laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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The idea of keeping a diary as an aid in step 1 prep seemed like the next logical choice for me. For a while I had rejected this thought because I were afraid that:
1. it might prove to be counter-productive.
2. I might not be consistent with this diary keeping.
But I so badly need some form of accountablity for myself. Also some way to check my daily progress or lack of it.
Well so this will be my own corner where I will post my study progress, plans, problems. And I will be brutally honest with myself.
In the last few weeks I have :
-recieved my orange permit , and even went ahead to schedule my examination for Dec 02, 2005.
If I am good in my studies and can complete my prep before this time I will reschedule it for an earlier date ( and month) but I am being realistic in my goals. Being an old old graduate- did my M.B.B.S from Karachi, Pakistan in 1989, I am giving myself 8 months time to study full time. And I think this is good enough, as it is I have never studied for this long in my life.
- Bought webprep course from Kaplan today.
Well guys this USMLE STEP 1 is a one shot deal for me. If I make it in the first attempt great. If not well too bad but I can't waste my whole life over it.
So guys please excuse my writing, which would actually be loud thinking for the most part. And my spelling mistakes. And every thing else u don't like in my diary, for I told u that I am starting it to keep my unregemented and undisciplined self in line.
Oh by the way I would really really appreciate ur opinions, comments and yes even criticsm 
OK somy resources for step 1:
- FA (one reading before opening review books, the most difficult reading in my honest opinion; one after doing first two review books readings ; and keeping it as the mainstay for last revisions. The FA and my own churned out notes.
-KAPLAN Lecture notes (except for: MMRS for Micro; High Yield for Anatomy and Gojlan Rapid Review + Goljan Audio for Patho.)
-KAPLAN WEBPREP
Study Method:
In the order it is mentioned:
-FA for relevant subject/ topic
-Kaplan lecture book (or other source where applicable): Do two readings one after the other. I am a fast reader and find it very helpful to do simultanous readings one after the other at a fast pace to get the concepts cleared in my mind.
-Repeat FA
-Do Qs. from Q Book WITH explanations.
-Move to the next subject.
-After 2 complete readings of all the subjects ( and I will think of this phase as THE FIRST READING, I will do 3 more readings.
-Do as many practice questions as I can during the last two months of my prep. To get used to doing the questions within the allotted time and to help with my exam prep. I need to put the list of web sites with free access to online practise questions in one place.
For today:
Micro first reading from FA.
My weaknesses:
- Easily distracted by so many things
- Am so crazy about surfing the internet. I need to be really really careful about this addiction, and monitor and ration out the time I spend at the internet, even at this wonderful wonderful forum.
OK, So I have done this baring of the soul in the diary forum so I hope all will go well.
Good Luck to u all and to me
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"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| usmlerock
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 93
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hello,good to see there is some one with me ...planning to take step in 8 mnths......all the very best with yr studies and good going
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hi laila
welcome to the dairy world.
you still have a long way to go.so dont be in ahurry and plan accordingly and stick to it.my sincere advice is do whatever you planned.dont skip anything.i think you got me.....dont give up anything you planned in.this is the worst thing i have done.it was just due to laziness,but you dont sound like me.
and your sources are also good.and if you want to practice questions from begining you go for BSS.i personally like those explanations though they are very lenghty.
goodluck and wish you success ahead!!!
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| berkeleyboy
Forum Elite
Topics: 15
Posts: 361
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I suggest minimal Qs at this point and try to do as many revisions as possilbe. wow, you have such a long time, you can do like 8-10 revisions and know everything....amazing
just concentrate on Qs towards the last 3-4months of you prep. If your really itching to do Qs, you can do so now, but just a little bit to get a feel for how the Qs are asked. Save Qbank for later! but if you want, you can start with Qbook or Bss now!
welcome to diary land, I really like this place although lately it has been dying down a bit, lets all give it one last hurrah! what do you say guys? As promised, I'm still here from time to time, even tho my exam was a couple of weeks ago!
All the best,
Berk
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PGY-1 Ohio State University Plastic Surgery
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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April 14, 2005
7:26 a.m.
What a beautiful , wondewrful day it is. Birds chirping and singing in the backyard.
Niti, usmlerock, kiran & berkeleyboy thank you guys for all the suggestions, good wishes and advice. I really really appreciate ur inputs. I have been visiting this forum for the past 2 months or so and reading ur diaries with a lot of interest. I must say I found that to be very helpful for me.
