tolito
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where are you???
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| Bartek
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Hi,
Thank you all for comments and support, they came in very special moments! Moments of some discouragement and disbelief, and moments of impression that maybe I try to work too hard, which is false impression of course. I like dr Osler's aphorisms. He also said 'To study medicine without reading textbooks is like going to sea without charts, but to study medicine without dealing with patients is not going to sea at all'. So I can say: I am lacking the sea...
Dr Osler has also been advising to do the day's work well and not to bother about tomorrow. So I keep going.
Tolito - I am simply short of time! And, frankly speaking, I like to hide whenever I feel weak, 'boys don't cry' , you know...
And I am short of the precious time in Warsaw, as usually. My exact location must remain secret: I have a very intelligent boss and I don't want his interest concerning some books and software in my room  But I often visit Warsaw University Library which is located, according to my GPS, at 52*14min34,30''N 21*01min32,00'' E (can find it using google world). It's a nice, quiet place, with free internet hot-spot.
Today we have quite sunny, warm day, a bit windy... I hope I take a bike ride along Vistula River with my kids in the evening if it doesn't rain ('must-be' physical activity for me: 30 minutes, 3 times a week, with HR abt. 125/min. - sounds well but it is only a nice plan).
I try to hurry up with biochemistry which is not simple to memorize as I have not been using it at all in my work, and I am going on with pathology which is worthy much more than just one morning hour.
And I make a lot of questions. These days I go on with physiology and my
performance is far better, I don't know answer to 1/10 questions. I almost start to feel like a physiology expert - but at the high cost of time. For proper understanding of some concepts (like 'WHY RV afterload decrease on inspiration') I had to look into additional physio books (and I must admit that I have read NMS, although this was not my plan).
So I have to go on with this pre-test as it stimulates my willingness-to-read. And one day I would like to start my internal medicine residency, so this is why I need this knowledge: not to kill any patient in the beginning.
I also tried step-1 demo exam (downloaded form usmle page along with explanations from kaplan page, well known material for most of you, I think) and answered 109 of 150 questions (some of them by chance...). NOT good...
Now I will start to review answers. And I plan to take NBME mock exam maybe
within next 2 weeks (I hope... I still await my credit card - I wonder how is it possible that I don't have one?...).
Best regards to you all
Edited by Bartek on 06/07/06 - 05:43 AM
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| Bartek
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I've almost finished physio pre-test qbank. On average I've been doing 20 q./day (I simply do not have more time!). Still have to do endocrinology. For me, it is almost painful to do questions! Q-banks seem to be essential - as they verify my understanding of the subject.
Yesterday I could not resist the temptation and I bought 2 new books. I should not advertise here but... OK - these books are not necessary for step 1 at all, they are just nice and for me they are important as they give me the opportunity to read something valuable instead of wasting time watching tv or reading newspapers. 'Merck Manual' 18th. edition and 10th edition of Sadler's 'Endocrinology'.
It's just after midnight here in Poland and I have to go to bed. New week has begun and I plan to finish 2nd. reading of biochemistry (it's possible that it will take one more week if I decide to take 4 days hollydays with my children - they need me so much). Then I switch to only q-banks (+ necessary readings) and pathology. I have almost exactly 4 months to the date of step 1. And I hope I will not postpone this date.
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| tolito
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bartek, believe in yourself. if you are scoring 72% at demo exam and you probably have not read more than 70% of all the stuff, surely you are in good shape. if you are aiming for sept, that is plenty of time to get to 100%!!! can i advise you on areas to place a lot of emphasis? patho/pathophysiol, pharma, micro-immuno. these are the big three so do not compromise them for the others. anat appears to be the lowest yield. i am also reading the 'big' books against general advise. i lack in basic knowledge so it is hard for me to follow kaplan. i am also reading big robbins ( have read 800pp already!!!). my scores are also improving. i have started doign revisions along with studying new stuff cos i have almost forgotten them.
my warm regards to your family.
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| Bartek
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Tolito thanks - your diary is so good inspiration.
For my children, summer holidays have just begun. I go with them for 2 weeks, far from home, no radio, no tv, no newspapers... I take with me pathology books and laptop with q-banks. And what is funny - my older son seems to be inspired by me, he takes some books in English - it seems that he will be able to learn in US high school in 2008 
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| tolito
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have a happy summer holiday. you deserve it!!
