MysticSoul
Forum Newbie
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Guys, today I got the most important thing in my life. You must be wondering what it is. Ok its 99/243, so what? Many people get that. But I really do consider this to be the biggest thing in my life. Let me share my life experience with all of you. I need to get back in time, almost 10 years ago, when I was a really good student who never saw a failure or even a minor set back in the career. Everything was going really great. My confidence was sky high.
My life took a sharp turn when I barely managed to get in to medicine. I was like ok at least I got in while many people had to leave medicine or retake the exams. But it was just a start. I started failing almost everything in my medical school. I started hating medicine – dragging myself to ‘just get out of the medical school’.
The results kept on getting worse with each passing year.
Anatomy – First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: Pass
Physiology – First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: Pass
Biochemistry – First Attempt: Pass
Pharmacology – First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: Pass
Forensic Medicine – First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: Pass
Pathology – First Attempt: Pass
Community Medicine – First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: Pass
Medicine: First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: FAIL, Third Attempt: Pass
Surgery: First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: Pass
OBGYN: First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: FAIL, Third Attempt: Pass
Eye: First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: Pass
ENT: First Attempt: Fail, Second Attempt: FAIL, Third Attempt: Pass
My confidence was shattered with each failure that I saw. I forgot what success was. I started hating medicine even more. I had no interest in clinical rotations. I had a hospital phobia too (kind of subtle but significant). Also, it took me one extra year in medical school due to all these failures. Meanwhile, I started studying for Step 2 CK (because I had to take Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry etc) for my failed year. I could have continued with Step 2 CK first but people discouraged me to go for it. Also, I got out of Medical School before I could continue for Step 2 CK. At last, despite all these failures I managed to get out of medical school in January 2006.
I started preparing for Step 1 as soon as I passed my medical school but again, didn’t take it too seriously in the beginning. I remember taking many days for a little amount of material learnt. Also, I took months off in summer because of my marriage and other domestic problems.
The Change: I would say, the one person that brought about a change in me was my religious and spiritual mentor. He talked to me about the importance of helping the sick and needy. His aim is to build a Highest Standard Medical Facility in a remote area of my country which is going to be totally free. I remember his words ‘we should provide even the MRI totally free of cost’. These talks changed my life. I said to myself what the hell are you thinking, you are a doctor already, are you going to kill people if you do not learn and apply your material? My eyes just kind of opened. I decided one thing in my head, “Be a better doctor so you are able to help people, justify your qualification, and above all, participate in the efforts of your religious and spiritual mentor”. Since September last year, I started studying seriously (although I could have studied a lot more). Many downfalls came in the way, but the motto my religious and spiritual mentor gave me always kept me up. I would deliberately learn one point from Kaplan DVDs, stop, think, reflect back on it, and apply it as if I am serving some needy for free. My whole preparation centered on it. I did Kaplan QBank twice (Downloaded) and then USMLEWORLD (Online) finishing it in 2 months securing 72 percent correct with 80th percentile. Here again, I would read the question and close my eyes, review my motto, think about the answer, answer and so on. I really think this helped me a lot, took all my exam related anxiety away as I, in a way, was no longer studying for my examination. It was all about humanity and religion. Anyways, I took NBME 2 a week before my exam, got 610 (242/99). After that, I studied for a week (mostly First Aid, which I never did before).
The night before the exam, I stopped studying at 7:30 PM, chilled out a little bit, prayed, ate and slept at like 11:00 PM. I also took Alprazolam 0.5 mg as a precautionary measure as I do have a history of examination night Insomnia and I didn’t want to wait till 2-3 o’clock in the morning and then take some sleeping aid. I woke up fresh the morning of exam, offered my morning prayers, ate a light meal and went to the Prometric Center. It was a relaxed environment. The seating was comfortable (or it was Piroxicam for backache at work, I don’t know lol).
I started the exam. The first block looked the same as NBME. I made a mistake of taking it too leisurely because the first 40 questions had relatively short stems and were kind of easy. But as I hit the 41st question, I panicked, the questions started coming from Mars and were really long and obscure. As I wasted a lot of time on easy questions, I really had to rush through the rest of 9 questions, and all of those being relatively hard questions. Anyhow I managed to finish in time. The next 2 blocks I did straight, making it first 3 blocks in a row without a break. Time was not a problem with any of the remainder blocks. I took a few minutes break after the third block, had my Red Bull, a pack of M&Ms and a Kit Kat, I went to the bathroom although I didn’t want to. I came back and did the next 2 blocks in a row, nothing spectacular or exceptional about it. I took a little break, had another Red Bull, chocolates and a pack of chips. I went back to finish the sixth block, then a break, had some water, used the bathroom, came back, did the seventh block. And oh it was over. Here again I did not have any sort of anxiety. The whole exam was fun (although a bit tougher than NBME). I actually enjoyed taking the exam as it was quite different from anything I had taken before. The one frustrating problem was Power Failure which occurred twice for half an hour each and they had no generators Sigh. Anyways I finished the exam and went out to eat with my mom and brother. Again, during the exam, I would remember God before reading a question, read a question, think about it, then answer it (remembering the ultimate goal of a doctor – to serve humanity), and move on to the next question. I personally think it helped me sit through the first 3 blocks without a problem, without a break.
