Malithahe
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This forum had been very useful to me. Specially at the last minute many helped me a lot. I took my CS last Friday.
Content; All the cases are from UW and FA ( not only the topics but also the story that the SP says). except one bizarre case ( which I also don't know what it is ) Probably it is a research case as I had 12. Nothing from out side FA and UW. Master them. You will only do what ever you practiced as an automated and pre-programmed creature. So practice practice specially neuro exam. No time to think. They watch you wash hands so wash well using soap
Stress: SP s are really good, Proctors as well. Except the stress of doing well and passing CS there is no stress while talking to them. You will feel as you are in the clinic with your normal patients. If you make a mistake forget about it and start the next as a new one.
Time: I always had this problem when practicing too, and it was same in the exam.I couldn't finish two.Finished exam and session finished just after I started summarizing. So be aware of time. Since they talk nicely and you too interact with them well you forget that time is flying. For PN time was adequate, but I couldn't concentrate on my hand writing which is usually horrible when I write too fast
Language; I've been in the US a little more than one year, but spent most of the time at home and spoke my mother language. any way i didn't have any problem in understanding what they said and they too understood what I told, except one or two occasions. But a friend of mine who came straight from his country said it was difficult to understand the most of the SPs said and it wasted his time to ask again and again
Mistakes I did: I don't know how many mistakes I did. There may be thousands but these I noticed just after leaving the room. I tried to shake hands with a patient with a hand problem and then apologized.( I thoroughly kept this in mind not to do when I was practicing but finally did it in the exam ) couldn't ask many essential Q's totally forgot and noticed when writing PN Missed certain parts in the exam, certain things really essential but forgot. But in neuro i skipped in order to save time for the counseling (don't know whether it is stupid but now it is done and now cannot be corrected)
My preparation, I practiced for 13 or 14 days. I was preparing for CK when suddenly I got a date for CS. Practiced about 2-3 hours in the morning with a friend over the phone (usually I did 2 FA cases and she did 2 ) and in the evening with my husband about 4 cases of UW. I'm so thankful to both. Specially my husband since he is not a medical person, sometimes I couldn't stop laughing at him. When I asked a Q he had to search it in the notes before answering. Anyway he did a good job specially during physical exam. During rest of the day I went through mini cases of FA, sample cases of UW, and digital doc website while busy with a four month old baby and house hold stuff
Traveling Arrive the city a little bit early on the previous day and have a good night sleep. Due to flight delays and malfunction of the belt in baggage clearance area of the airport I reached the hotel at 12.30 midnight ( I was supposed to be there at 10.00pm ) and went to bed at about 1.45am. So plan your trip well and give time for delays. ( I knew this but I couldn't help due to my husband's busy schedule). It is better if you can make it not a family trip (I couldn't help that too and at about 3 am my little one got up and my sleep was interrupted again). So in the morning my eyes were like two cherries, I was so tired and had a headache too. I'm sure it affected my performance
Finally: What I have to tell is practice practice. You will only do what you did practice and from that too not 100% only 80-90% . This is my case but people differ from each other and I'm an average guy I don't know whether I will pass. When I came out I was in a good mood because I've heard that many passed even with mistakes and this is a pass/ fail business, not 90s. But now I'm so scared and always feel that I will fail. Cannot resist it. Only thing that helps me to forget it is now I'm busy preparing for CK. May be I did a foolish decision by doing it in 13 days. But now I've done it ......... Please pray for me to pass my CS. I need your prayers a lot. I cannot afford failing Good luck to you all
Edited by Malithahe on 04/18/08 - 11:50 AM. Reason: irregular
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| dncosta
Licensed, finally
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Congratulations, great description, and good luck for both CS and upcoming CK
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| kykie
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thanks alot for ur post,it was very informative.I am also preparing for my exam in about 2 weeks from now. I just started UW,still goin thru the examination and history aspects yet to start practicin but i'll try to start ASAP.Thannx alot.Wishin u a great result
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| lucky_doc
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Glad it is over for you. My exam is June 6. Did you have to measure the BP while sitting and standing at all? Did you use any memonics as PAM HUGS FOSS AND LIQORAAA and if so did it help? Did you have to drape the patient upon entering the room or before the physical exam? Thank you for sharing you experience and GOD bless!
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| kity
Certified.............
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Thanx malithahe for detalied description. It is really very helpful. so how many cases do you think an Img should practice with english just ok??? what was your centre???
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| npas
Forum Senior
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Thanku Malithahe for sharing ur experience..u will pass for sure..good luck
npas
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| CocaCola
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congrats Malithahe
sounds like a sure pass for you...