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| Bartek
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Back to the real world
Children are now sent to grandma, and it seems that I'll have a bit more time for myself.
I've done almost all the stuff except of a few chapters & memorizations from BS, biochemistry and pharma. I decided to use 2 more sources for pharma and immunology (very slim books, not even worthy to mention them - they just fit my needs, with not more facts than in KNotes, but excellent pictures and diagrams which help me understand some areas).
Now I decided to switch almost entirely to questions - in case I do not understand sth, I go to the reference books (almost 100% identical with those with highest ratings here on prep4usmle).
I use mainly pre-test series (which seem very difficult to me), 4K qs. before me. And I read Robbins (or try to read it...). I do not hurry very much, although having decided to participate in 2008 match I have to follow my realistic schedule. As I work in research, till the end of the year I plan to add some (1-3) articles to my publications, which is also extremely time consuming but I know it can be very profitable for such an old grad
Best regards to you all
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| Bartek
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Time to speed up a little bit. Just a few remarks...
1.
I am lacking time. I have everything but ... time. 604800 seconds every week - of these, in June/July I was able to spend only about 60000 weekly for learning! I know it because I note my 'learning time' everyday in my planner, just to be realistic and sincere with myself. And this is much less than in May. I think that the minimum is 2.5 hours per day, i.e. slightly over 10% of my total time. If I spend less, I start to forget what I've been doing at the beginning. But the minimum is not a good attitude. It only let me maintain my knowledge with a very slow progress. So my goal for the next month is: to speed up.
2.
I changed my mind concerning many interesting books. I threw away all books except basic resources (q-banks of all the types + KN, HY stuff by dr G. and books listed in First Aid, here I can find 99.9% answers for all questions, plus only one big: Robbins, which I can recommend for 'old grads'). I think that it really is a big mistake and danger to use too much books: they really don't help answering questions and they create a temptation to read so many interesting things instead of cramming and understanding the basic facts. Of course I hope I will have time for reading interesting things, maybe one day, when I retire... If my grandchildren let me.
Besides, answering questions is like a game - if I treat it this way, it starts to be a kind of entertainment 
And what I find very motivating: relations of people here on the forum.
Many of you struggle with the same problems, and yet find time and will to share your experience with others. This is really great. God bless you all.
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| katsk
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Hello Bartek
Thank you for this journal. Reading it helped me many times when I was lacking motivation. Another reason why I like your journal especially is that I am from Poland as well. It is so good to know that I am not alone.
My Step 1 is in 4 days. I am flying to Germany tomorrow. I am a littlle bit nervous, but I hope I will do all right.
I think you made a smart decision by limiting your books to those most important ones. I did that same.
I am sure you will succeed, because you know what you want and you are working hard to achieve yor goal. Keep on doing it.
Take care
Kasia
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| Bartek
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Kasia - good luck! Do not hesitate to share your exam experience with us
"trzymam kciuki",
brgds.
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| vallia
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how is the study going? good luck!
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| tolito
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nice deductions about the books you have there bartek. one thing you need to guard against being an old grad is taking too long before you do the exam. once you are done with reading all sections such that you understand them, then change your tactic to full steam. dedicate a max of 2 months and go on the accelerated mode where you study like 10-12 hrs per day. in this way, you are less likely to forget stuff esp those ones you read earlier. i discovered this problem night before my exam . i had to quickly go over notes overnight. hardly got 5hrs sleep . i was worried to discover when i did nbme that i had forgotten stuff that i knew well about a month before.
wish you all the best bartek. God is surely on our side.
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| Bartek
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Hi dear Friends
I am currently dealing with q-banks of different types, mostly pre-tests. Hope to fix the exact date of step1 very soon. As I've decided to speed up, I learn at least 3.5 hrs daily - this is my average this month and I think my learning time will shrink by the end of August as my kids will be back home, all three of them. Well, at least they will help me to remember that their future is one of the important goals of my daily battles against pre-tests.
