SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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hi friends
i wrote step1 on 27th april 07 anf failed with a 179/73.i was demolished...... felt as if i will never pass another exam ever.but i had already applied for step 2 ,before my result was out,so i went on to face it.i had many ups and downs during the prep days......... from feeling depressed and disheartened to occasional times when i thought it was going to be okay and its not going to happen again..... but the truth is fear of failure kept me on the edge all the time.
i started to prepare for step 2 in june,but due to some problems in my personal life i wasn't able to go on with it until august.the journey through this time,was pretty tough..... as i said,i always felt as if i'm going ot fail all the coming exams....... well i did somehow manage to be in my senses enough to keep studying though i had some real bad times.... anyways,i wrote my step 2 on 29th october and got a 226/93.to some of you it might not seem a very good score but it saved my life.... it helped me come out of my gloom and returned my lost confidence.
and now i have to face step 1 again.i need you guys to help me with that.... please tell me how to go about it this time so that i can face the exam with a confidence and get rid of all my fears related to it.
the last time i gave it ,i had done kaplan notes and lectures,FA and some Kaplan Q Banks.i had bought some other material which i was not able to read.....
so i have the following material with me
kaplan notes
kaplan lectures
First Aid
kaplan QBs
i couldn't read the following
high yield:gross anatomy and neuro anatomy
Secrets for step1
now please advice me how to go about my step one ........ do i need to do UWorld for step1(i did it for step2 and it was very helpful) ?how long should i take to prepare?i want to get in the high 90s this time,so please advice me how to do it.i know there are many posts in this forum on how to get a good score but i woul be grateful if i can get some direct advice.
looking forward to your support as i really need it.
thanks a load
SOS
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| dr ruman
Forum Elite
Topics: 33
Posts: 370
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hye sos,ur story is not just story,its really inspirational and courageous one,i really appreciate the way u didnt lose ur hope and struggled and got such nice score in step 2,Congrats
though i dont need to say as u have seen urself that there are ups and down in life but if u dont give up in steping forward always succeed.
hmmm so best luck for step 1 and yeah u can do it with really good score,try to focus on ur weak points,though peple try different things and resources,but i would suggest that stick to ur kaplan notes ,dont try any new source as u r familiar with kaplan notes and it wold be easier to memorize and understand a thing, u r lready familiar with,hmmm hig yield very nice but so far from exam experiences in posts i have concluded that kaplan not lacking too in anatomy and even neuroanatomy more thn enough,other gross antomy is also good,so the things lacking in text u can overcome by doing questions and ading notes to them,so start with kaplan grab a system or subject and at end of session,do KAPLAN Q bank or UW bank along with it ,mark the questions u got wrong plus those which u feel informative and good edition to ur kaplan notes,so after 1 read u b able to do kind of revision of kaplan notes plus ur added notes from q bank ,plus u b familiar and more comfortable with doing questions,give this session of reading real nice time,and try to absob and think the way usmle wants
after this session start thinking of doing first on ur weaker areas and marked questions and ur added notes ,offcourse start study First aid as wel,so this time focus on improving ur scores on Q bank,in 3rd read u will be really comfortable with ur score and would be knowing almost all high yield things,then comes time for NBME as i have found real helper to understand level of difficulty and types of question in usmle,with each read u b getting more and more clear of concepts and high yield extract.
thats way i learned though books were same ,kaplan and first aid,and ofcourse GOLJAN must for pathophysiology,but every time i revised i got more concepts and more ways of defining and solving questions by same single line,i would suggest ur 1st read subject wise and 2nd read or so system wise,hmm so far thas my honest overview,ther are way lot experineced and brilliant people here ,who wil help u out by their suggestions
best luck
Edited by dr ruman on 11/28/07 - 09:37 AM
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Living each day as a preparation for the next is an exciting way to live. Looking forward to something is much more fun than looking back at something—so lets do it together
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| Rx
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 43
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Hi SOS! Your journey sounds very motivating for me. Congrats for your step 2ck score. As you have regained your lost confidence I am sure you will do wonderful this time in step1. The other weak point in your previous attempt seems the absence of UW bank. I suggest you must not miss that this time. Do UW and make your notes from it. While among the rest stick to FA and Kaplan notes. Do not cram yourself with Secrets and else you did not do last time. Good luck for your exam!
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"Believe you can and you're half way there."
