rubyedward
Forum Elite
Topics: 12
Posts: 197
| | 06/02/05 - 07:15 PM
2 of 2 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #1 |
Hi guys, first of all, let me thank u all for without u I couldn’t have done my exam this brave!! <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
I was nervous in the 1st block, but picked up my confidence with the rest of the blocks. My biggest prob was the time. I was running short of time in every last 5 q of each block. So my advice is the q u don’t know, u can’t make it known to u in 1 minute, so make the choice and move on, don’t think too much in 1 q. I was watching the clock all the time, but some q took my time without my awareness and I was thinking I can make the correct answers for the q I’ve never seen during my studies. So guys don’t be naïve like me, q u don’t know, u can’t be knowing (u can’t expect to know all q), move on coz there r q which u can make correct answers and u don’t wanna blow these q.
I took break 5-10 min in each block. Just to refresh a little bit. i didn’t answer all tutorial answers but just clicked next button and end it. But when the screen said u didn’t answer all q, do u want to end it??? And showing incomplete blocks, I went crazy….thinking r they gonna count this tutorial q too, should I answer back all these tutorial answer…..how stupid of me to think like that…what can I do, I’m nervous…..but I clicked yes and got my 1st block q session.
Its more difficult than I thought it would be…I think I read the whole forum reading post exam experience, diaries, support forum, 1999 remembered q in downloadable page and so many downloadable usmle materials websites….u know people discussing HY facts, 36-100 pages, peals etc. etc. so everybody can imagine what the q will be like on the exam, right?? (also doing q bank, nms, pretest, A&L, dr goljan audio etc.)-----so what I came to realize on the exam from all these facts is that the exam makers know (one can easily buy all these from ebay and can huck into the forum if one wants right?) what we people r discussing about HY facts, how they conduct the exam, what we have to assume, how we can highlight the hiding facts, etc..etc. and so the result is that they r making our exams harder and harder…..its not direct anymore like what most people mentioned in old exam like 1999 remembered q and their post exam experiences….most of the q r like---they give the clinical scenario, so u r formulating the Dx on yr mind, and all of a sudden they ask the side effects of drugs to treat this disease/or the histologic appearance of the cells of this disease/or the cell circle of the drug to treat this disease and like that. The q stem is 6 and more lines and answer choices r very long also. And if they give lab results in between, its full page. How can they do that??? When we have to read all these in 1 min and also think of the answer in 1 min. they only give this 1 min time to read, and don’t give time to generate the answer….(so everybody!!! Pls. write u need additional 10-15min whey they ask the statistical q in the end of the exam, ok!!) ok….but there r direct q also, which r 20%, 40% r thinkable but u have to correlate so many steps and know the whole disease process like I mentioned above and the rest 20% r totally unthinkable which u have to totally just guess and pray u make the correct choice and go on to next q (I was stupid enough to think of the possible answers to these q and run out of my time!!!)
Pathology is well tested and the rest r equally tested. No low yield subjects. Beh. Science is relatively low yield on my exam.
Pathology—there r many slides/EM with clinical scenario and have to make correlation all over. Some few q must be answered by looking EM sadly, can’t guess from q stem (I didn’t see webpath, but fortunately I looked into my atlas histology) DM, HIV, STD, degeneration disease of brain and hematology r heavily tested again and again on my test. tips---FA/HY/dr.goljan notes+audio and read all these at least 3 times each.
Anatomy and histo-----for Ana, many CT and orthopedic like q. pathways and their lesion, cranial nerves and their functions, lesions on brain r very high yield. Histo is not very high yield, if u can spend 10 min/day for looking thru atlas histo for about 20-30 days would be a real plus!! tips--I think FA/HY/review CTs could be enough.
Physio, Pharma------most q r tested with graphs, diagrams, arrows. (pls. do practice yr physio, pharma q with diagram/graphs). Read BRS/FA/HY for physio and read Lippincott or Katzung along with FA/HY for pharma. Note. The q for pharma is not difficult, but to be able to answer these not-very-difficult q, u need strong knowledge of drugs interaction esp between drugs interaction between 2-3 drugs. But their side effects r strict memorization.
Biochem, mole bio, immuno, genetics----biochem is not a low yield subject. I got so many biochemical equations asking enzyme defects and many DNA q. Read FA/HY/Kaplan (I didn’t not study with Kaplan notes, but I watched video one time for biochem and genetics, quite nice).
Beh science----fairly thinkable. FA/HY and lots of pratice q on this.
Last but not least, I would like to thank to GOD, my family, all my med school teachers, dr goljan, Kaplan teachers, authors of my study tools, my best friend shiromy and each and every1 on this forum. I don’t know how my exam result would be….there r many q which I know I answered definitely right and there r also many q which I was unsure bet. 2 answers and there r few q which I have no clue whatsoever….but I made it and my exam is over. I couldn’t ve done this far without yr supports. I really appreciate all the honest comments and advice, encouragements and sympathies I get from all of u thru this painful agonized mission towards this exam. Thanks again my friends and GOD bless all of u. remember to vow yrself u will give yr best on the exam for exam is really tiring, q r so long, I was in a constant dilemma of watching the clock and thinking of the answer and when the time was finishing towards the end of each block when i had to do 10 q in 5 min (and it happened in every block, not just in one block, how stupid of me and how I pampered myself with time in first 40 q!!!), I thought I was gonna faint and feeling panic, but I held on and vowed myself that I’ll give my best till I faint….so at least I made it till the end of the exam, thanks GOD. But I agree with my seniors saying its doable….but do it with more preparation and equipped with more knowledge and confidence than u guess u gonna do.
