hodgkins
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Dear Forum:
I want to join the stream as well!! So that I can come out of my own world of so many doubts and fears, and speak out to make my everyday move realistic, in reaching my goal!
This is a very good way to be in the loop of so mant fighters fighting against this exam.So, here I am with my dairy "I CAN DO IT AS WELL"
My source: Kaplan, Goljan, FA.
Today : 25 Qns and Patho Female reprodutcive and musculoskeletal disorders.
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| hodgkins
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March 14th Monday: Not much I did, to say, finished female reproductive, started with skin, rather musculoskeletal...there u go it was already 11 pm , time to hit the bed..
did not solve any question either...Oh God what am I doing??? When will I become serious. On top of that I got up late at 9:30am, that too, myselfwriting this dairy remind me, what have you done yesterday? what is your plan today?
Ok, let me get back..my plan no matter what it is do 50 qs. Finish skin and musculoskeletal in patho...then left over biliary, after that once again the 2nd revision starts, waiting for my kaplan books...oh my when will I start doing Q Bank..when should I get it??
Can I give NBME by April 30th at least??? Oh God please help me I am tensed!!
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| malinda
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hey hodgkins,a humble advice from my side,,do q bank online in a timed mode when you are done with your first reading.DONOT JUDGE YOURSELF WITH Q BANK.Even if you get a 10%,keep going.ITS A LEARNING TOOL.and try to familiarize yourself with the HYs thru q bank.after doing q bank you will start to have a very clear picture what usmle wants us to know and how to apply the knowledge gained from books..after doing q bank,revise the incorrects and make notes.revise those notes in the last month.Dont waste q bank if you take it online.You have finished your thoery or not,dont stop doing qs..in those 3 months of online q bank,q bank should be the priority,not the books.and again donot judge yourself on q bank.
Take one nbme before doing q bank..jus to know your weak areas.take one after q bank.and one a week before your exam to see where u stand..My humble advice.you are doing good.
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| hodgkins
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MALINDA...thankyou so much for stopping by!
Ok as of now..I have almost done with patho I did from Goljan...I had 2000 edition gave by someone, hence bought new edition on ebay..my kaplan books yet to come..may be this week, then will start Physio..with patho revision..I am solving Q book questions right now..
how should I start solving Q bank..subject wise or system wise or general?Please advice.
I am thinking, atleast I should give first read solving Q book,
then second revision NBME 1, then go for Q bank..
for my 3rd revsion then NBME 2,
then revise Q bank- quick 4th revision -NBME3..
then 2wks before NBME 4!
But when all these gonno happen...I have full time study time..can I make it by may june july?
Is this plan sounds okie? I feel I am lost...to finish this target, how fast should I cover , so that can I finish my first reading, I have read kap 2000 on and off, but nothing in my head now, more I delay more I forgett, so I want to do it without break..and before I forgett things I want to give this exam..thats what I am saying now..but how I put into practise I dont know...
Malinda I appreciate your advice..which I need the most thanks again..and i wish u a great score u wish for!
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| malinda
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you wont believe me hodgkins,My first reading stretched for 6 months and even more.Now I feel I was so stupid in doing that.Now I realise what first reading means...First reading is like you buy a new book.you just read through it.You cannot learn everything at the first reading.Its like okay so CVS means angina,MI,vasculitis,shock etc.Once you read your books one time,the second reading is the main issue.This time you memorize.You go through each topic,and you try to learn what are the types of angina,what are the stages of MI,you learn the complications of MI and the timings,you learn different types of shock,different examples..itslike you try to learn these things by heart..and you start with some benign questions side by side to get a taste of questions..You will get 90% of questions wrong,DOESNOT MATTER!!this is not the stage to do qs anyways.This is the stage to learn theory by heart..Now once you give this reading which will seem faster and easier after the first reading..Now you take online q bank and start doing qs seriously.timed,untimed,subject wise,system wise,random,,,whatever you like.The main motive here is to learn and practice.Now you know that boards doesnot ask define MI..rather they will ask you to diagnose MI and then weeks after MI dressler syndrome can occur as a complication.then you go back again to MI and it all makes sense as how board is asking that q.You have to do this excercise with each and every question.Honestly you score a 100% on q bank and you dont know the concept,its worth less...
nbme's give you a reality check.so keep doing nbme's..From my exam experience I learn,instaed of doing form 1 and 2..DO FORM 3 AND 4..as my exam was like form 3.not like form 1 or 2.They are pretty easier forms and I guess I can clearly say my exam was not close to form 1 or 2.but it shocked me to see it was exactly like form3.
