toxic _doc
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Hi there. I got a job as a surgical technologist by pure luck I guess. I found the opening here in an ad on the sunday paper and sa awa ng Diyos, been working well with my co-workers for 2 years now. I am yet to take both tests yet because too many things are going on on my side now. I need to relocate anytime soon to California and I have an upcoming trip to Manila this November. (renewal ng PRC license and to follow up on my transcripts). I used all kaplan qbooks for both 1 and 2. I recently purchased on ebay the kaplan video lectures. Got so disappointingly disheartened when I flunked step 2 because it felt like a breeze when I took it. Denial pa siguro ako especially for someone like me who was fresh just out of residency.
Anyway, thanks for a forum like this.
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| tg250
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thanks for the encouragement pnoy doc, am planning fo a pathology residency or internal med. will take step 1 last week of december. step 2 is exhaustive. some of the questions are real easy and some are darn difficult. really cant tell. will know 4 weeks from now. do you have to pay for observership? or do they give you allowance? thanks for the reply toxic doc . keep me updated.
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| cvgmdbe
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toxic doc,
don't be discouraged me i failed step 1 twice but i will try again to pass it.
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| balutpwr
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Greetings fellow pinoys...I have some questions for you MD's. I'm UERM graduate and have passed step 1 and ste p 2 CK and will taking CS part this january 07. Do you think I can still make it to the match next year? or scramble?
What about certain documents...MSPE...how important is this? Letter of recommedation...does it have to be US doctors? I am already here in US..work as instructor.
Maraming Salamat Po...Mabuhay po kayo
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| hecmd23
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pnoydoc, still no interviews.... might as well hope sa scramble na lang. sorry i'm not able to check here often coz i'm busy with observership, 5 days a week na kasi ako in 2 clinics eh.... good luck everyone, keep the dream alive!
___________________
"I'm still the best there is at what i do best" -James Howlett
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| Pnoydoc
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hello guys! im so glad that we are growing here. tg250, keep the faith alive. kayang kaya mo yan. i think the observership dont give any allowance. balutpwr, MSPE is very much important in your application as attested by some doctors here. about the letter of recommendation, if its from US doctors, the better.
hecmd23, you can still do it dude. its still early. keep praying.
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| tg250
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what is MSPE?
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| Pnoydoc
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Medical Student's Personal Evaluation (MSPE). its like a dean's letter of recommendation in an elaborate form.
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| scalpeldocph
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Hi kababayan docs. Glad to know there are pinoys out there sharing their experiences in the struggle for residency here in the US. Like you HecMD23, I am applying also for Surgery 2007 (submitted applications Oct. 26). It raised eyebrows , I know . . .but hey, we all want to dream big and live doing what we love  . Now the waiting period begins.
For you guys about to take the USMLE, do evrything in our capacity to get high scores (90+ if possible ) . It is a mistake I made which cant be undone. Consistently in most forums ive read, it is the only objective measurement available to program directors to compare IMG with US graduates; so they rely heavily on scores to weed out IMGs.Study, study study study and Good luck to all of you.
HecMD, did you check both categorical and preliminary surgery positions in program selection part of ERAS?
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| scalpeldocph
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to tg250,: you might want to check the ERAS website http://www.aamc.org/students/eras/
click " resources to download" and there you will find detailed guidelines about MSPE ( very different from our idea of a Deans Letter as it was formerly known)
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| tg250
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thanks scalpel doc, post any of your experiences thru out the process to guide us and future pinoy docs who plans to do their residency here. it will be a big help. good luck on your interviews!
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| scalpeldocph
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will do tg250. Tnx. I need all the luck and prayers. So far no interview yet, just 2 rejections 
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| scalpeldocph
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to balutpwr:
My opinion is prepare instead for the 2008 match season for the ff reasons:
1. If you complete you CS by Jan 2007, the earliest you will get your ECFMG certificate is Feb. and by that time most programs have stopped accepting applications.
2. Aside from that, other candidates laready had their interwiews. No interviews. . . no match (your chance would only be the scramble which is a gamble).
3. ERAS and NRMP late registrations are Dec 1 and Feb 21 respectively.
I took my CS Dec 2005, thinking I could still make it to the match through late NRMP registration but later realized that dapat pala na submit na papers, na interview na etc para may kabuluhan pag pa register With no one to really guide me, I learned things about the USMLE and match through seelf discovery, trial an error, fora.
I'm sure you will do good in the CS. Its easier thatn you think.
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| scalpeldocph
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happy_doc, Its November na. Good luck sa USMLE mo. just Keep focused.
