malinda
Forum Guru
Topics: 162
Posts: 654
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All praise to God,my oasis was updated today and I have passed the exam.
Right now I am just so over whelmed with humility towards God.What am I without Him?This day,these red letters,I have waited for 3 years.I am in tears and my heart is thanking God with every heart beat.I am so blank and so amazed as He loves all of us so much and still we never thank Him enough..I feel so small and so blessed.God is GREAT.
First of all,I want to thank one person who stood by my side in each and every trial..MY HUSBAND.If I am here today,its bcz of his support and motivation all the time.He helped me work hard smoothly,helped me with our son,helped me so much that I had no other head ache than to study.and without His support,I had never seen this day.My motivation"I CAN DO IT"are his words which he made me say again and again.I am so blessed and again its God's love and blessing to have such a partner by my side.
I want to thank my little son,who had to go to the day care when he was 4 months old.Now he is turning almost a year old.I remember the days when I had to send him to the day care and he will look at me with the eyes as if telling me that I am a bad mother leaving him with strangers.Every one says it is a norm in US to send kids to the day care.But for me coming from a culture where mothers stay with kids and take care of them,I had this guilt trip all the time..I think he was my motivation too as I knew I had to get my son out of there soon.
I am so blessed to have all of you.I am so thankful to prep 4 usmle for being there on the internet.I am so thankful to all my friends especially reet and sarika for an unknown strength and motivation.
I dont know what are my scores yet,but this success means SO MUCH to me and if God has blessed me with a pass,He had something good for me in His mind.I really dont care that much .
For me,I graduated from a very prestigious college in Pakistan,people dream about that institution,and I got in.I was an average student in medical college but God helped me through.Got married,came to US,started preparation and took almost a year in just planning.I read kaplan one time in one year...YES ONE YEAR.WHY?bcz I didnot know how to study.I had no body to guide me.I just knew that to pass step 1 ,u read kaplan.I read kaplan and I had no direction.I didnot even know that u r supposed to do questions.I didnot know there are forums,I didnot know there are people preparing for the same exam.I would read one page of kaplan each day and I got nothing out of it...especially physio graphs as I never had seen those graphs in my text books ever.All lost,I went to the library everyday and spent the whole day in the library trying to figure out one graph in the whole day..
Then I got pregnant and at the same time when I got pregnant my husband got sick.I took a break from studies.But when God did another miracle and my husband was healthy again,I started all over again.8 months pregnant,I attempted step 1 with a nbme score of 300.YES 300.I had no clue how accurate nbme is.I was having a miserable pregnancy and I wanted to give it a shot.I failed with eaxctly the same score as nbme..I was devastated.For a girl with a very low self esteem ,I wanted to quit right away as usual.But it was my husband who wont let me quit.He told me over and over again that I CAN DO IT.
I had my son born and in just 5 weeks I picked my books again to study..My son had colic and he would cry day in and day out..and I still tried to study..when I could clearly see that with a small infant at home,I cannot study..we decided to send him to the day care..a totall emotional disaster for me.I was so guilty conscious that I started to have depression bouts.For me my family,my kids are everything and I am not a very career oriented person.For me family is more important than anything.So it was devastating to leave my kid every day and see him getting closer to strangers and I had just 2 or 3 hours to spend with him in the whole day.Honestly he started to forget that I was his mother.He was attached with everyone except me.So that gave me the motivation to get it over with soon.
