nabucco
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Hi everyone!
I was a silent observer of this forum for a long time; Since I learnd so much from other people experiences, it's my obligation and pleasure to contribute to this great forum with my own one;
I took my step 1 exam in November, and got my result recently by mail (I didn't do Oasis trick). My score is 217/88, not that great, but I'm so happy that I passed this exam, and hope to do better in step 2.
About me: I'm IMG, graduated in 2003, and came immediately to this country (didn't do residency in my country); My original plan was to try to find a job in research and to stay in that field, since I was too scared to try with Usmle (I heard so many stories how hard that was, and how many people didn't succeed..) I worked in a research lab for a while, it was nice and interesting, but I decided to give myself a chance with Usmle
I started my preparation for step 1 in November 2003, so it took me exactly a year (I know, I could have done it better after a year of studying, I'm ashamed I didn't..). I was supposed to take the exam in April 2004, but I didn't feel ready for it, so I didn't take it. I was scared, I didn't feel like I could make it, I wanted to quit... but I didn't. Instead, I told myself that I will go there, I will give my best, I will try, and that no matter what happens, I will at least have the experience of the exam itself. The reason I'm telling you all of this is because I know there are so many people who feel the same way I felt; I would really like to encourage you to take this exam, cause if I did it, you can do it too. My knowledge in basics was not that great when I started, but I worked hard and improved myself to the level that I can pass step 1. So it is possible.
About material I used: Kaplan lecture notes +Web prep, Goljan for path, FA, Robbins and WebPath for pictures. For questions I used:
Kaplan Q book -68%
Kaplan Q bank-65% first time, 76% second time
Usmle CD-35,34,35 (did it three weeks before the exam)
NBME 1-550 (did it two weeks before the exam)
NBME 2-520 (a week before the exam)
Kaplan simulated exam- 68% (two days before the exam)
I read Kaplan notes for at least 4 times (some of them more, some less, I lost a track), I listened to Goljan whenever I could, that man is a genious and absolute must for this exam. I started with questions after two readings and listening to Web prep, first with questions in lecture notes, than Q book, and than Q bank. All others I did in last month before the exam. I didn't have a really good plan (which was obviosly bad for me), I had my little "crisis" when I couldn't study at all, when I wanted to quit ... that's why I think a good plan is very important, try to make it and to stick to it. I did it in last three months, and it helped me to finally take the exam.
About the exam: my exam was mostly path and physio, than pharm, BS, micro, very few anatomy (not many CT's or MRI's), not many immuno and biochem. Pathology was not that hard (pictures were ok), pharm was pretty much straightforward (so many q's directly from FA, specially cancer drugs), and micro was also ok (FA is also very helpful for micro). The hardest was physio-so many graphs I've never seen before, so many q's where you have researcher doing an experiment on animal, and then they ask you some weird question- I guessed so many of these questions. BS was also crazy- I couldn't belive what I saw there, I mean during my preparation I was so confident about BS since I had a really good score in practice tests, and I didn't find BS q's that hard. On real exam, BS was real hell- long questions, mostly doctor-patient relationship, with lot of answers that are all similar in one way or another, and two of them that could both be the best one, and you have no idea which one... I wasted so much time on BS q's, and when I got my score report, it said there that my performance in BS was very low. So my advice for BS-try to know D-P relationship very, very good, every single detail and possible situation from Kaplan BS. I had just few Biostatistics and Epidemiology q's, nothing hard and no calculations. Genetics was also no that hard, maybe one pedigree, but nothing tricky. If I would have to make correlation between my exam and practice tests, I would say that it was mostly similar to NBME tests and Usmle CD. But I think if you do all practice tests with relatively good score, you are ready for the real thing. It's doable, belive me. Even with bad time management as mine was- I managed to finish every block, but in last moment. I didn't have time for reviewing marked questions at all. I definitely have to improve my test taking skills for step 2.
Well, I hope this will be helpful for some of you. I wish you all good luck on step 1 exam, just work hard, be confident in yourself, and you can do it for sure!
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| mufurc
Forum Elite
Topics: 13
Posts: 186
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Firts of all Congratulations!!! <:flag:> Very nice scores!!
and of course thanks for sharing your experience with us! It was so good to read -at least to me- that there are others in the same situation that I'm right now...
