ValeryAndre
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 9
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Hi everyone!
I have never posted a topic before, but I've read this forum so many times and got so many tips that I couldn't help sharing my experiences.
I'm an IMG from beautiful Haiti, west Indies. Graduated last year. My prep lasted 8 months, since I was working full time. I decided to go for Step 2 CK before Step 1.
Notes: Mostly Kaplan : 1 read
Did about half of Kaplan Videos:
- All Medicine
- All of Gyneco. Best course!
- Half of Psychiatry
- Half od Surgery
- 75% of Pediatrics
No OB
I used Crush Step 2, read it twice.
I read FA twice. Latest edition was helpfull. Better than the one preceding it.
UW is the best Prep material one could imagine. Took it for 6 months.
Averaged 69%. I realized that it's better to score 40% and learn from the 60% you failed to answer than to get 80% correct and leave out the 20%
I also took Kaplan Qbank for a month. Was easier, even though I got 71% correct. I really don't regret it. It helped understand some of the easier concepts that UW won't bother to explain.
I took plenty of notes! And reviewed them after I had completed UW and Qbank. Then I took NBME form 2 (232 /96)
It targeted my weaknesses and I worked on them for 3 weeks. Then I went for the Gold Medal!
The exam is a bit more difficult than Kaplan QBank, but not as hard as UW
I never got tired. I'm so used to spend long hours in front of the computer thatit didn't bother me at all. I had 8 min left in one Block. All other Blocks: I had 12 to 17 min to spare.
I took 2 blocks. 5 min break, just sitting there, breathing.
2 more blocks: lunch for 25 min, washed my face. Then I went for blocks 5, 6 and 7. I could have taken block 8. But I was so ahead of time that I just stopped to call my friend to have her pick me up earlier. Then I went for the final block. Got out... and went straight to Barnes and Noble to start studying for Step 1!
it was crazy, I know!
I had 2 Audio/Visual Qs: Aortic Stenosis in Adult and VSD in a kid.
Needless tto say that Int Med was around 60% of the exam. Diabetes, Diabetes, Diabetes! rest of subjects: Even
I'm open to answer any questions. I owe this forum a lot
Thanks guys!
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| papio
Forum Elite
Topics: 10
Posts: 262
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Hi Val!
Congratulations for you good grade!
Y ap fe moun pou ou et c'est tant mieux.
Keep struggling, man
it is Nathalie J. from I.M.
I am getting ready for step 1 as we speak.
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If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. Thomas Edison.
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| Ivonne
Forum Guru
Topics: 55
Posts: 1,452
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Hey valerie, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! and thanks for sharing your experience i love your saying " then i went for the gold metal". All the best for step 1.
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If you beleive you can do it then you WILL DO IT!! (by Mymeghhi)
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| smalley
Forum Elite
Topics: 53
Posts: 291
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great work...congratulations
just a quick question........ how much do you think that kaplan int med notes stands upto the int med questions in real exam?also do you think kap obg gyn is good enough?
thanks an all the best for step1
tc
 
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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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| deja_vu
Forum Senior
Topics: 4
Posts: 214
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hey ValeryAndre .. congrats mate. Superb score .Hope you will do it again in step1.
how do you rate Crush and kaplan Qbank compared to Kaplan notes and UW?? I am hearing about crush since I have started preparing for step2 while I had not heard of it while step1. Is it only for step2? Any input will be appretiated.
Really liked your opinion on UW. As I am writing this, I am done with UW and I totally agree with you. Big time fan of UW.
your NBME score is surprising given your CK score!! It gives lot of hopes to those who start worrying after scoring low in NBMEs.
Exam was more difficult than Qbank? 
you took only 45-50 mins to finish blocks? Wow!!! Any special trick?? [ I have been practicing reading the last line of Q first and then the whole Q and it's kind of working for me to save time. Any comment on that?] Initially I was struggling finishing 48Q block in 1 hr in UW. but in the end I managed to finish it within time. but never reached 50min/block speed. How did it take you to finish blocks in UW?? I really want to know that.
Congrats again on such a big achievement..
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| falcon
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 207
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hi, ValeryAndre
Congratulation on ur great score. How much u think about contribution made by DVD's to ur such a superb score. Please guide me in this regards.
GL for ur other exams
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| oldkidontheblock
Forum Guru
Topics: 54
Posts: 894
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Congrats and thanks for sharing.
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Malcolm Forbes: Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat
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| supra
Forum Elite
Topics: 16
Posts: 360
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Congrats Valery Andre
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| tamerbashir
Forum Elite
Topics: 20
Posts: 284
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CONGARTULATION
CONGRATULATION
HAPPY FOR U
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| tamerbashir
Forum Elite
Topics: 20
Posts: 284
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CONGARTULATION
CONGRATULATION
HAPPY FOR U
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| tamerbashir
Forum Elite
Topics: 20
Posts: 284
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CONGARTULATION
CONGRATULATION
HAPPY FOR U
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| ValeryAndre
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 9
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Thank you everyone!
