oldmonk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 12
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hi everyone,
been reading Harrison's text book of internal medicine (15th ed) for the past month and a half. Finished reading vol 2 .On to the next. (is this gonna help...most people seem to be reading notes/more concise text books). I started out with extensive harrisson reading since internal medicine figures most in exams.
I havent tried solving mcqs yet. planning to appear for test in nov. With roughly 2 and a half months to go and so many more subjects to tackle, I'm petrified. Should I postpone the test? or do I have sufficient time? Is it enough to do usmleworld and kaplan q bank? or is there anyother 'must see' cd/book? :? Some one please help!
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| chd_guy
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 33
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Hi old monk
All those ppl i know those have been through step 2 have not recomended Harrison's. Insted CMDT is a better alternative but i think Kaplan notes + High yield topics (detailed study) is enuff. Dont waste time with Harrison.
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chd_guy
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| oldmonk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 12
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Hi chd_guy,
many thanks! Nobody was paying attention to my message for so many days.. maybe because the same questions have been asked over and over many times. Since time is in short supply, I decided to do a reserch on this forum,collect as many recommendations on each subject and read the reviews on most recommended titles from amazon/prep4usmle and other forums. Based on that, I have bought the following:
Review books/materials:
1.Crush the Boards by Adam Brochert
2.Blue prints-Paediatrics
3.Blue prints-Psychiatry
4.BRS ObGy by Elmer.P.Sakala (unfortunately I bought the '97 edition, though a later edition is available. didnt notice. Hope it wont make much of a difference since I'm supplementing this with Kaplan notes)
5.Kaplan's notes for all subjects (there is so much HYPE about this one) 
MCQ books/cd's online/Qbanks:
1.NMS for Step 2CK
2.Clinical Vignettes for Step 2- Pretest (again was fooled into buying the 2000 edition though a 2003 edition is available.Watch out! Does anyone think the q's in this book are obsolete?) :oops:
3.Kaplan Q book (new 2004 edition, dont know how good this is)
4.Mock exam by Adam Brochert(2004 edition- they say it is a good supplement with CTB by the same author)
5.USMLE WORLD Q BANK( v. Highly reccomended,difficult q's..)
6.Appleton &Lange CD for step 2(somebody gave to me, not recommended, substandard q's- not like real exam, I have an old edition)
Buying soon:
6.KAPLAN online Q bank
7.NBME CCSSA Step 2
You are right about Harrison's.CMDT is a better reference text book for USMLE, but since i already have Harrison's (bought it for Housie-15th edtn), I decided to read that anyway.The ongoing clinical trials mentioned in this book seem to be figuring as q's in USMLE WORLD.It's very extensive though)
I'm taking up the exams in DEC 3rd week(postponed). Do I have enough time? I'm @ a very preliminary stage of my preparations.
Hope other newbie's like me find this post helpful.
oldmonk
P.S: I'm an IMG from India 8) I'm a regular on this forum
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| bluestar
Forum Guru
Topics: 236
Posts: 724
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Hey, oldmonk, thank you very much for sharing the booklist with us! I have a question, you mentioned pretest, is it all about questions? How closely is it related to step2 real exam? Maybe I should buy it as well. Could you please click on the link below to see if it is this the one you mentioned?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/007...
Thank you!
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I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad I have had my flight
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| Noky
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 17
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Thanks so much to share with us your extensive search and I have a question for you about questions on USMLEWORD bank about ongoing clinical trials. Could you tell us about this?
Thanks
Noky
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| oldmonk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 12
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hello guys,
the response was prompt.
bluestar, yes that's the book I bought (though you might have gathered from my previous post that I inadvertently bought the older edition, instead). I believe 2/3rds of the questions in this book has a negative lead (all are true except... format) which is obsolete now, but it is a good study guide as the explanations for these questions are high yield...or so they say!
In anycase, I must say that having the recommended books is only an inaugural step towards preparations, more important is to pick up the concepts and apply them!! I'm a person who spends a lot on books/references....it's fine for one to have a more concise list as long as one is clear which book addresses one's needs best.
Since there is no 'best way' to know that other than trying it out yourself, I generated my list.
Bluestar, I'm unable to address your questions in a more specific way, since I have ordered most of these from amazon(mostly used books) and I'm yet to receive them. So if you can hang in there, I will give you a more direct review after 2-3 weeks.
noky: is that an honest question or were you being cynical?
