Malithahe
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 171
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I'm doing an observership these days in some other city and staying away from home with my baby. Having a very difficult time period. It started the day after my exam and i even couldn't post my experience.
Just came from the hospital and found out the e mail. I'm so happy to see 240 /99 as i expected something between 90 and 95
I'm sorry guys for late contribution.
Exam was not easy. It was not like Kaplan or UW or NBME 2, But like NBME 3. Difficulty level... obviously more dificult than NBME 2. compared to UW... it is like the recently added UW Qs
Time... I marginally managed my time but had to rush last 5-6 Qs in each block and got wrong some easy Qs. (that i realized after the block is over, surprisingly ). I had this time problem in step 1 too. So that you can imagine where u stand
Content... I cannot say percentage wise, but every thing was tested. obviously majority was IM, considerable number of Surgery, Pead, Gyne and OB. Psychiatry qs were very vague, had symptoms of all the disorders. A very few stat and ethic Qs
One more important thing.... I got certain qs that were posted in some other forums and discussed. At the same time my friend did one week before me and she told me three Qs that she remembered. I got those three qs. All the best for everyone
This is my exam experience. will post my prep soon. having a lot of stuff to do
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Although there are many barriers, people who do good do not fail to pass all those successfully ...
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| h212
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 33
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Congratulations Malithahe... Good Luck for the match...
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| njcjzy
Forum Guru
Topics: 16
Posts: 702
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That is wonderful, you and your study partner both got 99. So study together really boost performance.
Congratulations!
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| Dinie
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Congratulations to both of us 
I am very happy.
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| bhanusupriya
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
Posts: 438
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congrats malithaheu and dinie both did a wonderful job.could u tell us the names of those forums pl.
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| maninder_amc
Forum Junior
Topics: 13
Posts: 63
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hi malithahe,congrats for ur greats score,...u got ur result this wedneday (22nd)??? when was ur exam? even i was also expecting for the update,..had my exam on 1st aug....dont know whether its going to be updated next wednesday or before that...
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| rody
Forum Senior
Topics: 46
Posts: 124
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congratulation.....give me advise...whatsbest to do in last month?....i didnot listen to hight light before...itsworth to listen to all....
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| doc-o8
Forum Elite
Topics: 28
Posts: 370
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congratulations malithahe. best of luck for the match.
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| veroni14
Forum Senior
Topics: 5
Posts: 133
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Congratulations!! Awesome score
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| rody
Forum Senior
Topics: 46
Posts: 124
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hi doc-08 can u give me your expiereice
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| smalley
Forum Elite
Topics: 51
Posts: 284
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congratulations great score.......
can you post us ur prep exp an what really helped you for ur exam
thanks
tc
have a nice day
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But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint-Isaiah 40:31
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| Malithahe
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 171
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Dear forum members, I’m really sorry for my delay in replying to you and post my prep
First of all thank you very much h212, njcjzy, Dinie, bhanusupriya, maninder_amc, rody, doc-o8, veroni14, smalley for your best wishes.
I was busy with the observership and then only had four days to research on programs that I can apply and to complete the application process.
My prep; I did step 1 in November last year got results in December, delivered a baby in January and started my prep for step 2 ck in march 2007. So that I was out of step 1 knowledge for four months. My advice is please start prep as soon as you are done with step 1. Don’t wait even for results. Fresh Step 1 knowledge is helpful.
I scheduled it to be done in the first week of June, ie is in three months, but suddenly I got a date for CS in May and interrupted my prep for three to four weeks ( two weeks for intense preparation for CS and two weeks after CS to rest and adjust back to CK) then gave Ck on July 31st. So my prep time for CK is four months, with a baby (growing from 3 months to 6 months of age) and interruptions like moving from one city to another. So my idea is with fresh step 1 knowledge total three months prep without interruptions would be enough.
I First read Kaplan step 2 ck notes once (2005 edition) and listened to highlights lectures while doing other work. It took two month to finish. During the second month bought UW Q Bank online for three months and started doing qs(all mixed random timed). Those days I didn’t have a fixed routine since had to feed the baby in every two to four hours and a lot of many other stuff. Tried to study at least four hours a day.Then interrupted for moving and CS.
