SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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Hi
I want to write my experience but I'm not very good at writing,so please be patient with me.i don't know how to put it in words simple and straightforward.......... because actually my journey through the step 2 was quite twisted and tormenting but i'm not going to go into the details here,i'l rather focus on the things i've learnt from my mistakes,and the things i would like to advice.
There is one thing i want to say before i start,TRUST ME,coz if you trust me ,you'l score much better than i did.the reason why i couldn't score a 99 had nothing to do with my lack of preperation or the material i read........ it was only because of my own fears and lack of confidence,and a lingering doubt about whatever i was doing.
Remember one thing,all you need for a 99 is
Kaplan DVDs and Notes
UW
Color Plates in FA
Pictures and Color Plates in Harrison
AND THAT IS IT.
If you know all I mentioned above thoroughly there is nothing else you need.just know them very very well.
Time for prep:
I think if you dedicate all the time to studying,4 months is more than enough,(I took 3 and a half months)
How to go about it?
My method would seem a bit unconventional to you all but this is what i learnt by my own trial and error.
Begin with DVDs.Take a pen and a blank note book and take your own notes while you watch them.Don't read the notes while you do the lectures.follow this up with reading the notes.you can do it topic wise or after finishing up one subject,whatever suits you.I did it topic wise coz the matter is still fresh and you retain better.
DVDs:
ObG is great,
Medicine;Cardio,Hemat and Inf are awesome,Endo is good,Neuro... fair and rest of the topics are fine except Nephro which was a pain and i skipped it.you might find some others also boring but it will help you in exam.
Epidemiology: Great
Psychiatry:Very Good
Surgery: my experiece was a weird one.when i started i found it boring and decided to skip it.after a month i had another look at it,and thought of giving it a try,initially i was not happy but soon i realized that it wasn't as bad.i know many ppl don't like it but i thought it was good,only thing is you have to get used to his accent and style.infact ,i think its his accent which helps you remember many of the things.
Pediatrics: i had only a couple of lectures and found them okay..... not very good i guess.
Okay,once you 've done the lectures you have your own notes in addition to the Kaplan books.and by this time you must finish one reading of the Kaplan books too.i used to read my lecture notes followed by the kaplan notes.now you're done with your first reading.
i'm not giving you any detailed time table coz each of us has to find it out by themselves.i did it in around 45-50 days.
then do a second read and it will take lesser time,try to finish it in 15 days.if do can do it earlier,better for you.
once you're done with your second reading,get a UW subscription without wasting another day.start with UW QBank.your aim should be to learn from it,please don't use it to asses yourself,at least when you start doing it.i took a one month subscription,and was able to finish all the questions once,and then could revise only the incorrect answers once before it was over.i missed out the marked questions,you better have enough time to do all the questions a second time.one month is enough if you aim to do only the UW and nothing else........ i was also doing the Surgery lectures meanwhile so kind of distracted myself.if you re not sure go for a longer subscription.the bottomline is know UW well.take notes while you do the questions,begin with tutor mode and as you get used to the questions switch to timed mode.but remember,you gotta make the best out of it,and the only way to do it is by learning all it has to teach you.
and yes,for a better outcome,start UW topicwise and before you start questions,take a look at the notes you took.and don't forget to take notes fron UW.after you've done around half the QB ,you can shift to random mode.i did it that way.
NBME:you can schedule a NBME when you feel comfortable.i took it after my second reading,before UW,and got 450,around six weeks before my actual exam.you have to figure it out yourself.......... i mean when you wanna take it.
okay,now if i'm right you're done with almost three reads of kaplan (2 plus the third along with UW) and the UW one initial go plus a revision.your further course depends on the time you are left with,you should have around two weeks or more.during this time take a look.followed by another one at the color plates i mentioned earlier.
this is the time when you gotta work on your weak points,try to take one more read of medicine coz its a major part of exam.and now whatever time you have read your UW notes and nothing else.just make sure you know them well enough,keep revising.
don't keep anything for the day before the exam,because its the time you tend to freak out,and will not be able to do anything.keep it free and have fun.
