target
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Hi folks,
Today is a big day for me ....because I am out of my tortoise shell to make a commitment to myself, to my dreams and to you all.....to consistently stay at preparing for STEP 1...something I have stretched far too long almost 7 years of off and on prep for this great USMLE exam!
It is a long time to put off an exam but analyzing it retrospectively here are my flaws:1) Lack of consistency in preparation 2) Excuses like full time job, single mom, etc etc 3)always had rigid time tables and felt dejected when I fell short 4) Step 1 prep was not a priority in my life when "more important " things came along
The reason I put these reasons in the beginning itself is that if anyone of you catch me giving these excuses again in the following pages of my journal .......you know what to do (just like our thread guru mytime's whiplash technique, any form can be dished out )
Target's MAJOR TARGET: To be a caring physician and be good one too! "Your eye does not see what your mind does not know" - I felt this to be so true in the practice of medicine especially if you wanted to be a good physician. I am going to treat step1 as a God given opportunity to revise all that I learned in medical school (graduated in 96, yeah long time!) so I can be a better doctor than what I was before! Step 1 is just a first stop on my route to my final destination.........
Target's MINOR Target: STEP1 by Dec 2007
Target's study material: Kaplan lecture notes 2004 except Path (Goljan rapid review) Pharm (Kaplan 2006 -looking for), First Aid for Step1 2006, Goljan Audio, Kaplan Video (Beh Science, Biochem-MolBio, Physio - rest if time permits) Suggestions welcome.
Target's PLAN of STUDY: No Rigid goals /time table - Do as much as possible in the time available before and after work
TARGET's TIME for STUDY: Work: 12-8 p.m Mon -Fri sometimes sat
USMLE TIME : 6-12 noon (inbetween drop kid off ) - say 5 hours per day
It is 11 p.m at my end .......tomorrow marks the start of my journey towards my dreams...may God be with me through this and give me strength this time ..........wish me luck!
Edited by target on 04/03/08 - 04:59 PM
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| Pediatrician2B
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Hey target-Good luck in ur endeavours. I too am a MOm with a full time job-but my hrs start at 8 and end at 6,and add to taht travel time & so on.I am the worlds biggest procrastinator.Lets look beyond our failings & work towards a common goal-that of conquering the USMLE.
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| mytime
Kick my butt!
Topics: 39
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OHHHHHHHH TARGET AM so PROUD of U. Keep it up......'coz here in this big big world everyone has a whip. GOOD LUCK, darling!!! 
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| acintya
FOCUS on your Goal!
Topics: 7
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Hello Target! Welcome into the world of journals!
You are one strong, motivated woman!! Good luck on this journey... I am sure you will succeed! 
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| GoodGirl
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Hello Target,
It's pleasure to see you back with full steam. Best of luck !
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| kity
Certified.............
Topics: 31
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hi target..
doing as much as possible in every singleday.. is the best approach... jsut b consistent.. it will be over soon..
good luck..
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| target
Forum Elite
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Day1(July19) 9.30 a.m
Good morning everyone! Hello Journal.....you are new to me as I havent kept one since my school days. I think you are good because you made me to think of USMLE this morning when I brushed, otherwise I would have gone on with my chores. I knew I had to write .....so I started thinking what to read? Subject wise? System wise? I have tried both before.......something new for a new beginning...
Well my colleague 33 yrs old from medschool has been diagnosed with Non Hodgkins - spoke to him yday - he is taking it in good spirits - I thought I will read more about it because right now all I know is the the name of the disease.
PLAN for today: To complete Leukemia's and Lymphoma's
I started with Hi yield notes from Score 95 - Hodgkins and Multiple Myeloma done . Rest from now to noon. Then I plan to browse through in Kaplan/First Aid/Goljan.
Thanks to all those who visited my Journal while I was asleep - I cant describe the joy to find so many motivators as soon as I opened my computer. Thanks guys....please do drop in often and dont let me give excuses. My son is still sleeping.......so let me make the most of it! Will report before I head for work. 2 more hours to go.
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| mytime
Kick my butt!
Topics: 39
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U better read it ANAT to Pharm and only then consider it done.........or u'll be sent back with ur tail in between ur legs!!!!!!!! 
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| ShweHope99.9998
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MTTTTTTTT  , tail btw your leg
WELCOME TO JOURNAL WORLD TARGET .
As family, work , not to take as excuse, take as part of life & study , just balance all .
Go to GG's dl & other s at support forum & subj like path to dl all golj complete, 2007 FA & correction, NnL RR correction too .
Get dvd if do not have them yet , some are giving away free at support site to pick up at or with shipping fees .
You might find some one here live near you then can get more study stuffs.