the more you revise,its better.I have heard people getting 99,revise the whole kaplan series 4 or 5 times.and also keep doing qs.
rest make a plan right from the start.and stick to it.there is no point in studying for 10 days,wasting 5 days,and starting all over again.you will forget whatever you learnt in those 10 days..This knowledge is so volatile..atleast for me..you need to keep reinforcing it everyday.even if you can give it one hour a day,give it..but donot skip a single day without touching your books.
do watever suits you.everyone has a different speed,different stamina,different circumstances,and different brain..so you are the best advisor.keep reading exam experiences so that you can know what is the trend..
and please,go to a library everyday.Be in an environment where you can focus on studies.even if its raining,snowing,storms,hurricans....(exaggeration)GO TO A LIBRARY.
pick up you stamina,get motivated and dont let anything come in your way.Always remember"you are your own judge".Every night ask your self"DID I GIVE IT MY BEST SHOT TODAY?".
DONOT GO FOR THE EXAM IF YOU ARE NOT READY,IF YOU ARE NOT SCORING GOOD ON NBME.its better to waste that fee then to fail.AND DONOT DELAY UN NECESSERILY.YOU WILL FORGET EVERYTHING AND LOSE CONCENTRATION.I was at the start of my eligibility period,but I was so saturated and I knew I cant do better than that..and the exam I got,honestly I just couldnot answer the qs I didnot know no matter what.As soon as you hit your target on nbme,dont wait a single day.JUST GO FOR IT.
last but not the least.Pray a lot from God to give you strength and stamina.sometimes I felt I used to be lazy bcz I didnot ask for strength from Him.Look at the people who have reached their goals and make them your motivation..and plz plz TIME IS SO PRECIOUS.DONOT WASTE A SINGLE SECOND AS IT WILL NOT COME BACK.
Good luck..just have faith.
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| hodgkins
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Oh My God...I really dont know how to convey my thanks for all these suggestions you have passed on...Malinda, thank you so much for all the time and patience u have put in here, but I can always remember u in my prayers for your awesome success.
Its really a big push for me reading ur advice...may be thats why I feel God made me to start my dairy I think as I was in dilemma should I or not,but I feel good about this move of mine!
Malinda as I read the whole thing very carefully..I have made some major decisions in my study schedule..now.
1. Will get up daily for early morning prayers...I know if I do that, rest of the whole day is fine with me. So no more lazy sleeping watching my dreams !!
2.I WILL GO TO LIBRARY EVERYDAY...no matter what, now weather being good no excuse.
3.I will have to work on,reading fast...I know I did before, I should get my brain and eyes, tune into that.I should feel that urgency..then only I can do that.This exam being our own will and wish makes us slide, decieving us thinking of having lott of time!!
4. I am gonno make study schedule first, then will keep the realistic goal..will read with timer on, with fast reading, guess then i have no time left for day dreaming.
5. I will take NBME 3 first...to face the worst!
6. Yes, TIME IS PRECIOUS..so my family waiting and praying for me to get over with this exam..so I should move on..wasting time will not fetch anything other than guilty feeling I have after that..
Ok first thing to conquer..getting up in the morning..can I do that 
YES I CAN DO IT AS WELL
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| malinda
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Good plan hodgkins..One mistake of mine.take all 4 forms but dont ignore form 3 and 4.assess your self and look for the answers too.I avoided taking form 4 altogether.I think I should have atleast looked for the answers instaed of looking at the scores and running away .
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| hodgkins
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Thanks again Malinda...yes, I will take all the forms, but NBME 3 being hard, as people say, I have to give first shot on that..so that I will not slide back later!!
Yesterday was so tierd...hence could not write, but well thats not good I should make sure, i should write something everyday.
What I did yesterday: Get just an hour earlier than usual, target not reached yet, but slowly kind of adjusting for my marathon..
Went to library...that was good.
Finished 35 qns with explanation
revised just subsequent chapters along with it. Thats it, when I came home, oh my I was dalm tierd, as if I did some big thing..not good lot more to come.
My Plan for today:
30qns with explanation
revise patho skin
do Highyield Histo first 2 chapters
My books taking their own time to reach, I should chalk out my plan once they are here, thinking of picking up with Immuno, genetics first, along with patho, physio, pharma revison.well then micro, biochem..wow its huge, will I remember everything..oh God please help me, give me all the strength and stamina to move on everyday...may be some day more or some day less..but still I want to keep doing..please help me oh God!!
Ok time to go..
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| hodgkins
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Just did questions with explanation...could not concentrate..further, came early today from the library.. Feeling very dooooooowwwwwwwnnnnnnn!!! 