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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thanks dr ruman and Rx.
i'l follow what you guys have suggested.
i'l begin with kaplan notes and after one reading,i'l start the UW questions.............. this was my biggest goof up in my last attempt.i did very little questions,that too half heartedly co i started only in the last two weeks of exma.after my step 2 the most important thing i 've learnt is to be familiar and comfortable with solving questions.
so after kaplan first read i'l start UW and keep revising and adding notes to kaplan.i did that in my step2 prep,took notes from UW questions and revised only those in the last few days.it really helped.
actually you guys are right,i've learnt enough from my step2 success and more so from my last step1 failure too........... but you know once bitten twice shy.so i feel somewhat uncomfortable about step1........ but i also know that once i star whole heartedly its going to be fine.
i'm planning to start my prep journal ,maybe that should keep me motivated.
thanks for the wishes and advice.
SOS
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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thanks dr ruman and Rx.
i'l follow what you guys have suggested.
i'l begin with kaplan notes and after one reading,i'l start the UW questions.............. this was my biggest goof up in my last attempt.i did very little questions,that too half heartedly co i started only in the last two weeks of exma.after my step 2 the most important thing i 've learnt is to be familiar and comfortable with solving questions.
so after kaplan first read i'l start UW and keep revising and adding notes to kaplan.i did that in my step2 prep,took notes from UW questions and revised only those in the last few days.it really helped.
actually you guys are right,i've learnt enough from my step2 success and more so from my last step1 failure too........... but you know once bitten twice shy.so i feel somewhat uncomfortable about step1........ but i also know that once i star whole heartedly its going to be fine.
i'm planning to start my prep journal ,maybe that should keep me motivated.
thanks for the wishes and advice.
SOS
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| supra
Forum Elite
Topics: 19
Posts: 353
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GL n keep going SOS
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| 12345678
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i faced the same thing in step1 got 183 .. still cant believe it happened to me .. anyway i took cs after tht and passed tht .. after my cs result was out i started studying again for step 1 but coudnt focus atall .. i ended up extending my triplet but still cudnt do alot and ended up wasiting all the money ..
iam ready for it now i guess and thinking of doing step 2 .. i just wanna know if three months r enuf or not .. i really wanna know how u did it .. it made me very happy to know about your success .. i will be grateful if u help me .. if u think i shud still do step 1 let me know .. help me guys iam shattered and feel like a loser ..please help meeeeeeeeeeee
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| Rx
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 43
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Hey 12345678! Come on, you shouldn't feel shattered when you got through the CS already. Take the step that you feel like taking. I guess after being flunked in step 1 once, you must be afraid to retake it. So go for the step2ck. And do not rush. Take your time in best way. It depends on every individual how much time they may take for preparation. But less than 4 months is not advisable. Fight back your fears as that will be the only hindrance to your success. Wish you best of luck!
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"Believe you can and you're half way there."
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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this is what gives me the will to fight and win when it seems i've lost it all.
i created ,or rather assembled it in one of my worst times.it helps me,and now i share it with you.i hope you find it useful.
SOS
Attached Files:
thoughts1.JPG (235 KB, 48 downloads)
Edited by SOS on 12/06/07 - 09:43 AM
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| 12345678
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thanks for the support guys .. so if i do take step 1 ..is it possible to get done with it in tw0 months ?...i ahve done a few things in bits and pieces .. i had a 76 n my simulated the first time .. this time i plan on doing kaplan an dusmle world i dint do fa and usmle world the first time .. i have to take the decision today .. say what you ?!
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| 12345678
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special thanks to SOS .. 
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| 12345678
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okay so after thinking about it the whole day yesterday .. i kind of feel that i can do step 1 .. the thing is without doing step2 atall i dont want to put myself under pressure and screw it up .. my clincals r very good so i wud wanna do step 2 when iam relaxed and i can make the most of it ..
as for step1 if i start today and fininsh first read on 9th jan .. and then with the second i plan on doing usmle world and revise stuff again tht ends 7th or 8th feb and then revise in one week and take the exam and btw in my first read i will do fa for one hour everyday .. anyway coming back to 8th feb i plan on taking nbme on 9th or tenth feb and inahother ten days i take the exam .. waht do u think ?
i am giving u a detailed first read timetable SOS just in case caz it mite help you aswell
7th 8th 9th ..................................................17th
i do patho physio and neuro anatomy
(i do it system wise meaning ... phys cvs and then patho cvs , cns with neuro and so on )
18th,19th 20th bacterio
21st viro plus fungo ( u can also do alittle bit of fungo everyday and finsih it with bacterio and viro )
22nd nd 23rd - immuno and if any bacterio is left
24th to 28th pharma .. 29th to 31st anatomy (rem we r already donewith neuro !) so 3 days for regional is enuf .. i do it from kaplan and limb and a few others from hghyield
1st i do molecualr from biochecm , 2nd to 4th metabolism
ad 5th genetics ... 6th 7th 8th 9th i do behav
end of first read !!
please do read it craefully and tell me wat u think ..iam telling u caz u seem to be a good student like me who just happened to fail for some reason GOD ONLY KNOWS ...
