wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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My current situation can be found in the link below :oops: :
http://www.prep4usmle.com/forum/thread14607
I didn't learn medicine in English, so my first round of reading is really the very "first". The hardest time was when I looked in the dictionary word by word, glad this part was over.
I am using Kaplan notes, FA and Goljan audio for review. Taking this week off so can study full time. Really want to make good use of the time. :shock:
So today I finally finished reading last 3 chapters of physiology notes. Read explanation of 100 physiology Qbank Qs I did before and made notes on my notebook. (I feel ok to do Qs, but can't get myself to read explanation which is perhaps more important than doing Qs itself. :oops: ) Want to read Endocrine in pathology notes and listen to Goljan endocrine before move onto anatomy. Ok I will see what I can acomplish before go to bed today.
Edited by prep4usmle on 09/20/05 - 08:31 PM. Reason: links changed
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| Roxanita
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 108
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Hi Wombat,
When are you taking your exam? in your previous post you mentioned that you are taking it in december? and you also mentioned that your nbme is 480, uhm :icon_scratch: that score is good... but not good enough for your plans I guess. Whatever you decide Wombat, just go for it buddy :icon_thumb:
You've got many friends on the same path here <:wahtch_where_you_go:> <:wahtch_where_you_go:> <:wahtch_where_you_go:> <:wahtch_where_you_go:>
Good luck and keep it up doc :wink:
Roxy.
___________________
"We all basically have 2 choices in life: Let things stay the way they are or work to make them better"
-Julia Havey
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Thanks a lot for the encouragement!!  I want to take the exam in early Feb 2005. I am not the kind of person that can handle work and study well at the same time, so really I don't have a lot time left. But it's great to know there are people out there in same boat. So I will keep it up... <:wahtch_where_you_go:>
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welcome to the daily world!!!
its good to put up a dairy!!!!
:lol: :lol:
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Thanks Kiran. Last night read endocrine chapter of pathology notes. Did 50 physiology Qbank Qs, got 68%. Have finished 350Q of the 750Qs there, got around 68-70%. Physio Qs are quite hard I feel as you really need to understand and able to apply it. :roll:
Anyway today want to read male and female reproductive chapters of pathology notes, finish Goljan endocrine and reproductive lectures, read explanation of 200 Qbank Qs did before (Qbank expiring this month, gota speed up reading explanations and make notes of them). Read explanation of 50 physio Qbank Qs. Start reading FA physiology part. Neuroanatomy is next thing I want to read, will see how today goes...
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Looking at yesterday's plan, things I didn't do are Goljan's reproductive lecture, FA physiology. Today will do these two and read another 200 Qbank Q explanation and do 50 physio Qbank Qs. Happy study everyone!! 
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Today listened to 1 of the 2 Gyn Goljan lecture, read FA physiology part (some points I didn't understand well I think), read explanation of 100 physiology Qbank Qs, did 50 physiology Qbank Qs got 66%. My performance in physio Qbank seems to be going down. :? Still wasted quite some time over little things today. :oops: Plan to study in Kaplan center quiet study room tomorrow for anatomy. Hopefully this will make my study more efficient.
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Today read histology and embryology of kaplan notes. Did 50 physio Qbanks Qs and got 78%. Read explanation of 100Qs. When I don't need to work, can never get up before noon, but decided to get up at 8am and go to the kaplan center early to study. Cuz today studying in the classroom is really so much better than wasting time over internet at home...
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| Moctopod
Forum Elite
Topics: 14
Posts: 422
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Hi Wombat
Sorry it's taken a while for my to write, but I wanted to say a big welcome to the forum and diary world. I'm impressed with your start and your QBank scores are really good. keep at it buddy, and all the best!
Moc
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hi wombat
good progress!!!
can i know how are you doing the questions.....?i mean the method you are following in doing them....?
happy holidays!!!
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Thanks a lot guys for the encouragement. From yesterday I started studying in the classroom of Kaplan center. I read so much faster. I have never studied outside home for this exam. Always felt it was more "convenient" at home but this really means more distraction too.
Anyway today I read gross anatomy of kaplan notes (except the thoracic chapter which I read about 2 weeks ago). Will do some physio Qbank Qs and read regular Qbank explanations before go to sleep.
