xavecor
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 75
|
Took my exam yesterday, well didn't go as smoothly as I was expecting. Since there was problems with the software, and nobody could start their exam. At 8:15 they told us to be patient “these kind of problems usually get fix” they said, but also that if it goes over 8:30 we won't be able to take our exam and that Prometric will contact us to reschedule. At that moment I just tried to keep my self calm and positive. We reached 8:35 and no proctor came out of the testing room, but we could hear they were working on it. Nevertheless, I started to get mentally prepared to reschedule…
Minutes went by and we reached 8:55, finally the test center was operational, they didn't say anything about the 8:30 rule, so I just checked in and started the test. I was determined not to think about the complications and unnecessary extra stress, and just make the best out of it. My first block was pretty easy, I don't know if it was because I was so glad to finally start the exam, or if it in fact was just easy. I finished almost 7 minutes before the hour, so my level of confidence was as high as it gets, immediately I started the second block it was somehow more difficult, but still doable. I took my first 5 min brake in front of the computer and then started the third and forth blocks with a 10 min brake between them. I felt they were really hard and I had just enough time to finish them. I was facing the situation were you just click the answer to the last question and the block closes on you, not a nice feeling. So then was time for my 30 min lunch brake, and first time I left the testing room to catch some air. I didn't take my previous brakes outside the testing room because I was so apprehensive about the time consumed in check in/out process. But now that I think about, it probably would have been better to do so, at least in the 10 min brake.
Coming back from lunch, I faced the toughest ones on my test: block 5 and 6. And stress was starting to win the battle. The feeling that till that point I only had one block that was easy, was really worrying me. Kind of freak out, I just could concentrate, I had to read 3, 4 times the first two lines of the questions and not getting any info, I was just about to lose it, so then I said to me: Hey!!! get your sh#* together!!!, this was not happening when you were practicing questions, so it is not the test… it is you that is messing things up. So after a couple of deep breaths and thanks to God, I could get control again during the second part of block 6. I took a 10 minute brake after that, this time outside the testing room, and came back to face the last two blocks which were finally doable & easy, and of course I was relax now. I couldn't stop thinking about the questions I got wrong during dreadful blocks 5 and 6, not because they were hard, but because I was so stressed out. But the exam was almost over, and I knew I really needed as many points as possible in these easy ones. So what is done is done I said, and just kept going.
So the message is DON'T PANIC, give yourself a REAL RELAX time during brakes, when you can afford it. However, if you do panic… put the brakes on, take a couple of breaths, and do whatever is needed to gain control again. Bust you confidence level by remembering positive moments during your preparation (when you mastered a practice exam, or easily understood a concept, etc.). Say: I can do this, I have done it before and I will do it again. Also, there are things that you cannot control during exam day (like the computers not working when they are supposed to), these problems tend to fix the same way the appeared… by themselves. Anyways it is not in your power to fix them, so let the responsible people to handle them and be patient.
Ok guys that's my story. I hope it is useful for future test takers, and I will tell you if it has a happy ending within 4 weeks.
Good luck on your test!!!
___________________
when in doubt, cut it out
|
| sima
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 114
|
Gl xecovor,and thanks a bucnh for sharing ur experince,i had 1 q how long did it take u to do UW,and how did u do.
|
| JH
Forum Senior
Topics: 19
Posts: 76
|
Thanks xecovor.
Good luck for your score!
|
| mann81
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 150
|
thanks xecovor
Good luck for your score!
|
| goodyear
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 409
|
It's funny how we all have the same kind of " language" here like freak out, panic, dreadful.. yeah you're done & that's a big restful mind coming. Thanks for ur post & Good luck w/ ur result!
|
| vanshita
Forum Guru
Topics: 21
Posts: 816
|
Thanks for sharing with us
GOOD LUCK for your score
|
| huangbaobao
Forum Junior
Topics: 4
Posts: 18
|
good luck!
|
| xavecor
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 75
|
Thanks to ALL YOU GUYS for your good wishes!!! It’s true, we are like a big family with the same goals, expectations, and “language”.
About my preparation, I only had time to do 3 weeks of UW (finish around 50% of it, also going for this year’s match, so that took some time away from my prep). I did 46 Q’ per block, timed, unused, all sections. I was getting scores around 67% in the beginning, and at the end around 71%, my global was 69%.
In retrospective, what I would have done different. Do from beginning to end UW, it was the closest thing to the real deal. I can clearly recall at least two Q’ being exact to what I found in UW, and the rest of the material is pretty close. Also, do a simulation of the exam a week or so before the real date, so you know when you get tired, and when to take brakes and stuff. I did it for S1, and it prove to be very useful. This occasion I couldn’t, due to time restrain.
___________________
when in doubt, cut it out
|
| xavecor
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 75
|
Oh those beautiful RED LETTERS say I passed!!! 
I only had to wait 3 weeks, so to give the exam pre-wednesday does work. At least it worked for me. Now just wait for the score...