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| dude pare
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hi there Ü nice to hear from kababayans. ive been a member of this group for several months now, but this is the first time ill post a message Ü im from up, batch 2005. done with step 1, step 2 ck and cs (i took cs just last fri, nov 3, here in LA. i got here a week before my exam date). im applying for an IM programs, and so far, with 1 invitation and 5 rejections. i applied late (oct 7-14) because i had some problems getting a visa. to those whose about to take step 1 or the ck, i suggest you study hard. bawasan muna moonlighting ;p that was my mistake. my step 1 is pretty ok, but my step 2 is low (added to the fact that i applied late to the programs). anyways, good luck to us all. umm, if there's anything i can do to help (even with my limited experience), dont hesitate to ask me. God bless.
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| scalpeldocph
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Dude Pare, Congrats. Having an invitation for interview means something. Hoping youll get more interviews pa.
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| Pnoydoc
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Im so glad at dumadami na tayo dito. Welcome dude pare and scalpeldocph. Goodluck on your matching. i do hope and pray that all of you will get enough interviews. you are correct scalpeldocph with your advice to get high scores on both step1 and 2CK. dude pare just keep on praying and programs will email you for interviews. hecmd23 musta kana? any interviews yet?
To all the kababayans who will be taking step 1, aside from kaplan lecture notes and first aid, try taking the Kaplan Qbank. super patok! i mean, its not the exact exam that will be appearing on your real step 1 but the way questions are made in kaplan are similar to the original. you will be familiarized. on the exam just skip the tutorial and go ahead with the exam. and the time alloted for your break will be longer.
dude pare can you tell us your experience on Step2CS? i will start my review on it na kasi. thanks.
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| scalpeldocph
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Hi Pnoydoc. Though you were asking dude pare of his CS experience, let me contribute mine too
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| scalpeldocph
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took my CS in Houston last Dec. 2005. Reviewed irregularly for two weeks. I guess passing step 2 CK a month earlier helped boost my confidence .
Review / preparation
CS forum on this website helps . Reviewd with USMLE World. It contains most
of the necessary review materials and advice. I suplemented it with Kaplan USMLE
CS book. These sufficed for me.
Practice with a friend ( preferably somebody in medical field) who will choose a
problem from the book or USMLEworld and simulate it. Do it in timed setting, from
reading tha patient data on the door, knockin, introducing, interview , washing
hands etc. Well, its practically what we do everyday so it wont be the problem BUT I
feel pressure in timimg the whole process since I'm used to taking a meticulous
Hx & PE ( which takes time )
Testing Center
The center is organized. The staff are personable. The patients are friendly,
good actors and were mixed race (whites, african americans, hispanics)
The food is OK ( you wont be in a mood to enjoy what you are eating anyway).
There are a lot of hotels nearby / within walking distance.
Exam experience/ advice
All examinees were in the center before it opened. The orientation started on time.
The first case was the tense part since a lot of things were in my mind. Thereafter
I saw the pattern.
In any CS forum or reviews , these advices are always mentioned so I repeat it:
Copy pertinent patient data on the door for each case.
Dont forget to knock, introduce yourself, remember your patient's name ( that's
why you copy it before entering),make him comforatble e.g draping him/her, wash
hands before PE.
The washing of hands (dont turn your back totally on patient )is a good
opportunity also to ask things you missed in the interview or just break the ice.
Even the PE proper could give you that chance too e.g surgical scar.
Assist the patient when you let him lie down after doing PE etc.
Perform a focused PE but dont miss auscultation of chest and heart.
Take heed of the remaining time warning, I think it was 5 mins before the end of
session. I was still in PE with steth on my ears on one case when that warning
came so I did not hear it. I was so surprised when the alarm to end session came
and all I could do was thank patient.
ALways ask if patient has anything to add which might be pertinent to the case at
end of interview or before ending session ( you will realized that some of them
were probably prompted to withhold some info unless asked to volunteer such
detail. At end of session, Counsel, Try to summarize findings , give probable
diagnosis and plans.
Thank patient.
They were very strict about the timing. Two examinees in our batch got warnings for
coming out and stopping writing patient notes about 10-15 secs late . A third
warning could mean irregularity marked on your exam.
The patient notes were either encoded on the computer or written on paper
(computer and paper were provided/ available). I chose to write and did a narrative
type of history which I am used to, instead of the other option of summary type.
The day went like a breeze and it was done.
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| balutpwr
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Posts: 8
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Hey guys...Do I have to make a separate Personal statement for the programs that I'm applying tto...that is separate personal statement for IM and Family med...hindi ko alam kung saan ako mabigyan ng interview.Thanks
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