nosha
Forum Junior
Topics: 1
Posts: 46
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I will try to pop my progress on ur journal.I still don't have the courage to start my own.I am an old grad.It was encouraging to see someone who finally did take step 1 after "umpteen" attempts .I hope this is not one of my umpteen times but the real deal.The diff this time is that I am going for step 2 first.
I am planning to take the exam in March.I have finished obgyn.Now working on IM.Done with GI,emerg med & preventive med.Starting with cardio today.
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Cyra, Thank you for the words to the rhyme. I will definitely teach poosh that.
Hi Nosha, you are welcome to record your progress here. I have fnished 1/4th of UW so far. Will do pulmonology questions today. Hopefully GI tomorrow.
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lisa
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| KEROCHI
Forum Guru
Topics: 60
Posts: 971
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Hi lisaM
Are you planning to do Kap IM Q bank? I am planning to do that too. I still have about 900 Q's from my UW so we'll see. Thanks for everything you've done for me in step 1 . I really appreciate it.Here we are in S2.. Thanks again buddy.. You'll hear from me one of these days...
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Hey kero, I am glad that we are in the CK forum together. Hopefully, we will put this also behind us and move on soon! I am not so sure about the Kaplan IM Q bank anymore since Kingsofke does not recommend it. Maybe we should consider Step 3 Q book like he had suggested.
I am only able to do 2 blocks in UW per day. I spend one hour answering questions and two hours reading and taking notes from explanations. I am a little frustrated at the speed (or lack of it), but dont want to go any faster lest I might miss stuff. Like today I learnt that Legionalle is diagnosed by ELISA on urine. Blastomycosis affects bone, lung and skin. What the fancy names like Hampton's hump and Westmark's sign mean. So its all good. *sigh* yet to start GIT. I was actually hoping to give CK in December as I read in the forums that most people prepare for about 3 months for CK after giving step one. I have realized that I need way moer time than that. My latest plan is to complete a thorough revision after finishing UW, give NBME form one on the 1st of Feb, form two around the 15th and CK on the 23rd of Feb. If for unforeseen reason that does not work (God, please grant poosh perfect health this winter) then I will get an extension on the 3 month period and take it from there.
Now, onto GIT.
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lisa
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| chemamr
Moderator and PGY1
Topics: 703
Posts: 4,441
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 Keep studying hard LisaM, this is a nice part of the forum with your experiences and thoughts, itīs very different and encouraging. You are great LisaM, you are doing a great effort. Well done! 
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Any time something is written against me, I not only share the sentiment but feel I could do the job far better myself.
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Chemamr, Thank you for your kind words. I came to the library on thursday, but could not use the computers. Did a pretty good revision of Neuro and some topics and the Hepatology topics from Blue Prints. Yesterday I stayed home. Poosh has an upset tummy  . Maybe we gave her too much pumpkin pie- she loved it so much. Today I will read up explanations for GIT questions and try to complete neurology and Genitourinary systems. Then I will finally have completed the UW questions in all internal medicine topics.
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lisa
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| KEROCHI
Forum Guru
Topics: 60
Posts: 971
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hey lisaM,
How r u?
R U doing the UW subject wise? I have been doing it raandomly then the explanations. I take notes of my wrong answers. As of now my average is still in the 55's. I got to finish it hopefully by Friday!
Keep studying!!
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Hi Kerochi, I am doing UW topic-wise. You know, I just completed questions from Genitourinary system. Wasted tons of time. I am feeling so low and miserable. I came to the library to study, but just could not concenterate. I felt like crying for no reason, and I just went home. I watched a movie and played with poosh.
Tomorrow is Poosh's second birthday. We have planned a small celebration for her in her day care. Poosh has this terrible sounding cough which comes on at night. Hope she gets over it soon. Must study now.
Edited by LisaM on 12/01/05 - 08:56 PM
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lisa
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| cyra
Moderator
Topics: 29
Posts: 844
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LisaM...hope poosh's birthday was fun!
Don't be low...step 1 stuff,i feel, needs constant repetition and reinorcement to stay in place...sure you get your concepts straight but there is an ample amount of memorization and churning down of facts associated with it....its been a while since you gave the exam and so so i really don't think you should disregard your score as a fluke!!!!!!!...Listening to Goljan might just do the trick...give it a try....and please don't give youself a hard time over not being home and having lost time...isn't it all so innate to the nature of this exam??I am sure you know all this already... ...but it still helps if some one else tells you that its ok...and tomorrow indeed is a new day...study hard and hope you make up for the days you feel you have lost...
