young_doc
Forum Guru
Topics: 55
Posts: 732
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FINALLY!! I've been waiting for my chance to write on this "exam experiences" forum FOREVER!
I don't even know where to begin! I'm overwhelmed with feelings right now..tired, relieved, hungry, nervous...
Ok so where to i start? Well i always enjoyed reading about other people's full experiences, so i'll give my own account of the day in as much detail as i can.
First things first, i had a great night sleep, thanks mainly to the short-acting sedatives i took last night. I strongly recommend it. Go ask your doc for some. It would have made such a big difference had i not taken them....I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP LAST NIGHT!!!
I had already been to my test-center, so that also i suggest to you all. I think most of the nervousness people experience is the fear of the unknown. Not knowing how to get there, not knowing how long it will take to get there, not knowing what the procedures are like once you get there, not knowing what the computers are like, not knowing how the lighting will be or how hot/cold the room will be etc etc etc.
In fact i had taken the questions from the USMLE CD at the promtric center. You have that option if you simply go to usmle.org. You pay $40, and sign up for a day at the test-center. The questions are just like the ones on the CD, so you're not getting any new questions, but you get to go through the same procedures as you will the day of the real test, and you get to use the same computers as you use for the real test.
So that for me was what made me comfortable. And i was not at all nervous this morning.
So you type in this code on the computer, and let the games begin....
The test:
Contray to what many people are saying on this forum and elsewhere, my test was mainly memorizing stuff and pure recall. I think the reason why many say that it's all concepts, is because maybe the have a hard time dissecting the question stem, and figuring out what the question is really asking. But when it comes down to it, all the test is really asking, is the mechanism of action of this drug, or the toxin of this bug, or the neoplasm associated with this disease, or the physical exam findings of this disease...etc.
About 50-75% of my questions were 3-4 lines. About 10% were ONE-liners (which i was REALLY shocked to see!). Litterally, one-liners!!!! I didn't think those existed on the USMLE based on what everyone else is saying!!! But i kid you not, they were there!
I had maybe a total of 10-20 questions that were longer than 5 lines. So the stems on my test were not that long. Myabe i just got lucky!
All topics/subjects were well covered on my test. If i HAD to recall which were most covered, i would have to say Pharm & Pathophys. Micro was by far the LEAST.
Certein topics seems to just keep coming back again and again! I must have had about 10 questions on an adult male with back pain radiating downwards....and 5-10 questions about a young female on contraceptives with GYNE problems...
A lot of nit-picky stuff were asked. BUT...it was all in First Aid, so i can't complain.
Some questions seemed like there just wasn't an answer...which i expected, again based on what everyone else is saying.
Some questions seemed like THERE WERE TWO ANSWERS?????? But what can you do...just take your best guess, and move on. (but i swear some of them really had 2 answers!)
Half of the blocks i finished with 10-20 mins to spare. But the other half of the blocks, i had about 15 questions left with only 8-10 mins to go!!!...........that's because i get very cought up on questions that i can't answer. I just feel like the more i read, and re-read, and re-read, and re-read....then maybe something will come to me!! hahahah Not a good technique. I honeslty feel like some of the questions are there just to waste your time...so that you become more nervous as you see the time-ticking...
In style and content, my test was VERY similary to the sample NBME's that you purchase. Same format, same style of question. (NO REPEATS) Same mix of easy straight forward q's, to hard, concealed, tricky, questions. So it's easy to see why the NBME's are such good indicators... Speaking of which:
NBME form 1 (4 months ago): 192
NBME form 2 (1 month ago): 224
NBME form 3 (2 weeks ago): 228
Qbank (76% completed): 71% (averaging in high 70's near the end though)
I DID NOT take Kaplan, nor did i read their books, nor did i watch their videos. I don't know why i always had a grudge against Kaplan. A lot of it has to do with $$$$$$.
I finished my basic sciences in Med School in May, so most of the material is VERY fresh for me. During summer, i watched the PASS videos, listend to Goljan audio, and started Qbank.
I started reading First Aid since i first entered Med School, so i've read that think maybe a TOTAL of 5-6 times in the past 2 years. (read it twice this summer alone)
I tutored EVERY subject during all of med school, so a lot of my reviewing came from there.
ALL the questions that i got wrong, where topics that no matter how much i studied, i would not have gotten them right. Which makes me feel good, because i was seriously considering setting my date back. But now i'm glad i didn't.
I don't know what else to say! I HOPE I DO O.K.!!!!
WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. All that matters is that it's done.