Niti u r so right about the need to be wary of unkind /hurtful/unwarranted criticsm. I know that being open puts one in a vulnerable postion, and I need to be careful not to let that bother me in any way.
usmlerock: so u and I r in the same boat great ! How is ur study going?
Kiran:thanks a lot for ur sincere welcome and the tip about BSS for questions.
Berkely boy: my exam does seem like such a looooooong way off, but I know these several months will just fly by. And I am an old old graduate, or like dear Icecool had said in his step 1 result post: " an old snail marching on the road.."so I need to pace myself accordingly, and if I do prepare before the D-Day, then I will reschedule my exam to an earlier date.
Once again thank u for ur sweet and sincere welcome and berkely boy shall I take u up on ur suggestion to "lets all give it one last hurrah.."?? :wink: Do it plz. it would be fun, but may be wait till Niti and Kiran and other members of the diaryland who have their exam in May are done with writing step 1.
all the best to u Niti and Kiran for ur coming exam. My prayers for u and others who r writing it soon. Just keep cool and don'tget tense. I think u guys will do great. InshAllah.
Reality Check about yesterday:
Well AFTER writing my diary I did study diligently but BEFORE that I had wasted my entire day. So the end result: I am still left with last 12 pages of FA Microbiology.
I know it is ok to slip once in a while but I need to be really careful not to let that become a habit. Oh well let me repharse it more accurately: I need to be careful not to let this habit of mine get in the way of my attempt to stick to my study schedule. Kiran I too am so very lazy when it comes to studying for my exam. And one reason I finally went ahead with starting and keeping my diary is to keep this laziness at bay and under control.
For today:
1. Finish FA
2. First 45 pages of MMRS
3. Do Web prep lectures for Micro 4 hours -just listen and understand
And Laila: don't waste ur time on the internet or phone. If I am good I will reward my self at halfway and at the end of today's schedule by taking some time for internet
So help me God.
And good luck to u all and to me
[/b]
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"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| usmlerock
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 93
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hi laila ,can u tell me the edition of rapid review goljan and where shd i buy it from/??also how many pages is it?i guess i am starting patho with a wrong book,i badly need help b4 its too late
thanx to berk ........
looking frward to yr reply
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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4:35 p.m.
I finished FA. Did 50 pages from MMRS and am now going to listen to the corresponding lectures from web prep.
In the afternoon I were feeling a bit gloomy at the prospect of studying , studying, and then some more studying for the next so many months. Honestly I felt rather sorry for myself. I just waited for that tidal wave of self pity to pass without indulging it. I am glad it is passed.
So for the rest of the day I wil ldo the recap of every thing I did yesterday and today. That alone would take some hours and I would be done for today.
But first a nice cup of tea . I am in a mood of self indulgence :wink:
Hi Manoj,
Welcome. Am glad to know u and I are the birds of the same flock so to speak i.e. old old graduates. Good luck for ur studies. What topic r u reviewing these days? Here are the links to two posts by other old IMGs. I find them very inspirational:
My Step1
http://www.prep4usmle.com/community/topic17633.ht...
=icecool
old IMGs
http://www.prep4usmle.com/community/topic844.html...
Hi usmle rock: I have a 2004 edition of Goljan Rapid Review. Haven't gone through it yet. All the best to u in ur studies.
OK I am off now.
Bye dear diary and every one else
And as Kiran used to write in her diaries: "Happy Studying"
___________________
"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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7:11 A.M.
Yet another day. Nice and cool.
Today I will focus on finishing the following topics from MMRS:
-Gram Negative Bacteria.
-Acid Fast Bacteria.
-Bacteria without Cell Walls.
-Antibacterial Medications.
Why is it that I forget every thing I read? Yesterday I did 50 Qs. from Q Bank in timed mode , just to see how do I them, and when I was reading the questions about Micro, I were like yeah I have read about this particular disease or these S/S but WHAT?? It had quite a demoralising effect. I felt: oh God I can't remember any thing. Any way I got 65% right in that block of 50. Berkleyboy had advised me against doing questions at this stage, and I did understand why but when I get bored with reading and want to spend some more time studying I feel like doing questions. So I will search amazon for BSS as Kiran and Berkelyboy suggested, because I do so enjoy doing the questions. It seems like a fun activity.