Will have a cup of tea, and start with Histo....no wasting time..already have wasted a lott of time...people are struggling hard with kids, but for myself having married itself is being a biig responsibility..oh my before I have a child I should finish this stuff..tahts what my dear husband keep saying me again and again and again..but I am not serious I am still not serious..
how I wish I would have just drove to INDIA meet my mom and family, have some nice spicy Bhel puri, Pani puri or even Phav Bhaji( nice evening snacks ) and come back again...
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| leen
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I think if u start the day with qs u feel like tired thats wat happened with me yesterday .I did qs in the morning n then could not do much in the day time ..though I dont know why ....
so i just plan to do the qs in the evening .Hope that it will help
good luck n keep going
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| hodgkins
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leen thanks for stopping by and for the suggestion..yes may be i should do that..I should solve question in the morning but read explanation later in the day..!!
Ok finished Histo female, finished skin patho revision just now...!
ThankU God I did something today..please help me remember what I did today. Thankyou.
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| dipti
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keep going hodgkins!after marraige to study like a student is really difficult.i had given this excuse to myself many times before.but when i came across to all moms in this forum,i realised that they are doing such a great job to prove themselves.and their sacifice is much greater.so whenever you feel down read their forum.time is ticking and he is not going to stop for anybody.we have to do many things.we are nothing here in usa right now.we are going to take residensy,going to have kids........too many things to do.so get serious.study well.
remember whole world is running for this marathon!
good luck for studies.
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| hodgkins
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DIPTI...thankyou so much for your encouraging words..
well said " WE ARE NOTHING HERE IN USA RIGHT NOW"..yes, we were doctors once upon a time, here its like you know what to do for the suffering, but tsill you cant prescribe ant medicines until unless..until unless we pass this hurdle..thats the reality..atleast to claim our true identity, what we are we have to move on..you are so right.
Yes ..too many things ahead..whole world is running for this marathon!!
if we slow down..we will find ouselves way back, as every body running ahead forget about taking over somebody here, but atleast lets makes sure we stay we supposed at this time..that so right!!
.
Wish you all the best Dipti...in your preparation and Thanks again.
Oh My ITS FRIDAY already...I feel as if I started my dairy just few hours ago ..but its already 5 days old....but just writing here, makes my schedule better than what it was before...thats good thing but still the beginning!
Today was ok, went to library morning 11 till evening 5.
Finished Renals ...I am doing Goljan Rapid review..same time adding notes from Goljan lecture notes too..it has more points, hence it really takes some good amount of time to add evreything because I cant study both in the end..just one book for partho!.
Solved 25 Questions..
Now will walk for an hour with Goljan audio..then straight back to do explanations!
Then to do Highyield histo..will see before I sleep.
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| hodgkins
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hodgkins wrote:
DIPTI...thankyou so much for your encouraging words..
well said " WE ARE NOTHING HERE IN USA RIGHT NOW"..yes, we were doctors once upon a time, here its like you know what to do for the suffering, but tsill you cant prescribe ant medicines until unless..until unless we pass this hurdle..thats the reality..atleast to claim our true identity, what we are we have to move on..you are so right.
Yes ..too many things ahead..whole world is running for this marathon!!
if we slow down..we will find ouselves way back, as every body running ahead forget about taking over somebody here, but atleast lets makes sure we stay where we supposed to be at this time..that so right!!
.
Wish you all the best Dipti...in your preparation and Thanks again.
Oh My ITS FRIDAY already...I feel as if I started my dairy just few hours ago ..but its already 5 days old....but just writing here, makes my schedule better than what it was before...thats good thing but still the beginning!
Today was ok, went to library morning 11 till evening 5.
Finished Renals ...I am doing Goljan Rapid review..same time adding notes from Goljan lecture notes too..it has more points, hence it really takes some good amount of time to add evreything because I cant study both in the end..just one book for partho!.
Solved 25 Questions..
Now will walk for an hour with Goljan audio..then straight back to do explanations!
Then to do Highyield histo..will see before I sleep.
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| aisha2
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oh my god , its like im readin about my self 2 yrs back , , well was newly married , didnt had children and my dear sweet husband kept saysin the same thing "honey try to get over with these exams b4 havin any children it will be very tough " , but as i had heard of so many ppl studin & then wirtin this exam while pregant and then getin 99 ........ i thought how difficult could that be , well things dont work out the same .......... i could not clear the exam in my first attempt which i took just a month b4 my son was born, oh my that was tough just sittin there for so many hours in that chair , i kept sayin to my self STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID, well i guess thats life and thats how we learn ........... but on the bight side i have the love of my life MY DEAR SON , sorry for such a long story , just felt like sharin .
