klimt
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The French poet Baudelaire said that. Well, he must have known something...
This is my first journal, hope it will be helpful. I really need (well, who doesn't?! ) a good step2 score. And hard, intensive, effective every day study is, in my mind, the way to do it. Plan to take the test somewhere in May-June.
I've already done some reading, I'm using Kaplan books. Today I've done Infectious Diseases, tomorrow it's Nephrology. I hope to be done with the IM book in a week or so and then start doing the tests in Qbook, see how it goes...
Anyone is welcome to join.
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| khorshid
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very nice title klimt. good luck
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| klimt
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well I did nephro today, read the kaplan chapter and did some pretest Q. just to reinforce the theory. maybe I'll start reading some Pulmonology also
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| klimt
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done with pulmonology and neurology, so 3 more chapters to go and I'm done with IM
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| klimt
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Yes, first read is truly done! Now doing the Pretests in IM, seems that things settle down easier when I do Qs...
Plan do be ready in a few days and then begin second reading
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| Allison
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Hi klimt,
I am just starting my step 2 review. I was wondering are you looking at Kaplan's dvds? Do you think it will help? Thanks
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| klimt
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Hi Allison,
Unfortunately no DVDs, I don't have them. But they must help, they did help me for step1, the review is quicker and I can stay focused for a longer time when listening. Plus, it improves your medical English (if IMG). Bottom line, if I had the DVDs I'd go for them!
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| springbird
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hi klimt, I will take exam a ittle later than you probably in early July. Let's encourage each other and share thoughts during this hard but very rewarding journey. I always imagine the day when I am a real doctor and can save people's lives to stimulate me!
I am wathching kaplan DVD and reading notes at the same time, planning to finish IM asap then do some qbank questions.
good luck to all of us!
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| springbird
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Hi Klimt, what you think of pretest questions? Some people told me the only good questions are uw and kaplan( not even). I have the questions but not sure should invest time on them or not?
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| klimt
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hi springbird, welcome!
well about the pretests ... I can only tell you that they work for me. They are easier than the real thing and maybe shorter but they help me memorize the high-yield stuff...a way of active learning. One of the mistakes in step1 prep was not doing enough Q so now I planned doing q with every reading: qbook with first reading, pretests with second reading and uw with the third. (I changed the order for IM, did pretests with the first reading cuz they seem easier, but in the end everything will be done!)
plus it's only 500q. took me just a few days but helped a lot!
so, again, whatever works for you. maybe kaplan is better but it's also a lot of money! gook luck with your study!!!
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| alexaE
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keep up the good work
im starting soon also.. ill use kaplan for the 1st reading. exam in may.
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| Musuq
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Hi Klimt,
Please let me join your motivational step2CK Group I have been sick for about a week but now I feel stable jeje, well my Hb is 9, but I have seen worse cases  well I will set up everything right now for my CK Prep, hope is fine if I stick to your journal, you seem very devoted to this.
I will check you all later, Allison I am coming ok 
Musuq.
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| Shaziachoudry
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i am also taking in may and just starting im i think pretest is good for 1st reading and i am planning sec reading with kaplan and 3rd and last with uw
good luck to u guys
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shazia
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| klimt
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hello everyone, great to see u here
and yes Musuq, indeed we all can do it! let's put our trust in God and try to do our best!
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| vallia
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hey klimt, it's so nice to see you so determined. I think it over , about my situation, and i will go for it, no matter what. So i'll be around, thanks for all support buddy
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fight possessed
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| klimt
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hey vallia, it's great to see you back on track!
I've been a little slow lately, but I managed to finish Pretests IM and all qbook. So first reading is done along with 500+850 mcq, doing reasonably good with time-management. Time for second reading now, starting today with Psychiatry.
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| springbird
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Hi Klimt, I am now doing pretest IM. Because I took step1 long time ago ( middle of 2005), I forgot a lot of basic stuff so only got so so score. But I must say pretest is good for recall important basic stuff. I first study at home then move to a community college library to have better efficiency. sometimes I just too indulge in the internet and waste too much time(like watch videos on youtube). I should work harder! Fight with my weakness!!!