I really appreciate all your thoughts!
As for the Q's:
-Smalley: YOU NEED TO KNOW KAPLAN'S INT MED!!!!
This exam is so much about Int Med that you can't have a goos score if you fail Int Med. Period. Read it twice if Necessary. But you will still face some tough questions from UW that'll help you master what's not covered in Kaplan's notes.
Even though I think Manuel Penalver is step 2's best teacher from the videos, Kaplan's Gyneco will give you 70% of what you need for the boards. Must be completed by Qbank and UW
Ob notes were OK.
-Deja _vu:
Kaplan notes are mre exhaustive than Crush, which by the way is an excellent tool, specially towards the end of the prep. From what I've read, it's Step 1's FA equivalent.
I think there's also a Crush for Step 3.
And yes: The exam is trickier than Qbank: sometimes, Qbank gives you too many clues about the diagnosis: it becomes over-obvious, dare I say.
Want to finsh early? Practice answering lots and lots and lots of questions!
Have you seen minority report (TOm Cruise)? remember how he could see the files he was looking for just standing in front of a machine? Well, that's what happens when you get to your 3.000th question: You see the important words coming out of the bunch! And sometimes, you remember falling for "that", a few hundred questions ago!
In UW, I timed all my tests and ran out of time only once! Missed 1 Q.
-Falcon:
Kaplan videos helped a lot. The lecturers really stress out the most important concepts, the highest yield, while Notes are just plenty of not-always-so-high-yield material.
I recommend watching ALL of them and taking notes (so important!)
My own notes are what made the difference between my NBME score and that I got in the real exam.
Will be glad to help out more.
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| falcon
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 207
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Hi, valeryAndre
Thanks very much for giving very clear guidance about DVDs.
GL for ur other exam
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| smalley
Forum Elite
Topics: 53
Posts: 291
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thanks valery
i do appreciate ur input
wish u a great score in step1 also
___________________
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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| nany
Forum Guru
Topics: 14
Posts: 968
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great great score  ValeryAndre....
and really a very encouraging experience you posted.
congratulations
and best of luck with step-1
[ I loved this "Tom Cruise" part   ]
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" You Are Limited Only By What You Think "
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| deja_vu
Forum Senior
Topics: 4
Posts: 214
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hey valeriandre.. thanks a lot this whole bunch of advices. good luck for all your future endavours(i have been trying to correctly spell it since like ages but every time the spellchecker puts an red dotted line below my word so disheartened. I will never learn to spell endavores and schwarzenegar !!  . English is my third language  I want to make it second)
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| Ivonne
Forum Guru
Topics: 55
Posts: 1,452
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Hi Val what do you think about the pediatrics and OBGYN kaplan videos are they worth watching. Thanks a lot.
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If you beleive you can do it then you WILL DO IT!! (by Mymeghhi)
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| ValeryAndre
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 9
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Hello All!
Thank you for your warm wishes!
Deja_vu: Don't worry about the spelling: English is also my 3rd language!
Ivonne: Kaplan Videos are definitely worth watching. They will give you about 75% of what you need in ped and Gyn. I didn't do Ob. But the Notes are enough fot OB tough.
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| Vietnamese
Forum Elite
Topics: 12
Posts: 285
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Congratulation ValeryAndre on the wonderful score,
The score every one rush crowdedly forward it, but only a few of us get it. One of us is YOU, ValeryAndre. By the way, one doubt have you clarify for me as this:
1- I plan to read FA, Kaplan series 2 times for both and take 2000 MCQs in UW, then take notes from UW to review back. So, I can get score higher than 90 ?
Thank in advance, the Champion.
Good dream for the rest, ValeryAndre
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Nothing is impossible.
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| ValeryAndre
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 9
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Vietnamese: I would recommend at leat one read of "Crush Step 2" You won't regret it. Better than FA.
Also, take notes from UW as you answer Q's. Take notes of everything you don't know.
This way
-Everything you master is in your head
-Everything you don't is in your notes!
Put them altogether: You score 99!
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| Vietnamese
Forum Elite
Topics: 12
Posts: 285
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Thanks ValeryAndre,
Take a nice break.
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Nothing is impossible.
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| gr8doc
Forum Senior
Topics: 8
Posts: 210
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Congrats Buddy !!! Great Preparation.
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| Vietnamese
Forum Elite
Topics: 12
Posts: 285
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Hi ValeryAndre,
I have just gotten a "Crush Step 2" in PDF format but rather old-fashion edition 2001, then this 2001 edition deserve a review?
Thanks
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Nothing is impossible.
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| ValeryAndre
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 9
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Hello Vietnamese,
I've never used the 2001 version, so I can't comment about it.
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| salmonella
Forum Elite
Topics: 45
Posts: 265
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congrats on a great score...how much u scored on usmle cd
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Allah he Allah kia kero, Allah he say dara kero!!!!
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