Anyway u keep it up , i think u r doin a great job just dont take to many breaks ,imean like not studin for 2- 3 days , as i have read from so many posts , its bad for ur prep.
good luck
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| hodgkins
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Aisha2 thankyou for sharing..yes it is, for sure Child is always a Great Blessing..and for sure contributes more than anything else in this universe especially for a mother right...also how muchever we plan, says my mom, whoever has to come will come on their appointed time..no matter what we do,or we plan 
But certainly dreaming myself having one for myself..before that I can all motivate myself to finish this job for its arrival ..before it whispers..I am here mom..
all the best and great success..to you aisha2
So what I did yesterday..just discussed..male reproductive High Yield Histo.., since my friend giving her step 1 in few week time..target to finish whole Highyield Histo by tomorrow..!! Is it possible?? dont know, I am just moving with her speed and urgency..best part is, I will be done with it.
Guys, if I can say..high Yield Histology is so good, just bought 3rd edition has around 288 pages..but has everything in it and correlation is so great..for all histopath, histophysio, histopharm stuff like that..!!
many important things what Goljan says in his notes and lectures are mentioned and much more.. ..makes all kind of sense when I am reading this..again its only my opinion.
Guys my kaplan books are here...getting scared thou..smelling those freshness, triggered kind of butterfly sensation deep inside my tummy..staring at those heaps of pages ..makes me so dull and down..
Yes, I did with old books all these days..but..certainly fresh is fresh..until u scan thru again and again and again..to make all your own right..
Thinking of starting with Immunology first....hmm lets see how my plan will show up by tomorrow evening
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| general malaise
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hi hodkins, i have the second edition of high yield histo. do you think there is much difference between this and the third?
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| hodgkins
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Hi general malaise, I did not have High yiled Histo, so bought the new one, hence I dont know what and how much it has changed from 2nd edition. But my friend told, who had 2nd edition, that there are extra slides and information too. Please ask for couple of opinions before u decide to buy 3rd edition.All the best and Good luck for ur exam.
What Did I do today..just discussed Highyield Histo, finished few chapters, but lott more to go..in the end my head was aching with so much of information uploaded..will rest for now.
From Tomorrow...Start with Kaplan Immuno..in total 16chapters. Aiming to finish 4 chapters a day..so will take 4 days..hopefully!
along with 25 questions, plus Patho Goljan revision 1 hour and 1 hour High yield histo!
Feel like I have a long way to climb...as if I have lost in the midst of darkness of this tunnel....as of now I cannot see the end at all, lott and lotts to do..Oh God please help me Oh God, please keep my spirit and energy up..I want to do this, I really want to finish this project as early as I can!
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| drbin
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Hi Hodgkins reading ur diary is really a nice motivation. u r working really hard on this and keep on doing the pretty nice work. pls tell me is there a great difference bn 2ooo and the current version kaplan. when do u plan to take ur test?
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| dipti
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i have same question if you have recent edition of kaplan,can you do me a favour?if cant compare 2002 and 2005 or 2006,can you just tell me how many pages are there subjectwise in recent edition?taking your time but it will help lot of people who want to compare bteween old and new edtions.
thanks,good luck
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| hodgkins
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Hi drbin...actually I have just opened my Immuno of new edition it is 2004 edition.Only Anatomy, pharma, biochem and medical genetics,and pathology are of 2006-2007edition and the rest are 2004. So, people having 2004 edition need not worry, guess there is no change at all.
Yesterday..March 20th, what I did..?
Initial good 2hrs went just like that scanning for what is new i.e 2004 immuno , initially thought may be I will add new to old 2001 edition chapterwise, since I am already familiar with old one....
-but new edition is completely shuffled chapterwise,
-many new animation pictures added for better understanding,
-same time some basic good pictures from 2001 is missing.
-new edition is little bit explanatory, than the old one..which had mostly points and tables.
-at the end of each chapter they have questions..with good explanation..its kind of tells us where we have to focus..and makes familiar how questions are asked with respect to clinical case scenario.
Hence thought, just give me my first read first..once I finish the whole, then I have better idea to add from old to new..where and all it may ask for.
finished first 5 chapters of Immuno yesterday..having read Highyield histo of Thymus, spleen and lymphnode chapters before, made things much easier..understanding the concept, just going thru high yield histo before any system..gives that comfortness of we knowing little more than the author speaking..makes it easier to understand..for sure, in my humble opinion!
