arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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Three words for you all: horses, horses and horses. No zebras, nothing a good doctor is not supposed to know anyway. Situations you may easily face during your practice. No rare diseases, no blaaaaaah syndromes, no green hideous monster inside the closet.
Lots of questions I discussed and learned from this forum made a difference in my test today.
The last 2 hours were a prolonged labor with slow descending fase and pelvic disproportion, but that's the only negative aspect of the test. One must have a lot of stamina to keep it going with the same focus as during the first blocks.
I finished every block with around 10 minutes available for reviewing marked questions, and I caught some mistakes by doing that.
The questions with a lot of options were the easiest ones, but I had to read every option, because some sounded almost the same. I had some questions with only three options!
Bottom end: very doable, very fair, very important, I am happy I had to study it all over again. The opposite of step 1, with that bunch of useless questions and subjects (well, not all of them, but some so twisted and ridiculous I am glad I passed).
Will tell the score when I receive it, OK?
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| sprint123
Forum Guru
Topics: 129
Posts: 870
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Good luck on your score arlete!
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| dncosta
Licensed, finally
Topics: 19
Posts: 604
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Congratulations and good luck!
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| usmlestud
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 68
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congratulations!!
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| dr.Dove
Forum Senior
Topics: 33
Posts: 118
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Congrats !! 
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| coolmavs
Forum Elite
Topics: 23
Posts: 340
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Hey Arlete, I know that it maybe a bit premature, but would you like to comment on the exam questions compared to UW/Kaplan QBank/ NBME? The utility of doing Kaplan Qbank?
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Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits - Edison
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| ehsanelsaid
Forum Newbie
Topics: 7
Posts: 18
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CONGRATULATION Arlete
Finally u take the test now its time to wait for the results
i know you from your posts and also my step1 score like your step1 score and around the same time u take step1 the same as me....
Can u plz tell us your usmleworld score.????
DID U SOLVE KAPLAN Q bank/nbme?
my exam is 2 months and 22 days left...iam really so afraid and worried cuz idont study too hard like step1
any postive words from you i will really appreciate your help
thanks
Edited by new_n_lost on 10/28/07 - 12:46 AM. Reason: All Caps r not Allowed
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| jaisiyaram
Forum Junior
Topics: 13
Posts: 56
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Thanks for sharing ur experience with us. What do u feel are the best resources for the exam? After giving an exam often one gets the feeling "i should have done this" or "im glad i did this". Did u think similarly? If yes please could u share ur thoughts and help all of us.
GL for ur score
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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coolmavs:
I think Kaplan Q-bank is useful for the begining of study, but if you are good learning from books, Lecture Notes will do it. The questions are easier than the test.
NBME is more like it. But I didn't have a single question from it (I had it in step 1).
Usmleworld is more difficult than the test, so, once you feel you are ready to pass, those questions will help you to improve your score. I think it's a MUST DO IT!
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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ehsanelsaid:
I studied much much less for step 2 for personal reasons. During the last 2 months, usmle was not the priority in my life/mind (can you believe it?).
You don't need as much scientific knowledge for step 2 as you need for step 1. Some questions are pure common sense. You have to have good concepts of diagnosing, indications, contraindications, etc, but it's different from memorizing each structure the methencephalus give rise to...
My numbers:
Kaplan: 75%
usmleworld: 63%
NBME (form 1) before studying: 530
NBME (form 3) 2 weeks before test: 560
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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I am glad I had a steno book where I wrote down things I thought would be important, but 1 line maximum.
For example: "vaccines for HIV= pneumococcal, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, MMR"
"varicella treatment = IV acyclovir" and so on.
Then, I studied only this for the last one week. I had the one for step 1, that I read, too. Everything was very familiar, my handwriting, and I used a lot of these small details during the test. Sometimes I would remember even the question I got it from, or the page.
I am glad I read First Aid once, during the last 2 weeks before.
I don't regret anything, actually, I enjoyed the whole process, A LOT!
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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Thanks for your wishes, guys. 
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| ehsanelsaid
Forum Newbie
Topics: 7
Posts: 18
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Thanks for you nice and quick reply
yes offcousre i believe every word u said...
but do u think 2 months and 20 days is enoght for me to ace usmle with above 90
my score in usmle world is 68% ..done only 40% of the Q
Iam really afraid as iam solving Q better than study
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| Hotobhaga
Forum Elite
Topics: 41
Posts: 180
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Congrats arlete... I am taking mine on the 11th. Hope u get a stellar score.
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USMLE preparation is all about discovery. Discovery of your own capabilities....Julia Perch MD (iprep)
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| jamdoc
Forum Elite
Topics: 30
Posts: 244
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good luc for the score
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| doc-o8
Forum Elite
Topics: 30
Posts: 388
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congrats arlete. good luck fr teh score and the match
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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ehsanelsaid:
Apparently you'll do great!
Thanks, guys, I am rooting for you, too...
