liwei
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 72
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Hi, guys. Thanks for sharing experiences. Here is my experience.
I am a foreign examinee and was graduated 10 years ago, so, step1 sounds like mission impossible to me at first. Although I don't work, I still need to take care of my son. I spent 4-6 hours each day on studying. I read the books recommended by FIRST AID and Kaplan notes once, then I bought 3 months Qbank. When I finished the Qbank after one month, I only got 58-74%, average 67%. I was so frustrated since everybody here got higher score in Qbank. I just took the tests again and again, reviewed the explanation and related topics in textbooks carefully. I wrote down almost every important fact tested on the blank spaces in FIRST AID BOOK. Finally I could get most questions right in Qbank and there was no blank space in my FIRST AID BOOK. Some questions were too difficult for me, so I just quit. I got 580 on NBME1 1 month before the real test and 610 on NBME2 2 weeks before the test. I wished I could get higher score, but I just couldn't focus on studying in the last month.
Thank God, I got my score on Saturday. It was 241/97. I still can't believe it.
So, Qbank score is a poor indicator of real score. However, Qbank is still a great studying tool if you use it wisely.
NBME gave me the correct score.
Good luck, everyone!
Edited by liwei on 07/18/06 - 04:45 AM
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| drpkaur
Forum Guru
Topics: 196
Posts: 810
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congrats and good luck for ur next steps...
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| ing
Forum Guru
Topics: 45
Posts: 435
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Great score! Congratulations!
___________________
Never give up!!
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| tolito
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 119
Posts: 2,174
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congratulations.
___________________
It has been a looooong hard journey but I am inches away from my destination...
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| Nan
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 159
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Congratulations. How long did it take for your prep? I am a very old IMG. Your experience has inspired and motivated me. Thanks for sharing.
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| liwei
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 72
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Hi Nan
It took me about 9 months. I think I could get the same score if I took the exam 1 month earlier. It could be shorter if you can focus on it well. It is difficult for me to read books for more than 4 hours each day and I didn't study on weekends.
Good luck.
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| epica
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congratul!!!!
Please tell if u took NBME TIMED MODE or not?
Did u take another Q banks too?
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| robin082006
Forum Hero
Topics: 471
Posts: 5,123
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COngrats, good luck
___________________
The Key to Succeed is Patience.
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| Nan
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 159
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Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I am frustrated that I haven't finished my first reading since I started 5 months ago. Maybe it is time for me to revise my study plan and put more time on doing questions. Your experience is very valuable for me. Thank again and good lucck with your further prep. 
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| Nan
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 159
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You have given me the confidence of meeting my deadline in December. Thank you soooo much!!!!!!!!!!
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| missedtackle
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
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"I was so frustrated since everybody here got higher score."
Which is why the first rule of this forum should be... do NOT look at that exam score thread before you've taken it yourself!!!
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| missedtackle
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
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Let me clarify: it really does NOT matter what your average is. How you do on QBank at the beginning of your studies is completely irrelevant. What DOES matter is how you are doing near the END of your studies! Unfortunately, that is not something that people post on that thread.
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| liwei
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 72
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Hi, Epica
I took the NBME untimed mode, but I finished each block in 60 minutes. I just used the remained time to find the correct answers. Unfortunatly, I could not find all the answers. I only took and only knew one Qbank.
Edited by liwei on 07/18/06 - 04:43 AM
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| Nan
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 159
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"I wrote down almost every important fact tested on the blank spaces in FIRST AID BOOK. Finally I could get most questions right in Qbank and there was no blank space in my FIRST AID BOOK."
How many times do you read your first aid book? Did it take you 3 months to get through Qbank? Thanks
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| missedtackle
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 21
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I probably ended up reading First Aid 2.5-3 times total over 5 weeks. I also finished Qbank in 5 weeks (the second half the questions in the last week).
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| sam27
Forum Senior
Topics: 3
Posts: 118
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Hi liwei hearty congratulation for a very good score. so u just read one time kaplan 7 books 500 pages each and scored 67% in kaplan Q bank wow thats really good retaining power. how did u retain everything in kaplan with just one read. thats amazing
2) Do u think that if read all the high yield topics of first aid form kaplan notes that is enough to score a 90+ in usmle
pls reply to me
thanks
god bless
sam27
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| liwei
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 72
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I read First Aid several times. For the parts which I thought were important, I read more than 3 times. But I also skipped some parts which I thought I already knew well, that was my mistake. I met some question about vitamin's roll in biochemistry reaction, the reagulations of the reaction from citrate to isocitrate. I should get it right, but I didn't. I even got a question about which type Ca++ channel(T type or L type) was used in the muscle contraction. I reviewed it the day before the test, but I picked the wrong one. So it is important find a good way to remember this kind of things. Example: Kawasaki disease~~Kids, so the other one Takayasu~~young asia female
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| liwei
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 72
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Hi, Sam27. I didn't read 7 books. I only read the Kaplan notes 1,2,3 (totally more than 2000 pages) which I bought from a student. I think your kaplan notes have more contents. I didn't try to remember everything when I read it, but I reviewed it when I were not sure about my answer at the time I did the Qbank and wrote it on the First Aid Book. The questions will help you to remember. don't try to remember the Qbank questions, just rember the facts which they want to test. It is not enough to read just the First Aid, you should know DEEPER! I think people who get 99 ever know WIDER.
So, write sth on your first aid. Before the test, you will not have time to read the kaplan notes and you even can't find the parts that you want to review, but you can read the self-made first aid again.
That is my experience, hope it can help.
Edited by liwei on 07/18/06 - 07:46 AM
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| Nan
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 159
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Thank you Missedtackle and Liwei. Your help is greatly appreciated! Good luck with your further prep
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| DanVitor
Forum Newbie
Topics: 5
Posts: 37
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Congratulations for your Step1.
I have a simple question: Have u used Step 1 Integrated Vignettes Qbank with 1250q or 'standard' QBank with 2150q?
Thanks in advance!
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