Make sure do common one ...... kap LN, dvd, FA , golj of all , Kap Qbnk, Q bk, UW with your others etc.
Most can dl here in support site.
GL sis, welcome , study, not to post much like I did, though I have my own situations.
But if study lack or need to, do post as you like that is better than sit alone to think what is going on or wrong.
Being here that useally give you support , strenght, motivation, idea to read even you're so sleepy , tired .
GL GL GL happy success study to you, me, sis, bro, friends, all 
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| ShweHope99.9998
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Oh re; 1 to 4 , I only totally agree with # 3 .
Rests if beyond your control, let it be, sing , dance`along with it , try to do your best with smile, that will bring you back asap without tiredness to the full speedy study without wasting time to recover fr any chaos.or duty , or etc in life .
I just forget my own motto, idea this early week, so I beat myself up end of busy work days , so cannot study after home . Happen 1st time though when it comes to relatives , emotion , by time not only guests, also far realtive in town has bad post op appendectomy surgery complication being neglected by local surgeon in this kind of city , best in world without any FU, & antibiotics at old age with all chaos , will not mention here .Also langue barrier makes him lack of complaint .
Any way , that also push me back to study quick, ppl need us, need good Dr here even as surgeon .
The # 1 inconsistant, if reasonable, beyond your control, again swing along with it, but if just lame excuse of #2, #3, # 4 leads to # 1 , which are not beyond your control , then , I will say , girl you better be yourself as good as you do at your life , family , grant , job, done postgrad thesis, etc .
You can do it, just open the right books & study away .
GL sis
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| target
Forum Elite
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Thanks shwe for all the tips and wonderful advice and more important support. ped28, actiniya, kitygood girl thanks for stopping by and writing some encouraging words. Mytime I will think twice before saying "done" now.
Mid day Report: read Non Hodgkins from score 95 notes Plan to read them in Goljan in between incubation times at work. Read some haematology anat slides. Will report before bed
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| unique1
InGodITrust
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Hi TARGET , you are making us proud . I am glad that our group is finally getting serious about getting done with this test. Hope I will also follow yours and Mytime's foot steps and accelerate my efforts .
You are a laday with strong determination . I am sure you will pass this test with flying colors and will be a bright example for others . Wish you all the strength you need to accomplish your target.
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| ShweHope99.9998
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You're welcome TG , incredible grant done in so short peroid . What are you waiting for , whenI said if grant can be done menns in regular resonable time, but you had did it in amazing short period , so you definately can do step 1 well too .
Go TG go, if need lab assistant , can come with pay or not , if I am time off which usually in summer , now .
By the way it is p2b , but as I check P2B looks like P28 , especially for my dear TG if at lab , look at data , number
Take care of your health too , that if hit , it does, did to almost all of us recently & also since winter off , on one after another , also with over work, study , so be cautious about it . When it hit hard , get , take time to get back to fully good funtional mind & body to study & work .
GL
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| target
Forum Elite
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Final report day1: glanced through Goljan's review -lymphomas but somehow feel it is not in an easy registrable format? Is it just me or any one feel like that about Goljan RR. Any other alternate source for study for path?
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| ShweHope99.9998
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I like kap LN dvd path , DR. B if your dvd is not 2002 then he say more, but even 2002, he tell path cool calm way . Then after that & all kap LN dvd in all subj done , Golj audio , RR is good to follow .
Hope that helps.
Also Golj RR latest has alot of pic, so any one resell , usually not, take it.
But recently at amazon.com it is on sale as $ 27 , instead of 35 or 36 $ around .
Check your yahoo IM .
GL
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| mytime
Kick my butt!
Topics: 39
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Hope u are studyin already......will check on u when i get back.
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| target
Forum Elite
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Day 2: 10 a.m. (20th July)
Hi guys & journal:
Bummer! It is 10 already and nothing done. I have to move this weekend and nothing is packed. Is it a wrong time to have started prep? NO - no excuses - after all I have to do only as much as possible . So I think I am going to get into packing this morning when I have the energy so it is ready for move tomorrow and sunday and we'll see if I can squeeze some time for study. Hope to get to leukemia today.
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| Novak75
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TAGET, TARGET, TARGET!!!!!!!!
I WAS SO HAPPY WHEN I READ YOUR POST IN THE MAIN THREAD THAT YOU WERE BACK!, AND WHAT A WAY TO COME BACK!....
You sound very determined, focused, ready to kick this and finish this prep once and for all!!!
I think it is a good idea that you started this journal, knowing that you have to put in writting what you have done is really motivating, and I hope it helps you keep on track.