Because, as I am solving some questions..its so common, we know everything about the disease but stuggle with cellular level..mechanism and concepts..hence for me I changed the way i study..going from Anat, embryo, Histo..then climbing up..with patho, physio concepts, yes same way how we were taught in college days..right..
Hence, guys, please make sure you have your high yield histo..read that first, then it makes so easy understand and correlate so many things..well, if anybody has any different ideas and opinion please let me know ..whatever we need to pass this hurdle with whatever technique it works better right??
Dipti..ok I can do that, no problem..what u want to know..just how many pages in each subject right? Shall I do that by tomorrow..then?Otherwise also I will be posting whatever I found new or anything useful, as I study in my journal..so please feel free to ask anything you want to..will let u know as I study those subjects!
So what am I gonno do Today..? will finish another 6 chapters..and tommorrow remaining 4 chapters..and the fast revision if I can before I keep it aside..then will stick to only half hour revision everyday...
Malinda..where are you? Are you sitting in front of computer busy checking Oasis..?I understand, u should be very tensed..right? Wishing you the best..
Generalmalaise..did u buy High yield histo? How is it going? and aisha2 how are you doing?
All the best guys..keep walking..keep walking..lets not assess where we are..how much more to go..but if we can cover atleast one mile a day..in a month wow we would have walked 30miles at least..just convincing myself guys..
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| dipti
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hey hodgkins,thanks a lot !wheneber you have time do that for me.you know i have exam in two month.think i should buy histo now?or i should concentrate on kaplan an d FA.
i am studying from 2001.then i dint buy recent edition as many of us has read old edition and passed with good marks.also i dont have time to read new books and couldnt afford them in start.but i was trying to get at least immuno and pharmac but no luck so far.now i am really worried about immuno after malinda's experience .i have 2002 immuno.i guess 50 pages are added so far in 2006.do you have any suggestions?
i am really taking inspiration fromm you diary to start my own.keep going .good luck.i am so happy that you are not doing the mistakes that i did.
god bless you.
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| hodgkins
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Yesterday March 21st: Nothing much, did some shopping, bought groceries, cooked, and freezed some..after afternoon, sometime started Immuno..were able to do just Chapter 7, 8 and 9, felt very tierd and slept.
Today March 22nd: Got up early, left to library by 10, finished Immuno chapter 10, 11, 12, 13, 14..Thank God. Came home at 6..refreshed, started again..but felt so sleepy and tierd. Did some Liver and Biliary High yield Histo discussion, with some questions and Immuno discussion..
Dipti... I kind of very tierd..may be because my husband is very busy ..coming very late from office, no body around in the evening time, on top of it outside weather being cold, cant even walk..made me sick..so, please bear with me I will post the details of the pages tomorrow..I will do that first then will go to library
Also myself I felt Histo being very helpfull 2 months time left is still lott of time in hand..everyday one cahpter will do good I guess..for me being an average student I need more detail to understand things..but if u r already solving Q bank..you should know where u r deficent, so just build the concepts..no matter which book u study..make sure that all Q Bank questions and explanations makes all clear sense..thats what I am hearing from people who went ahead..as such Immuno is hard.., whichever is feasble please do..myself not bought Q bank yet...hence I am not in a position to say this is what it is..just trying to make some sense here..hope it helps.
Starting diary is really very good idea, you hsould do that..you can track yourself..and it is a bigg motivation for myself. All the best.
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| hodgkins
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ANATOMY: 2006-07edition
Section I: Histology and Cytology Page 3-77
10chapters
Section II: Early emryology Page 93-103
4 chapters
Section III: Gross Anatomy and Organogenesis page 111-269
6chapters
section IV:Neuroscience page 313-465
11 chapters
PHARMACOLOGY 2006-07 - Total 327 pages
PATHOLOGY 2006-07 - Total 317 pages
BOCHEMISTRY AND MEDICAL GENETICS 2006-07
Section I Molecular Biology and Biochemistry page 3 - 275
Chapters 18
Section II: Medical Genetics: page 289 -381
Chapters 6
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE 2004, Total 197 pages
PHYSIOLOGY -2004,Total 501 pages
MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY -2004,
Section I : Microbiology Page 1-277
Chapters 9
Section II: Immunology Page 293-473
Chapters 16
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| hodgkins
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Today March 23rd: TO DO :
Finish Immuno, then revise from start to end.
Evening Discussion Immuno plus High Yield.
I have not touched Goljan patho, should squeeze that too for an hour or so..otherwise again it will be like very first reading for me..
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