LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
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Hope to give the exam on 22nd of june. got exactly a month to go. NBME on 9th june. trying to prepare like its the real deal. saved the big Ps ( pharm, patho and physio) for later, but concenterating on anatomy, biochemistry, micro and behavioral for now. not going according to plan at all, but still trying to stick by it. last two days of my "biochemistry week". on monday "pharmacology week" starts!
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lisa
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| rubyedward
Forum Elite
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welcome to the diary world lisaM and good luck!!! wish u will make the most productive month b4 D day...
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| 99doc
Forum Elite
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Hi,
it's good to keep a diary it always keeps u on track.
GL.
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| docmama
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
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Hey Lisa, thats a good plan...try to stick to it...u're doing great so far...keep it up!!
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| cyra
Moderator
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Good luck Lisa!
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Thank you for your motivation guys. I just realized today that if I spend 4 days reviewing each of the major 7 subjects, then I will need 28 days for just that! whew! I need WAY more time than that! I am tempted to postpone my exam right now. I have decided to change my strategy instead. Today I am going to start pharmacology- and complete CVS and CNS. Thats ambitious I know, but I hope I am familiar with those topics to try to attempt that. If I get bored, I will probably listen to goljan for a bit- the fluid and haemodynamics topics. Got 5 hours allotted for study in the library before I have to go home and care for my daughter, and my time starts now..........
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lisa
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| docmama
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U have a lot of motivation Lisa...i think i'll do what u r doing...i like the idea of 4 days-7 subjects But LisaM dont forget, u could read as much as u want, but only doing questions are going to help u get the hang of the real thing. So dont forget that part while reading.
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Hello all, I did not post yesterday because I had not completed my goal. Well, life's like that! Studied through kaplan for pharm and then did the Q bank only to find that pharm in kaplan is not adequete for a person who graduated 9 years back. so much has changed. Scouted around and found that I liked Katzung and trevor examination and board review. SO going through it for the first time now. I know many people say it is not a good idea to read too many books- but I guess I retain stuff better when I read a text and then go on to read the gist.
Anwyay, Yesterday I managed to complete Basic principles and Cardiovasular drugs. Sunday, I started CNS only to find that I should really know ANS thoroughly (atleast to know the side effects of antidepressants without having to think) so I went on to do ANS. I truly love this book. My only regret is that, in my haste, I did not complete attempting questions at the end of each chapter. Hope to do that in the next revision (If there is going to be a "next revision!!)
Today I am going to do micro. Using kaplan and "made ridiculosuly simple". Long time since I did that, but did it well the first time. Lets see how much I remember! Will start with mycology, and parasitology and then move onto virology. Things will be slow at first, so I will be glad if I complete mycology and parasitology by lunch time today.
I have a lot of admiration to those who have actually done their graduate degree in a diffrent language and then study everything in english and to those who work full time and still study. You inspire us! 
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lisa
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| LisaM
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yesterday i completed virology and the genetics parts in kaplan. did the major H viruses (herpes, hiv and hepatits) from microbiology made ridiculously simple because the kaplan notes are not detailed enough, i feel. for example, the significance of CKR 5 is not tocuhed upon at all. maybe i should share my mnemonics and memory aids too, for recollecting what i have studied and maybe they could even help people! sometimes, i do feel guilty about spending too much time on these forums- time i could really spend cramming! i have promised myself that on any one day, i wont spend more than an hour- and it is a luxury treat to myself! if i post my memory aids, i can kill two birds with one stone! happy studying friends!
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lisa
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| kaira
Forum Senior
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hi Lisa
my belated wishes...WELCOME TO THE DIARY LAND
i like ur idea... after a heavy dose of reading, treating urself by giving time in ths forum and also helping people here...keep up ur good spirit!!
gl
kaira
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| cyra
Moderator
Topics: 29
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Hey Lisa...a belated welcome!!.......good luck with the studying!
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Poosh has gone to day care today after a long time. Biostats went ok. Using high yield for it. I was hoping to complete the 100 questions in the end, but never got around to it. I am not sure if I will EVER get around to it! Did one block of microbiology questions yesterday from Q book and scored only 61. I am disappointed because I had been reviewing micro and hoping I would do well (score in 80s maybe? !:rolleyes . Only one more block or micro remaining in Q book. Now i regret taking Q bank early- right after my first study and completing everything in first week of April with a low 51. I must postpone my exam indeed. I will do NBMe on june 9th and then decide on a final (sigh) study plan and step one date. Well, I guess I have to be grateful that atleast I am not in a great hurry to take the exam. I feel better already. Back to Goljan path! 
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lisa
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| kaira
Forum Senior
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hey lisa..now tht poosh is in day care u will hav ample time fr ur studies and i see ur making the best use of it...
just read the explanation properly of every question even tho if it is right and revise briefly ur micro once again it may help u wth ur last block of micro..all the very best fr ur nbme after tht u cn judge ur exam date....confidence is wht u need at the end of ur preparation...
good luck
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| docmama
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
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HEy LisaM, i see that u r making progress....it may not seem progress to u, but dont worry, in the end things will surely fall into place. Just keep at it...dont lose hope over one score. Sometimes u will get lower scores, sometimes higher. THe lower ones should motivate u to do better and the higher ones should give u confidence...so just be persistent. Good Luck and TAke care!