Started again with Kaplan Q bank online for one month while UW is 60% done. During that time I had a roughly a routine. From 8.00 am to 12 noon my baby slept and I did four Kaplan blocks on a stretch. Then until 7.30 pm could sit to study on an off with other work so during that time read the explanations for wrong Qs. Made some very short notes. At night did one UW block , and read Kaplan notes for 3 hours. That is the areas that I’m scoring low and forgotten but read pretty fast. Slept for about 6 hours a day, 12 midnight to 6.00 am. If I had to go back I would definitely read the explanations for all the Qs right and wrong.
Last month only I found Kaplan lectures, thank full to Dinie. So first two weeks watched Kaplan DVDs. They are really good and I’m worried that I didn’t do them initially and I couldn’t finish them at all. Did only Pead, Surgery, psychiatry, CVS, and Rheumat. Then did Kaplan simulated and I thought my score was low, got depressed and rescheduled the exam for one week. Third week of last month revised IM most, revised some wrong Qs of UW but couldn’t finish all. Then did NBME 3. Was satisfied with the score and decided to do exam in one week. Last week revise each Kaplan book ( just scanning through) one subject a day. I kept fresh & UW blocks to be done at last so did it on a stretch as for the exam. Did NBME 2 down loaded form and discussed doubtful Q s of both NBME 3&2 with Dinie. Did USMLE CD. When I got panic and stressed browsed all over the internet searching on Google for USMLE forums and read exam experiences. It was to relieve my stress but was very helpful.
Then did the exam and it was so tiresome.
My study materials were,
- Kaplan books (very helpful),
- Kaplan DVDs (very helpful but didn’t finish. Too late to start)
- FA ( read half through and stopped as it was not very helpful. Very superficial)
- UW Q bank (very helpful)
- Kaplan Q bank ( very helpful for time management)
- Kaplan Q book started but did only two blocks, stopped because felt too easy.
- Highlight lectures ( Good to revise and for basic knowledge but most of the points to score above 90 are not covered)
Doing two Q banks: q s on Kaplan Q bank were very lengthy and helpful for time management. There were areas which were not overlapped in two banks.
With this experience, if I have to do it again, I would spend one to one and half months to read Kaplan books and to listen to Kaplan DVDs. ( all of them) and do Kaplan Q book during first month. Do UW for three months and Kaplan for one month as I did during my third month of prep. Read books altogether two times and revise once. I did this with many problems, a baby, other family issues, and some medical problems suddenly found out (unusual conditions for 20s) so if I did it in four months I should say it can be done in three months.
- UW Q bank overall average- 62% (initially 60%)
- UW 7 fresh blocks did in the last week -68%
- Kaplan Q bank-68%
- USMLE CD 39/40/42
- Kaplan simulated 72% (two weeks before)
- NBME 3- 550/ 230/93 (one week before)
- USMLE step 2 ck- 240/99
My special thanks to Dinie, for being my study partner, Asha Kamat for her encouraging words, doc08 for being in touch and encouraging me, and all the forum members.
Finally my loving husband, if he was not there …I cannot imagine, I have no words to appreciate him. this is his achievement too. My little girl for being so good and spending most of the evenings with dad. My parents, sisters, aunt , and parents in law, although in thousands miles away I always had their prayers.
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Although there are many barriers, people who do good do not fail to pass all those successfully ...
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| bhanusupriya
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
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that's great job malithahe.you deserve the score , good luck for match.
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| docmizz
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 11
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congrats Malithahe! thanks for the tips.
you suggested to begin step 2 prep soon after step 1.
i am in medical school and just took step 1.
how would you advise someone in my situation?
thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
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| Lim
Forum Elite
Topics: 62
Posts: 210
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Malithahe, congratulations on your great score.
what do you think of Kaplan Q bank? is it helpful and worthwile? Mostly for time management?
you said that real q is different from type of UW Qs and..that worries me.
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| Malithahe
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 171
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Thank you dear friends.
docmizz You have an advantage since you are in Med school you are in touch with clinicals and basic sciences. So it won't be a problem to you.
