mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
Hey guys. Sorry for the delay, but Ive been busy wandering through the streets of chicago. I cannot say much of whats right or wrong about my exam, since I havent received my scores yet. But, what I can say for sure are my feelings toward the test. First of all, I dont want to sound arrogant, some of you might find my experience full of bull, but this is what really happened. I took my test on march 31st, 9 am. The first block was pretty smooth, I only had 3 questions I didn't know for sure, the rest were pretty simple and straight forward. 2nd block was mainly the same. Lots of vitamin questions, pathophysio was the main bulk. Had a few neuroscience, but pretty easy ones. Mmmmhhh the fifth block was a little harder, didnt know 10 questions of the block, which were really hard. I mean of course there are more tough questions in each block, but they were doable. Everytime you face one of these you must realize that the knowledge you may need for answering that question right is within yourself, you and only you! These guys make questions so elaborate, trying to make you feel confused. But, we must be more clever! We have to think the way they want us to think! and solve the riddle. Mmm I finished each block with 20 to 30 minutes remaining, so I had time to read each block, 2 to three times. Ok a little about myself, my qbank scores are 73% 100% done. In which I had 80% in patho pathophysio, 75% immuno, pharm, and pretty low scores in anatomy, embryo, biology, and genetics and biostats. Which make me drop my scores to 73%. I thought the real exam was at times easier than qbank, at times at the level of qbank, but never harder. 30% of my questions were exactly like qbank. And I finished the test 2 hours early! My study method, I am a "natural born" crammer. I crammed each and every single book I had. Yes sometimes it can get tough specially after the 6th hour of cramming, but it gives you endurance. I didnt feel tired after my test, I felt I could still do three more blocks. One more advantage of cramming is that up to 60% of the times I knew the answer as soon after I read each question. The answer just popped out of my head, so I just needed to find it in the options and kept moving. Well thats basically it. I hope I receive good results. And good luck to you all.
___________________
original mazinger z
|
| brown
Forum Senior
Topics: 10
Posts: 49
|
how long was ur prep?are you fresh grad?what was ur nbme score?how was ur study stratergy?
|
| doc179
Forum Guru
Topics: 67
Posts: 1,217
|
wish you a great score...good luck for step 2
|
| general malaise
Forum Guru
Topics: 14
Posts: 433
|
sounds like you are going to totally kill this exam. what were your study sources?
___________________
"El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz" Benito Juarez
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
Hey guys.. my study sources were not fancy, what I did was kaplan notes for almost every subject. Watched the videos and took lots of notes. For pathology I used BRS with kaplan videos. I studied for almost a year and 2 months.. Hopefully I will get a high a score. Let me tell you one thing kaplan has it all... I think kaplan is more than enough for every single subject including pathology. Guys if you study every subject from kaplan you wont be needing BRS or Goljan for path. What else can I say, work hard and you will see the benefit!
Edited by mazinger on 02/12/07 - 08:50 AM
___________________
original mazinger z
|
| ing
Forum Guru
Topics: 45
Posts: 435
|
Congratulations! How did you study in the last month prior to your exam? Did you use FA?
___________________
Never give up!!
|
| chlorpromazine
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 10
|
thank you for the exam experience. are you a recent graduate?
|
| robin082006
Forum Hero
Topics: 471
Posts: 5,125
|
Sound doing well in the exam, hope to hear a great score notification from you.
___________________
The Key to Succeed is Patience.
|
| tolito
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 119
Posts: 2,164
|
wish you good scores and also good luck in your step 2. i envy your brain thoug cos i find it difficult to retain what i 'cram'. i can succeed if it is just before i enter the exam hall then i have excellent short term recall.
thanks for your posting. kaplan appears to be it.
___________________
It has been a looooong hard journey but I am inches away from my destination...
|
| mleguy06
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 59
|
Hi Mazinger. Looks like march 31st was a perfect day for u. Its nice to know that u did so well. Hope u get a fantastic score. Tell us more about your prep stratagies. How many times did u read the notes? Is it possible to mug up everything in and out? Tell us about the kind of questions u got in some detail plz. How many histo/patho slides? Could u solve the questions without drawing any hint from the slides? DO reply. Thanks.