Tolito, I agree with you: it can be frustrating when I find that I forget some stuff so well-known to me 2 months ago. But on the other hand, for me it is very essential to understand things properly. I do not regret reading some big books and one of them I still read (my beloved 'pathology morning hour'). Having them done and doing pre-tests now I know at least where to look for quick reference when I feel completely lost after reading some questions
What I am lacking at the moment is time (will it ever change?...). I can hardly imagine learning 5 hours daily and 10 hours sounds to me fairy-like... Taking this into account I must say that at least 3 months with questions, questions, questions... - it is a must-be for me. The range of study material is not so large that it could not be learned. And my impression today is that I ALMOST know what I should know: everyday I meet questions which annoy me by showing how poor is my knowledge.
I will take 2 full-size tests soon: one of them in the end of August (just for fun i.e. to fight with time and then analyze all 'whys') and the other 2-3 weeks later to determine my weaknesses/strengths and to decide the final learning plan and the exact date.
I think that today I am in a position similar to that of people who graduated recently or just finished their pre-clinical years. Maybe all they need is 3 months of work with q-banks and Notes. And this is exactly my position these days.
God bless you all
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Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, magic in it. (Goethe)
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| Bartek
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Reactivation
I was changing job, in spite of some warnings ('this will make a serious delay, 'this will kill you', and so on).
Indeed, changing job was extremely time-consuming. It took me over 3 months to become familiar with new duties. But I had to do it, not only 4 financial reasons.
Now I have the same amount of time for USMLE: 1-2 hours/day for reading + 1 hour in the car.
I come back to the real world. My recent business task helps me a bit - I had to get through a document which contaiins a nice description of my future patients:
Health, US, 2005
And... what about my NBME?
Well, I was a bit afraid of it and I did not take it. So what did I do? What was I doing during the past 100 days? -> I was listening to Goljan (in the car) and I was reading abt. 30-50 minutes daily of MMDT every day, that's all. I was getting out before 7 a.m., and coming back home at abt. 9 p.m., I was travelling a lot, yet I was able to find some time for medicine. I am glad of it as I've not forgotten everything
I will share my further experience with you, as I simply do not give up. Come hell or high water, finally I will do practice medicine in the USA. 2008 match is the challenge.
Regards,
Grix
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Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, magic in it. (Goethe)
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| Bartek
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Again, I am tuned to the proper rythm: 2 X 60 minutes with q-bank (with no hurry and a lot of reference readings...), plus in addition KN (only 3 of them, I do not like all). Nothing nice, just blood, sweat and tears. NBME (CBSSA) in December, then final decision conc. date of real exam.
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| mytime
Go Marching in!
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BARTEK U won't believe mebut i read each and every of ur post......they were worth the read and today i'm taking a little break. I don't know if u follow our thread I think u sud join us in this major movement where 10 +1 now of us are allotted bosses of the one next to us to make sure the other studies...Well I'm the super self- appointed boss. . Also we finished B. Sc. together holding hands via books and if one would fall we would take a day's break to pull that person back up. We are a mixture of old and not so old and new grads. I myself grad. in 1999. Most of us are married and have kids and some have 3. I have a toddler. This coming monday we are officially starting a journey of pharm and mixture of other subjects. Official we say we are doing Pharm. Every night before i post random Chapters and subject to keep the curiosity and interest going.....we listen to no excuses or complaints but support in every way....just don't let it become an excuse.
Wondering why I'm writing this to u??????????
"I will share my further experience with you, as I simply do not give up. Come hell or high water, finally I will do practice medicine in the USA. 2008 match is the challenge. "
I feel the same way. Good luck. Whatevr u decide.
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| Bartek
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mytime your post is really supportive
today I 've just finished KNotes (except pharma, BS, anatomy - for these I prefer other sources, plus I do Goljan for patho, i.e. lectures&HY100&rapid review) - and I've just paid for my step-1 exam
(april-june)
hope this will be april, so that before nrmp I could pass step2 yet (seems to be much more easy for me) and apply for CS (just a piece of cake?) before August
now I go on with ONLY q-banks, my minimum is 15 questions/cases/clinical vignettes per day, but on average I hope to do at least 30+ daily which is not very much - friends of mine say that 10 kQuestions should be enough to pass...