Lim Actually I didn't want to do Kaplan Q bank, but my husband bought it for me as a gift. I found questions covering certain highyeild areas where UW didn't. That's why I mentioned that there are areas covered by the two Q banks which did not overlap. At the same time real exam Qs are more lengthier than UW, but obviously not all the Qs. For me Kaplan Q bank did help. But many people do without it. One disadvantage I had was I couldn't go in to depth with UW because I didn't have time. I did both Q banks once and even couldn't do all the wrong qs one more time( did only some). If I didn't do Kaplan I could have dig in to UW.
The real exam Qs are more similar to NBME 3, (not even to NBME2)
Good luck to you all
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Although there are many barriers, people who do good do not fail to pass all those successfully ...
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| parag1234
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 2
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hiiiiiiiiiiii
i have my exam in 7dayz.give some tips.tensed
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| Feyza
Forum Guru
Topics: 48
Posts: 1,430
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MALITHAHE !! you are great and so is your encouraging post !
thanx for sharing and hugs & tickles to your cutie pie
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O my Lord! Open my chest for me ( grant me self-confidence ) and ease my task for me.Ta-Ha 25-26.
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| Allymd
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 118
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Hi... congratulations!!! You´re such an inspiration for me. There are times when I think I wont do it, but seeing examples like yours and some other people from this forum make me believe yes I can . I am kindda in a similar situation, I took step 1 in october, CS in march and delivered a baby in August. My lil girl is 1 month and now I´ll be back to study for ck, which I pretend to take it in 2 months... I had studied already, have watched kaplan dvd and read the books once. I could have taken it before, but had a hard pregnancy and felt very tired I didnt advance studying. so as u did I will be studying with a baby. I cant get it later since I already applied. Do u have any special advise? are u applying for next year? well, good luck and again, CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!
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| Malithahe
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 171
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parag1234, this iss what i would do,
allocate four days to revise again Kaplan books, one eacvh for IM, surgery and Pead and one for psy and OB. One day for UW highlighted areas or UW notes. mranwhile keep on doing qs random Mixed timed atleast 3-4 blocks at a time to keep practice. ( always did new Qs but it doesn't matter even the qs that you have done ) I reserved 7 UW unused blocks to be done at the end, did NBME 2, did USMLE CD etc.. I sent a PM to you too
Good luck to you
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Although there are many barriers, people who do good do not fail to pass all those successfully ...
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| Malithahe
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 171
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Thank you very much Feyza. Yes she is really a little cutie pie. But again I don't have much time to play with her she is so angry about it. But momy needs to do step 3
Allymd, Thank you and Congratulations!!! a brand new mom
You know you mght feel oh it is so difficult, need to feed every two hours, need to change diapers so often, wakes up at night, cries without burping, spits out and tiny little thing to take a risk to bath daily. But those are the only things that you have to worry. The most wonderful thing is they sleep at least 14 hours during the initial period. And everything under our control. Still they don't have attitudes. You know my little one now knows to refuse certain foods, she is selective now
So this is the best time for you to do the exam and since you have studied two months will be more than enough. Dig out UW, go through books again, if possible Do many other Qs too and you will do it. Get the maximum benifit when baby sleeps. That time is only for you to study.
Keep up good work Good luck to you
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Although there are many barriers, people who do good do not fail to pass all those successfully ...
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| starmoon
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did u do the nbme form3 i have done form 2 dont have time for anything else.is it necessary to do all nbme s n discuss them do ques get repeated
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| Allymd
Forum Senior
Topics: 15
Posts: 118
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Thank you so much! I´m trying to go through the books again, I feel tired but I´ll do my best. We started a thread on the support forum Steps and babies... would love you to join us! An any other mommy who wants to help or be helped Hope you and your cutie are doing great!
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| Malithahe
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 171
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Starmoon I bought NBME 3 and did it inline becoz i heard it is the most difficult one. I heard NBME 2 score more coorelate with the exam score. But I didn't do it online, just did a downloaded one. Discuss with a friend all the unsure Qs in both forms. I cannot remember whether the Qs were repeated, but got some Qs asked in similar areas. The important thing is we get used to UW pattern but exam Qs were on NBME 3 pattern. So in that point NBME helped me. This is what I experienced 5 weeks back. Things might have changed, with audio visual etc....
Good luck to you
Allymd, I'm more than happy join that post. But I might not be that active as my little one sleeps very little during day time now, and I started step 3 prep...
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