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| cyra
Moderator
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hey Lisa...hope both poosh and you are feeling better...its a good thing you took some time off...cos you just had too...no other choice...and am gald you enjoyed it...but donot feel guilty....some times it is required and it probabaly is for the best......so just get back to work...and good luck!!
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Cyra, Thank you so much! Just as surely I enjoyed the "time out", I am filled with guilt over my inability to complete what I had planned on. I chickened out of taking NBME on the 9th, and thought that if I take it on 13th, I would have had time to review Phys and Biochem, but that didnt work either! I was doing biostat and anatomy that took so much time! Poosh and I are both feeling great now, and hopefully, I will do the NBME tomorrow. A passing score on NBMe will certainly encourage me.
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lisa
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| LisaM
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Got 390 in NBME which I took on the 13th. I felt like kicking myself half a dozen times because so many answers I could have got right if only I had done a more comprehensive review. Got my exam date postponed to 20th of july. I am hoping and praying that Poosh will continue to keep good health and I will be able to keep up with my study schedule. Completed Renal system review int he past two days. The calculations seem so tricky. I was never a math person anyway. But I think I finally get how renin works. Planning to do GI today and maybe some questions on behavioral when I am take a break.
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lisa
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| LisaM
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I wish we had no weekends for a month! Must not forget to be grateful for Poosh's (my daughter) health. She has gone to day care today after much clinging and a little crying. Had a grand time playing with her outdoors yesterday. Back to the books now.
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lisa
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| LisaM
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So far, I have completed Renal, Gastrointestinal and Central nervous systems. Still have musculoskeletal, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Endocrine, Haematology and Genitourinary systems to go. My plan was to take 3 weeks to do a system based review and then take one week to review microbiology, Biochemsitry and Behavioral systems. I have spent two weeks on very little! This is taking way more time that I had anticipated. I hope to pick up the pace soon.
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lisa
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| LisaM
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I have only managed to revise Haematology and Microbiology in the past 6 days. Been so distracted this past week. Poosh got sick again, this time with ear infections and bilateral conjunctivits. Whole of last week, she has been coughing on and off. She gave it to me and my husband too- but my husband got it worse. God, please give me the strength to take the next step and know that this too shall pass away!
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lisa
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| LisaM
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Writing in the journal after a while. Poosh has been in good health last week and I have been able to make some progress. My system based revision is taking forever so I gave up on that and am concenterating on completing First Aid now. Finally FA is starting to look familiar. Completed pathology from First Aid, must start Pharm today. Also doing questions from the Rapid Review CD. I am trying to do 100 questions every day but some days I did only 50. I wish I knew how to stop the questions from repeating! So my scores are not truly representative. Physio, I scored only 58% and that is just too bad. In Microbiology I scored 72% - I have revised micro to boredom, and still cant seem to do better. First I will try to complete First Aid and do questions simeltaneously and then see how far that takes me. I am planning to take the Kaplan one day test on tuesday and then I will decide on when I can take the Step one. Hopefully, I will be able to take it on the 27th of July, but I dont want to be too eager to set the date as it is quite depressing if Poosh happens to fall sick in the mean time!
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lisa
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| cyra
Moderator
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hey Lisa...been a long time...i hope all your plans go just the way you want them to....donot give up!...keep at it...good luck with the review!
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Thanks cyra. Today I managed to come to the library at 5pm and hope to be here till 9pm. Want to try to make some progress with Pharm. I started out using Kaplan Pharm book, but found it was so dense because it assumed that you knew so much and I had forgotten most of my Pharm. Then I bought and studied Katzung and Trevor Examination and Board review. It took me the whole month of April to complete reading it through and understanding it, and now, I am back to Kaplan and FA. Pharm takes lot more time than Path or Phys as it is so volatile. I love Katzung because of the questions after every chapter. Hope my next entry (ideally the one I will post tomorrow) says "completed 50% of FA Pharm"!
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lisa
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| cyra
Moderator
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You're welcome Lisa.......its a good thing that you've got a hang of pharmacology...which incidentally was and still is my mos feared discipline of all....i hope you do end up completing 50% of it from FA by tomorrow....i also read your post in my journal....and i am touched...poosh is just a baby...and i know it breaks your heart not to be spending time with her...but all this studying and the sacrifice in the end is meant to give her a secure future...so plz donot feel guilty...and never let the thought of you not being a good mother cross your mind...one of my aunts did her residency when her daughter was about as old as poosh...and she tells me how she felt guilty about neglecting her...and not being able to spend time with her too....but when i see them today(her daughter is 14 now.....)....everything is just perfect....so just work hard and stay at it...don't ever give up...cos u know how hard it is to bounce back then!!...shall be praying for you...good luck!
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Cyra, your reassurance means a lot to me. Success stories always inspire us to reach beyond the mundane and test the limits we set for ourselves. I am making progress with FA and I have indeed completed half of it. I wanted to do questions from Katzung simeltaneously, but that did not work. Maybe my plan was too ambitious (again!). Hope to do some questions before by this evening. Must finish Pharm and start Phys by wednesday. Its been two months since I touched Phys, and I hope I still remember.
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lisa
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