I have not got my scores ,yet ...and I'm so scarred that I won't pass....
But anyway, you have done it, great job!!!
Good luck on step2!!!
Regards,
Mufurc
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| nabucco
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Thank you so much Mufurc!!!
And don't worry, you're gonna get great result!!! I read some of your posts, you had really good NBME score, and good Usmle CD score, so I think you should be fine. It's normal that you feel a little bit scared, that's how almost everyone feels after this exam (there are some people who are so confident that they did well, but that's not majority of us); In fact I was so sure that I would not pass, that after the exam I told all my family and my friends that I will have to study for step 1 again. I wanted to start studying righ away, but my mom came to visit, than my brother, so I couldn't really study, and then the result came, and I saw I passed!! What a great surprise that was!!! And just like you, I'm coming from a country where we had only oral exams/presentations in a med school, so I was completely unfamiliar with standardized tests, this was my very first one. But I passed(still can't belive), and so will you!!
Try to relax, I know it's hard, but try not to think about the exam (I was so stressed, all the time the questions I thought I got wrong were coming to my mind, even in the middle of night, my husband thought I was going completely insane...)
Wish you good news soon!
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| Malaysian
Forum Guru
Topics: 28
Posts: 778
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Congratulations nabucco.....nice score.....so when you're plaaning for step 2 and what speciality for residency you're interested in??How come I didn't come across you in the forums for step 1 before???Wishing you all the best for the future.
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| nabucco
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Congratulations to you too Malaysian!!! I read your post, that was very nice what you wrote there...
Posting my experience was my first post here, that's why you didn't come across me before (I'm kind of shy person, was just silent observer of the forum...) But here I am now!
I'm planning to start step2 preparation by the end of January, reading step2 forum these days to see about the material and what people used mostly... I hope to sit for the exam (CK) in June-July, than CS Sep-Oct, and hopefully to apply for 2006 Match... I'm interested in Pediatrics or Pathology, haven't decided yet, will see...
So I guess I'll hear from you in step2 forum.Good luck!!
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| Malaysian
Forum Guru
Topics: 28
Posts: 778
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Hi,
This will be one of my last few messages under the user name 'Malaysian' I shall be changing it for step 2 forums as I want to start fresh!!I'm very shy myself.....so I undertsand your situation.Whatever you're doing now,I'm doing too.....and whatever your plans are(with the tentative dates and reseraching for study material) matches mine plus barring Peds(for you;I'm into IM) we both love Pathology too!!!Wishing you all the best for the future.
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| amitjosh
Forum Senior
Topics: 9
Posts: 116
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Congrats Malaysian!
___________________
Criticisms welcome
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| alfie58
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 32
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First of all Congratulations......
Question: your NBME score indicated that you should have received a passing score of somewhere around 230. I was wondering if anyone else has had this big of difference between NBME score and actual score.
Thanks.
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| nabucco
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Thank you Alfie58....
About your question: yes, according to my NBME results, I was supposed to receive better score than I did (I belive than NBME correlation is very relevant). But why I didn't? Well, I think that has to do with my test taking skills and my emotions that day. If you would agree with me, this test is about our medical knowledge for the most part, but the score also depends on how good test taker you are and how your emotions are that day. As I mentioned before, in my med school I had only oral presentations/exams, so preparing for Usmle I had to learn how to do this kind of test. Through the practice tests I had a problem with time management, and that was my problem on the real exam too. I was also very stressed, I guess more than necessary, and very tired since I couldn't sleep at all the night before. So, when you do NBME test (at home, maybe not relaxed, but not that stressed..), it shows how your knowledge is and if you're ready for the exam. If you manage well your time and emotions on the exam day, than I guess you will not have that big difference between NBME score and actual score. That's my opinion. And I will have to improve my test taking skills for step2.
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| water lilly
Forum Newbie
Topics: 5
Posts: 13
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congratulations....u scored great
i m also going to prepare for step 2 by the end of january....hopefully i will get my result back by this time
would u plz tell me the books or sources which i should use for step 2.. i wil really appreciate ur reply in this regard
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