AND BTW i wud be lissenign to goljen audio when i do patho (everynite before going to bed ) as for other dvds i will only lissen to physio if there is a problem i dont think i need to watch anythign else ...
waiting for your reply guys .. please do let me know what u guys think ..
please do reply
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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12345678 wrote:okay so after thinking about it the whole day yesterday .. i kind of feel that i can do step 1 .. the thing is without doing step2 atall i dont want to put myself under pressure and screw it up .. my clincals r very good so i wud wanna do step 2 when iam relaxed and i can make the most of it  .. as for step1 if i start today and fininsh first read on 9th jan .. and then with the second i plan on doing usmle world and revise stuff again tht ends 7th or 8th feb and then revise in one week and take the exam and btw in my first read i will do fa for one hour everyday .. anyway coming back to 8th feb i plan on taking nbme on 9th or tenth feb and inahother ten days i take the exam .. waht do u think ? i am giving u a detailed first read timetable SOS just in case caz it mite help you aswell 7th 8th 9th ..................................................17th i do patho physio and neuro anatomy (i do it system wise meaning ... phys cvs and then patho cvs , cns with neuro and so on ) 18th,19th 20th bacterio 21st viro plus fungo ( u can also do alittle bit of fungo everyday and finsih it with bacterio and viro ) 22nd nd 23rd - immuno and if any bacterio is left 24th to 28th pharma .. 29th to 31st anatomy (rem we r already donewith neuro !) so 3 days for regional is enuf .. i do it from kaplan and limb and a few others from hghyield 1st i do molecualr from biochecm , 2nd to 4th metabolism ad 5th genetics ... 6th 7th 8th 9th i do behav end of first read !! please do read it craefully and tell me wat u think ..iam telling u caz u seem to be a good student like me who just happened to fail for some reason GOD ONLY KNOWS ... AND BTW i wud be lissenign to goljen audio when i do patho (everynite before going to bed ) as for other dvds i will only lissen to physio if there is a problem i dont think i need to watch anythign else ... waiting for your reply guys .. please do let me know what u guys think .. please do reply
sounds like a good plan.and so sweet of you to share it wih me,i would also try to follow sometihng similar but ihave some thing else also on my platter which might slow my down,but none the less i will try.
you too check it out..... kaplan is offering a free online trial of questions for 15 days.
http://store.kaptest.com/myhome.jhtml
BTW 12345678,may i know where are you from?'i m an IMG.from India.
SOS
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| 12345678
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i did kaplan last time .. thanks for the link .. so u do think its achievable rite ?.. what would slow u down ?.. is there any way i can help ?
iam also an img from pakistan
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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12345678 wrote:i did kaplan last time .. thanks for the link .. so u do think its achievable rite ?.. what would slow u down ?.. is there any way i can help ? iam also an img from pakistan
the reason i said i might be slow is ,coz i am also going to do the kaplan q bank alongside........ actuallt it wasn't planned........ the truth is i was still sruggling to chalk out an executable plan for myself when i came acroos this post about the kaptest and i got the sub.the biggest problem with me is iam slow and very indesicive plus confused ,in the beginning.......... i was still wondering whether i should start patho/physio/micro and so on and this kaplan thing came as a surprise......... and i tihnk its my chance to get into the right shape and momentum........... i've made it my goal to finish the qbank along ,and also take notes where required within the given time.......... a little warming up you know.you might wonder why i'm going to do the questions even without reading everything once............. but i think its not that bad an idea coz its not the first time with step 1 course.... though its been more than seven months that i even looked at the step 1 course ,i will still go for it........... it will get hose idle neuronal connections back to working condition.............
what do you think of my plan......... i know it will help me in many ways and i'm going to follow it.i'm going to take my first test now and i'l keep this post updated on how i do in the tests.........
thanks a lot for being so helpful..........
i'm planning to write step1 in feb end or march beginning but only if i'm able to gain my desired level of confidenceotherwise i'l take more time.this time.
SOS
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| abc1234567
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 48
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hmm well i dont think taking notes from kaplan q bank wud help but caz tht style works for you may be u shud give it a short to get started .. let me know how it goes ..imma gonna do patho phys as i already told u .. lets c how things go from here .. i hope we achieve our targets
good luck
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| abc1234567
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 48
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one more thing ..
as u just took step 2 starting with q bank wudnt be a bad idea but as soon u get in the flow start stuyding aswell and do a bit of it everyday .. i will also try and do the free qbank questions with the first read
Edited by abc1234567 on 12/07/07 - 10:58 AM
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| milee99
Forum Guru
Topics: 54
Posts: 1,313
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hey sos i didn't know you are done with step 2
great dear
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If you really want something, you will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse.
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