In my second attempt I collected every information on the internet.I came to know that people liten to goljan lectures for pathology.I came to know that there are kaplan dvds available and people watch them to understand kaplan notes.I came to know that there is q bank available and I should be doing q bank religiously.I came to know that nbme is an excellent predictor.I listened to all kaplan dvds,I listened to goljan.and after that I made a plan.I gave kaplan notes almost 6 readings over all.So much so that I could finish a chapter in half an hour.I knew I had time problem last time,so this time I concentrated on time managment.I made small targets for everything and tried to finish that target in the alloted time.I divided my preparation in 4 parts in the last 2 months.I planned to take 4 nbmes ,one every 15 days.I made my schedule one entire reading of kaplan notes in 15 days and then take an nbme..I kept improving except form 3 where I got a 360.My son was badly ill before that form and I had to take care of him..Cutting long story short,preparing for nbme helped me be on time.and helped me finish the netire course on 2 months 4 times.
goljan is the boss.Its not enough to admire his lectures in just one line.If u r not doing goljan,believe me u r missing a lot.My patho scores jumped from a 40-50 range to 70 range after goljan audios.
My exam was not an easy one.I thought every one is exaggerating when they say exam was tough,but mine was.There was lots and lots of immunology.last 2blocks were a total mess with so many experimental qs.and anatomy was my weakest subject and neuroanatomy was heavily tested on my exam.I am still expecting a low score on these two subjects..patho was obviously the bulk but very twisted.there are easy qs too,but we tend to remember the difficult qs usually.
last but not the least,keeping a prep journal was the key.It was like doing a group study where u know where u stand..
I am so thankful to all ofyou.I am living example as if i can do it,everyone can do it.i KNOW i have a second sttempt label with me,but that is the lesson....DONOT LET IT BE A SECOND ATTEMPT WHEN U CAN DO IT IN THE FIRST ATTEMPT..PREPARE WISELY,PLAN FOR THIS EXAM,AND DONT COMPROMISE ON NBME..I did only 1000 qs may be from q bank,as I took online 370 dollars q bank and wasted it..ANOTHER LESSON I LEARNED VERY LATE.q bank doesnot mean that u do it for scoring.it is meant to learn from.do q bank when u know u are familiar with the subjects and while doing q bank,just do q bank.My mistake was that I got discouraged with q bank scores,and went back to my books,thinking I needed more reading.
I cleared this exam in second attempt,and these are life lessons.I wish all of you make it in the first attempt with God's will and those who have not...if i can do it,u can do it too..JUST DONOT GIVE UP.LIFE IS MUCH BIGGER THAN THIS EXAM.and look in your lives.God must have compensated some where for this trial of doing it all over again..
All thanks to Allah.
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I CAN DO IT.
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| dipti
Forum Elite
Topics: 32
Posts: 237
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 bravo!!!!!
congrtulations,malinda!!
you did it!the the happiest news for today!!
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| babli
Forum Guru
Topics: 40
Posts: 425
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Congratulations!!!
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| BB
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Congratulations ! God bless you and your family!
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| sarika
Forum Guru
Topics: 195
Posts: 1,200
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i am so happy for you ...you deserve every bit of it you have worked very hard and now is the time to be thankful to God Almighty and enjoy with your family....Have fun ...Goodluck in Step2 i know we will be preparing together.... C ya in step 2 forum!
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| zzzz
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 167
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congratulations malinda i was about to shut off my computer just out of curosity i go back & see your post .you really deserve this & as you are my junior as i am also from pakistan 's med. college i am really very happy that we are competative. you did it! right from the begining you inspired me alot i read all yor posts .congratulations once again.
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| mitty
Forum Guru
Topics: 52
Posts: 376
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I am very happy for you dear.
You are such an inspiration.Thank God for good husbands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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He will make it happen.
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| dipti
Forum Elite
Topics: 32
Posts: 237
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hey malinda,please keep visiting to our prep.lokking forward to your prep at step 2.
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| aisha2
Forum Guru
Topics: 37
Posts: 414
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congrats malinda , im so happy for u , ur result was on my mind and seriously i was prayin for u, as i seen my self in ur story and goin through alot of things u have gone through , and ur happy endin (atleast for the step 1 ) gives me so much hope and strength .
i just want to thank u for all ur input , it has seriously made me realize where n wat im doin wrong in my prep .......... i hope in another 3-4 months ill be able to write a happy post about my success as well and to be able to get my son back home from the daycare center .
so enjoy ur self .