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| Malithahe
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Thank you all
Sorry I forgot about history taking. I'm not a mnemonic guy. I cannot figure out things in a hurry I mean I cannot figure out what is M for or S for. Other thing is some times forget the mnemonic itself. So followed my own pattern of history taking, First read the door way information. wrote down the patient name in full, age, chief complaint, and abnormal vital signs if any (it helped when writing PN ) Thought of some DDs but didn't write down In first case noted down PAMHUGSFOSS but didn't even look at it and first case I ran out of time too. So didn't waste time on things that I'm not got used to in other cases knocked the door three times, opened it half way asked the full name eg. Mr.ABC ? they said yes. Smiled entered, let the door close, shook hands, I'm Dr.so and so , How are you doing today? Sometimes they start saying the problem sometimes say doing good except this. So showed that I'm concern about the prob. and said before we discuss about it I'll make u more comfortable and draped. Then started discussion Tell me more about ******** Then asked Qs relevant to the Prob. such as pain Hx etc...(Here I missed several Qs ) Then ROS If I felt relevant (asked basic Qs on CVS, RS, GI,GU,CNS-not all the systems but relevant systems ) It is so difficult to judge at that time which is relevant or not Then said I would like to ask about your previous physical health and asked PMH,PSH,MEDS,ALLERGIES,HOSPITALIZATIONS,OB & GYN Then I would like to know about your life style and asked SH -smoking ,alcohol,drugs,occupation,sleep,stresses Then I need to ask you some personal Qs and asked sexual Hx +STDs and Menstrual Hx Then I would like to know about health of your family and asked FHx- Here I specifically asked the relevant Qs such as "does any one in your family have a heart problem?" finally asked any other Ds in the family? Then asked permission for exam, while washing hands asked is there anything that you couldn't tell me? How your life is going ? do you enjoy life ? etc and if necessary CAGE Qs Then did physical, thanked, summarized, you came with this and this, on physical exam i found this and this, according to that I suspect this and this, so to exclude serious illnesses and to confirm the Diagnosis I will run this and this, and once I got the results Will sit with you and discuss the management. for the time being do this and this such as take a lot of fluid/.i will give a pain med etc, then counseled for smoking or what ever necessary thing asked do you have any Q? said will come back once I got the results,shook hands, thanked and left the room This I couldn't do in every case, I ran out of time but this was my basic routine and my own pattern of History taking. I followed this every time I practiced. Although I didn't follow PAMH........I'm sure I covered the areas of that mnemonic, but I missed a lot of Qs in history of presenting illness and Qs to rule out DDs and many parts of Physical
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| Malithahe
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lucky doc I mentioned postural BP in my Diagnostic workup. Didn't waste time to messure it
kitty as many as you can if possible repeat common cases and evaluate you.I did all the FA and UW practice cases once and my hubby marked the check list and evaluated me every time and so did my friend too. I don't think talking will be a prob if you can understand what they tell. most of the time Americans asked me to talk slowly just after my arrival to the USA so I talked slowly in the exam ( I think so but I don't know)
Cocacola I found a site which has a post CS evaluation according to that my passing possibility is between fare and risky (I did two being optimestic and being pessimestic so in one came fare and the other risky ) it has good, fare, risky, and doubtful I'm not either good nor doubtful but risky??????????????I'm so worried
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| CocaCola
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hey you should post that site... i am sure tons of people will be interested...
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There is one thing we can do, and the happiest people are those who can do it to the limit of their ability. We can be completely present. We can be all here. We can give all our attention to the opportunity before us!!!
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| kity
Certified.............
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Thanx malithahe I am sure you will pass.... lots of luck
could you please tell me at which centre did you take your exam???
& how many cases in your exam were from FA???
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| Malithahe
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www.usmlestar.com
Kitty check your PM
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| Malithahe
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cocacola it is www.usmlestar.com
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| hasan82
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hi malithahe
im sure u r going to make it
best of luck
can u plz tell me ur centre
n how many cases did u get
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| Malithahe
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chicago 12 cases
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| dr.shailu
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Hey malithahe
you post is really inspiring.
Goodluck.
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| izn
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hi malithahe,
thanks for all the details and good luck....
i hav my exam on 6th June...started studying a wk ago.....i am doing cases system wise ...i practice with a friend on phone and with my husband....but yesterday while practicing i had a fight with my husband...he has also taken CSA few yrs ago and he becomes the most difficult and non coperative SP and has made me cry twice...he then appologise and say that there could be SPs like that who would just say.."you just asked this question doctor"..or say.."i dont know anything first do something about my pain".....
tell me malithahe , how many SP are non cooperative....
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| Malithahe
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There were two, but they were not rude. They just answered only the Q i asked, sometimes yes or no only. Sometimes if his main complain a pain somewhere when moving and when I asked if there is pain at rest , said yes, then i asked where? It is all in my left side i told you once, like that, but they do everything we ask them to. They are acting so don't worry. I'm sure you have and you will come across more difficult patient in real life than this
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| izn
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thanks
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| kity
Certified.............
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hey malithahe Thanx..
I have one Q how do you examine RS case CVS in female.. I mean can we do this in sitting position?? is it ok to examine chest in sitting or lying down by lowering the gown ..
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| asha kamat
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thanks for writing your exam experience malithahe, good luck for your results.
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| Malithahe
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kitty I think they are prepared for that because when I asked per mission to uncover the chest for cvs and RS they didn't hesitate, I did in seated position because it saves time, It was not difficult, because we are not searching for physical findings.
Thank you all for your good wishes
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| hypomanic
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Dont worry Malithahe; 80% of students clear the CS and you didnt do any major blunder and had no probs with language ; you 'll easily clear the exam- concentrate on CK- the score matters there! and not just passing- best of luck and thanks for the post
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| doc-o8
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congrats malithahe.
u did an awesome job. i wanted to ask a few qs.
how much time is enough to prepare n is fa enough? n how did u practise the cases on phone? n how many hrs u need to study fr it. is it really important to have a study partner fr this?
thanks in advance n good luck.
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| Malithahe
Forum Senior
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Thanks all
Sorry doc 08 for my delay in answering. there are certain cases UW which are not found in FA. May be UW online and updated but FA printed once a year. I cant comment on time needed for practice I did all the cases once during 13 days. Until I get my results i can' t say anything.
I practiced FA over the phone, first told the page number to view the door way information and timing started. took the history part tell what I will do for physical in detail including what we tell the patient during the physival exam and do the summerization and councelling total time usually 12 - 13 min. Hang the phone write PN for 9-10 min. then evaluate and discuss the case,.
It is imp. to have a partner at least for the physical exam because you do automatically what you practiced, I did about 3 hrs in the morning and about 4-5 hours in the evening but haf interruotions in between
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