___________________
when in doubt, cut it out
|
| ssrpk
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 154
Posts: 2,798
|
congratualtions!ur hard work paid off-good luck with the scores and for the match
___________________
life is guud
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
congrats xavecor.. GL
___________________
Ultraseven X
|
| drkid
banned
Topics: 10
Posts: 126
|
red is a real beautiful color
|
| star1
Forum Guru
Topics: 93
Posts: 826
|
CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK FOR UE SCORE
GL
|
| xavecor
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 75
|
Thank you guys!!!
The score just arrived, and thank GOD is 238/96!!! I can't believe it, I feel extremely lucky. After all the complications I had on exam day, and the lack of time to properly finish my prep, I just can't ask for more.
I would like to thank everybody in the forum that shared their experience, it was a source of motivation as well as a guide to success.
THX!!!
___________________
when in doubt, cut it out
|
| anne06
Forum Elite
Topics: 11
Posts: 103
|
congrats...can u tell me ur nbme scores
|
| srik
Forum Junior
Topics: 0
Posts: 15
|
congrats,can u write abt ur prep n ur nbme scores,it wud be very helpful ,thank u so much n good luck .
|
| kykie
Forum Senior
Topics: 8
Posts: 219
|
congrats!!!envy you so much , wish i was in your shoes, took my exams yesterday n i just keep on goin thru it over n over in my head, the questions /options were so vague, i am praying for the best.When can i expect my result to b reported on oasis?wishing u all the best with the match
___________________
Believe in yourself
|
| Allymd
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 118
|
Hi xavecor, congratulations! I want to know for how long you prepared and how was your study schedule. And if you got to use the Pretest series you mentioned in a previous post. Again congratulations and GOOD LUCK IN THE MATCH !!
|
| xavecor
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 75
|
Kykie, don't worry about it. I went through the same thing, some questions are really long, with more info than you really need, and some times they don't even make any sence... just trust your gut feeling and you should be fine. In my hard blocks, most questions I selected my best guess. Really few quentions I went like... Oh that's the correct option, next!
About the results, It usually takes 4 wednesdays to be updated in your OASIS. So from your test day count 4 wednesdays. Note that OASIS has one day delay, so check thrusday morning.
My prep time was 4 months, with some brakes in between. I was not really motivated at the begining, but got my energy back and studied full time last 2.5 months. How many hours? well I think that's variable among different people, and dependent on your level of motivation. For me was about 6-7 hours most of the days of the last two months. I think is really important not to burn yourself, if your brain needs rest... take a brake. Last month I did only questions, and listen to Goldjan when I was tired of the computer.
About the material, I used Kaplan notes, Goldjan audio (downloaded from this forum), and UW. I did use Pretest Int. Med... was regular, and Surgery was uwfull, got sick of it, and quit (So don't waste your money Allymd). UW is far better and more than enough. Didn't take NBME because I like questions that show you explanations of why you were wrong, and as you can see this is critical when you have to take a best guess  . However, this is only my humble opinion and since many people use them, they must be a great evaluation tool. But I can't comment on that.
Thanks again everybody!!!
Edited by xavecor on 12/01/06 - 03:02 PM
___________________
when in doubt, cut it out
|
| priyagrove
Forum Elite
Topics: 34
Posts: 428
|
hi xacevor
I'm going thru the same feeling as you did after thee exam, it was totally unexpected & I'm really getting upset whenever i think about it! ANyways, u worked hard & u were lucky,, The only thing i can do is to pray, cos this is not what i had expected .. congrats again n happy new year.
___________________
"Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes." Oscar Wilde
|
| xavecor
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 75
|
Dear priyagrove, thanks for your good wishes and the same for U2.
About the exam, don't worry to much about it. What is done, is done... just trust the time U used to prep and also God, it will pay off. I still stick to my appreciation that the exam was harder than S1, but I think when it comes to grading the test S2 is more benign.
Use this time to enjoy yourself; I'm sure you will be surprised with the results!!!
GL and Happy New Year!!!
___________________
when in doubt, cut it out
|
| mazinger
Forum Guru
Topics: 46
Posts: 917
|
Dear xavecor its interesting what you mention is not the first time that I hear/read the same thing about the test and scoring thing...
BTW are you from ecuador?
___________________
Ultraseven X
|
| xavecor
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 75
|
Dear mazinger:
I had the opportunity to talk to a guy from Pakistan that recently took the CK, and he also had the same opinion about the exam. Of course you also have people that thought that the exam was supereasy and later were surprised by the results.
I think this happens because you are not graded according to how well you perform in the test, but on how well you did on that particular set of questions when compared to other testers that had the same set of questions. So, if you get an easy exam chances are that other people will also find it easy, and more correct answers are needed to score high; and the opposite for hard exams.
PS: Proudly made in Ecuador
___________________
when in doubt, cut it out
|
| MRMAVERICK
Forum Guru
Topics: 40
Posts: 713
|
CONGRATS
|
| meghaw
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 25
|
congrats to u
can u please tell which all books to go about for step 2 ck i am feeling damn confused
i cant join kaplan
i have notes
but some people say they not much useful
what about dvds is it a musyt
i just now gave step one and my results awaited
and which q banks u think is worth doing
thanks a lot
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
