eida
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 112
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Hi everyone.Have been an avid reader of this forum.It's a great idea.
I need an objective and honest answer coz i am worried stiff about how my exam went.
in all honesty,the staff in the center and the SPs were nice.The cases were fair but I didn't prepare well coz I am doing an MPH right now and I am new in the US so I didn't have friends to practise with or even the time to do so.I practised on my own a few times,read USMLE world & FA a few times all under 12 days or so and it told on me in the exam and i'm sure it was pretty obvious to some of the SPs that i wasn't well prepared.
My mistakes?
Got 1 warning for overstaying in the room.I honestly did not hear that the time was up coz i was engrossed with a fundoscopy exam so I had to jump out of the room rather unprofessionally.No closure,no couneselling.and it was an easy case.
My PE wasn't smooth in most of the cases.I paused a lot of times and was uncordinated as in,I would jump from cranial nerves to reflexes and back to cranial nerves bc i was choked for time.Missed some very crucial exams like not doing the entire CVS exam where it was obviously indicated.Had 2 confusing neuro cases and they were my worst.I really messed up in these 2 coz my PE was disjointed and incomplete and i poked 1 SP too hard with the toothpick while doing pinprick.She complained and I did say i was sorry but she had this look on her face like "Who the hell is this ".From then on,it was mistakes all the way with this particular SP coz i felt i had just did the forbidden
Overexposed 1 SP as in ,wanted to rush thru an abdominal and chest exam and exposed both together.She also had that look of "others didn't do it this way"
Didn't finish writing 1 PN and the ones i did finish,in most ,I didn't write so many important things in the PE section 4 obvious reasons & bc there was no time(b/c I didn't practise enough). I tried handwriting but noticed I was crossing out a lot so i decided to type which slowed me down coz i don't type fast either.
MY question is,can one fail if one does fairly good Hx taking but poor PE and PN writing in most cases.I did not have trouble with communication,courtesy,knocking ,draping or closure/counselling except with the ones i talked about.Mainly with the PEs and PNs like I said and of course looking and acting really unprepared and uncoordinated in my PEs.Please,what is it that if you do or don't do,then u are certain of failing.Has anyone had a similar experience.My advise to those preparin.It is impt to practise and have a clear head and approach.Read less and practise more.Most of the cases u already know.You just need to have a solid minute by minute plan.Thanks .
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| zerocool79
Forum Junior
Topics: 8
Posts: 75
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i know how you feel eida. i just took mine yesterday too, but in LA.
I have a little bit of reassurance for you.. first of all the draping/uncovering abd and chest at the same time, i believe would be scored in interpersonal skills/communication skills.. so that wouldn't weaken your ICE (integrative clinical encounter) score.. so i hope that is somewhat reassuring.
When i am feeling insecure, i just try to break down where each mistake would fall in the scoring.. and as you know there are 3 sections that you must pass each independently to pass the exam--
1. language ( a third of your score),
2. interpersonal skills/communication
3. data gathering/pt note
So i try to think of my mistakes and which category they fall into.. and think of if I am strong enough in that section in my other encounters to bring my average score up.
i think my weakest section was the physical exam also. I felt like I was fumbling around, and not sure if I should start a neuro exam.. and then be cut short on time.. ( i kept having nightmares of being in the middle of the exam, and then hearing "this encounter is now over, please leave the room.. so i usually just jmped to counseling and closure instead of getting into an eye exam..i heard PE was least important) so i usuallly just examined the chest, back, abdomen.. and rarely head/neck.. aside from a simple thyroid/lymphnode exam. And i just pulled their gown down to their waist when they were laying on their back and did their heart and abd at the same time.. on every pt!!. i hope that wasn't a serious mistake... and if it was i think it goes into the interpersonal skills score.. which i am less worried about than the data gather score.
good luck, and i hope we both pass!!
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| eida
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 112
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thanks zerocool.Wish you the best too.You seemed to have done well.Better than me at least.
1 question though.What constitutes the ICE score?
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