So I have a looooong journey ahead of me. And what does a long journey, any journey begin with???
First step? Maybe. But I like this better:
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance."
Hehehe.
Feling a bit goofy at the moment.
OK I am off to my studying now. Wil lcheck in towards the end of the day and report my progress.
Good luck all!
___________________
"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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hi laila
your posts seem to be interesting.i like the way you write.
65% for the fisrt time if really very good.keep it up.
try to save the Q bank for later.i suggest you for after the first reading.
goodluck and happy studying!!!!
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| krushna
Forum Senior
Topics: 9
Posts: 175
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Hi laila!
All the best with your study plan!
You are doing really good.65% is a god score,which i used to get after couple of revisions.keep it up!
Its long way to go...my best wishes are always with you for this exam!
Good luck again!
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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4:27 P.M.
It has been 9 hours since I started my studying day, but the whole day was a waste. I just did Gram Positive Bacteria from MMRS. Was supposed to do 3 more sections from MMRS. And corresponding lectures from Web Prep.
Today being the last of the weekdays, it was doubly important for me to do well. For I have household chores on Weekend. Well I just feel bad about all this.
Need to revive my spirits.
Kiran and Krushna, thanks so much for ur wishes. May God be with u on ur coming Step 1 exam and u guys do really well. Niti u too are automatically included in my prayers, as is every one else who is taking it in near future.
Well before I make myself a cup of tea and then try to salvage some of my wasted day, I think I will first go and visit my neighbours in the diary world
So I will be visiting u guys shortly
And will be off from the forum for now.
Bye every one and a nice weekend
___________________
"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| Moctopod
Forum Elite
Topics: 14
Posts: 422
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Hi Laila
Thanks for starting your diary, and sharing a part of your life. You have a gift for writing.
I wish you all the very best on this journey.
Moc
P.S. I love the signature quote. :wink:
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| manojmazumder
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 17
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Hi Laila,
I can understand when you say that nothing retains. Ditto here. I have been on step 1 since Jan. One read of Phisio from Kaplan is all that I have achieved. I am on chapter 10 of Biochem from Kap notes now. It is good that you can put 9 hrs at a stretch. I have to work which takes off 8 hrs minumum from my day. Have to get to studying for longer hours.
Manoj
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| drpranavkansara
Forum Junior
Topics: 8
Posts: 47
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hi friends
i have a confusion
should i buy kaplan dvds for step1 180 hrs
is it worth
would it help
please help
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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8:32 a.m.
Been 4 days since I came on the forum to write my diary. Well I did visit the forum in the mean time but those visits were sporadic and calendistine. :wink: Well just a peek once in day or so, to boost my morale which really needed a lot of boosting in these past 4 days.
And today too I have this sinking feeling that I used to have before strating a school day as a kid. Really that is strange I have spent about a total of 21 years of my precious life in schools starting from the very beginning , and I were a very good student academically but I really never liked the disciplined regimen of school. That plus the fact that the weekends make me feel so blue so I had a tough time yesterday dealing with my Monday Blues!!
Any way back to studying. By the way guys don't mind this very loud thinking of mine,I just need to get a handle on my situation and am pissed off at my self for feeling the way I am feeling about long hours of studying which are ahead of me.
OK here is what I did in the past 4 days:
MMRS till antimicrobial drugs plus web prep Micro lectures.
Today's Special: MMRS the next 50 pages and Web prep.
I also have to look up BSS at Amazon but it is not an emergency so I don't need to feel rushed for this.
Today Inspiration : icecool's "my step 1", ELM's "I did it guys" and wombat's diary
And to look into soulseek that dear Ana suggested. Ana u made an excellent but gruelling schedule for us. My one big prayer is that we are able to follow it for the most part , if we both do that I would be so very happy. :lol: (and I know Ana u will InshAllah do it so easily despite u r being so very busy in the final months of ur final year at medical school).
Dear Moctopod thanks for ur wishes. I really appreciate them. All the best to u.
Dear Manoj it feels so nice to know that u can empathize with my porblems viz-a viz studying. Al lthe best to u for ur studies too and I thin ku r doing much better than me and will do even better than what u r already doing just don't give up.
Dear Kiran I hope and pray u r final revision goes really well and ur NBME score goes up and up. I wish I had some helpful advice to give u but being s overy green and new in this usmle world I have only my good wishes to offer.