NBME mock exam this month
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| Bartek
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NBME result is not too good. I need at least several months. Fees are payed, so I am under presure. My new job is very demandinig (although my present salary + benefits, like all USMLE literature I need, is OK, I must admit). 2/3 of my kids got chickenpox at the moment, my wife is taking one of her residency exams soon, my parents-in-law stay with us... Not a good combo. Anyway, I proceed with the stupid (?) anatomy+histology+embryo. And Q-banks x N, of course. Seems 2 be essential. Regards,
Bartek
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| mytime
Go Marching in!
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Hey Bartek
Plz. don't be under pr. that's not going to help. If score isn't good u can't take the test as simple as that.if u can postpone do that..or forget about it and read better. Sorry about ur kids...u sud have put ur in-laws to work take care of them. Anyway hope they are all fine...i got CP twice still remember how it felt when i had to sit. U take care.
And good luck!
Bartek wrote:
NBME result is not too good. I need at least several months. Fees are payed, so I am under presure. My new job is very demandinig (although my present salary + benefits, like all USMLE literature I need, is OK, I must admit). 2/3 of my kids got chickenpox at the moment, my wife is taking one of her residency exams soon, my parents-in-law stay with us... Not a good combo. Anyway, I proceed with the stupid (?) anatomy+histology+embryo. And Q-banks x N, of course. Seems 2 be essential. Regards,
Bartek
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| anjalivyas
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Dear Dr .Bartek
I HAVE RECENTLY STARTED STUDYING FOR usmle.LIKE you I am also a mother of 16 yrold girl who is preparing for her medical entrance.I am also 43 yrs old and I am from India.Have you finished your Step 1 and step 2 CS/CK. how much did you score.Please let me know. It will give me a lot of encouragement.
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| Bartek
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Hi anjalivyas,
I did not take any step yet. I took NBME 3x, first attempt the best, last one (last wekend) the worst.... ;(... Terrible experience, 2 previous mock exams were self paced with many books around me, the last one was more realistic. And more painful. But OK, several yrs. after MD I have a lot of patience and perseverance. The goal is clear. I do not think about getting residency position, I focus on the exam result at the moment. And, after all, passing with the best score possible is my hobby.
My Step 1 is already scheduled (and even worse: it is paid). I hope that I will announce my result ASAP (during summer holidays).
My basic problems are: lack of time and pretty interesting synergy between my efforts & time spent on learning and... my employer's efforts to promote me within the Company I'm working for... In June I leave my country for over 1 yr., part of it will be spent in US. Opportunity - but also very time-consuming business and studies, with no direct link with USMLE.
After all, I think that we - old grads - have great chances to succeed. I can assure you that I keep my fingers crossed for your succes, anjalivyas. Share your experience with us, and also be sure that we are with you
I hope that one day we will found 'old grads club' within AMA
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| drbin
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Hello Bartek.....
i was wondering where u went? I had CP 2 yrs back and i remember hw horrible it was itchy and blistery.....Hope ur kids got well....
Good luck with ur preparation and oncoming business visits...
Edited by drbin on 03/24/07 - 04:25 AM
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| Bartek
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Good news and bad news, and some uncertainty.
Good is: Oasis trick works for me. Means: passed. Short explanation: some 2 months ago I've observed funny reverse proportion between the time I spend here and on other forums and the time I spend with qbanks and other resources, so I decided to focus entirely on my own prep. On Saturday, I will celebrate with my family 
Bad news: obviously I missed 2008 match.  Too late.
Uncertainty = for the exact result, I still have to wait. And I do not have very high expectations. although it is very possible that I remember mostly questions which were difficult for me. I will see what is the result and most probably I will take CS first (November?) and CK in the end.
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Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, magic in it. (Goethe)
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| Bartek
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It's done.
Worst time of waiting for result just finished.
232.
I will post here my schedule (late summer), and let's meet in step2 forum soon
A lot of time after graduation (hard to believe... 1993!) , first hurdle is behind me, after 17 months of very hard work. This weekend I celebrate this very personal, small victory.
And great thanks for all of You, this forum has been of a very special importance for me.
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Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, magic in it. (Goethe)
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| unique1
InGodITrust
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Congratulaions Bartek .
Your hard work paid off. I have been following your journal even before I started my prep. You are a real motivation for the old grads. Please try to post your prep and exam experience when you have some time.
Good luck with your next steps
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I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
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