paasu
Forum Newbie
Topics: 8
Posts: 33
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Hello guys,
The thinking of appearing for usmle was quite far when I was in the final year of my meaical school.that time I was thinking of passing the board exams.immediately following that I found out a lot of my seniors have given the exams and their success in residency make me feel that I can also do that .but I never knew what sort of pain I’ll go through during this preparation and I blindly sat for the preparation.
It was winter time and a whole year of vigorous internship have made me so much lazy that I sometimes used to sleep while preparing.
But then I thought that I have to be in the vicinity of those who are preparing ,to buckle myself up otherwise the dream of residency in the land of opportunity can’t be changed into reality.
During earlier stages of my preparation,I was quite unsure what the exam would be like and I used to think casually that whatever I have read in my medical school is the same stuff that I have to prepare for usmle—so why to panic?
But as soon as I found of teaching methodology of my school and the preparation for usmle was more or less quite different and logical and also inspirational,I started having vigour for study.
I have lot of flight of ideas during my preparation period.i used to think that most of my batchmates have already started their jobs and I am the only one who is a nut and forgetting my clinical knowledge day by day—by this way am I going to excel later in life without any experience ???those thoughts were like recurring dream that really impeded me in my study.
Start:
In the mid October 2006 , I finally make up my mind to give up the hope of having a job and that I am going to shape up my future on my own.
I got the idea of how to procure ECFMG ID # from one of my senior and the day I knew of the process,I got into it.with me was one of my colleague from the same medical school.
how to procure ECFMG ID#
First of all you must know the basics of the computer it will give a lot of confidence in your road to usmle.
www.ecfmg.org is the site for the foreign medical graduates to link our road to compete with other competents in the US.(know this much first and you will slowly understand later)
choose OASIS
click on go to oasis
a web page showing blank in USMLE®/ECFMG ID and password comes
just below that choose the line saying If you are a first-time user of ECFMG On-line Services, click here to establish an account.
or
just click the link below
https://secure2.ecfmg.org/requestinstructions.asp
tick on the bottom of the page and submit only after you read it thoroughly or else save the web page and thoroughly read in your free time and proceed.
The key is read everything thoroughly otherwise you will face serious problems just because you weren’t aware of the fact.
Then click no if you have never filled a form for step 1 or 2
Write all the authentic data including the address and b’day date.
Make a separate mailing add for receiving stuffs from ecfmg(should be kept confidential—high chance of being hacked).
Then give the same mailing add in the form.
After filling the form submit the form and wait for at least 4 days.
Ecfmg will notify you in your email add.
They will give u the ID # with a password .you will have to log on woth the same ID in the oasis and change the password.
They ask each time u log on whether you would like to change any of the informations like name,address etc.
Always tick on the ecfmg reporter while filling up ur application as it will give u an updated information in future.
--also download a bulletin of the latest date from this website.
But always remember to sort any doubt with the ecfmg by contacting them directly via phone.
I had faced a problem --as my friend has unintentionally given a wrong birth date and he did not received his ECFMG ID#-- so for that I had to call ECFMG and ask what was wrong------- they told that something is wrong with the information you provided to us so recheck the information and send that with a copy of your passport or citizenship card with informations written in English and signed by you-----then only he got mailed the ID.
Application query:
In the ecfmg home page—select IWA(intl web application)
Keep on filling the infotmations----if you could not fill up the same day,do not panic --------save and log out from the site and you can continue from what you have completed the day before.
Lastly pay it online if you have got a credit card or a nearest bank can help you pay through the credit card.
* while you apply,keep a tentative date of +/- of 1 month so that you can prepond or postpone your exam date--------------but plan to give exam on time and do not keep rescheduling your exam as anyway you will have to give exam and you can’t escape from that.
Every time keep vigilant of the latest informations from outside,within friend circles or from ecfmg about the newest rules
How did i start?:
I prepared for about 8 months for step 1 full time.from mid October to may.
But I was in the track only from February onwards.
Before that haven’t taken it so seriously.
Later I joined this forum silently and sucked out all the valuable informations like a parasite.
I saved all the experiences shared by the prior exam takers.wrote down onto a paper and make a complete note out of it and tried to follow it.