Dear drpranavkansara,
I don't have any experience with Kaplan dvds so I don't find myself in a position to answer ur querry satisfactorily. I hope u can find it from people who have used them. May be if u post ur message in step 2 forum u will find some answers to it. All the best.
OK every one have a great day, and as Kiran used t osay and I love it " HAPPY STUDYING"
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"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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10:45 a.m
Starting my day pretty late as I had some chores to take care of. Done now and hopefully can have some hours uniterupted study.
I really am worried and concerned about my studies. I do so much want to be the proverbial tortoise but am afraid I am more of a rabbit (or hare well whichever it was that took to competing with the tortoise in a 100 metre dash).
I need to be more focused on rthe subject at hand, more consistent with my studies, more disciplined.
And I have to admit I did not do my required quota for yesterday. I got a terrible headache and had to lie down. I suffer from migraines and tension headaches. But still I feel bad about not following my schedule
to a T.
Today I will catch up yesterday's backlog and try to do today's stuff too. So help me God.
Amen
All the best to every body.
[/u]
___________________
"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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This is so funny. I had wanted only the header in bold, and look at this. I got the enitre diary entry for today in bold and underlined. Well it looks rather weird :roll: :lol:
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"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| krushna
Forum Senior
Topics: 9
Posts: 175
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:lol:
You can correct it laila,by editing the post.You have the option to edit ur own post.
Anyway doesn't make any difference for us,its the mattter that is important.
How are you doing today?Wish you good luck to finsih ur target today!
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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And God bless u.
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"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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| KEROCHI
Forum Guru
Topics: 60
Posts: 971
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you're doing good laila!! keep it up!
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| galiana
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 22
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Im finally home, after a long long day... Legal Med is so very interesting, but today it was as well as so very tireing.
You do not worry about not completing the schedule ... its almost 10pm and i didnt do a thing for today  So even though you might go to bed with a balance, i want you to know that im there next to you struggling to recuperate myself( a whole blank day)... so, i think we should trade places, and you cheer me up :lol: (im joking - in a way or another)
Thanks for the links as well, but i couldnt work with them ... ill give it another try tomorrow.
Ahh, this is my first post on your diary ... And i should have started with what a pleasure is reading it ... It brightens my day, and im not reffering to your everyday struggles .. but to the sweet aroma that your words are developing beyond the surface, though im not diminishing the purpose of it. Its going to do a lot of good in this journey, im sure.
Wish you a good studying day, and i think i'll meet you tomorrow (lets say around 11-12 your time?) ... let me know
Take care,
Ana
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| usmlerock
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 93
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bad to hear u are not well....dont worry u ll be fine and do take good care of yrself
all the best and happy studying
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| berkeleyboy
Forum Elite
Topics: 15
Posts: 361
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laila! I'm pretty happy that i passed right now, although this really shouldn't be an issue about whether I passed or not....but no one can ever be 100% confident, now can they?
thanks again!
all the best in your studies!
berk
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PGY-1 Ohio State University Plastic Surgery
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| pray4md
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 124
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laila,
good luck with studies, you will do great. pretty name by the way. dont worry about giving yourself time to rest, listen your body and dont go to overkill, especially so early in your studies. overkill is only for the last couple of weeks.
good luck,
-p4md
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| laila
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 86
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Thursday, April 21, 2005
9:56 p.m.
Today is cancelled check,
Tomorrow will be ready cash!!!! :lol: :lol:
The discussion today with Ana was really good. I am hopeful that we will keep each other on our toes. And that will be really good for our prep for usmle.
I have to finish Viruses and be done with Micro. Probably by tomorrow. Then discussion with Ana on Saturday and Sunday is the day to rest. On Monday we start Immunology. The important thing is to keep sticking to the schedule. But for the most part I felt that I am a sloth. Moving ever so slowly. And the sad part is the realization of this woeful state of matters that it was not due to any factor other than my own procastination. Am I my own worst enemy?? :x :x :x
Oh it is a long journey. And yet the time flies by.
I am feeling sleepy. Will I dream of bacteria and fungi? :lol: :wink:
So off to the dreamland. Sweet dreams every body! Sleep well.
Pray4md: thanks for the wishes and compliment both. I am sure u and brekeleyboy both will have great scores. InshAllah.
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"A ship in harbour is safe......but that is not what ships are made for."
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