As for how I am doing the questions, gota tell you another shameful story first. :oops: I started Qreview from July, it was a 6 months access, so I thought should be more than enough time. However it just turned out I only rushed through all Qbank Qs without ever reading explanations before it expired. As for IV Qbank, I only did perhaps half of them. I won this free one month Qbank during a Kaplan free lecture, was saving it for step 2 but had to redeem it so I can get one month of regular Qbank which is ending this month. Kaplan can't keep my old setting (ie the Qs I did). So I got this brand new Qbank now. What I am doing with these Qs are using untimed tutorial mode and read explanation right after did 1 Q, take notes if feel necessary. I am getting 70%-80% even though doing it for second time. :roll:
Physiology Qbank seems very challenging to me. I am doing them in mixed way. 50Qs a time. Then read explanation afterwards and make notes if needed.
I think it's very tricky to keep good balance of doing Qs and reading books. Kaplan instructor emphasized a lot on "always do Qs throughout study and do more towards the end". That's why I bought Qreview so early. But I must say though I didn't use the Qreview effciently it did help me in realizing some points in the notes are important. And also I won't be too afraid to do Qs. (kinda help me form a habit of doing Qs I guess).
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| adeelmd
Forum Elite
Topics: 40
Posts: 402
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qbank expiring was the biggest motivator in my studies. I had two weeks left, and only 25% completed. One day I started doing blocks. I would complete a random block and then I would go over explanations for two or three hours jotting down anything I didn't know. During the first week I was getting high 60 low 70's... but by the second week I was well into the 80's. I didn't read anything, I just did qbank day in and day out (sometimes three blocks sometimes 4). I really think that was the time in my prep that really gave me the confidence to take this exam; qbanks biggest advantage is quantity, not quality. Doing blocks of 50 really helped pace myself and understand the "psychology" of the test.. my biggest advice to you would be to start doing them in timed random blocks of 50 and as long as you are getting an average of 70-80 then you don't really need to read anything- just plow through it. If you find you are consistently scoring low in a subject, then take two days out to do that and get right back into it.. but PLOWING through qbank I think is the most effective way to do it.
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where i lay my head is home.
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Thanks adeelmd. Started reading neuroanatomy of kaplan notes on 12/24, only finished till spinal cord. Then there was dinner out... Realized Qbank expiring soon, so today did nothing but physiology Qbank. Finally finished all 750 Qs, got 66%-78% (only one time 78%, mostly around 68%-70%). Cumulative score 70%.
I think for the next 3 evenings (I will go back to work from tomorrow) I will do Qbank only and try finish them before they expire on 12/30. After that should be reading kaplan notes on neuroanatomy, micro, pharma, biochemistry, pathology, BS. Will do kaplan simulated CD after this round.
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| adeelmd
Forum Elite
Topics: 40
Posts: 402
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please let me know how you do. im me if you have any questions, as I wont be browsing the forums that frequently...
___________________
where i lay my head is home.
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Happy new year everyone. Finally finished all Qbank Qs for second round before it expired yesterday. Got 73% cumulative. :roll: Friend in town so will probably be back to study after tomorrow. See you all.
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Just came back from dinner with friends, this concludes my holiday season. I should study again... I am at brain stem of kaplan neuroanatomy notes right now, want to finish this subject by tomorrow bedtime. Since I finished kaplan Qbank and physio Qbank, from now on I will be doing rapid review Q CD (1000Q). I have 3 hours left for tonight, hopefully can concentrate on the books. (Found it hard as I have stopped studying these days)
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Only read for 2.5 hours last night. Slow too, just finished brain stem. :cry: I felt the lines didn't go into my brain. :? Already thinking about re-read that chapter even before I finished it... :| Will see how today goes.
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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An old friend came to visit me and has been staying in my home since new year. I ended up dining, watching TV and partying with her. Although I had a great time, felt guilty for slow study. :oops: Anyway since yesterday I started studying seriously again. I finished up rest of neuro and read FA anatomy section. Today I finished reading bacteria part of kaplan microbiology notes. Want to do 50Qs from rapid review before sleep. Tomorrow will need to work again, hopefully can make good use of tomorrow night. Happy study everyone!
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| wombat
Forum Guru
Topics: 22
Posts: 304
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Did 50Qs from rapid review Qbook last night before sleep, got 80%.
Tried to re-register for the exam online, but got this error message. Called ECFMG and found that need to wait for the system to update,that is, before the Dec 31 exam scores are release, the system doesn't know if I took the exam or not. And the earliest month I can take the exam is March.  I was trying to take it early Feb though.
Anyway guess I have to live with what I get.
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| zhouyong
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 126
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Hi wombat,
Congratulation on your excellent work float and work pace. I am going to buy Kaplan Q bank. A silly question is for you. Does it automatically calcalate your score? How does it work?
Thanx
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