guest007
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 106
|
hi,
I was in the middle of writing my path of preparation when I had to go out to buy something for our home.....and therefore posting it late.did not mean to make you wait.Sorry for that.
Here we go my friend.....I started in mid dec of 2005.started with anatomy(kaplan)read it line to line....and took 10 days probably(read too many).neuro.....histo...gross...embyro ....everything from kaplan notes.MISTAKE was I did not solve questions simultaneously(lesson learnt-solve it everyday).then did physio.....again took 10 days.....every line from kaplan....and questions from kaplan notes itself.....they are tricky and stimulate your brain.
Then I took on biochem....line2line again from kaplan...........Now I had already invested 30 days approximately and I had also covered the subjects which we tend to forget as we never apply them on our patients.Then I ordered First aid.....BRS path,HY SERIES of neuro,gross,and molecular biology....I was able to judge from first reading tht kapaln biochem will be sufficient for genetics.....and kaplan will be also sufficient for physiology.Ofcourse that si only my judgement and I do not want to bias anybody else....but after giving the exams I feel it was a fair deciscion.
Anyway...now i did all anatomy questions including histo and embryo from board simulator.All means all....including explainations......may be I must have taken 3 days for doing so.
Then I heard goljan audio...and kept BRS patho in front of me on my study table.....Used the pause button very often to make use of spaces on BRS pages.......with the lectures i just skimmed thru BRS path......I mean I concentrated on reading only those stuff about which Dr. Goljan has spoken in his lectures.That made me feel that patho will be easy.
Must have taken 10 days again....or less....but I was working as part time those days.Anyway.... after I had finished the lectures....I started pharmac.....and used only...kaplan...again 10 days......but I observed that 10 days was too much for it and said to my self that I will take only 4 days during the next reading.....
next was micro ...in line here I changed my monotonous timetable.....and i did all questions from Board simulator series before studying kapaln....took 2 days,did all 300 questions with explainations. Then I took kaplan micro and read it like an expert as i knew where to stress.......But will let u know later that why i was wrong.
anyway.....I had left behavioural science for time being and thought of studying it only when i m done with all subjects which need memorisation....It must be mid feb or feb last....I don't remeber very well.
Now I applied for my exam....and fixed the schedule of may june july....and step 2 cs too for this year.Then I started second cycle of studies.....Taking up anatomy again.....read HY neuro and was shocked to know tht I had forgotten alot of things.....tht too important stuff like lateral medullary syndrome.....and so many other syndromes....they were all creating confusion in my mind.....so i told myself.....its okay if i take time again but i will make my notes for things i forget ......I used my diary for making these notes.Made my own.....way to remember the stuff.....u cant make mnemonic for everything.....but u can definately read the things LOUD when u dont understand it......U can stand with each syndrome u read and then try to picture urself having all the symptoms of tht disease....like ptosis(Horner's),dysphagia,dysarthria,hypoglossal involvement......THE BOOK WHICH HELPED ME TO DO THIS WAS HY NEURO(so i recommend this book).
I dont remember reading kaplan neuroanatomy again for neuro....though i used it as reference for some more important stuff like visual pathway.notice that FA is not in picture yet.Good Thing!I took 2 days or may be 3 for just reading neuro.....Left gross And did histo and embryo from kaplan ....Mistake was i did not get HY for histo tht time.So I had to invest lot of time on internet searching for histology sites.....Jaydoc was one...fanatastic...but does not cotain ELECTROMICROGRAPHIC PICTURES WHICH Is HIGH YIELD.......went to a site using this forum...to a link which showed me EM pictures.....Atleast i tried to make something out of it.It's some unversity site and link should be still available in histology section of this forum.
Anyway...now took Gross and went thru it real fast.....may be 1 day using HY or 2 days at most.....Just that....second revision took 6 days...approximately.....this must be end of feb....took physio book....thoght i will finish it in 5 days ...but took 8 days again....i was surprised why i was taking so many days even for revision.....but continued with a cool mind.Did not let it bother me.