About the moving, well, you can listen to goljan while you pack instead of music, or you can put a kaplan dvd on or audio, so even if you are not sitting down seeing it, you can listen to it while packing.....
Oh!, and don't start thinking that it was the wrong time to have started the prep, there is no bad time, even if you only listen to goljan for 30 minutes while packing, it is a good 30 minutes of info that you didn't have before, so don't bit yourself up if the moving interferes with progress on your studies.
Congratulations on getting the grant on time, I know the experience, late nights, watching the clock, seeing if you are going to finish on time to submit it before the deadline,,...ahhhhhh...it is a lot of stress, but very rewarding, specially if your boss said..good job!...congrats!
I will visit as often as possible!...I send you a big hug! see ya later!
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| target
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Day 3 (10.13 p.m) July 21
Hi Novak.......what a pleasure to see you.....thank you for all the kind words. Well I have been listening to music but will switch over to Goljan tomorrow. Oh Lord! Moving is a pain.......got most of my stuff out and my little hero helped me moving stuff on his little skate board and needing a massage every time. Later some friends came to help with the couch and beds......whew......3/4th s over....1/4 to go .....the apartment is just a block away so loading into the van and out.....thank God!
I have set my new apartment in USMLE PREP FORMAT.....sunlight and nice couch to study and a big table to spread all my books. So forgive me journal no study today........tomorrow I hope to get done and Monday should be the start of some real serious study!
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| ShweHope99.9998
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TG,
Me too will start big study from Monday .
What subj are you going to do ??
Anatomy like me as usual ??
I try to IM & call your yahoo the other day after our nice chat stop suddenly .
Will catch you later .
By the way , I do have sunshine, nice couch , big table, but I keep all my books pile up on the floor at the corner that I will not see from my study desk, table , some recent read on the back of my couch , non on desk , just pc to play audio or dvd or e books. Some times`one or 2 books on table , usually is current study book with golj Rapid review .
In that lay out books hide , i feel better , good, instead of looking at my big pile of books on the big table.
But I did spread out all books at my start of the study . In the long run it really haunted you that , did I have to read them all, that much??
So just to let you know , few 1 to 3 subj books on the most. Even one subj will have kap LN, your notes, Hy , BRS etc for each , so imagine that for all 7 subj.
Oh FA is some times on , but now will keep it in , not out on table till good re read of 1st read done .
Have a good time in new place with good study TG.
GL GL GL happy success study to me, you, sis, bro , friends, all 
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| Novak75
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Good luck with the moving, start monday bright and early to study That is so cute of your son to help you with the skateboard
Are you beginning with anatomy like Shwe?
I am reading histo and embryo this weekend and will start head and neck on Monday or Neuroscience not sure, let me know which subject are you going to read....take care.
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| sss sss
Forum Senior
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am happy you have decided to start studying seriously, just went through your time plan and it seems like it would work perfectly, well will check on you often in between taking care of baby and studying for step 2.
sent you a pm,check it out
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| target
Forum Elite
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Posts: 479
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Day 4 (10.00 a.m.) July 22
Hello everyone! What a beautiful morning! I was so tired last night I crashed. But now I am fresh and visiting my old apt. because computer is still here. Thanks Novak,SSS and SHwe (good tip I will keep ony a few that I am studying to haunt me). Regarding which subject - havent decided yet subj wise or system wise? Today still more moving with Goljan.....thanks Novak.SSS I didnt get your pm. Mytime???busy? Waiting for your call. Guys other than Goljan RR what is the other quickly readable form of path - I heard Kaplan is not for Path. How is BRS? Which is the latest edition? ANyone has electronic version? Please let me know. Hope I get all done today so tomorrow will be a fresh start. I am SO GLAD that all of you are with me. Shwe, Novak pl. give me an update of how many revisions you have done, where you are , what your plans are. Love you all.
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| ShweHope99.9998
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TG, for path Kap LN is good, do not know why ppl give wrong rating, even the dvd is good, better in newer one. though old one read from book , I think is not , even though, his cool, calm voice is good to be with after your busy day or to start with that make you worry free voice .
Also can read kap Ln only if not into dvd.
BRS is 3rd option after the Golj RR & audio plus Kap LN dvd .
Do read kap Path , then if dislike , read RR & live lecture Golj notes.
Will pm you or IM or chat voice on yahoo soon in my detail plan, now is anatomy restart , may be physio abit .
But all audio, & papi audio always is stand by to fill in the blank or down time.
I will do subj wise, system wise I try, not fit for me .
Need any ring me ph or yahoo , or buzze me at yahoo .
GL
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| mytime
Kick my butt!
Topics: 39
Posts: 3,173
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Hey did u call last night. Had guest over then. Call today if u want to.
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