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Hi Cyra, Thanks a lot buddy. I feel much better now- feel like myself again. 
I have completed the UW questions on all medicine topics. Still have surgery, OBG and Psychiatry. I had planned on completing UW by november and doing over the questions that I got wrong, but I wont have time for that. Will feel lucky if I manage to complete UW before my 2 month subscription period is up! But I have been taking notes from UW and that should come in handy. Today I will study Psychiatry and try to do one block of questions from UW.
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lisa
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| KEROCHI
Forum Guru
Topics: 60
Posts: 971
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Hi LisaM,
How's UW. I am also taking notes esp my weak areas... My notes is almost 140 pages...( front & back) I have started doing my revision .. UW is the only qbank I will be doing..
GL to you.. hope youre alright now esp pooch..
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Yesterday, I completed UW. My overall score was low, but thats what I expected. It had been a tough two weeks for me. Poosh got a really bad virus, then as she got better, I got the cold, fever and whole 9 yards. It feels so good to have my energy back.
I am at cross roads now. I have just managed to quick read the kaplan material and completed UW. It was a good exercise to get familiar with the material and type of questions, but now I need to get thorough and I need a study plan. Besides Kaplan material, I also have Blue prints for IM and peds, BRS for OBG and CMDT which I intend to use only for select topics. I think the best way to go for me, is to study system wise and do IM first, while taking another light subject like surgery or Psych to read when I need change. I will start with cardiology- the scariest one for me. Lets see how long it takes for me to feel good about it. I love the management algorithms from the step 3 book that I just got, and that must help.
I would love to get suggestions/ encouragement from anyone out there 
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lisa
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| KEROCHI
Forum Guru
Topics: 60
Posts: 971
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Wow that's great you're done w/ UW. Did you take notes? Read those again if you did.
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. i try not to get overwhelmed as I am doing everything simply. My whole family's going OOT for Christmas again & I hope to give my friends a New Years party by the time we get back. Not a total relaxed going OOT bec I am bringing my laptop to complete my weak areas in UW. A busy reading Christmas Hliday for me but Its okay.
Hope you will be ablt to finish your books...GL
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Hi Kerochi, Good luck to you studying in the middle of so many distractions.
Well, What do you know! I have been sick again. I can hardly believe it myself. Monday, I seemed to be getting better and went to the library, but in the evening, I Was so tired that I slept early. Tuesday and yesterday, I admitted defeat and simply stayed home and slept. Been listening to lectures when I was awake and completed cardiology, but I am not happy with the time I took and depth of my review. Feeling a little better today, but not good enough to go the library. Will start studying Nephrology at home.
I keep telling myself, IF IT CAN BE DONE, I CAN DO IT. It is so inspiring to read exam experiences of people that score 99 and I dream of getting there. I must not feel down as long as I do my best under the circumstances I find myself in, but my optimism is running a little low right now. Poosh has a Christmas party in her day care today and I am going to try to attend since most moms will be there. My husband has been real sweet and picked some gifts for her teachers since all I have been doing is sneezing and sleeping these days.
This too shall pass away, and once again, I will be at the library, full of energy and enthusiasm, and everything shall seem possible, even easy and interesting. I do love medicine, and I am a good student, and I am getting there. Maybe a little later than I would like, but I am getting there! Yessir!
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lisa
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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I had a wonderful Christmas with my family and have been trying to study in the middle of all the distractions. Cooking, cleaning, going to Church, visiting friends, entertaining friends who visit, exchanging gifts- it has not been easy. Poosh is so excited about the lights and decorations and ofcourse, her gifts!
Now that Christmas is over and I am truly well, I must be able to study well too. I have been wary about making any long term study plans because when they dont work for whatever reason, (mainly because of Poosh's health) I end up feeling frustrated and depressed. But I have made a sketchy plan for now, trusting in God's infinite mercy. I have completed my review of Cardiology and Nephrology using Kaplan notes and Blue Prints. Reading BP is a joy- the topics are small and the style is conversational. Every line teaches something very relevant for board purposes I feel. CMDT is a little itimidating and with talks about so many studies, a little long winded too in my opinion.
Anyway, my plan is to complete my review of Internal Medicine by 8th of January, Peds by 15th, Surgery, Psych and OBG by 22nd. Then I intend to do questions from NMS and Q books for step 2 and 3 till end of January, take the NBME form one on 1st Feb, do a quick revision in two weeks, take form 2 NBME on 15th Feb, consolidate my study and actually take CK on the 23rd of Feb 2006! I so want this to work, but if it doesnt, life still goes on, right?