The only other ingredient you need is LOADS OF CONFIDENCE and you are ready to face it.
one very important thing is to have a good sleep the night before,so don't mess up there friends.keep your permit and the identification ducument ready the night before.don't forget to buy something to eat the next day.i had some cake,biscuits,chips,chocolate and a lot of litchi juice.take whatever suits you.
EXAM DAY:
get out of your bed with a smile and the determination to do your best.don't scare yourself ,its just another exam.tell yourself "I CAN DO IT".
i took breaks after each of the blocks,coz for me 46 questions was the limit.during each of the breaks i took a trip to the wash room , and washed my face and eyes.and then had something to eat and drink.
when i started my first block,i found the questions were quite easy and i felt very comfortable and goofed it up by taking my own sweet time,only to realize later the i was left with only 20 minutes and around 22 questions,i freaked out.and then i had to rush,was able to just finish all the questions in time.for all the coming blocks i kept myself on the edge about the time,and i was so tensed up about finishing each of them in time that i really don't know about the content of questions.
the last two blocks were a pain.i felt exhausted and must have did poorly there,its like i just wanted them to end and go out of that place.and i think most of us do feel that way.
one funny thing in my exam was,when i was signig out for my last break and was feeling happy that only one more block to go,the proctor said to me,"so pick up your energy dear,only two more blocks to go" you can imagine how i felt. i went like "TWO MORE BLOCKS???????? i thought there's only one more left." then he checked and corrected himself. but it shook me up.
well you remember to keep track of time and keep up the fuel all the time.and most of all be sure of yourself............ you might not feel sure about the answers but be sure about yourself and have faith in your decisions even if you are not sure.
When you are done,go home and try not to think of the questions.have a good time,do all that you had missed while you were preparing.have fun.
This is my advice to you all,i meant things i've learnt from my experience.what i really went through is a bit different,and i made an awful lot of mistakes during my prep.i will write about it in my next post.but right now i need to eat sometihng as i'm starving.
So that's for now.
Wish you all best of luck.
SOS
Edited by SOS on 02/13/08 - 01:51 AM
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| oldkidontheblock
Forum Guru
Topics: 54
Posts: 894
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Excellent post............Thanks for sharing....GL for your future career.
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Malcolm Forbes: Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat
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| USMLEGladiator
Forum Guru
Topics: 121
Posts: 412
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congrats.thx
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scores are just up to how high we aim and of course the amount of effort and time we put into it
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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Thanks for the kind words oldkidontheblock.
When I wrote that my journey was twisted and tormenting,i really meant it.To cut a long story short and know what I've been through just check out the following:
http://www.prep4USMLE.com/forum/thread/54737/
http://www.prep4USMLE.com/forum/thread/63406/
http://www.prep4USMLE.com/forum/thread/64960( and while you are on this one,drop in a line,coz i need some advice too)
So you can see i started my step 2 prep against all odds,when most of the people suggested me to go for step one,i did it for two reasons.first i did not have the courage to face the exam i'd failed at that very time,secondly i had already paid up for the step 2 and i didn't want to invest more money.
my step1 result had left me in a state of shock and it took me a while to gather myself.once i was stable i started preparing for the step 2.once i started to read the stuff i found it was easy,i mean as compared to the step 1 stuff this was something i was comfortable with.maybe because i'd done a house job for a year and was into clinicals.
but i was always on the edge.step one gave me a taste of failure and i was too horrified to experience it again.all the time while i was preparing for step2,the step1 result kept bothering me and i was never myself.
i had lost all the confidence i ever had.i had a feeling as if i was never going to pass any exam in my life............... every day i tried to pull myself out of this gloom but i was getting deeper into it,no matter how hard i tried.well i'm thankful to my friends who really made me see the good in me and made me feel better............. but it went on until the day i got my score.
the reason i'm writing it all here is ,i feel there might be others like me who've had such experience and want them to know if i can do it,so can you.
