cluytens
Forum Newbie
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I've been getting help from this forum so I think its my turn to share my experience.
IMG, graduated in 97'. Did 2 yrs obligatory military service, 1 yr internal med residency in my home country. Spent 3 yrs for PhD from 2000-2003, and being a postdoc in US from 04.
I am not the kind of person who will spend $300 for materials that I'm only going to use once, esp Q banks, as those are the things we should have learnt well in school. Therefore I used Lippincott's Pharm, Biochem, BRS Physiology, Path, high yield anatomy, Levins(?) Microbiology. Those are good materials that I think will be good references (esp Lippincott's) even later in my career. Its very slow in the beginning, and I've been studying on and off since 04 until 5 months ago when I finally made up my mind that I need to take the exam.
I have a job in daytime and can only study at night for 5 hrs at most, but at the last 2 months I went to bed at 3:30 to extend my hours of study.
My score is 90/221 which isn't great in this forum but is a relief for myself. My USMLE CD score: 35/50 3-4 months before exam, and 39/41/42 2 weeks prior to exam. Never tried any other paid Q banks. I want to stress that USMLE CD is pretty good in predicting: if you get 80% you have the confidence in getting scores above 90 in the real exam. The other advantage for IMGs is that clinical experience does make difference. 90% of the Qs are case presentation which is similar to step 2, only they are asking for most common cause here rather than the next step in diagnostic tests.
My advice for those wondering for "tricks" in taking this exam is to register for it -- $700 (registration fee) is not a small number and I believe no one wants to mess it up. And if people like me who is just average can do it, I'm sure you all can do it.
Good luck to you all!
Cluytens
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| MRMAVERICK
Forum Guru
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congrats
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245/264/CS pass All on first attempt/2006 Grad/1 month Observership/1 US LOR/Need VISA
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| smal
Forum Guru
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comgrats,
very inspiring
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remedy for weakness is not brooding over it ,but thinking of strength.
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| bluemountain
Forum Newbie
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Hi cluytens,
Congratulations! Would you like to give me some advice? I am IMG, graduated in 98. got PhD in 2005. doing postdoc since then. I registered for step 1 and my eligible period is Oct-Dec 2006. I thought I could have enough time, but I have been having a lot of lab work and scientific papers to write. It's hard to concentrate on usmle. I want to extend to Mar 2007 but I'm not sure if I could make it by then. I have just finished 3 books. Do you think I should still go for it? If I give it up and register again, will this give bad record? Thanks so much for your advice.
Bluemountain
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| vanshita
Forum Guru
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Congratulation
Great score
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| imeln313
Forum Junior
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Congratulations,
What country are you from?
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Never let yesterday's disappointments overshadow tomorrow's dreams.
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| cluytens
Forum Newbie
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Hi Bluemountain:
Its indeed very difficult to study for the exam when you are in a lab. My lab work/papers kept me from studying for the exam until earlier this yr when I figured out I would have more reasonable study time. I'm not sure you can extend your exam block to Mar; I thought you can change your date within a block -- pls double check. In this case I think you have no choice but to go for it, but I'll try to book a date as late as possible, and book it now before they're gone!
If you are already at the stage of writing papers you should have more control of your time. Anyway, my strategy is to register when I feel a solid study plan can be carried out and also after at least 1 round of reading. And honestly I didn't believe I'll be able to do it until I physically went through it -- being sleep deprived for 4m is not something you'll want to try very often.
My impression is that for IMGs, 99 and 89 doesn't really make that much of difference (of course the higher the better, or it could just be my personaly excuse for not getting high enough). I'm sure with your phd and papers you will be very well presented regardless your score, as long as you don't screw it.
Good luck and let me know if there is anything I can help.
To imelin313, I'm from Asia. Sorry can't tell you which country though.
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| bluemountain
Forum Newbie
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Posts: 3
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Hi Cluytens,
Thanks a lot . Good luck to your future exams.
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