Honestly, i don't necessarily think that i did well. I'm just like everyone else...as in i did come out thinking that there was a lot i didnt know. But i'm not gonna sit here and tell you all that i came out thinking i failed? What kind of attitude is that???????????????????????????????
What's done is done. I can't change what happened, and i can't change my answers! So why not just be happy with it! It's all in the hands of god now.
So hopefully i won't read another post from someone that just took it, and they think they failed. ALWAYS BE POSITIVE! WHATS DONE IS DONE. JUST BE HAPPY! I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER MYSELF. I just hope i pass =)
WHOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Thanks for all the help and support everyone! YOU WILL ALL DO GREAT!!!! Now we wait for my score..... !!!!
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First Aid is my Bible...
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| suv
Forum Elite
Topics: 43
Posts: 233
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wow young _doc ur exam experience appears much similar to mine!!!!
congrtas for having done with the exam
lets pray for our scores
all the best!!!!!!!!!
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Time is God!
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| drsnm
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 28
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Hey Doc i took it too today!
it was exactly similar to mine!
I have no idea what I have done ,but am compeletly agree with you! it's done ,just wants to be relax for 3 weekd and enjoy my life!
wish you all best for result
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you help me,I help you ,we will win
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| alexaE
Forum Elite
Topics: 23
Posts: 334
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we wait to hear of a 99
great job young_doc
i want to congratulate you from now
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veni vidi...vincam
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| Nan
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 159
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Good luck!!!
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| h.c
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 11
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good luck young_doc... all the very best!!!
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| goodyear
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 409
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Congrats. So do u think u did not get the Immuno/Genetics/ Biochem set of q's?
I read before that there was a set like that. Or you got most of Patho? How abt. Physio.
Good luck..
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| klimt
Forum Guru
Topics: 27
Posts: 605
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Thank you for sharing your experience. Hope you'll get your dream score!
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Traveler, there are no roads. Roads are made by walking.
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| khorshid
Forum Guru
Topics: 32
Posts: 591
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good luck, let's wait for our scores:-)
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| vanshita
Forum Guru
Topics: 25
Posts: 840
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GOOD LUCK for ypur score
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| unique1
InGodITrust
Topics: 19
Posts: 1,405
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Good Luck 
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I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
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| focusmle
Forum Guru
Topics: 0
Posts: 284
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BESTTTT OF LUCK with your score young_doc, i think you did great
Which center did you choose, Toronto? Hamilton? or.........
TC & HAVE FUN!!
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| vallia
Forum Guru
Topics: 98
Posts: 889
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Thanks for sharing your expericence. I think you did great, we'll wait for a great score. Good job!
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fight possessed
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| young_doc
Forum Guru
Topics: 55
Posts: 732
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Hey everyone! Thanks for support =)
Goodyear, for each of immuno, genetics and biochem, probably 5-10 q's for each of those topics.
Physio there was tons of ....but mixed in with Patho. So not enough to simply know the normal physio..gotta be able to apply it to the path!
focusmle, i took it in Toronto! (yonge & york mills!) It's a decent center. Has a foodcourt and a 2nd cup on the same floor as the test-center (just in case), and the computer-test rooms were fairly smalle, which i liked!
Again thanks everyone. Best of luck to you all as well =)
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First Aid is my Bible...
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| drpkaur
Forum Guru
Topics: 195
Posts: 808
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well done young_doc...thanks for sharing your views...you'll surely get 99.............may god bless u and all of us who are are going to take their exams in future....good luck...
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| mytime
Kick my butt!
Topics: 39
Posts: 3,173
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Hey Young_doc..i wonder how i missed reading any of u posts before but i must tell u that i love ur attitude.it's upbeat and positive..please stay that way..whatever the score ..life is about much more than just that.I'm so glad u are enjoying the freedom.GOOd luck for ur next step and hey..All the best for what u have already done.god bless You.
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| HILFIGER
Forum Senior
Topics: 21
Posts: 192
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Good luck young_doc!
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| smal
Forum Guru
Topics: 140
Posts: 727
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great to hear abt the exam experience.
u r radiating all positivity.not only u scored good in NBME but also gined familiarity with the center bfr hand.........2 good things.
goodluck for result.
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remedy for weakness is not brooding over it ,but thinking of strength.
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| sridevibandaru24
Forum Guru
Topics: 33
Posts: 434
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good luck with your score!
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| goodyear
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 409
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WOW!! Congratulations youngdoc!!!
I'll be whohoo hohohoing too if I can get your score.
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