I started listening to the Kaplan dvds and alongside underlining and if necessary writing reasons and logics on the same page.
I took almost 6 months to finish one reading of all Kaplan books.i was depressed previously as I was too slow but I took as an advantage of learning the correct thing at the first go.later on it was easier for me to grab the points as I see the previously scribbed pages of Kaplan.the task was not too easy as I have to learn all the facts and shape them to answer any sort of mcqs.
I kept my cool during whole of the study period,its not that I did not felt depressed as I was not living my life as I should be living------but hoping that its all for my benefit only and also the day I joined the medical school,I sacrified my life for it to be devoted to others and still remain content.
Preparation materials:
-All Kaplan books
-Pathology by E. Goljan
-Kaplan dvd
-Goljan audios (a must to keep you in study track and make you feel that your doubts are getting cleared)--- also his methodology and way to shove the fact into your brain is amazing.--------------- I highly suggest to hear it along with the goljan slides so that you know what he is talking about.
-high yields---cell n mol bio,embryology,histology.
-BRS behavioural science by Barbara Fadem.
-First AID (FA)-beneficial when you are reading kaplan stuffs for the second time and this you can depend on during the last week of your test.
-- please donot use reference books line to line and page to page.some books you can use during your study to make you confident:
Lippincott’s biochem (esp for genetics)
Robbins review (for questions and slides only)
Katzung pharma review(esp for cvs,cns and ans) ------ but do not be so obsessive to read it thoroughly.
After I finished my first reading I started doing questions from usmleworld.
Mainly in tutorial mode as a lot of new informations I got it from it.
There were about 1955 questions that assess every bit of your knowledge.
And to improve my test taking strategies,I chose to test mode ------so my real score was not quite reflected but it was something around 60 %.
But always think that you have the every possibility to get a 99 percentile if you work and play with the stuffs.
Main thing is that enjoy your reading,donot take it like I have to finish this much pages today.just be sure that everyday you are learning differently and you are adding to your knowledge and not merely wasting time.so whether you watch a movie or comedy to keep yourself cool it’s not a problem------I would say it would be harmful when you can’t control and give your most of the time for recreation.a walk every evening half an hour will reduce your stress.
Give maximum 15 mins of your morning time to exercise.
Remember you have to stay healthy to excel.
Donot study without even eating ----- you will deplete all your stores.
Take this as a part of life and get along with it and by that way you will feel more comfortable.
Some 15 days before while I was revising, I took Kaplan simulated test---scored 231.
Take this test as if yu were in the Prometric center-----like on a moving chair ,with ear muff on, on loose clothings and the most valuable is plan how to take break between the blocks.
Of the total blocks (7)—some may take 2 block on one go then break for 5 mins and start ,others feel that they are potential to do 3 blocks in a row.the latter one I would say have a real ego problem even with themselves coz they even do not know that our brain works on a continuous supply of glucose and if you slog too much you will land up in trouble in terms of low performance and depression with your score.
So guys,just think that all your knowlwdge depends on the fact that how you can control your nerve and keep yourself away from being lethargic until the end of 7 block.whole exam is that only.
During the preparation, do not be with those who always are depressed with their studies coz inspite of being encouraged,you will be more and more lagging in your study and confidence.
Each and every sort of information whichever the way you get you grab it----like if you learn better by seeing much of the diagrams then do that ,if you are good at listening the lectures and think that way you can retain better,then follow that.
No two human are same in their way of learning things-----so why be the exceptional to follow same path gone through by others.
I want to summarize the whole by:
Always think that nothing is impossible ,if you try.
If you fail to plan,you plan to fail (for me this doesn’t hold good coz making a scheduled study has always kept me in pressure just to finish the stuffs rather than to benefit the registration of the logics during the study)
Kaplan materials and facts said in dvd scribbed onto the particular pages.
Remember registration consolidates facts into your memory ,so repeat whatever you study as many times you like.
Keep track of your weak areas and try to improve them.
Donot say I’ll learn it tomorrow,when it comes to logics and facts------do them then and there.