If it is the former, one example would be:
Ongoing clinical trials for routine perioperative use of beta-blockers in reducing perioperative mortality rate for patients with CAD or at risk for CAD.
I bought this q bank only 2 days back and have already come across 2-3 q's based on the outcome of recent clinical trials, in the cardiology section.
Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to copy/replicate the questions from USMLE world as that will terminate my subscription and amount to a violation of copyright.
Thats all folks... hope to be in touch
P.S: One more recommendation to the book-list would be Blueprints for ObGy. I think it is enough to have either this or BRS by Elmer. P. Sakala. The Blueprints series seems to be good for most subjects except surgery. I'm yet to find a book that satisfies the surgery/trauma/orthopaedic requirements for USMLE step2. but for now, I have decided to use the same books I used in med school or perhaps Kaplans notes modulo time.
P.S P.S: I HATE SARCASM 
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| bluestar
Forum Guru
Topics: 236
Posts: 724
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Thank you very much for the reply. I have another question, which version of Kaplan note are you using? I have the 2001 one. do you have any idea what's the difference b/t 2001 and 2004 one? Somebody says I should go get a lastest one (which is 2004 version), what do you think? Many thanks!
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I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad I have had my flight
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| oldmonk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 12
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hey bluestar, you are here!!
Again, I will get my Kaplan notes only in one week. I suppose that will be the 2004 edtn as I'm buying it directly from the Kaplan centre.
I'm sorry bluestar, I have no idea what the difference is, although let me comfort you that reading the 2001 edtn is not going to be a disability at all.(moot point, open to debate) MASTERING THE CONCEPTS IS MORE IMPORTANT. You can always work on questions by elimination. So dont worry too much. Just apply yourself to whatever you are reading and you will ace it. GOOD LUCK at all times!
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| bluestar
Forum Guru
Topics: 236
Posts: 724
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Could you only buy the note from Kaplan center? How much is it and what's also included? Could you send me the link? I only found one other item from its bookstore. Thank you for the nice words! Let's both study hard and ace the exam!
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I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad I have had my flight
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| oldmonk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 12
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I bought it from KAPLAN- INDIA. You can buy it from their bombay/chennai/bangalore/hyderabad/delhi/cochin centres. Make sure you have a good excuse to give them, as to why you are unable to enroll for the course... It costs Rs.10,000 as you have to register first and then take the materials. They also give you the option of joining their classes any time in the next one year following your date of registration, you will have to pay only the difference in that case. I'm told it includes all paper based materials you will get as a regular student if you were enrolled for their course at Rs.55,000 which I didnt want to do.(I study better on my own). Also the counsellor says, you will only miss 10-15% of what is taught in the lectures(video lect) if you joined the course. If you are planning on buying the later edition from them, I suggest you buy it before 10th sept. Owing to some problem in their contract with the printing mill in Singapore(where all the materials for Kaplan India centres have been printed heretofore), they will directly import these from KAPLAN centres in NY after 10th Sept. So this will cost you Rs.20,000 (double) bcoz apparently the print and paper is of better quality for these materials although there is no difference in content.
Hope this helps.
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| oldmonk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 12
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P.S:
I found this on nrthstar's post, he got a 99 in his step 2
Quote Unquote:PRE-TEST CLINICAL VIGNETTES for STEP 2: very standard presentation questions, good if you have time.
Take a looksie at his latest post.
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| bluestar
Forum Guru
Topics: 236
Posts: 724
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Thank you so much for the info. Unfortunately, I am in US and can't buy the notes from India. Anybody could help me to get it? I have Kaplan's livelecture video and would like to use a correlating notes for study.
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I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad I have had my flight
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| Noky
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 17
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noky: is that an honest question or were you being cynical??????????????????????????????????????????????
It was a question, sorry for bother you. Thanks anyway by answer question.
Noky
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| oldmonk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 12
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sorry noky to have suspected your intentions. I was also asking an open ended question, answer of which could be either ways. It was no bother at all!!
Thanks
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| Noky
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 17
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Noky
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| flying_seafish
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 4
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Dear Oldmonk,
Would you please be kind enough to give me the contact details of the Kaplan centres in Delhi/Bombay if you have them. Cheers, Seafish
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| drbilalkhalid
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 87
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hey bluestar....wats the best palce to get kaplan videos?
contact: drbilalkhalid@yahoo.com
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in the name of allah the beneficient the merciful.
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| drbilalkhalid
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 87
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i mean second best .
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in the name of allah the beneficient the merciful.
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