Things i think I should’ve done---definitely another complete round of revision (I did 3 times revision of FA/HY/BRS-for physio,patho.) and some few thousands q more.
Things which helped me---dr goljan audio and his notes, FA, HY, did like 5 thousands q from all over.
And now I’m praying (all my life GOD helps me, if my ability is to get like 75%, he grants me with 90%s with his grace in all the exams) and vow to move on with yet another agony for step 2. but I’m ready to accept with any sad/happy result of this step 1 coz I gave my almost best within my capabilities.
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| karusmle
Forum Guru
Topics: 296
Posts: 1,001
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hi rubyeward,
dont worry ,u will get the best , cause after reading ur experience seems like u have given ur best , i will pray for u.have fun ,enjoy ur holidays ,try to forget abt ur exam results.i know its hard
take care
bye
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| 99doc
Forum Elite
Topics: 52
Posts: 370
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Hi Ruby,
So it's finally over.I think this exam really sucks out our energies &takes a toll on our lives.I wish it could be abit simpler,anyways NOW IT'S PARTY TIME,TIME TO SIT BACK &RELAX.HAVE LOADS OF FUN,ENJOY TO THE MAX BEFORE STARTING FOR STEP 2.
BEST WISHES FOR UR RESULT.
I guess ur result will be abit late as it is being said that people giving step 1 in may end& early june may have a delay in their results. it means u have to wait longer.never mind just keep ur self busy.
the software for ur exam might have been freds,can u tell us if there was any problem,did u use the highlight method &did it help?
THANKS FOR THE DETAILED EXAM EXPERIENCE POST.IT WILL BE A GRAET HELP TO ALL OF US.
Also,don't worry too much.everybody has a similar exam experience,i have not heard of anybody coming with a smile from the centre,it seems the exam tests our hardiness also.
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| Raingirl
Forum Junior
Topics: 19
Posts: 40
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God will bless you get a wonderful score! Thank you very much for your exam experience, it is really eye opening!
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| karusmle
Forum Guru
Topics: 296
Posts: 1,001
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hi,
u will get thro flying colors . , ur experience will be very useful to many ,thanks
have fun to the max
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| jiyaji110
Forum Senior
Topics: 24
Posts: 89
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Hi Ruby:
You will definitely get vvvv good marks as God helps those who help others. You have been very supportive for all always (especially i have found u and few other seniors very helpful and encouraging). Wish you best of luck always.
I just wanna ask one thing if u can tell me.
I m scoring some 80-85% on average in Q-bank, Q-book and NMS. I gave NBME yesterday and I just got 490 (216).
Do you think that I m in good form? I was expecting above 500 at least but.........i m scared as real exam is tougher than NBME........
and one thing that it said that Genetics and Renal systems are my lower performance areas so what could I do in these 3 days to let them better????????????I am very poor in Genetics and Nerve physiology always...... ..Plz advise what could I do. I have started learning Genetics again from yesterday but again the same things as I think whatever u read if ur implication is not good its not worthful............and my implication is not good, i think so..... . Anyways I'll wait for ur response. Thanks
___________________
Dr. SA
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| kaira
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 128
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hey ruby
thnx for such a detailed post!!u hav always been helpful to all...
in ur post u hav mentioned pre test....is it worth solving thm ??? i gt it frm a friend who never used thm....soo now tht i hav it wanted to knw if it is worth solving thm...
all the very best for ur score..
kaira
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| KEROCHI
Forum Guru
Topics: 60
Posts: 971
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Good luck w/ everything ruby! Thanks for your detailed exam exp. it made more anxious but at the same time more motivatd to study more. You're right now just PRAY & Relax! You'll pass this test w/ flying colors!
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| rubyedward
Forum Elite
Topics: 12
Posts: 197
|
hi guys....thankz so much for yr wishes...u've always been supportive even after my exam....
hi 99doc, its not freds i got on my test. there's no highlighting facilities. its the same simple screen we're used to with qbank. yah i agree with u that my result will be late as american graduates doing their exams may thru july. thanks for yr wish and same to u!!
hi jiyaji, u r doing good with qbank, i'm sure u will do great on yr exam....at least with yr score. i think u might've got above 500 but u were nervous doing nbme. i suggest its less stressful to listen to drgoljan or kaplan video with genetics, renal and nerve physiology rather than studying high yeilds facts when u have 3 days left. its important to understand the basic concepts. be confident and yr give best on yr exam no matter what!!! good luck. thanks for the wishes too.
hi kaira, pretests r worth doing if u have time. they r good practising q. infact all q we do gonna enhace and make strong of our knowdlege. we r not gonna see any available q we did on our real exam. but concepts r the same. good luck and thanks for yr wish.
thanks for the wishes karusmle, raingail and kerochi and very good lucks on yr exams.
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| macbhardwaj
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 2
| | 06/04/05 - 11:58 AM
1 of 1 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #10 |
hi u have done reaaly good thank u for ur valuable report thank thanks a lot iw ill pray to god FOR UR GUD RESULTS DOING GREAT JOB U HAVE A MOTIVATING HANDLE BYE BEST OF LUCK NOW ENJOY SOME DAY OF THE STUDIES GAIN ENERGY AND AGAIN SIT FOR STEP2 K BEST OF LUCK
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| goljan_fan
Forum Senior
Topics: 30
Posts: 96
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have u got ur step1 score?
best wishes
___________________
GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP OTHERS.
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