seblemal
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
| | 02/15/08 - 04:43 PM
1 of 1 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #1 |
Took step 1 on Feb 5, 2008
I started studying about 11 months ago. But I did not have much time/energy to make a lot of progress in the first few months. I am doing a PhD, and so tried to use the evenings and weekends for reading. I was not very effective at first. Sometimes several days, even weeks would pass without reading. And as time went by, I realized that I had to make a decision, or otherwise I would never take the exam. So I set an eligibility period from January-March. That decision helped me to be determined to make a progress in my study. Through the following months, I went through times of stress, uncertainty, extreme fatigue and fear. But the fact that I had set my date helped me to go on (I am thankful to God).
- The morale: set a date for your exam early, to help you get in track.
I started out my study by listening to the Kaplan video lectures – I found them very helpful, but was unable to retain much of what I watched. It was particularly helpful to listen to lectures instead of doing the reading myself as I would be tired from the daytimes work most of the days. Later, I started following the lectures with the Kaplan notes, highlighting important points as I went along. That took a long time of my whole study period and I didn’t finish my first round of reading until 3 and ½ months for the exam. At first I was concerned, because I had heard that people read the Kaplan 4-5 times before the exam. And I was planning to read it twice if I was lucky! I guess my style of study is to digest the material slowly, and then re-read it once. I believe that there is no need to change a study style one is so used to and is comfortable with, just because others don’t use it.
-The morale: listen to people’s advice on how to study, but adapt your own style that you are comfortable with and suits your unique situations.
For those of you starting to study for the usmle, my advice is, talk to someone who has taken the exam if you can, read exam experiences on this usmle forum and try to get yourself acquainted with what you are going to face. That helps you prepare mentally for what maybe a prolonged siege. When I first started reading people’s experience, it was actually relieving to know that it was not just me who is stressed about this whole thing, it was not just me who was unsure of what to read, how much to read and if he/she would be at all successful. It was also inspiring to see the scores of some guys who aced the exam - it must be somehow possible, so I thought reading their posts.
But one other thing bothering me was deciding on which materials I should cover. As I went through the experiences of people who aced the exam something became apparent – people used various approaches, various combinations of books, CDs, questions, reading techniques, etc. So I began to suspect that there is no one single magic potion to remedy this, I had to make my own elixir by mixing all those ones. Whatever, my results will be, I still feel I made the right choice – ‘cause I am unique (like each other person), with unique situations, I can’t just make somebody else’s ways work for me.
The Morale: find your own combination of materials and methods the will suit you best – but take into account others’ advice.
With the Kaplan notes, I also started doing some questions from an old Appleton usmle review that I found in the library –and my scores were awful!! I remember wondering how on earth I would pass the exam with such a performance! But the questions were good, they helped me to know where I stood, and slowly helped me to get closer to their standards. I started doing better, months later.
The Morale for the novice: start doing questions early, and do as many as you can.
7 weeks before the exam I started doing the usmleworld (based on advice from test takers posts on this forum). And I found it tough, but real. At first I was simply completing tests, but later I decided to take notes. So I would do random timed blocks marking the questions I thought were useful and later on I would go over the marked questions and those I were wrong taking notes. Man, it was painful! But I found it very useful. One thing I regret is that I only used the usmleworld for the last 7 weeks. I would advice people to start the usmleworld about midway their study.
The Morale: use usmleworld and start using it early. Also use other question sources (Qbank, Qbook), if you can afford.
My aim for the last weeks was to revise the Kaplan for a 2nd time and read First Aid to consolidate my memory. But my energy began faltering. I was bored to death. And that scared. I was going into a tough exam and I was having a feeling that couldn’t read well, although I took a 4 week leave from my study. To cut a long story short, I did not have time to read through First Aid (maybe read half of it), I did not have time or energy to listen to Goljan (the most acclaimed study material). I don’t encourage others to do the same. I think reading FA towards the end and listening to Goljan from the start is useful.
And somehow you must try not to loose your energy in the final 2-3 weeks. For you will need your shorter term memory – believe me! Some of the questions I missed on the exam are ones that I got right and knew very well 3 weeks before. It is not surprising, because there is a vast material to cover, one displaces the other.
1 day before the exam, I was really tense, I even had headache and had to take Ibuprofen. I wasn’t able to read, except for 2-3 hours of scanning of my “crucial” notes on volatile things like cytokines, tumor markers and genetic diseases, etc. That night, I really had difficulty to fall asleep and woke up several times through the night – it was bad! However, morning came and went for the exam. Arrived 30 minutes earlier, but they let me start early. The first question was not good, I was not sure of the answer. So was the second. It did not look a good start. But felt better as I went further. Still, I thought the exam was tough. I did not feel that much, when I took the NMBE preparatory questions. I also found that I was not remembering things that I knew quite well 2-3 weeks earlier – I was cursing my low energy in the last 3 weeks that left me with no time to revise those things. The other thing was that I tended to stay longer on difficult questions, even questions that looked Greek – instead of making a quick “educated” guess and passing on. I was punished for that, I only had 1 minute or so when I reached the 46th question, and those questions were easy ones. Well, I learned from that and did faster on the second block. Then I took a break for 10 minutes. Came back and did another two blocks but it felt really long and tiresome. Sometimes, I would find myself thinking about completely unrelated things. I took a lunch break for 30 minutes. Went back and did another two blocks and then 10 minutes break and the final block, hurrah!! But you would be surprised, having passed through those times of emotional rollercoaster the past months, I felt depressed when I finished. I did not think I did ok. I felt it was too much a price to pay. I talked over my feeling with friends that night. And back to normal life the next day, trying to forget that the results are still ahead. One thing I would say about the exam though is that the Kaplan notes and video lectures were good. When those lecturers said, “this is important” “the boards love it”, blah, blah, I did not really believe them from my heart. I somehow thought those questions would not appear on my exam. I don’t know if it is a coincidence, but they did! When they tell you it will appear on the exam, trust them – and make some effort to remember that piece – you won’t regret it on the exam.