Did Board simulator series questions with explainations too and tht might have added to delay in finishing physio.....but it was for good....I came to know tht the volume loop is easy and high yield topic for exam.....and mucle contraction....and all concepts became clear....with this reading.
That was march begining.....i mean may be march 10 th...I took biochem and fortunately....finished biochem in 5 days without genetics......Took HY molecular bio READ IT THOROUGHLY.and then did genetics...from kapaln biochem...and simultaneously in kaplan micro....and BRS Path......gave me an asterisk in score report(so highly recommended way).
took 1 day for HY molecular biology....u can do it too.....PLZ TRY HARD.biochem genetics also 1 day....supplemented with BRS path.....kaplan micro....Guess what i was covering 3 subjects at a time.Good Thing!
Now took BRS patho...no audio lectures.....important Points of Dr Goljan were already on the pages....so had No problem in going thru....BRS path......but took 8 days......I never did any special patho questions from anywhere except Qbank and questions at the end of BRS path.
Anyway.... it must be march 25 th or so....took pharmac kaplan and finished it in 6 days...with Questions only from kaplan notes.
april begining .....finished kapaln micro in 5 days ...now used FA for first time along with micro even though it was only second reading.......saw FA first and then kapaln micro simultaneously ....added my points on pagaes of FA....it was hard spoiling a brand new book but I kept it very clean as i love all new books.....covered it nicely....and fell in love with FA at first sight.....I m not joking thats a lovely book.(highly recommended for using simultaneously with kaplan in second or third reading....preferrably 3 rd reading).finished Micro in FA and kaplan in 6 days.
Fixed exam now....selected june 11 th becoz it was a sunday(bad choice....it was noisy with other people using the key pad for other exams at the same time.....it was disturbing).
April 1st week gone....Behaviourial science left....FA left except micro....And 2 months left for exam too.ALL qbank was pending except 10 blocks which i managed to do here and there on some days hapazardly......I had a tough time to figure out what to do.....but Told myself tht there was no point in reading again and again...but i should solve questions.....
wrote all block no.on a page....stuck it on wall.....striked it after finishing each block.....may be i did 5 blocks a day with explainations and refering kaplan and HY ...it took time but it was worth it i believe.
TOOK 5-6 days to finish all blocks and found myself doing 35 answers right consistently with most mistakes on biochem and neuro anatomy,molecular biology.
It must be april 12 th or 13 th...exact 2 months were left for my exam...Now i took FA ....and started with pharmac.....subject which needed latest info on drugs but i was using 2003 notes...I Decided to use internet for all new drugs and also this forum for best use......finished each part in FA and revised in kaplan.....even with this kind of double revision in a single day ..i finished pharmac in 5 days......took behavioral sciences...HY...finished in 2 days...solved all questions on this forum...on and off....then took kaplan book and did BEH science again in 2 days.Done....
April 22 nd or so...took Micro...again....remember i had just done it a few days ago......AND I WANTED TO HAMMER IT INSIDE MY BRAIN....moreover i wanted biochem and neuro to be revised near my exam date.So i took only 3-4 days to do micro.FA used for 2nd time for micro.
approx.April 26th and end.....i did Gross anatomy....and did physio for third time using FA first....part studied in FA was revised in kaplan on the same day...and simultaneously more often.TOOK 8 days ..surprised?yes i took 8 days again....
may begining around 4th.....I started pathology...took 8-9 days ....same using FA first...and then BRS.....3 rd revision in kapaln.. first in FA.may 12 th or so.....started neuro....FA and self made notes plus high yield...no kaplan.....was afraid to see kaplan....had forgotten everything of kaplan...but remembered much from HY.......saw all the pictures of brain......all sections.....and angio.....IT WILL BE THERE ON EXAM....READ IT....KEEP THE PICTURE IN UR HEAD....INFACT PICTURISE UR OWN BRAIN AND WHAT IS PRESENT WHERE IN OUR OWN BODY...that will help u....(atleast helped me in getting all anatomy question right on exam).
Took 4 day for neuro and and notes and FA.....did gross from FA again left histo for last days ....web path for last days....