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
Thanks guys for all your support... I read kaplan subjects at least 4 times each.. Test strategy? Dunno! Just do what your heart tells you.. Every time you wake up try to make up your mind planning what you will study for that day.. Then try to accomplish what you planned, sometimes its hard to stick to the plan, but its a very efficient way to advance through material. If your heart tells you that you have done right during the day, then it means you gave your best. Try to go to bed with that feeling as many days as possible. Well tolito, I think there's not much to envy.. If I were super smart I wouldnt have gone through so much.. I think perseverance is what you should aim.. Doesnt matter how many times you forget its about the times you reread the whole material. Dont feel frustrated, just stick to the plan, do whatever your heart tells you is right. Fight for your dreams. Persevere my friends.. This test is not about being the smartest doc around its about being the most willing doc of all... Do qbank quite a few questions were pretty close to qbank.. By the way didnt do first aid, I reread most of my books in the last month. BEST REGARDS
___________________
original mazinger z
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
mleguy not much pics most of the questions could been solved just by looking to the vignettes... my test was full of physician patient relationship, At least 25 questions of this subject, and I think I got them all wrong! Besides that the test was ok.
___________________
original mazinger z
|
| pocas
Forum Elite
Topics: 7
Posts: 169
|
WOW nice history , mazinger . congratulations
did you find the same questions of q banks?
and did yu resolve other source of questions like nbme?
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
Dear pocas, what I did were Qbank, goljan's question book, qbook, robbin's review of path, pre test clinical vignettes, and goljan's biochem. And yes the questions were pretty close to qbank... qbank has the same type bizarre questions just like real thing, even though qbank is harder specially in biostats, genetics, cell bio, anatomy, neuroscience and embriology.. So if you know the material absolutely cold from the books and still you are scoring low in this subjects dont be discouraged because these subjects are asked in a very simple way, you'll be amazed.... I got to make special emphasis on anatomy, the kaplan notes of anatomy are particularly bizarre (less bizarre than high yield), what I did is took notes from Dr. Seiden's videos... Wow his lectures are SO high yield! Almost 90% of my anatomy questions were from his videos.... Remember stick to your plan and follow your heart.... Best Regards..
___________________
original mazinger z
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
Didnt do nbme and I wish I had, the reason I didnt is because I ran out of money and couldnt afford it.. What I did is kaplan's full length in which I found harder than the real thing and got 75%..
___________________
original mazinger z
|
| USMLEGladiator
Forum Guru
Topics: 122
Posts: 412
|
mazinger,when u took exam?
which kaplan DVDs r best?howmuch time they take per subject?I've limited time to do these.
Good luck.
Edited by USMLEGladiator on 04/12/06 - 09:28 PM
___________________
scores are just up to how high we aim and of course the amount of effort and time we put into it
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
Well, best dvds out there... mmm lets see. Since you are short of time, I think you should better prioritize depending on yout weak areas... The ones I think you cannot miss at all are (in order of priority): Bochem by Lionel Raymond > in this section try to focus on three things Molecular biology, enzyme dynamics and everything related to glucose. 90% of my biochem questions were about these 3. Physiology TIME CONSUMING but all worth it! In my case I needed special help with graphics in which Dr Dunn explain them pretty well! Pay special attention to reproductive system in this area integrate histo, physio and pharm (dont watch pharm videos of reproductive). Pharm just watch those about general principles, autonomic, and cardio> specially antiarrythmics (integrate cardio physio and cardio pharm). Anatomy I was amazed of how Dr Seiden's lectures were so board relevant! 90% of my anatomy questions were from his lectures, beware he doesnt follow the book at all, just know what he says absolutely cold and youll be fine. Neuro depends on how you feel in this subject, Dr White is not as good as the other faculty. So this one is up to you, in my exam I had a few questions, but they were pretty simple and very straight forward. So try reading the book and if you understand it without watching the videos (which was not my case) proceed quickly, and yes kaplan is more than enough. Behavioral science, Dr Daugherty makes you feel confident, but I think he was too much! I really liked his lectures, but never made me answer a single question right. Watch the biostats and epidemyo, physician patient realtionship, ethics, DSM IV. Micro and Immuno I studied from MMRS and Levinson.. Levinson goes beyond step 1, MMRS is more than enough, watch Immuno videos if you have time.. Immuno was ok in my exam didnt go in too deep. In this subject you have to know the basics absolutely cold. Immuno is all about the basics my friends, dont bother with bizarre cytokines. I dont know, but I think people sometimes get so messed up learning bizarre details of many Immunologic processes that they never focus on whats most important > the BASICS! Remember USMLE tends to ask the basics (easy things) in akward ways... Hope this helps and wish you the best of luck!
___________________
original mazinger z
|
| USMLEGladiator
Forum Guru
Topics: 122
Posts: 412
|
thank u very much.good luck for great score.God bless u.
___________________
scores are just up to how high we aim and of course the amount of effort and time we put into it
|
| coolsuch
Forum Senior
Topics: 5
Posts: 104
|
Hi Mazinger,
Could you share your study plan with us.I am new to this forum and have just started my preparation.Your advice would really help.
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
