pearl20
Forum Senior
Topics: 21
Posts: 77
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thanks smitmom, it was a valuable advice. and i'm already studying for step 1..my 3rd reading is abou tot finish..and i'm also doing questions. i've applied already and i will be giving my exam in may.so it would be like 14th or 15th week of pregnancy and i think i am not going to postpone or cancel it now.
but for 2nd step, can anyone advise how much time will i need to prepare. will i be able to take that also during pregnancy only? and can i take cs also during that...i also really want to finish as much as possible before my baby is born, so that i can enjoy those moments with baby till residency......
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| newbeginnings
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 103
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congratulations pearl20 !! I am also preparing for step 1 and found out last saturday that i am pregnant .My Hubby and i are happy but it wasn't really planned .I am also hoping to get through step 1 and possibly 2 before baby comes in oct-nov .
Time is ticking but let's try our best .I have a 4 yr old as well .Things were starting to get easier here .Now it is race against time .
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| jole
Forum Elite
Topics: 11
Posts: 269
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congrats guys!!hey nothing is as important and wonderful as kids.so enjoy yourselves.i agree with smitmom.try and get the steps out of the way b4 the baby comes cos it doesn't get any easier after that.All the best.
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| Feyza
Forum Guru
Topics: 48
Posts: 1,432
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heyyyyy !! congrats pearl YAY YAY !
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O my Lord! Open my chest for me ( grant me self-confidence ) and ease my task for me.Ta-Ha 25-26.
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| Delphi
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 27
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Hello moms!
I didn't read all your messages ( I couldn't < My babies are noisy ). So, here is my situation: IMG, graduated in 2004, mom of 9 months old twins. I really don't know how to plan my studying for steps. I have no help here, I am the one who takes care of the babies 24/7 . I am far way back with my sleep, I feel overtired all the time. I had a very difficult pregnancy, so I couldn't study then.
I read that some of you plan to to residency while kids go to school. I realize now, that I don't really know how USMLE works. What do you do after 1st step? and after that ? and so on...
I want to offer my children all the love and emotional support a child needs. If I wouldn't do that, I would regret that the rest of my life. So , kids come first for me. But my husband keeps telling me that I have to start studying , because I forget the stuff i learnt ( which is true ), and anyway I need to become a doctor here so I can be able to take care of myself and the kids , to be independent.
How much longer should I wait and give all my time to my kids before I start studying? What is the best choice for the kids? Nanny or day-care?
I know there are lots of moms struggling out there, so please help me with some suggetions!
Thank you and good luck with your studies!
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| unique1
InGodITrust
Topics: 19
Posts: 1,405
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 Congratulations pearl20 and newbeginnings !!!!!
Delphi, I unerstand what you are going through. First of all you need to have enough sleep to be able to handle these two tasks together . Taking care of twins itself is a full time job. Be relaxed and start studying as much as your other commitments allow you. Do not overburden yourself. Earlier you start studying ,the better it is.
While you are staying home and studying ,nanny seems to be a better idea. This way you will be free to study and can hug and kiss your babies when you need a break from studies.
But if you want to go to library to study then in my humble opinion, day care is a better option.
Wish you good luck .
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| arel
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Hi,
I too am a mom of two.Now tryin to study for step 1.Came here to US in 2004.Its very diffcult to study at this stage.But not impossible.Thats what I think.You need to discpline yourself and the kids.Many a times it is out of control.but finally it points to you, whatever the results are.
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| Delphi
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 27
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Thank you for your responses! Right now the situation is very much out of control. And there is no way I can change anything. My husband doesn't help me and the kids are too small to entertain themselves or to do something by themselves. I have no family here that could help me. So I really feel helpless... I begin to doubt I'll ever be able to study for the USMLE.
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Nihil sine Deo.
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| kamyabi
Forum Junior
Topics: 1
Posts: 113
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Hi Delphi ,
I understand how you feel at this point in your life. My two kids are one year apart. Not twins but almost like twins. I know how much work it is especially when you do not have any support. I also went through the same a few years ago what you are going through now. No help from the hubby , two little kids , all the house work and no support. It is very tough. .