while i was studying,sometimes i really did well in questions and felt confident,but my last failure always burst the bubble and i would go tumbling down like a pebble.
the things that really spoiled my efforts and also the exam performance were
LACK OF SELF CONFIDENCE
FEAR OF FAILURE
FEELING THAT MAYBE I'M NOT DOING THE RIGHT STUFF
IF MY MATERIAL WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH ,WHETHER I SHOULD READ MORE BOOKS and so on
and i think most of us do face it at some point or the other.i had all of this in excess.
you can imagine what my state was from the following incident:
three days before the exam totally freaked out.i thought
"S**T, I haven't done the step 2 secrets." and i was so silly that i left all that i had to revise and was staring at the step2 secrets and telling myself at the same time that i will not be able to do it now even if i don't sleep and hour until my exam,and i finally brought myself to senses.
it wasn't only the secrets,same thing happened with Kaplan exam prep,which i didn't stumble onto until my exam was only two days to go.
and in all these evant i only made a fool of myself and ended up wasting a lot of time and also energy,worrying unnecessarily.
so dear friends don't get into such habits.pick up what you are going to study right in the beginning and stick to it.obviously you gotta make your choice wisely and then follow it religiously and believe me if you do it honestly you can score as much as you want.
the jist of my exam experience is,if you knoe your Kaplan and UW thoroughly you don't need anything extra.and when i say know it,know the concepts and how to use it.i read posts where they say its confusing ot recall the work ups and treatment step by step.one way to do it is use your imagination.
i mean while you study try to visualize a patient and then thinkg about it him/her as you read.i helped me.i went a little too far on imagining things,coz many a times i chose my patients from the people around me,or sometimes even a celebrity. it might seem gross/funny but it made my studying more realistic and entertaining.so give it a try.
Dr Fischer's lectures helped me a lot.i mean not only in the matter he taught,but also the methods and tips he suggested.i performed best in Cardiology........ got a star there.thanks to Dr Fischer.
if we talk about topics/subjects there is nothing you can afford to ignore.do everything well enough,and be comfortable with all sorts of problems.
when i did questions during the prep.i did the best in Psychiatry and ObG,reason being Psy is my favourite and OBGYN was the one where i had hands on experience for a year.
on my exam i did worst in Psychiatry... in fact this is the only discipline on my score report where i fall into the borderline performance,all of the rest are in high performance.so you can see ............. my inference for this is............. psychiatry and ethics questions on the real exam are written too smartly than any of the available QBANKS for prep.so do your Psy well and never take it for granted.many of my friends have had similar experiences,so i warn you.it seems easy once you're done with your Kaplan but its not so easy on the exam.i don't mean the Kaplan is not good enough,i mean the questions are real twisters.so be very thorough here.
weird thing in my exam was i got a lot of questions ,almost one in each block ,giving me different scenarios and asked for the best next step........ and in all of them i marked the same choice .i.e, stress EKG.it was the only obvious answer in all of them and all this time i kept wondering what was going on.
except for the Psy,most of othere questions were pretty straight forward and one could answer them if you knew your concepts.i performed the worst in Respiratory System.......... maybe because i didn't have the lectures in respi.
i can't think of more right now.will get back if something strikes me.
 
SOS
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| laly1
Forum Junior
Topics: 10
Posts: 72
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hi SOS I want it to congrat you on the the great score and experience .you worked hard enjoy your success .and thank you for sharing it ,you post is very encouraging for me I gave my step 1 on the 11/23/07 still waiting for results I'm so scared and dont think i will pass I have the same feeling of not not beign able to do step1 again right now so I'm thing about starting step 2 prep but was wondering if its a good idea .when i read your post I felt motivated to go ahead with my plan . I wish you the best and good luck with step1
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.[96:1-5] Read! In the name of your Lord who created - Created the human from something which clings. Read! And your Lord is Most Bountiful - He who taught (the use of) the Pen, Taught the human that which he knew not.
