camden
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
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Hi All
I took my CS last week of July in Houston. My results were updated on OASIS today. IWA tells me that I passed!
My experience:
I prepared for CS just over a month. I am very good in conversational english and was pretty confident regarding that aspect. However, I was concerned about the time aspect for physical exam, counseling and patient note. I prepared with a few of my friends here in Houston who all took the CS with me. We did USMLE First Aid and USMLE world cases.
I had 12 cases. Some straightforward and others not. I had no problem with completing each case on time including counseling for each case. However, I got pretty stressed out in the exam and forgot, yes forgot to wash hands in 5 cases, missed one system in physical exam in two cases, could not complete physical exam part of Patient Note for one case and did not write full list of 5 investigations for 2 cases. THAT is a lot of mistakes!!
Still I passed. Now that tells you guys out there who are stressed out about your performance that the people at ECFMG give a lot of leeway for mistakes by candidates. So chill out and have a beer. You will pass!
Thanks for the feedback on this site. Keep it coming. 
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| Natali
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 8
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Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It`s good to hear that it is a fair game and nobody is perfect. I`m so stressed out lately. My exam is on Aug25. God help me!
And CONGRATS on your exam!
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| camden
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
| | 08/12/05 - 12:08 PM
1 of 1 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #3 |
Hi Natali
Good luck to your prep for CS. Let me tell you some tips that I learned from my friends and others that I learned from experience with my exam.
1. When they call out "Encounter starts now" you grab that notepad and scribble the name/age/cc/and vitals if abnormal on the sheet. Then draw a line in the middle of the page and on the left write LIQORAA for any pain case. For all other cases, write down Duration, Onset, Progression, Associated factors, Aggravating factors, Alleviating factors (DOPAAA). The associated factors are Fever, Loss of Appetite, Loss of Wt, Jaundice, Travel, Ill contacts, Trauma, Aura, etc etc depending on your case. Now on the right hand half of the paper write down PAMHUGSFOSS. The "O" is for occupation and also OBGYN. So for females it is PAMHUGSFOOSS. Believe me if you do this when you go in it just is a matter of filling in the blanks opposite the mnemonics.
2. There are some other mnemonics that I found useful to write down on the sheet before entering the room. I classified them based on the presenting complaint of the scenario.
Depression, sleeplessness, fatigue, amenorrhea, weight gain.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
SIG E CAPS
Sleep Interest Guilt (if alcohol complete CAGE questions) Energy Concentration Appetite Psychomotor (problems with work) Suicidal ideation (plan, tools, previous attempts)
Depression, suicidal tendency, alcoholism, domestic abuse.
VASES
Violence Afraid Stress, feeling safe Emergency plan Support system
Confusion, forgetfulness, frequent falls, dementia.
DEATH
Dressing Eating Ambulating (walking around) Toileting Hygeine
SHAFT
Shopping Housekeeping Accounting Food preparation Transportation
Psychiatric or Mental Status Evaluation.
FROM HIS JFK CASE
Functionality Reasoning Orientation, outlook Memory, mood Hallucinations, delusions, paranoias Interest in normal activities, insight Speech, sleep Judgement Feelings Knowledge Concentration Attention, appearance Suicidal Energy
3. The next most important thing is for you to write down something that you think you will forget once inside the room, be it due to stress or something else. Myself, I forgot to wash my hands in 5 patients! So I would have benefited if I had written "wash hands!!" on the top of my blue sheet on the clip board before I entered the room.
4. In the room, try to finish your history by 6 minutes. You will then have 5-6 minutes for physical and comfortably finish your counseling in 3-4 minutes. Remember to extend the footrest, drape well, tie after untying the gown and always ask the patient if he/she is comfortable throughout the encounter. Some of my colleagues also offered tissues to patients who were apparently sweating!
5. When you write your patient note, I found this to be useful. Write the PN in this order: 1. Differential 2. Investigations 3. CC and PMH 4. Physical exam last. This way you will write the most important aspects of the PN in the event you run out of time and your brain goes blank trying to come up with 5DD's.
I hope my thoughts help you guys. I guess after all it is highly individual as to how one approaches this exam. However, suggestions do help and I hope mine do too.
Take care and good luck. You can email me if you need more feedback at govisa@netzero.net
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| Hamidi
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 471
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Hey camdem,this isone of the most cmprehensive reviews of the exam and prep that I have read so far.U deserved to pass .Congratulations and thanks for sharing
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| ckdoc5
Forum Junior
Topics: 1
Posts: 16
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hi camden congratulations on your success and that was very quick for you . you took your test end july and less than three weeks you have got your result . i took mine in first week and still no update . well hope you have a good time .
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To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
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| ns11266
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 53
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camden,it is great !wish you GL
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| digitaldoc
Topics: 35
Posts: 369
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yeah Houston center was good - I have put up my protocol and other information HERE
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