It may sound harsh but I know from my experience , if your husband does not ( or cannot ) help you today , probably he never will . When kids grow , they start feeding and bathing themselves but then come so many other responsibilities related to their studies and extra curricular activities .
My sincere advice to you would be to start studies as soon as possible. Do not waste time waiting for free time . That free time may never come. These are YOUR kids and this is YOUR career . So YOU have to take care of both . DO NOT look to others , including your husband , for help. I know it hurts , but this is the reality of life. You have to carry your own burden here. No one is going to help you. Do not feel depressed on it . I am sure there would be many good qualities in your husband which would not be found in people who help their wives with kids . So appreciate what you have .
Start with only 5 pages a day when your babies are taking a nap. You will see this time will keep increasing on its own. If you did not touch your books until your babies grow up, you will forget most of the stuff. Keep studying as much as you can ...... without looking for help from anywhere. I have written all this from my personal experience and I regret for not being strong a few years ago. Woman is stronger than man and we can do anything if we put our mind into it . Good Luck.
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| Delphi
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 27
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Thank you kamyabi! You are so right! I know it and I understand it. Sharing this on the forum and getting feedback from moms like you, gives me more confidence and makes me believe I can do it too. So the hope doesn't die. Sometimes I think I lost my skills for studying ( the speed, the quantity ) and especially that now it comes in a different language and a different way than I had at my university. But it is possible, isn't it? I don't want to think about doing something else. I have to be a doctor! Back in my country, I spent so many years and so much aenergy and made so many sacrifices to study medicine . And since I was a child I wanted to be a doctor.
Reading messages from other moms gives me the hope. I am not alone. Thank you !
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| ladydr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 5
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Delphi, husbands are usually useless on taking care of babies. You have twins, and no help here at all.
My suggestion:
1, take good care of your babies and yourself first. You have to be health enough to take care of your babies and study really hard later.
2, If you have extra energy now, gather some informations about USMLE, like reading threads, finding out what kind of books are good, how to apply for the exam, prepair the document you need ( translate your diploma).
3, Wait till your babies are old enough to be sent to a day care, like 1-1.5 years old, you can study hard and ace the exam. I don't like nanny, if you stay at home to study and watch how the nanny deals with your babies, you won't put your heart in your books; if you study in a liberary, how come you can know how the nanny treats your babies. But in a day care, the teachers are watched by the others, at least I feel a little bit safer.
You don't have to wait too long, just several months. You are still so young, you can wait for the three to nine months. If you have no help at all, don't try to do the two most difficult things at the same time. Otherwise, neither of them you can do well.
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| Delphi
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 27
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Ladydr, you are right too. Before even considering having babies, I said that I wll exclusively take care of them in their first year, beacuse I know it is so important. I do want that. Taking care of myself? That sounds sooo.....strange now. For me, the only time of the day when I can say it's my time, it's the shower. I am terribly tired,my whole body aches... I stopped giving the bottle through the night last week, but they still wake up crying a few times a night, and I give them water or I have to calm them down, so my sleep is totally disrupted. Right now I am going through a flu and I feel so overwhelmed... They rarely sleep during day in the same time and if they do , it is for a short time, when usually i have to do something else ( washing bottles, cleaning etc. )
And should I add that I have no friends and no one to talk to?... I thought that knowing someone close here that would study for USMLE, would help me somehow.
Whew...this message sounds like I feel sorry for myself. And maybe I do... Nothing wrong with that once in awhile, right?
Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate that you take from your time to answer me!
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Nihil sine Deo.
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| po
Forum Elite
Topics: 39
Posts: 356
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Delphi,
one thing is sure....dont have to worry after 2-3 yrs...thoughts about having 2nd one for 1st ones' company.
only rescue is if you can afford day care.dont expect too much from your husband,it might get really strainuous.It is going to be stressful and really long procedure,so be patient and try to take timeouts for your self.try to relax.and as ladydr said...start preparing yourself for the step1 by gathering all that is required.GL.
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| Delphi
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 27
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Thank you , po! I actually have the Kaplan notes 2004 and some other books, plus I also have lots of stuff that I downloaded. I just need time and motivation. I hope my brain still works and can improve its functions quickly. Good luck to you all and thank you again!
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Nihil sine Deo.
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