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| klimt
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springbird, we all have this weakness of losing focus from time to time, it's only human...
good luck with your study!!!
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| klimt
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well, although my study is slower than anticipated, I started second reading - did Psychi from Kaplan and some Pretest Qs
Moving on to ob/gyn
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| springbird
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Hi Klimt, good to see you are progressing well. I am still fighting with myself for more efficient studying, going too slowly here! Do you write notes when you read kaplan notes? I found myself get distracted easily after half an hour reading of kaplan notes. They are so sketchy. I must alternate between questions and reading to keep me focused. How you pace yourself when you are doing questions? Pretest questions are not so difficult so you finish how many questions whthin an hour?
I must not go to youtube from today. After I am a resident I can indulge myself in it for as long as I like. Can you be my witness Klimt for the promise I made today, thank you
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| alexaE
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we're all witnesses springbird..
im having a difficult time concentrating, mostly due to some major personal problems and well i must admit im also slacking too much and i have no excuse
we should learn from those who can keep a good pace- like klimt, and do the same.
im into infectious diseases, i hope i will finish the chapter today and later on work on some UW questions. As for step1, ill stick to kaplan qbank, UW and NBME only. For step1 i havent used kaplan and i agree to springbird that they are sketchy, but maybe its better that way. I am trying to read and listen to the lectures with each chapter. I love Dr. Conrad... its the only thing that keeps me moving at times... okay, today should be the first day of the week and of many to come that i will spend reading and nothing else... it is a must and where theres a will theres a way... i know there must be a way im still working on finding the will.... im rambling
have a good studying day you all
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| klimt
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that's a very brave decision, springbird, good for you!!! so as of ferbuary 2nd, no more distractors while reading!
although..... I believe it's impossible to study 8-10 hours/day for months and months, so we need a realistic schedule, with studying hours but also break time. so after you finish what you have scheduled, then you have your spare time to use in whatever way you like. the secret is to know when to stop and go back to study....and I know it is much much easier said than done......I guess this is our Everest, we have to do it!
and yes, I do make notes from kaplan, especially the things that I find important and are not in FA. and about pretest Q, I did them all for IM but no time to do the same for all subjects, so for instance for Psychi I only did like 250-300 of them. (I choose the ones that are longer and look close to a clinical vignette). even so, every q should be done in less than 1 min.....
I think a good approach would be: read a chapter from kaplan, listen to the lectures and then do some Q. So even if you miss some points in the text, you go back to the text when lectures/explanations of Q send you, so it's a way of quality control.
well good luck alexaE, springbird and everyone else, keep up the good work!
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| springbird
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Thanks Klimt for answering my questions. How have you been this week? Anything going well as planned? I accidently broke my laptop last Monday( I carry my laptop with me everywhere in the library afraid of getting stolen but it slipped on the rack when I am in the bathroom )so can only use my old laptap which does not has wireless. I should say it is a good thing in one aspect since i can not be on the internet as freely as I want. I am getting a little better than before, when I am not in the mood of studing, I will write diary and doing some housework and exercise to keep me back to track. I find the jumping rope is a good thing to keep me energinized.
I have been watching kaplan videos and reading the notes but not really doing questions. I decide to finish all the pretest questions next week. After that go for kaplan questions, lastly go for UW. Periodically I will do NBME to self test. The low score on that should make me sweating and work harder.
AlexiaE, I am confused, are you taking step 1 or step 2 right now?
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| alexaE
Forum Elite
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step2 springbird. I took step1 almost three months ago. i should have read at least once all books for st2 already but i havent so far. however, i seem to function better on a higher stress level. My Ck is in june. so 4 months to go. we got to get to work! its now! the very time for it
good luck to you springbird and klimt too..
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| springbird
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yes alexaE, we should really control ourselves to have efficient study, no self control we will come to nothing. June is almost there! and my July is almost there! I wasted the whole morning today but will recollect myself and finish pretest surgery and ob/gyn this afternoon! Charge!
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