During free time do sample questions or those posted in this forum and make yourself comfortable in selecting the answers and the methodology to answer by the method of exclusion.
For that in leisure time read first 55 pages of q book Kaplan.
Make a list of those facts that you find difficult to remember so that you can patse it on the wall and look every time when you are free.
From about a month before exam
Do exercise regularly and take meals regularly and keep yourself happy by whichever means it may be.
Wks before exam:
Revise the stuffs that in which you are weak.
Read all stuffs from mainly the First aid and cross check Kaplan books for more details if you think it is necessary.
Have a 7 hrs sleep and that too not in the afternoons.
Make a daily schedule that even it holds good for the sleep,just do that.
3 days before the exam
*Visit the Prometric center and find out by what way you can easily reach there so that you don’t panic the day before exam even though you have heavy traffic.
*do the blocks from the usmle cd.
My score—39/41/40 on the respective blocks.
Day before exam
Now you have almost done it,and by this time you would have learned a lot and last day cramming will not help you mentally also.
But still if you donot feel easy,just go on turning pages and recall.
Go for a haircut,bath,evening walk,try meditation or do anything thanks make you feel real calm and serene.
Check your scheduling permit and passport.
Plan how will you take breaks between the exams.
Arrange the food you will take to the exam center:
Preferably fruits(apple and bananas)
Cucumber/carrots
Sandwich with butter for satiety.
Quick source of glucose—sublingual table sugar
Chocolates.
Juices
Water
Take a lot of foods although you may not use those and remember you can’t be lethargic on the big day.
But do not eat too much co that you feel sleepy during the exam.
I suggest you to take a brief breaks after each block----- wash your face,slightly massage your eyes,………..take a deep breath and then start with confidence rather than face the same monitor for more than an hour and strain your eyes………………..to and fro motion of the eyes while reading the questions will strain your eyes ………...believe me ,straining yourself means that your are stressing yourself unnecessarily.
Have a good night sleep ~ 8 hours
Morning of the exam
Wake up early and take a short shower to feel fresh.
Read nothing on that day
Take food,Scheduling permit,passport and of utmost important ;the confidence along with you.
At the exam center
if you feel uneasy,you can take a review book for satisfaction but never try to read it between the breaks.
Proctor will guide to the room and take your photograph,check your passport and permit.-----------and will give you a laminated paper and a marker pen to write your CIN# which you will need first time before you start the test and subsequently before starting a new block after a break.
Remember the tutorial given in the usmle cd is the same that you will have in exam so the day before, you have done that so you can just click on next and come to the end of tutorial in less than a minute this gives you a total break period of 45 mins actual+15 mins from skipping the tutorial.
Answer the blocks either straight forward or by exclusion criteria.
If the q are too long ,see the last sentence in the question and choose the answer from that if you can get one.. that way you will save time for revision.
You can even mark doubtful answers max 15 in each block as many of them marked will decrease your confidence level.
Take break after every block.
Talk with others during the break but never discuss about the question you got as you hardly have an advantage of making them correct when you go for another block and also your might be corrected by another person so that you feel depressed that you do not tick them right.
Your plan of taking break may change as the level of q gets tougher and if you feel that you need a break,then take it but never when the block time is ticking.
After 7 blocks you will have to tick 17 questions as a survey.just click it anyway and after you get a printed paper saying you have successfully given exam…………..walk out of the exam center quickly and plan for a party with friends.
I don’t know what the score would be like after giving the exam but I hope I ‘ll be paid for all the hard work I have done and so you will be.
Good luck.
Will post my exam questions soon.
P.S. although it will take time,I think it might help you in deciding what to do.
Print this if you need to refer it from time to time.
I would be more than happy to clarify your doubt or suggest if you need.
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| dncosta
Licensed, finally
Topics: 19
Posts: 604
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Congratulations for the comprehensive review !!! You're helping a lot of people...
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| gizmo
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 27
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hi paasu,
thanx for posting your experience.you mentioned goljan slides,where can we get that from? i have the audio goljan lectures but not the slides.
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| target
Forum Elite
Topics: 3
Posts: 503
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Thank you for taking the time to write this. I find it very useful!
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In Him I trust !
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