suvi21
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 81
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Ok, to start off, thanks a lot to every active participant in this forum, I finally took my test 2 days back. Although I tried to keep up with the forum initially, I was extremely irregular, as I work the entire day and had little time to spare at the end to study. But whenever I had some time to peek in, I did and it helped me in one way or the other. To summerize my experience:
Prep time: Around 5 months, on and off. I work in an extremely demanding lab and sometimes had to be there 12-14 hrs, so I could study only around 2 hr or none during weekdays and 6-7 hrs at weekends. In addition, mid-way between my prep I had to experience the horrible first sy of pregnancy and that gave me another setback. Nevertheless, I was determined to make it to the exam, and did it. (hope that helps the female folks out there who are in the same boat as I am)
Resources: No kaplan notes
FA
Goljan rapid review path
Goljan CD
BRS physio
Katzung pharm
Molecular cell bio: since I work in a lab, I didn't use any specific book, just read the concepts from here and there.
BRS for behavioral science
Lippincotts for biochem
Micro and anatomy: These two were my worst subjects as I have a horrible memory, so I just sticked to FA for these just to keep things short.
Kaplan Q bank
NBME test 1
Kaplan simulated
Exam experience:
Bulk of the exam was questions that needed at least 3-5 step thinking. Most Qs were around the whole page or more in length (had to scroll down to read the Qs most of the time). But these were probably the Qs where I think I did the best, because they all were based on concepts that basically stick to your mind once you study. The key things to get these Qs right are: Be relaxed, read carefully, coz lot of the info are garbage, so you have to be able to filter out the garbage from the good to get to the point and finally, practice with the speed.
Around 30% Qs were short and direct Qs, mostly based on direct facts, ie you either know them or you don't. These are the Qs where I think I sucked.
Interpretation of graphs is an essential skill.
Common mistakes: I have read here in several posts that memorizing FA is enough for some subjects like anatomy, micro, etc ; which is why I chose to do so. But trust me, I was in deep trouble for that. Most Qs in anatomy were fine and simple, but FA definitely wasn't enough. However, in micro, even the simple Qs were asking stuff that was one step beyond the info present in FA. Once I came back from exam, I made a list of all the Qs I was confused with and when I tried to look up for the ans, FA didn,t have that info. So to sum up, some might be lucky to get stuff from FA, but for me, FA info seemed somewhat superficial. Having said this, I still think FA is probably enough to pass, but not enough to get a good score.
2nd common mistake:
Most people say info in the Q stem is enough to answer
the slides and they often don't even have to look at the pictures; wasn,t true for me at all. Most Qs with picture had nothing, but a short sentence like (eg) Following is a section of ..... from a ...(just one symptom, very vague) ... diagnosis based on the picture or a 3rd step Q like MOA of the drug you would use to treat the conditions. So, bottomline, be able to identify common organisms and pathology just from slides.
Although I was scared of behavioral science doc/patient vague Qs, all those Qs seemed to have a definite ans based on the simple rules, so that wasn't a big problem.
Some Qs were so out of context that I felt like they were worded wrong or something, I spent a lot of time trying to read and re-read, until I had to give up, thinking they were those experimental Qs ( I hope so).
IF I HAD TO RETAKE IT, WHAT WOULD I CHANGE? Read micro in more details, gosh... there were pictures showing pathogenesis...identify structures involved in specific steps or subs secreted ..etc
Read anatomy in more details : I don't think there is anything called high yield in these subjects: I had a Q about one of the smallest and most non-sig (at least I think so) blood vessel! Finally, for someone like me who has a problem with memory stuff, keep the day before exam just for the memorizing exam, coz concepts always stick, but memeory can be wiped out very easily. I made such stupid and simple mistakes about these memory st :cry: uff that now I cannot even imagine!
How do I feel? Relieved? Not really, feel like I missed tons of direct fact based Qs and those were easy points to earn (wish I spent the day before just memorizing :?
Lastly, if anyone wants to know anything else, I'll be happy to write. However, remember, I don't have my score yet, so judge me based on your own opinion.
Finally, ppl please pray for my score and :
Q for ppl who have passed this exam well: Did you feel like did a lot of silly mistakes? Why is it that every Q I remember is a Q that I got wrong? Is that how our brain registers, or is that just me?
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| sumie
Forum Elite
Topics: 33
Posts: 178
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dear suvi 21
just relax!!
i think u have crossed the biggest hurdle of all---step1
and i am sure God will be with you
so dont worry cos u have put in ur best and thats all thats important
___________________
sumie
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| rubensssss
Forum Guru
Topics: 95
Posts: 451
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I will be prying for you.
Wish the best.
___________________
Ruben sssss
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| doc_rajan
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 26
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Hi Suvi,
Don't worry.. U gave it ur best shot.. U'll do great..
Best of luck for ur future...
I'll pray to God for ur success..
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| mash
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 147
Posts: 1,326
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hey suvi, gud to see u!
congratulations fr having finished with ur step 1...
all the best fr ur results!
___________________
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
--Confucius
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| monica76
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 151
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just relax.. u gave it ur best shot.....and we r all praying for all the members of this forum... thanks for the advice...i keep grumbling.. and wishing i gave the exam b4 i got married... :lol: coz now i gotto keep my mind in so many other places so many things to take care of... but i think i shud learn from u and pull up my socks and work hard...wishing you the best..
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| suvi21
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 81
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Thanks sumie, ruben, doc_rajan, mash and monica : for your prayers and goodwill.
The good news : I passed
The bad news: My score sucks!! 220/88
Lessons learnt:
1) There's no shortcut to a grand score! If you read my posting, I slacked in materials and time and effort and so no wonder, I got whacked :cry:
2) Do not ignore any subject : they might not be impt for your life, but everything is equally impt for exam score: Micro, anatomy and genetics(the ones that I ignored :cry: ) dragged me down..........
Hope I can do better and plan better in step 2; and hopefully my door for a residency is still open.
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| sumie
Forum Elite
Topics: 33
Posts: 178
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hi
can u tell me what topics are best revised one day before the exam?
___________________
sumie
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| suvi21
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 81
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hi sumie, it's difficult to say since everyone has a different style of studying. However, like I said be4, around 30% Q were direct fact based Q with no complications, and yet I lost most of them becoz of my stupid memory. So if I had to redo it, I will try to review those points be4 the exam; i.e. blood supply to impt organs, emb derivatives, review pictures of diff bugs, culture medium, their specific characteristics, etc. If you find that you frequently confuse between two similar answers, make sure somehow you absolutely memorize the true ans, becoz the examiners always know what you are confused with, and so you'll see both choices in the exam, and u'll be screwed like me. Hope this helps!
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| tdr
Forum Senior
Topics: 18
Posts: 70
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 / congratulations SUVI
I took my exam sept. 30th and I've been still waiting my exam update (oasis)... 8-[
good luck for step 2
PS: I hope your pregnancy is going well
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| suvi21
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 81
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Thanks tdr, I took my exam on 29th, which was a wednesday. So exactly after 3wks on Thursday morning, OASIS was updated and then I got my mail on Friday (pretty fast!). You should be able to see the oasis update coming thursday morning, and then based on where you live, wait for the mail. Good luck!
PS: yes everything is going fine in my other aspect.
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