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| stayin_alive
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great job SOS..... congrats
ADB for future
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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laly1 wrote:
hi SOS I want it to congrat you on the the great score and experience .you worked hard enjoy your success .and thank you for sharing it ,you post is very encouraging for me I gave my step 1 on the 11/23/07 still waiting for results I'm so scared and dont think i will pass I have the same feeling of not not beign able to do step1 again right now so I'm thing about starting step 2 prep but was wondering if its a good idea .when i read your post I felt motivated to go ahead with my plan . I wish you the best and good luck with step1
hi laly
i know exactly what you're feeling like.its a tough time,but don't let it put you down.just be strong and have faith in yourself.i wish you good luck.
SOS
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| bax
Forum Senior
Topics: 17
Posts: 150
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thanx SOS 4 ur wonderful post....n congrates 4 gr8 score...
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| dr_enigma
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 12
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HI, sos
congratulations for a gr8 score...well i really appreciate you efforts u have given in so much detail abut ur exam experience...my exam in on 19th of dec 2007 and believe me i m feeling so exhuasted even before taking exam..i have been doing kaplan,simulated exam n UW exam..etc from last one month...but at this point i m so anxuious that now when i want to do MCQ'S i m unable to concenterate on scenariors which is really affecting my moral...plz give me some nice suggestion to get out of all this tension and anxiety as soon as possible.
would be waiting for ur response..
Enigma
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| bhanusupriya
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
Posts: 438
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thank you very much SOS for sharing your experience .your post is motivating...
my exam is in a couple of wks.and i feel your suggestions will be very much useful to me.god bless you buddy
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papa kehte hain bada naam karegaa...
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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dr_enigma wrote:
HI, sos
congratulations for a gr8 score...well i really appreciate you efforts u have given in so much detail abut ur exam experience...my exam in on 19th of dec 2007 and believe me i m feeling so exhuasted even before taking exam..i have been doing kaplan,simulated exam n UW exam..etc from last one month...but at this point i m so anxuious that now when i want to do MCQ'S i m unable to concenterate on scenariors which is really affecting my moral...plz give me some nice suggestion to get out of all this tension and anxiety as soon as possible.
would be waiting for ur response..
Enigma
my dear friend,this is not the time for exhaustion and you know it well enough.do one thing take a small break.............. like the time out thing we read about.(watch a movie or have an outing,anything that pleases you.... maybe a shopping spree )......... do something that will rejuvinate you and then hit back the books with a new energy.
remind yourself one thing,this is the last time you are going to write step 2 and your last chance to get an amazing score......... think of how you are going to celebrate when your score comes.
the bottomline is,and also the hard and practical way.ask yourself if you would really like to regret after the exam,or during the exam with "i wish i had used my time wisely before the exam" this time is most precious........... and so is your spirit and energy........ so don't waste any of these.
i hope it helps.
if it doesn't ,let me know,i'l think of a better way.
SOS
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| falcon
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 207
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Thanks, SOS
The Best guide lines on Step-2 forum
GL for ur other exams
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| smalley
Forum Elite
Topics: 53
Posts: 291
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congratulations sos
i rem ur step1 exp post.....am happy for u....wen challenged the strength of a true champ comes out.
see uve come out with flying colours
gl for all ur future endeavours and thanks for sharing ur study method and exp with us
have a nice time
 
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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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| dr ruman
Forum Elite
Topics: 29
Posts: 412
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hayee SOS,wow really inspiring and informativ posts
u said ,u aint good at writing,but i would say u r reaaly good at INSPIRING , ,yeah u really desreve biiig CONGRATS for both such ggod result and such nice post
u really took alot burden from my shoulders and nerves as i was thinking to move from notes to notes and uw to kaplan q bank,hmm well thx alot,cheer up and pray for us too,me facing fera too as i gave my step 1 at 21st nov and now waiting result,but cud nt wait to start for step 2, as have 3 months only ,for some reasons
again biig congrats
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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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| dr_enigma
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 12
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its so encouraging....thanx alot SOS..may almighty give further rewards...really ur efforts in going through exams are exemplary..but there is one more problem..i just feel like i don't know anything while when i start discussion abut certain topic i found myself better...i don't know whats all this happening to me...