The morale: It is a long and protracted study, but have some energy for a final sprint in the last 3 weeks before your exam. It is a finishing touch that can make a difference. Use Kaplan video lecture, and when they tell you something is high yield, trust them!!
So in a nut shell here is my advice for the novice:
1. Use this forum to get acquainted with the exam and to decide the materials you need
2. Listen to other people’s advice, and select your own strategy – I believe there is no one best strategy, and there is no foolproof strategy for that matter. Pray that yours will work.
3. Based on your resources decide when you can take the exam and set the exam date early – that will help you to keep focused
4. use the usmleworld early
5. use Kaplan lectures and notes
6. I think FA is good too, and Goljan must be great, though I haven’t heard him.
I wish you good luck!!
Will let you know when my result comes.
And step 2 for me, with Jesus…
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| GoodGirl
_________
Topics: 102
Posts: 1,416
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Very nicely put down, thanks for it. Will keep your advices in my mind.
Good luck with your score !
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Prioritize & simplify.
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| nerve09
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 128
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hey sablemal ..congrats on being done with the exam ..
u shd relax n enjoy urself for 3 wks
Gud luck for ur score
v ll pray for u buddy
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| glycogen
Forum Senior
Topics: 5
Posts: 135
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good luck!!
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| immo82
Forum Newbie
Topics: 9
Posts: 28
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Good luck for your score!!
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| seblemal
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
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Got the results today, it is 256.
Thank you Jesus!
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| bhanusupriya
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
Posts: 421
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congrats seblemal...
thank you very much for ur advices..
good luck in your future plans.
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papa kehte hain bada naam karegaa...
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| step99
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 195
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Wow..congrats Seblemal..wonderful score..
party time ...
___________________
Shoot for the Moon.Even if you Miss..You will..land among the stars
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| nerve09
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 128
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congrats seblemal...wonderful score n well said
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| seblemal
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
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Thank you very much to all of your kind words.
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| seblemal
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
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Thank you very much to all of you for your kind words.
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| sidiyaa
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 39
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thak tooooooo much for your advices
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| sidiyaa
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 39
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thank tooooooo much for your advices
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| sidiyaa
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 39
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thanks tooooooo much for your advices
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| dr_puma
Forum Elite
Topics: 11
Posts: 279
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lovely tips thanks
___________________
do whatever u want,but do it wholeheartedly...never hold back.
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| gauri14
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 62
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thanx for the advice!!!i will completely follow it!!
just a doubt...does FA have lots of errors??
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| target
Forum Elite
Topics: 3
Posts: 753
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A genuine post with invaluable tips. Thanks bud. I realize many of the things you have told now having been wanting to take the exam doing a Phd . I couldnt do it while I was in school. Now as a post doc it is even worse but I am trying. Doing Kaplan, FA Goljan and Uworld. Exam is next month. You post gives to hope and courage to take the exam.......Thanks a bunch for taking the time for an elaborate post and advice. I like the way you write too! Nice
___________________
In Him I trust !
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| gauri14
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 62
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plus...which is better(i got kaplan review books) out of BRS and FA???what should i follow???
and is there any difference btw Q review and the Q bank??
plz reply!!thanx...
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| seblemal
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
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Thank you very much for your kind words, gauri14 and target,
Sorry for my delay, I was away for a workshop the past week.
I am glad that my post was of any meaning to others.
Target: I wish you good luck with your exam next month - I am sure you can ace it. Yeah, time is always a constraint. But one of the things that I am learning is that making an effort to achieve something, even one that looks "impossible", will finally pay-off. So when I find something that is daunting, I made a decision to not back-up. Instead, I will concetrate my efforts on aspects that I can tackle and go for it - and leave the rest to God. I repeat to mysefl the saying: "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game". So I play the game however hard it looks - and this approach somehow works.
gauri14: I have heard about first aid having some errors, and may be have spotted one or two myself. But I think that is not the point, I think most of the facts and advices contained in it are helpful. They help you to carm things, especially during final weeks. I particularly thought the biochemistry section was helpful.
I think the Kaplan notes are useful, particularly the biochemistry notes, endocrinology notes in physiology, pharmacology notes and neuroanatomoy. I thought Daugherty was very good too.
I have not done Qbank or Qreview. But I thought Qbook was good. The test taking strategy on Qbook is certainly worth going over. And I strongly advice use of UW as early as possible. I don't know much about the BRS.
Hope that is helpful.
And further question, please let me know.
I wish you best of luck.
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| gauri14
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 62
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thank u so much for ur kind help...it really feels great to have ppl like u taking out time for freshers like us...
i have few other q"s -
1.do i get goljan rapid review books alone or the cd too is worthwhile??
some ppl say it can be downloaded for free??if yes,frm where??
2.is there a first aid book alone or there is a cd with it too??if yes,should i get that too?
thanks again..
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| gauri14
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 62
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and yes,is it easy to get the goljan audios and the slides??can i download it frm sumwhere??
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| dreamcatcher
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 11
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A very well written experience studded with valuable advice!
CONGRATS !!! great score!
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| seblemal
Forum Newbie
Topics: 6
Posts: 15
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Thank you for your kind words Gauri14 and dreamcatcher,
Gauri14,
about FA, as far as I know it only has books and even if it had cds, i am sure it will not be worthwile. it is better to go through the notes underlying facts that you want to remember.
goljan, haven't done it myself, but it is a much accoladed source - if you have time i believe the cds will be helpful too. i thought you might get them for a small price from ebay. or you might be able to google it.
best of luck again.
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