I will do Neurology today. Hope to finish Hematology and start ID by year end.
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lisa
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| KEROCHI
Forum Guru
Topics: 60
Posts: 971
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Hi LisaM,
i'm doing neurology too. it's one of my weakest subject even in step1. I am taking notes about the HY topics & try to memorize it.
Quite a busy study schedule... go for it! it's hard but you can do it. I, too had a busy Christmas until now still preparing for New Yr.'s Eve party. it's my turn in my home but what the heck I will study bec I have to. My laundry is so high up til the ceiling waiting to be folded but I'll just do it by Friday. My Neurology is more important. Got to finish it to reduce anxiety.
Good Luck to you & poosh..
KERO
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| lakme
Forum Junior
Topics: 10
Posts: 47
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hi lisa
i've been following your dairy since last couple of days.i've a doubt regarding subscription of UW.can you please tell me as when to subscribe it exactly?is it better if i subscribe it immediatletey after i start my prep or after my first reading is over?
thanks in adv
lakme
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Hi Kero, Thanks for your wishes. My home is a mess too, but thankfully, my husband helps put Poosh's toys away every day and it makes a huge difference! Laundry and bathrooms are still upto me though!
Hi Lakme, regarding subsription to UW, I think most people do UW once they are thorough with the Kaplan or BP material, which usually takes a recent graduate two reads. But I graduated long back and also, was nervous about scheduling my exam. So I finished my first read as quickly as I could (with emphasis on speed rather than depth) and took UW subscription soon after because I felt it was best for me to commit all my mistakes early on and it will help me to do my revisions with greater understanding. I took internal medicine topics first and studied each topic before going to to answer questions in that topic alone. I scored mostly in the 50s, but took notes on every single question, including the ones I got right. sometimes, it was only a single word, like TTP, or ALL if I was familiar with the topic. I am using those notes now as I try to do my "thorough" revision. Hope this helps. Please read other people's experiences too, before deciding on when and how you want to work UW cos it is said to be the best question source for CK.
I finsihed Neurology finally. I think First Aid is the best source for Neurology, even better than Kaplan cos they have this Differntial Diagnosis part which really helped me to think. I am already one day late on schedule. Just starting Hematology. Maybe I will complete Hematology one day earliar, and get back on track!
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lisa
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| lakme
Forum Junior
Topics: 10
Posts: 47
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hi lisa
thanks very much for all your suggestions.you have helped me get a clear idea as how to start my prep for step 2.when did you schedule your exam for?
thank u
lakme.
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Hi Lakme, I am glad that you found my suggestions useful. All the best with your prep. Feb 23rd will be the day, if all goes well.
I got bored with IM. Still got Infectious disease, Emergency medicine and Rheumatology. But I went on to do some Surgery and Epidemiology which I had done in better detail during my first study. It was a refreshing change, but back to ID now. Am not doing questions these days. I have one week set aside for an intensive questions only session and hope hone my test taking skills then. But I sometimes wonder if thats a good strategy really. Anyway, back to my books now.
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lisa
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Yesterday started out lazy, but warmed up after 11am. I started and finsihed Infectious diseases from Blue Prints. Looked up Kaplan too. With the exception of HIV which I will revise from both texts, I will use BP for final revision of ID. Rheumtology today.
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lisa
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Completed Rheumatology and with that, all of IM. Finally things are starting to look familiar. CMDT is a great book to have for reference. In my notes theres stuff like "Thymoma is associated with pure red cell aplasia" "Transient pulmonary infiltrates are found in Loffler's syndrome" and it is a little scary to think how much there is to know about these things. Check CMDT- and the mind is at ease in knowing that these factoids are just that. Likewise to refer and read up all the vague stuff.
A child in Poosh's day care has come down with Chicken pox. This has got me concerned and worried. I hope my baby does not get sick at this time. I am praying that she doesnt!
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lisa
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Studying OBG now. Plan is to finish it by sunday, but things not going as fast as I wish. I have decided to give up on BRS. Loved studying from it, but find it too exhaustive to revise from. Probably Kaplan notes are sufficient for board purposes. Poosh remains fine for now, Thank God.
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lisa
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| LisaM
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 321
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Completed OB, but still have most of Gyne left. The weekend was full of distractions. But moving along to Peds now anyway. Hope to get it done in the next 5 days.
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lisa
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| frontal
Forum Guru
Topics: 53
Posts: 421
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Good going Lisa. Keep it up.
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