May 17 th or so...BEH sciences 2 -3days...did everything including ethics on internet and solving all forum questions once again.
may 20th....took biochem....FA first....chapter by chapter with kaplan.....helped me in remembering important stuff.
MAY 25TH.....had done everything except seeing webpath....and histology revision on internet.Left web path....saw all photos in robins pathology.....with quick revision of important diseases...FA pathology slides.....and then FA notes itelf.....was confident tht patho is doable at any cost.
2-3 days for complete revision of patho......with revision of q bank questions which i had got wrong when i did them 4 the first time..... plus used subject wise kaplan q bank.
last 15 days the stress was on finishing FA properly.....kept biochem for last 2days......pharmac...for 3 days befor exam......and like wise counted backwards....neuro for 5 days before exam.....
experience was anatomy and pathology take alot of time for revision even 4 4th time......micro and beh sci takes least.Anyway used to study 12-14 hours in last 15 days.....8-10 hours before that on avearge and initialy 6-7 hours when i started studies.........
I hope it is of some help to u sam27 ,pallav and for anybody who is taking step1....Good LUCK EVERYBODY!
forgive me for some mistakes ...have no time to check for spelling mistakes....
luv u all!
Edited by guest007 on 07/25/06 - 05:19 PM
|
| sam27
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 118
|
thank u so much guest007 for a wonderful study plan.i think reading the kaplan topics andfirst aid simultaneously helped u to remember everything thats a very good way to understand the stuff . again thanks
god bless
sam27
|
| zenith
|
wow!!! thanks for such an extremely detailed review. that was really really helpful. by the way, congrats on getting a fabulous score!! good luck for residency - hope u get into the field of your choice.
just wondering - r u a recent graduate? i mean, finishing your first reading in 2 mths - you must have had strong basic concepts b4 u started!!! u said u're done with all your steps, so i guess u took step-II b4 step I - do u think having read Int Med helped with Pathology and other subjects too?
|
| tyler
Forum Senior
Topics: 7
Posts: 62
|
Congratulation. It's great news!!!!
|
| doc.jay
Forum Senior
Topics: 18
Posts: 81
|
guest07
congrats on an amazing score and thanks for the details on your prep !
could you please give us an idea of the actual exam.... how did you pace yourself? break schedule ? did you feel that you were actually doing this well in the exam itself 
any details would be appreciated!
thanks,
dj
|
| eaguin
Forum Senior
Topics: 9
Posts: 162
|
Congrats...
|
| smarty
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 274
|
congrats  ..hope life has a lot more success in store for you... insha allah.!!! u completed the prep in 5 mnths....hope i can do the same...because i plan to write the exam in dec'06. hope all goes welll......for you and all of us in the forum!!!
___________________
"This one step of choosing a goal & sticking to it ,changes everything & Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."
|
| guest007
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 106
|
Hi everybody,
smarty.....u can do it offcourse.just use each second u have got before exam in a wise manner.GL!
Keepgoing.....what else shud i say....ur name is an inspiration in itself.And u seem to be self motivated.GL.I pray for u all.And Thank u so much for ur wishes.I need them for my residency.
eaguin..thanks.
Doc.jay.....talking abt how i paced myself during real exam?On the day before my exam,I took a plane paper.And wrote following stuff on it with a permanent marker.......
1.I will read every question carefully before answering.period.
2.I will go through every option even if i think that i know the answer perfectly.
3.I will apply my brain in every question even if i think that its a direct question.
4.I will give only 1 minute to each question....If I dont know the answer...I will pick the most common thing I have heard.THIS WAS THE THING I COULD NOT DO DURING REAL EXAM.
5. I will try to get all 350 as right answers.WILL GET.WILL GET.WILL GET.WILL BE FIRST TO BREAK THE RECORD.......could not do this too.But i am still smiling on my defeat.
6.I will revise my answers very quickly.
ANYWAY,I read this paper just before going to examination center and prayed to God.Read First aid till 2 hours before exam.ONLY biochem part.nothing else.
I was able to finish the blocks in 55 minutes each.And revised questions for next five minutes.changed answers for all the guessed answer to right answers.
