gzjcell
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 17
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Hi, all
I was a silent reader of this website for a long time and learned a lot from you guys. I think it is my time to share my experience with you.
I took my CK on last Friday (2.22).
My first mistake: I did not check my test center before I went there. Since I took my step 1 in May last year, so I thought it was the same place. However, it turned out they had changed location for 8 mons already. When I got there 10 mins before my exam I found out the change and I called them and they were very nice and told me as long as I can get to the new center before 9:30AM (my exam starts at 9am), I will be fine. It was 10 miles away, luckly my husband knew the direction, so we got there at 9:08am. ------ Please check your test center before your test no matter how well you know it.
Second mistake: When I did my exam I did not pay attention to my whole test time. Since I took breaks between each block, I ended up spending too much time during the breaks. By the end of 7 blocks I suddenly found out I had only 46 mins left for the whole test time. At that time I already felt tired, on top of that I had to rush into the 8 blocks without a break. Even though I would be able to finish the eight block in time, I did not have time to read each question well, so I was sure I did not perform well on the last block. ------Please pay attention to your whole test time and scheduel your breaks in a reasonable way.
Last mistake (minor one): the test center was quiet warm even in winter time, I wore a sweater and I felt a little too hot, but I could do nothing about it. ------please wear cloth that can take off or put on easily and make yourself comfortable.
Concerning the exam, I think it is doable. It was easier than NBME 3 and USWORLD. I found the difficult thing for me is the energy part. The questions are long, so after each block I felt tired and need to take a break. For me step 1 exam did not make my tired at all.
My original plan was to take the exam on Feb 8th. One week before that day I did NBME3 and got a 550. I was not happy at all. However, after I took this selftest all of sudden I realized what was my weak part---basic things. I read the notes 3 mons ago, and after that I did a bunch of questions include usworld. I think those questions practice definitly helps, but the basic things is the footstone. So I delayed my exam for 2 weeks, and in those two weeks I read Kaplan notes again, I also read "Crush the boards" and ""boards and wards". I made some notes that I think it is important for me to remember and read my notes twice before the exam. When I did my exam I felt my last two weeks reading was a right thing to do.
I hope my experience is helpful. Gook luck to everyone.
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| GOGETA
I PASS step 1
Topics: 228
Posts: 2,296
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Thanks for sharing
One question how much OBGYN you had on your test or Pediattrics.
Also did you had many questions related to pathofisiology or most of the questions qhere about DX
thanks and good luck
besides with a NBME of 550 You do not need good luck
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| Feyza
Forum Guru
Topics: 48
Posts: 1,435
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best luck about the score
my Q is : do you recomend crush and B&W on top of Kaplan , or does Kpln already have whats in them ??
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| Ujk
Forum Elite
Topics: 36
Posts: 398
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Goodluck!
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| gzjcell
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 17
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Yeah, I had some pathophysiological questions, they were not difficult at all. If you have a good step 1, basically you don't need to worry about them at all. Most of the questions are about DX. Concerning OBGYN and Pediattrics, I got quiet a few, but not as much as IM. I was surprised that I did not get a lot of surgery questions.
I think most part of kaplan notes are good. But when I did NBME I felt Kaplan was not enough. If you have time, I really think you should read something else like B&W and crush. They are good resource to enrich your knowledge and help you understanding them better. In fact, not so many pages for each book, one book two days maximal. The fact is every book has their cons and pros. Because I want to get a better score, so I want to use any resource to help to reach my goal. I use different resources to prepare my step 1, I found it was really helpful.
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| hong2008
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 14
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Thank you very much for your sharing!
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| zolpidem
Forum Junior
Topics: 10
Posts: 78
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thanks for sharing...
all the best
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| sonaliraj99
Forum Senior
Topics: 39
Posts: 132
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hi... thanks for d input.. i have a very basic q.. i read my kaplan notes sm 3 months back.. sinc den 've been busy wid my college exams... so i wanted to ask if 3 weeks is gud enuf to re read all kaplan nots n giv d step 2?? i'm scoring 63-66% in UW... except kaplan notes anything else to b done?? lik CT scans?? ecgs?? or USG in o/g???
thnaks in advance..
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| gzjcell
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 17
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Dear sonaliraj99,
I think 3 wks is enough for you to review kaplan notes again. It depends on how fast you can read and how many hours you spend on it. For me I studied about 9 hours each day for the last two weeks and it only took me a week to re-read through kaplan again. On my exam I got about two EKG: Third degree AV block, cardic temponia; two x-rays; no CT scan; one video of heart murmur and you don't even need to listen to get the answer. So I don't think you need to put lots of effort to prepare for those. I think if you can do a NBME and find out what is your weakness and work on those weakness, it will be a good stragegy for your real exam in the last three wks. I scored 70% on UW, but I found out my weakness was the basic things that I did not pay attention based on my NBME, so I went back to the notes and books to make up for that. I am so glad I did it, because on the real exam, they test you the basic things, not twist stuff. I hope my reply is helpful. Good luck.
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| dr ruman
Forum Elite
Topics: 29
Posts: 408
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very nice experience
i appreciate ur honest approach as em indulged in uw notes too muct too and not giving time to kaplan notes ,1 question how about paedatrics and pathophysiology
and yeah plz plz what about biostatistics ,do hey ask lot of calculationas in step 1 or bit easier
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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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| gzjcell
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 17
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I had a couple of pathophysiology questions, not difficult. I sored a 97 on step 1, so those pathophysiology questions were a piece of cake for me. My point is if you did well on your step 1, you don't need to worry about the pathophysiolosy questions on step 2. Concerning Pedia, there were quiet a few questions. I forgot my step 1 biostatistics questions. On my step 2 I have about 5 questions of biostatistics, no calculation involved, all the answer is based on comprehensive understandings of the concepts of bisostatistics. They are similar to the biostatistics questions on NBME 3.
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| gzjcell
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 17
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I got my score today--------99/250.
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| dr_farheenaftab
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 8
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Heartiest Congratulations! very well done.
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| forevergood
Forum Junior
Topics: 16
Posts: 50
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congrats, great score n wish u luck for ur other exams n residency.
could u please tell us ur time prepair n what books u used?
I m planning to take exam in June since I just finished national board exam so I hope the knowledge still fresh.I can manage 8hrs/days
Books I ll use: Blueprint for OB-GYN, Kaplan note for the rest, USMLE secrets, Kaplan QBank n QBook, USMLEWORLD.
Thanks a lot 4 ur inputs and again congrats
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| gzjcell
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 17
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I prepared step2 for 4 mons, 8hr/day. I used kaplan notes (read twice, last read a week efore the exam) and video (once). Before the exam I also read B&W and crush the board once. I also did usworld (70% pertentle), and some other questions (3000Q from NMS, Appleton & Lange Review and Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine). They are all helpful. I used NBME as a guildline for the study. If you are a fast reader and have good memory, two months should be enough for the preparation. Good luck.
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| dr ruman
Forum Elite
Topics: 29
Posts: 408
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waw
upto expectation ,really nice score 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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| Ujk
Forum Elite
Topics: 36
Posts: 398
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Congratulations
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