explanations for the malnutrition questions were rewritten in plain words. Each one now starts with the answer, and terms such as marasmus, kwashiorkor, refeeding syndrome and tube feeding are explained the first time they appear.
Thyroid questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
58 thyroid questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
58 practice questions on hypothyroidism, Graves disease, thyroid storm, myxedema coma, thyroid surgery, radioactive iodine and thyroid medicines were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 50 words to about 30, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation starts with the answer and defines every term in plain words. Every answer letter stayed the same.
Heart attack and angina questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
70 heart attack and angina questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
70 practice questions on heart attacks and angina were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. They cover chest pain types, heart tests, heart attack medicines, the care after a heart catheterization, and heart attack complications. Most questions went from about 50 words to about 30, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation starts with the answer and defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
Mouth, esophagus and stomach explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
82 mouth, esophagus and stomach explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
82 explanations for the mouth, esophagus and stomach questions were rewritten in plain words. Each one now starts with the answer, and terms such as achalasia, Barrett's esophagus and dumping syndrome are explained the first time they appear.
- Improved
8Oct · Thu
Install BoardPal on your phone, with steps in Settings
Improved- Improved
Step-by-step install instructions for every device, in Settings. more ▾less ▴
Settings now has an Install the app section with step-by-step instructions for iPhone, iPad, Android and computers. Your device's steps open first, and on Android and laptops you can often install with one tap. Find it from Profile under Get the app.
Partner Portal: payout choices and month-by-month sales
Improved- Improved
Partners can now choose GCash, Maya, a bank account or another method for their payouts, right in the Partner Portal.
- Improved
Sales grouped by month, with a tappable chart and a 12-month view. more ▾less ▴
Sales are now grouped by month: tap a month to see its sales. Tap any bar on the earnings chart to see that month, switch between 6 and 12 months, and compare this month with last month.
Partner Portal in your Account menu
Improved- Improved
BoardPal partners now have a Partner Portal button in their Account menu, so their code, sales and payouts are always one tap away.
Rebalance can catch you up without reshuffling your plan
Improved- Improved
Undo now steps back through your last three rebalances. more ▾less ▴
Undo rebalance now keeps your last three rebalances, so pressing Rebalance twice no longer loses the plan you had. Right after a rebalance, an Undo button also appears at the bottom of the screen.
A clearer Partner Program page
Improved- Improved
The Partner Program page now has an earnings calculator and clearer sections. more ▾less ▴
The Partner Program page was redesigned so creators can find everything quickly: who it's for, how it works, a calculator that shows what a partner could earn in pesos, when payouts arrive, the partner rules and common questions.
- Improved
The Partner Portal now has charts, copy buttons and a sample preview. more ▾less ▴
The Partner Portal now shows your code with one-tap copy buttons and a ready-made caption, your last six months of earnings as a chart, which plans your students buy, and a preview with sample numbers before your first sale.
Move flashcards between your decks
Improved- Improved
Make a flashcard now shows which deck it went to, with a Change link. more ▾less ▴
When you make a flashcard from a question, the confirmation now shows which deck it went to, with a Change link if it landed in the wrong one.
Top 2 story updated
Improved- Improved
The Top 2's student story now carries the new words and 5 stars. more ▾less ▴
Clifford Jay Cafe, Top 2 of the August 2026 boards, wrote back with a longer story about tracking progress and preparing with the mock boards on BoardPal. That card on the Student Stories page now carries the new words and a 5-star rating (open the Account menu, then Student Stories).
Lab values explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
182 lab values explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
All 182 explanations for the laboratory values questions were rewritten in plain words. Each medical term, such as INR, anion gap or SIADH, is now explained the first time it appears, and every number stayed the same.
Bowel and appendix questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
52 bowel and appendix questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
52 practice questions on appendicitis, bowel obstruction, Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, colon cancer, celiac disease and hemorrhoids were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 60 words to about 30, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation starts with the answer and defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
Tuberculosis explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
102 tuberculosis explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
All 102 explanations for the tuberculosis questions were rewritten in plainer words. Sentences are shorter, every term is explained the first time it appears, and each wrong choice now starts with the reason it is wrong. Every answer stayed the same.
The tour now points at the real buttons
Improved- Improved
The tour now points at the real buttons, with pictures of the in-question tools. more ▾less ▴
Take the tour (Account menu) now lights up the actual button for each step: the study timer, your streak, the Report a problem button, and on phones the menu where Study, Practice and Progress live. Steps about tools inside a question show a small picture of them: the highlighter, pen and cross-out row, the note and bookmark buttons, and flashcard import.
Community health explanations in plain words
Improved- Improved
157 community health explanations rewritten in plain words. more ▾less ▴
157 explanations for questions on non-communicable diseases and on the basic concepts of communicable diseases were rewritten in plainer words. Sentences are shorter, every term is explained the first time it appears, and each wrong choice now starts with the reason it is wrong. Every answer stayed the same.
Adrenal gland questions rewritten
Improved- Improved
59 adrenal gland questions rewritten to board length, answers unchanged. more ▾less ▴
59 practice questions on Addison disease, Cushing syndrome, hyperaldosteronism, pheochromocytoma and adrenal crisis were rewritten to the length and shape of the board exam. Most questions went from about 47 words to about 26, every wrong choice is now something a student could believe, and each explanation defines every term in plain words. Every answer stayed the same.
New partner offer
Improved- Improved
Partners now earn up to 20% per sale, and their followers save 10%. more ▾less ▴
The Partner Program page now shows the new offer: partners earn up to 20% of every sale made with their code, their followers save 10% on any plan, and partners get free full access to BoardPal for as long as their code is on, after a 14-day free trial. Commission is paid monthly to each partner's preferred payment method, and student councils and review groups can have it paid to their organization's fund.
Pass targets that show how far along you are
Improved- Improved
Pass targets now show your progress and a next step for each. more ▾less ▴
Each pass target on your Performance page now shows how far along you are and one next step: your lowest NP with a tap to practice it, how close your rating is to 75, and every mock board split into its five parts, so a part you have already sat counts. With an exam date set, it also suggests a pace for the mocks you have left.
- Improved
Your pass targets now lead the Home page. more ▾less ▴
Home shows the same pass targets in place of Your performance at a glance, with your projected rating and next badge kept on the card.
- Improved