I took atleast 4-5 minutes break after every block.washed my face ...two times after 4 th and 6 th block resp.Had apple as lunch(did not feel sleepy..kept myself little hungry and killed the hunger by choclates and fruit juice(prevented hypoglycemia).
GL for ur exams doc.jay
Zenith...I am not a very very recent graduate...but not tht old too.Yes reading internal medicne for step 2 did help me....for grasping pathology properly but I will advice everybody tht step1 should be taken before step2.Never think otherwise.Even if u know medicine properly ot not...pathology should always take less than 10 days.period.GL my friend.U can do pathology easily.That should be ur scoring point in exam.
All the best to u all once again.I am busy with scut work.Guess what?U all will have to do it soon.
warm regards
guest007
|
| zenith
|
thank u guest007 for answering my questions - good luck with your residency process.
|
| smarty
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 274
|
hi guest 007 thankyou so much for your response! wish you all the success for your residency program!!.best of luck!!
___________________
"This one step of choosing a goal & sticking to it ,changes everything & Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."
|
| sigmadx
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 13
|
congrats on your awesome score and thanks for sharing your insights.
Best wishes on your next steps!
|
| dowjunk
Forum Elite
Topics: 14
Posts: 446
|
gr8...thx.....we hope and pray that you'll get the residency post u r lookin 4.....GL
___________________
Grad of 2007. Work in progress.......
|
| guest007
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 106
|
thank u dowjunk,smarty,sigmadx!
yeah keep going....offcourse u can ask me questions in future.even though I may be busy but i will try to reply to them.keep smiling and keep going!
GL everybody.
|
| Dragonfly
Forum Elite
Topics: 27
Posts: 338
|
guest007, Big Congrad.s and thanks for sharing.
may i ask your STEP 2 score? and how long did you study for it?
thanks alot.
Good luck for your CS result.
___________________
|
| guest007
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 106
|
Hi Dragon,Thanks for ur good wishes.I am eagerly waiting for cs results.
Anyway,coming on to my step2 ck result.It was low.unfortunately I never knew about this forum when I was preparing for step2.My score was 215/87 .I had taken the examin Nov 2005 afetr a 2 month preparation.
So I am not the best guy to speak on step2ck.but if it is of any help,u can ask me further questions and i will be happy to reply.
once again GL to everybody...everything is achievable with hard work.keep studying and please keep smiling.
|
| Dragonfly
Forum Elite
Topics: 27
Posts: 338
|
thanks for sharing. it is a very good score. i know compared to your dazzeling step 1 score it sounds low, but i congrad. u on that too.
i will bother you with more Q.s later if you don`t mind
Good luck for CS.
___________________
|
| cd
Forum Elite
Topics: 21
Posts: 92
|
congratulations guest,
I wish u a good luck for ur match, u seem to be a niece guy, may god bless you.
iam planning to to take step 1 in oct, i still have pharmo and bio to do, all other sub i have done only in kap, just 1st reading, now iam doing FA, can i get perfect by oct.
|
| guest007
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 106
|
Hi Cd,
I guess u have asked me,will u be able to get perfect for taking step1 in oct?If that is the question,then its tough one to answer as I do not know how fast u r in grasping concepts.If I were u,I would think abt my long term startegy like when u r planing to sit in match?If u r entering 2007 match then u can take the risk?but if its for 2008 match then i will wait till i become confident and perfect.
One important thing.Its my time frame that 6 month is more than enough for step1 and any thing further is real liberty.But if i had time I would prefer liberty.
So seat with a cool mind on ur study table.think about ur confidence level in other subjects u have already done.do question bank.check ur score.and then decide.If u r satisfied then u have three more months,if u take exam in oct.end.So plan ur moves.
thanks zenith! thanks for some good words abt my step2 score.
warm regards
|
| cd
Forum Elite
Topics: 21
Posts: 92
|
thank u guest oo7,
sorry for delay in replying, well! iam planning to match for 2008, as i can noway make it 2007 match, i will take ur suggestion.
i have another question, by when should i finish all other steps for 2008 match, i appreciate ur help.
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Similar forum topics