July 18th – OASIS updated, I passed. July 31, 2007 – The scores arrived. And it was 243/99. All the thanks and praises to God. While I sit back and think about my past failures, I consider this result to be the most important thing in my life because:
1. It will help regain my confidence.
2. It will increase my belief in God
3. It has, of course, increased my knowledge, and will make me a better doctor.
Do we need anything else? I think we do not.
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| kity
Certified.............
Topics: 33
Posts: 1,089
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  you really did a great job....
yes once we find meaning in what we are doing... it makes sense then... god always reward hard work....!!! GL for other steps & residency..
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NO PAIN .. NO GAIN ..
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| junoon
Topics: 4
Posts: 47
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WOW! Congratulations on such a wonderful score, I really appreciate your honesty & that you never got discouraged. You are such an inspiring example for me!
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| unique1
Biochemistry
Topics: 23
Posts: 1,612
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Congratulations.
You are another addition to hardworking souls on this forum. When I see how hard other people are working , I am ofcourse inspired but at the same time it makes me think , where do I stand among all these wonderful people ?  . I need to improve myself and need to do it soon. No more procrastination  .
Wish you good luck with your next steps.
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| study499
live@ur full potential
Topics: 5
Posts: 598
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Thank you so much 4 all the inputs,
Amazing story...I'm too a strong beleiver in God so although hv not done a great job in my prep but know that i will.
Well done & best wishes
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Anousheh Ansari who was born in Iran is the First Female Private Space Explorer & First Space Ambassador.
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| MysticSoul
Forum Newbie
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kity, Thank you and GL to you as well.
junoon, thank you so much. I pray the same for you.
unique1, I am happy you got something out of it. Hard work is hard if you believe its hard. Let us all make it fun and blessing, it will no longer be hard work. Everyone is a wonderful person, we just have to explore it from our inside and label ourselves with that.
study499, I am happy to hear about your strong belief in God. Keep it up and pray for us as well. I will pray for everyone too. Thanks.
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| vwilldoit
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 175
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congrats....
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just do it .....
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| MysticSoul
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
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vwilldoit, thank you
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| dr_comet
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 29
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many many heartly Congratulations!!!mystic soul.....ur a brave person...and finally u got what u deserved....congrats again...and pz let us know where from did u graduate??best of luck 4 ur step 2..
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| doc-o8
Forum Elite
Topics: 35
Posts: 431
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congratulations Mystic soul. this result shows that although u had failures in medical school but indeed u studied everything without losing hope. u r such a hard working person ,an example for many of us.
best of luck for ur future goals. wish u a great score in step 2 .
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| MysticSoul
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 7
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dr_comet, Thank you so much. I graduated from Pakistan. Best of luck to you as well.
doc-o8, Thank you as well. Best of luck to you!
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| determine08
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 37
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congratulation. thanks for the inspiration. it helped me a lot. good luck for the future .. step 2 , 3 and lastly insallah your dream will come ture .. i can see ..u r opening a free clinic in the remote area.
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| DRchromatin
Forum Senior
Topics: 24
Posts: 91
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Mysticsoul......Congratulations. Your story is inspiring. I had actually asked people on this forum a while back about watching the Kaplan videos more than once and everybody had said it is a waste of time so I thought of maybe not doing that but after reading your story, it is making me want to go back to my original plan of watching the vidoes over and over.
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| MysticSoul
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 7
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DRchromatin,
These do consume a lot of time. But you are the best judge of your own capabilities and short-comings. I felt I would benefit more because I thought I was more in to Audio-Visual stuff rather than just boring reading over and over again. If you feel comfortable with your old plan, go for it. Best of luck.
Regards
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| bioguy
Forum Guru
Topics: 69
Posts: 1,001
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dude, mysticsoul - you are inspiration to the world!!!!!!
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ARE YOU A ROCKNROLLA?
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| edie
I can, and I will.
Topics: 26
Posts: 1,199
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MysticSoul wrote:
July 18th – OASIS updated, I passed. July 31, 2007 – The scores arrived. And it was 243/99. All the thanks and praises to God. While I sit back and think about my past failures, I consider this result to be the most important thing in my life because:
1. It will help regain my confidence.
2. It will increase my belief in God
3. It has, of course, increased my knowledge, and will make me a better doctor.
Do we need anything else? I think we do not.
Outstanding story, you redeemed yourself in the most awesome manner, with an awesome score! Best to you
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| DRchromatin
Forum Senior
Topics: 24
Posts: 91
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Mysticsoul
Thanks for the input. Your story is just a great one......it really is.
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| MysticSoul
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 7
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bioguy, Thank you soooo much. Just pray for everyone. Best of luck to you.
edie, I thank God for everything. Without His help it wouldnt have happened at all. I know I am no one extraordinary but He is. He can do anything.
DRchromatin, you are welcome
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| Drnubian
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 5
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Absolutely amazing, congrats and God Bless u
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God will give me my 250 on Step 1!
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| at peace
Forum Newbie
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Posts: 44
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thats very very inspiring...thank u so much for sharing..wishing u all the very best in everything u do
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