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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dr_enigma wrote:
its so encouraging....thanx alot SOS..may almighty give further rewards...really ur efforts in going through exams are exemplary..but there is one more problem..i just feel like i don't know anything while when i start discussion abut certain topic i found myself better...i don't know whats all this happening to me...
this should make you feel better.
it happens to everyone,at some point or the other......... for a few it lasts longer.so don't feel bad about it,you keep doing your part,it will all come back to you when your day arrives....
i'm happy that my post is successful in achieving what i wanted it to.thank you all for the appreciation.and i will definitely pray for all of you.may God help you all through this.
SOS
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| supra
Forum Elite
Topics: 16
Posts: 360
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CONGRATS SOS on a good score,i m sure u can do more better on ur step1 coz u now have da confidence,n only dat matters.u will be da inspiration 4 many usmle aspirants
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| draashna
Forum Junior
Topics: 9
Posts: 48
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Congrats on a good score...and lemme tell you , you are very good at writing too....you are so clear abt how to advice for the preparation...thanks for just a great post. Only thing i wanted to say is how do people read so fast ...like 1st reading in 45 days and 2nd in 15 days. How many hours do u put in.....My studying speed is tooo bad..now i have lots of distractions too...but i was slow forever. Now i have very less time for preparation so i shd increase my reading speed...otherwise it wud be hard for me to take the exam. Any advice for me??
Thanks!
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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draashna wrote:
Congrats on a good score...and lemme tell you , you are very good at writing too....you are so clear abt how to advice for the preparation...thanks for just a great post. Only thing i wanted to say is how do people read so fast ...like 1st reading in 45 days and 2nd in 15 days. How many hours do u put in.....My studying speed is tooo bad..now i have lots of distractions too...but i was slow forever. Now i have very less time for preparation so i shd increase my reading speed...otherwise it wud be hard for me to take the exam. Any advice for me??
Thanks!
during my prep days i'd kept everything else on a hold.......... i'd been living in a rented room,away from my family,.......... with only one friend in the nieghbourhood........... in a town which was strange to me.so really i had nothing else to do except study for the exam........... in other words i was in complete isolation.... and all i had to do was to read read read.......... basically i was spending a lot of money to be able to do that.,just so that i could get rid of distractions.
actually i would like to help you but my dear friend...... to be very honest you have to figure it out yourself.don't compare your speed with anyone............. just make sure you gain something while you do it.......... i mean do you think you can retain well if you pace it up?if the answer is a no............. just drop the idea. go on at your pace........ in the end its the quality of he content and depth of your knowledge that matters......... we aren't running marathons here.and in case you have any doubts of not having enough time until your exam,buy more time,post pone the exam but don't get into a rat race now.
i've tried....... now you need to think over it and find out what you really need,in case you re still keen on inceasing your speed............. i need to know more about your study methods,maybe then we can come up with a solution.
SOS
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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when i started preparing for step2......... i'd been so crushed and put down by my step1 failure that my only worry was how to pass it........ i just didn;t want to write it another time,and the truth is i was so dissappointed that i thought if it happens again with step2 also i'm done with the USMLE.......... and hence i started with my kaplan.
i got my step 1 score in may third week and i had initially scheduled my step2 in the end of august..........i was actually planning to finish up my steps just in time for the 2008 match.but as the disaster of step1 struck me,it hit me hard and i wasn't able to recover for a long time.... now the Kaplan notes scared me......... i used to feel as if i was never going to be able to read them.whenever i picked up the books......... i used to get lost in the thoughts if i'l ever be able to pass it............ honestly i never aspired for high scores in those days......... coz i was more concerned about getting a pass.it went on like this until july began and i was nowhere.......... had barely done gastro notes and lectures during all this time,and now i could only regret over the time i'd lost.well i knew that instant i wasn't going to be able to take the test in augus end as planned and i rescheduled,this time picking up the last date available on my slot.