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| motorola
Forum Extremist
Topics: 66
Posts: 441
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hey arlete i took the exam a day before you. i found the exam difficult. there were many questions i couldnt do.
i had got 73% on uworld (completed) but i had given the exam about 5 days after finishing u world. i.e. had no chance to improvise after that.
how many days did u study 'after' finishing u world ?
did u do those 3 blocks u get on the usmle cd ? howmany questions did u get wrong ? i had got just 13 questions out of the 136 wrong. but somehow the exam was very difficult !!!i am scared i wont be able to make it to the 90ies despite a 73 on uworld.
had no problems with my concentration etc. in fact my concentration got better as i entered latter blocks...
any seniors(coke, bbb and others) have got any idea why this happened. and what should i expect on my scorecard?
Edited by motorola on 07/03/07 - 10:26 AM
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| kronossk
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 21
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Congrats! I am sure you will get a great score...
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| usmile2
Forum Senior
Topics: 1
Posts: 25
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Congratulations. I'm sure you will do great. I wish you the best. Just by reading your posts, you strike me as a good and a compassionate person. Things that are not learned in books.Having said that I think you will do great comes interview time too.
I'm a mom too. My question is how did you manage your schedule to study and take care of your family.If you dont mind how would describe a typical day for you while you were studying.
Again, GOOD LUCK with the score (I think your NBME are great).
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| ing
Forum Guru
Topics: 45
Posts: 435
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Thank you for sharing your experience arlete.
Wish both of you great score.
motorola, you can edit your own post by clicking the pencil icon right next to the time stamp of your post.
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| jaisiyaram
Forum Junior
Topics: 13
Posts: 56
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Thanx arlete. GL
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| dr.samar
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 21
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hiiiiiii:
good luck for both of you,alert and motorola
i think both of you will get high marks
thanks for sharing
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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motorola:
I studied 2 weeks after finishing UW.
I was right in most of the CD questions, I think about 90% like you, but I did not pay attention to that, because I heard they are easier than the test, and I agree with that.
You did great on UW, I think there's no way you flunked the test. Unlike you, the last two hours of the test were really tiring me.
Anyway, maybe because I am an optimist and veeery happy it's done, I feel it was fair and nice and doable.
I am rooting for you, OK?
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 36
Posts: 2,585
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usmile2:
Thanks for the compliments. I have confidence I'll have good interviews IF they call me for them. My flaw is I graduated in 1992, worked for 8 years and made the difficult decision to stay home to be the best mom I could while they are small (me and my perfeccionism!) when I moved to USA. The intention was to go back in three years, what happened was a chance for the green card, we stayed. I had 2 more babies. So, it's been almost seven years, although from 2004 to 2006 I worked as a technician, which I hope will be considered USCE.
If they don't call me, either I waste my talent as a doctor and have the glass half empty for the rest of my life, or I waste my chance to live in the city of my dreams, that's where I live now. Well, let's not think about that, "it ain't over 'till it's over".
Typical day:
6:30 AM: waking up, breakfast for the old one (8 y.o.), had mine, changed closes, brushed teeh, started studying. The boy would do everything by himself and go to school (bus picks him up at my door)
8:30: the two young ones (5 and 3) waking up, breakfast, changing closes, brushing teeth, cleaning scrumbles under the table
9:30: back to studying
12:00: warming up lunch, giving it, eating it
1:00: back to studying
3:00: old one back from school, hugs, kisses; sending the kids to the smaller TV and watching Judge Judy and at the same time sorting small closes (socks, undewear) to be put in the right places. During the commercials, making the beds, checking the bathrooms (3 men in the house!), minimal cleaning maintenance.
4:00: snack (the 8 y.o. helped at this time)
4:30: back to study
5:30: hubby back from work; kisses, "how was your day?", kids jumping around us, etc
6:00: back to study
7:00: bath to the small ones
7:30: dinner (hubby cooks!)
Most of the days, from that on I would not study, would give them attention, of course do the dishes, the laundry, etc. During the last 2 weeks, I would study untill bedtime and the whole weekends. My husband took care of everything else.
Details: the two small ones went to the daycare on Mondays and Wednesdays. That's when I heard the DVDs and did cross stitch at the same time for a pregnant friend (every mom is the Queen of Multitaskland). I took them to karate, swimming, soccer, ballet classes, book or flash cards at hand, didn't see them doing anything, clapped only when noticed the other parents clapping. I instituted "you are doing this for yourself, not for me" so they would not be disappointed. But I know they looked at me to check if I was watching. I was studying.
I had a big pile of clean clothes over the drier, sometimes I would pick them there, the closets were almost empty. My house was clean enough to be healthy, but I stoped washing the bed sheets and vaccuing in a scheduled pattern. I would clean, wash and dust when needed. Except for Friday, when I forced myself to pay a little more attention to the house.
The thing is: there's no way, I mean NO WAY one will study for usmle and NOT neglect the kids, the hubby, the house, or all of them at the same time. I was a good mother, but not a VERY good one. I am trying to wean my kids off TV/video game/computer, but they were very handy during this process. I didn't bring kids for playdates, didn't take them there, either, I didn't check homework, I couldn't volunteer at school, but I did my best. I even neglected a few friends, but they forgave me because they know how important it is. And when I was at the telephone with them, I was working around the house at the same time.
Man, can I talk or what?
All the best, everyone!
Edited by arlete on 07/04/07 - 08:07 AM
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