codynroh
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 2
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I passed at 201/85.Not a bad score for someone out of school for 20+yrs.Guess hard work did pay off.For the past 6 months.I did nothing except studying.I woke up at around 7:30am.Study until 9:50am before leaving for Kaplan.I usually left Kaplan at around 3-4pm.Took a small nap while waiting for dinner.Or I might play tennis for an hour before dinner.Took a 5 min break after dinner and study again till 7:30pm when i left for my daily 1km swim in my local club.I returned home around 9:15 pm.Study again and watch the 10am news while reviewing the day's material.Bed time is usually around 12am.This is my daily activity from Oct 1 2005 till the end of February 2006.I left for my country in 2 occasions during this period of time.Once in Nov and another in February .Even on the plane I study and my neighbours would starred at me in disbelive.
From March 2006,I started attacking the online Kaplan Q banks,about 2000+ of them.Acutally,i started doing all the Q book questions since finishing 1/3 of the video materials,near the end of Dec 2005.Everyday ,I would divide my study time into various sections.Including kaplan video session/sessions on today's material/review of past material/questions.The study really kept me busy for the past few months.
I finished all the Kaplan step 1 video materials in 4 month's time.Study on my own for 1 month and took the exam after a total study time for 5 months.
Frankly,Kaplan sucks.I won't recommend Kaplan step 1 video course and step 2 CS course to anyone who intend to take the exams and whose aim for a passing score only.For the Step 1,they spent too much time going into details which are of no relevance to the exam.I realized that about 1/3 through the video material when I started doing all my q bank materials.I immediately switched my study plan and focused on the main objectives.That is,concepts and clinical applications.That is my advise on anyone taking the step 1 exam.Esp. for biochem.Don't bother memorizing the pathways.Just remember anything that is of clinical relevance.Emphasis on Path,Pharma,microbiology,anatomy,physiology... in that order.Actually .I did not waste much time when I enounter some of the statistic questions during the actual exam.I took one likely answer and go on with the exam.Again,I must remind you that my only purpose is to pass the exam and not to get high percentile score.
As for the step 2 CS Kaplan course.It's a total waste of time.Don't even think about taking it.The only thing worthwhile is the real SP encounter.The rest of the study material provided by Kaplan is real junk.Don't even think about taking it.A total waste of money.Go for the one day course if you insisted.
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| dr_neonatology
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 66
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Congrat for your nice score regarding the graduation years and also the short peroid of preparation.
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| mavis
Forum Senior
Topics: 0
Posts: 84
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Hi
Congrats on being done and passing. If you found that kaplan was a waste of time, what do u suggest??? Right now i am doing q-bank and First Aid, with a lot of kaplan written in my First Aid, Also what were ur scores like for NBME and q-bank and q-book?? Thanks a lot, all the best.
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| codynroh
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 2
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The Kaplan notes and Q banks are good.I took the Kaplan assessment test and I got around 70+.Couldn't quite remember.I did not take the NBME,coz I am running out of time.I used the book "USMLE step 1 secrets" as my review book about 2 weeks before the exam.I think it's a really good review book.Build a solid foundation on clinical related issues regarding basic science.As the Kaplan videos,as I mentioned previously.Too much detail.I would suggest doing as much Q banks as early as possible.That way,you will be able to catch the focus on the exam.Also,run the CD that came along with the USMLE.The questions on the actual exam are pretty much the same.Some questions on the CD actually showed up on my exam,but in different format.
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