this was the time i came to my senses again and started reading like i should have done always.since i was so scared of the exam, iused everone i knew who'd been preparing for the USMLE how to go about it........... and i ended up many different methods and so i was more confused than ever.and mind you all these people were good friends and i trusted them,so i didn't know which way to go.one suggested to read the notes and do the DVDs after i read once,another said i should see the DVD's first and follow it up with notes,one said do both at one go.................... i was ready to pull out my hairs.not knowing what to do,i thought of trying all of them and pick up what suited me.i'd already been through the drill of doing both at one go during my step1 prep,so i had to try out the other two.
i first tried to read notes and then follow it up with lectures.......... i just couldn't get down to do it.i tried to read but my mind kept wandering so i gave it but.so only one was left............ ans i was going to start the DVDs.by some sheer strike of luck,a friend advised mt that while i do ObG DVDs i should write all they had to say.and since i was comfortable with ObG,this being my work feild for one year i started with it and hence i got to know the method that suited me best.and i stuck on to it.i took notes,word to word in ObG,Medicine(except NEPHRO),Epidemiology,and some of surgery.
the reason why i'm writing this is to give you an example that all of us need to find our own paths.i had always been good at remembering my own hand written notes so this method suited me a lot and i think it can help most of you once you get comfortable with it.
BIGGEST MISTAKE I MADE:
today when i think back and ask myself what was the reason i couldn't score a 99,a thought comes to me............ "only if somebody had ensured me that Kaplan and UW were going to be enough for it,i would have put more effort into mastering them ,rather than getting confused every other day whether i need to buy this book ,or that ,and so on.'
i used to read so many posts about other good material on step2,and was always getting tempted to buy more............ but i told myself i'l buy anything new only if i'm able to finish all i had in my hand in good time.......... and that day never arrived,so though my confusion lasted me until the day before the exam,my own stern attitude kept me from doing it...... and not to forget some friendly advice too.it is actually very tempting............. there are so many books in the market and many have very good reviews......... also i've read post on the forum here about Kaplan notes not being sufficient on some subjects and since i din't have the luxury of the time to read anymore than that........... i consoled myself with a practical and analytical explanation ie.. if kaplan notes weren't good enough nobody would be wasting their time and money over it.
so my advice to you guys and gals is,don't hunt down the market for more and more study material until you master the one you have in your hand.it won't hurt if you read extra material............ infact it will surely help you but before you go for it,just make sure you have your foundation material etched in your mind.
don't i sound like advertizing now...... its not my intent though it does seem like it.
okay let me talk something else......... as time passed and about time i started doing questions,i started gaining some confidence and also started daring for a high score on step2.............. it was okay as long as i did well on questions but when ever i did bad i felt my fears coming back to me.friends used to tell me not to worry and just give it my best shot........... put my 100 % effort and forget the rest.......... i wanted to do it too.......... but for some reason i never could give in my full effort.and until the day i wrote my exam,i prayed to God'" O God,even though i know i've not been able to put in my best effort though i wanted to,but due to the circumstances that YOU created i've not been able to,i want you to help me through this.please let me pass with a decent score."
well i did well on the exam,i mean i was sure of passing it but at the same time expected a good score,ay least above 90,and my prayer was like this.
"God , you know i've done well on exam and i deserve a good score,so please don't disappoint me......... and even if i'm not destined to have a good score,please at least let me pass,you know i deserve something good so don't let me down."
well friends ,this is just the beginning for me as much more is yet to come.............. and i'm yet to face my nightmare again,step1,the name itself scares me........... but i wil try to overcome the last of my fears soon.do pray for me,and i shall surely pray for you.and thanks to all of you who appreciated my writing....... i think my motive of being able to help someone brought out the best in me.
SOS
my username is a good indicator as to how i felt during those days.
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| Rx
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 32
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Thank you SOS for posting such minute details about what you had been through. Your words really help and guide so many of us here. May God bless you for your generous efforts..amin
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| zerocool79
Forum Junior
Topics: 8
Posts: 75
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a very good post! congratulations on your score.