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NEVER GIVE UP IN LIFE, BE PERSISTENT
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| ing
Forum Guru
Topics: 45
Posts: 435
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Congratulations!!!
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Never give up!!
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| USMLEGladiator
ck, CS Finish by Feb09
Topics: 131
Posts: 477
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congrats malinda,god bless u.
U r a gr8 source of strenghth in this forum.It is unbelievable such good helping souls exist in this otherwise gloomy world.god bless u.
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Be confident,do hard work,forget past failures and success is yours.......
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| drpkaur
Forum Guru
Topics: 196
Posts: 810
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congrats malinda,good luck for ur step 2...
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| roume
Forum Junior
Topics: 1
Posts: 35
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malinda m so so happy for you....mashAllah u v fared so well....inshAllah the score l be great too....
m very very happy...
congrats ..n bht bht mubarak to your hubby too....
stay lucky...always.regards
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Proper Planning ,Preparationand Prayers Prevent Poor Performance.....!!!
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| hodgkins
Forum Elite
Topics: 3
Posts: 293
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MALINDAAAAAAAA.......
CONGRATULATIONS...MAY ALMIGHTY INCREASE YOUR FAITH ABUNDANTLY AND BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR EVER!!
TELL MY CONRATS TO YOUR LITTLE ONE....and VERY BIIG CONGRATS TO YOUR HUSBAND!!
GOD BLESS!!!
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WE CAN DO IT..!!!
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| reet
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 152
Posts: 1,411
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****** congratulations... ***
i am so happy to hear about you..GOD knows how u did it in ur last months.. well u deserve a greatt success for ur hard work. .
ALL THE BEST IN other steps.
Keep in touch with ur messages.
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Live as u were to die tommorow. Learn as if u were to live forever.
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| reet
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 152
Posts: 1,411
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___________________
Live as u were to die tommorow. Learn as if u were to live forever.
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| general malaise
Forum Guru
Topics: 14
Posts: 433
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congradulations malinda!!! i am also very grateful for this forum and especially for people like you who provide inspiration and support. you deserve a great score!!
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"El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz" Benito Juarez
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| Bartek
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 64
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malinda 
I was sure You do it! For you are on your Way!
Congratulations!
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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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| skyhigh
Forum Guru
Topics: 105
Posts: 561
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Congrats Malinda!!
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| drbin
Forum Guru
Topics: 27
Posts: 537
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wwow CONGRATS MALINDAAAAAAAA u did it u r sucha great inspiration to everybody in this forum. pls continue ur valuable advices to those of us still preparing for step 1.
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action speaks better than words
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| robin082006
Forum Hero
Topics: 471
Posts: 5,123
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CONGRATULATIONS
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The Key to Succeed is Patience.
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| mavis
Forum Senior
Topics: 0
Posts: 84
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Congrats so happy for u, best of luck on step 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| mavis
Forum Senior
Topics: 0
Posts: 84
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Congrats so happy for u, best of luck on step 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| 26malik
Forum Guru
Topics: 39
Posts: 429
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*****CONGRATULATIONS*****
you are such a great inspiration for all of us.
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There is always hope
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| tolito
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 119
Posts: 2,174
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big congratulations to you. i missed your post even though i have been on the look out for it. yesterday i had a huge amount of work to do so i did not read many postings. i saw the good news in mitty's diary.
am so happy for you. all your good work has paid off. am assured that you will come out with top scores. you are an inspiration for all of us. God will keep you and take care of all your family. He knows your needs and He will satisty you.
thanks for your advise on qbank. i am following it. i do 50q every day and i intend to step that up to 100 when i have read through at least half of the subjects, particularly when i have read pathology. i keep hearing your 'voice' about Goljan. i am expecting mine to arrive anyday. am waiting for it to arrive before i start pathology.
am a VERY old graduate so this exam is tough for me. everything is new. everything is new. but i will keep going.
we shall all have good success.
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It has been a looooong hard journey but I am inches away from my destination...
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