I had the same problem with time when i started my exam. I found the questions to be a little easier than I expected, so I spent a little too much time reading and rereading each question, because I felt like I knew the answer if I just gave it some thought... and then time crept up on me and I had 3 minutes left and about 6 questions left... so i had a little panic attack, and went and triaged through those remaining questions. In the next blocks I stopped wasting time on the questions I was unsure about, and focused more on the questions that I knew I could figure out.
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| draashna
Forum Junior
Topics: 9
Posts: 48
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Thanks SOS...for the encouragement. I think the biggest problem is concentration that slows down the speed....I don think i retain much better with a slow speed either..cus when u go so slow you tend to forget the previously read things more and more....I studied loooong time for step1 with all teh distractions and all the breaks...and i cud manage a 92...though the loong time i invested shd have gotten me a 99 i think...its only cus i took so long...cus of my speed...may be those subjects were long forgotten also..thats y i was so slow. But anws ..i hear lot of people saying to finish 1st reading in 2 mnths that scares me
Thank you again for the reply you posted. and GL to you for step1!!
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| srita
Forum Junior
Topics: 11
Posts: 71
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dear sos, i happened to read your post just now is very inspiring,congrats on good score, iam a img doing a full time job i gave my step 1 two months ago and got a 84 percent , feeling so depressed , i studied for 1year for my step1 with all distractions, iwas not expecting avery high score but ithought at least iwill get low 90,s i took 1 month leave studied hard for my exam, idont know with that score where iwill stand in this competition people say if you dont get 90s its very hard to get into residency, now istarted to read for my step 2 , planning to do in may 2008 actually iam pus hing my myself i dont feel like studying at all, some times i feel like quitting usmle , feeling very low, i dont know where i went wrong in step 1 , and under lot of stress right now when i think that if dont get a good score in step 2 i will be no where, any advice ,suggestions from you will be greatly appreciated, thankyou
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| SOS
Forum Guru
Topics: 17
Posts: 534
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srita wrote:
dear sos, i happened to read your post just now is very inspiring,congrats on good score, iam a img doing a full time job i gave my step 1 two months ago and got a 84 percent , feeling so depressed , i studied for 1year for my step1 with all distractions, iwas not expecting avery high score but ithought at least iwill get low 90,s i took 1 month leave studied hard for my exam, idont know with that score where iwill stand in this competition people say if you dont get 90s its very hard to get into residency, now istarted to read for my step 2 , planning to do in may 2008 actually iam pus hing my myself i dont feel like studying at all, some times i feel like quitting usmle , feeling very low, i dont know where i went wrong in step 1 , and under lot of stress right now when i think that if dont get a good score in step 2 i will be no where, any advice ,suggestions from you will be greatly appreciated, thankyou
hi dear.my first advice to you is don't be disheartened............. rest is as follows:
when i first gave step1,i was almost in same shoes as yours,coz i was doing a full time job and that too in a dept like ObG in a country like India where population is increasing exponentially.......... and not to forget other distractions which were many.i did exactly what you did,took a month's offf and wrote the exam,well here my situation changed,i was lucky to have failed.i say lucky because if i'd passed i would have scored low anyways..... i was actually pushing myself too hard during step1,against all the advice of quitting the job and studying i goofed it up.
as for you 84 isn't that bad if you can make it up in step2 and that is what you are going to do.my advice to you is to quit the job and take sometime to think and remove those distractions you mentioned.the first thing after step1 is i quit my job and got my life in a better order so that i could read without the distractions..... well you know the result and i bet i couldn't have got this if i hadn't changed my life style.
in life,some thing or the other always turns up which tends to slow us down,or distract us completely and life is so unpredictable the we can't have an absolute control over them.there are only two things one must do
1.to find a solution to the existing problems if possible.
2.to make ourselves so strong so as not to be affected by these things.just build up your immunity to face them and fight.
,so for starters have faith in yourself and stop worrying.someone has said
sorrow looks back
worry looks around
faith looks ahead
i'l be pleased to help in anyway i can.
Good Luck
SOS
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