simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Thank you classymom and boy_wonder for your posts. I did another block on Q book patho yesterday and secured 64%!, what a ride!! I will definitely need to evaluate and make some concrete plans for the next 4 months. Finally, i booked my exam date yesterday - August 29th is the big day!! I originally want to take on 26 or 27 but didnt get either date in the center i wanted. I am glad that i got this one at least.
Hello classymom, do you have a journal here, i am new with this site hence not very familiar in navigating through. I looked at the first few pages in the journal site and didnt find your journal. I am glad that someone is taking around the same time as i am. All the best for your prep. Drop by when you get a chance.
Hello boy_wonder, i will take your suggestion and readjust the study plan. when do you plan to take the exam. i couldnt find your journal either! tech challenged! All the best to you too.
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| Boy_wonder
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 30
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Will get my journal up in the next few weeks. You can call round then. 
Under pressure right now. Just finished doing exams in obs and gynae, have paeds tomorrow and psychiatry next week along with ophthalmology and ENT. 
Im thinking of actuallly tackling both step 1 and 2 simultaneously, given i've covered a lot of ground already. My deadline for both is next year. Im gonna go about things uniquely enough. Will do my journal after these exams.
But ya, the feeling I get is sometimes people feel rushed and have regrets, when you are comfortable then take it is what I say.
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| veteran
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Posts: 17
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Simon, I hope you have formulated your study plan by now. Make sure you complete your least favorite (hence weaker) subjects and topics as thoroughly as possible before your NBME form one with special emphasis on the 3Ps. When will you be starting system- wise revisions? As you tide over to the later half of your prep, spend more time on questions compared to revising text. Please post your study plan here and I will look it over when I have time. 
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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All the Best for your prep Boy_wonder.
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Thank you veteran for checking on me at the right time. 4 months exactly for my exam (August 29!)
I plan to break this time-frame into two based on my NBME I and II schedule. I plan to take my NBME I on one of the days: July 4-6, so this gives me 10 weeks. I plan to use the first 8 weeks to cover all the topics and the last 2 weeks to revise before i take NBME I. For all practical purposes my NBME I score will be a decider on how i proceed further. I will have 8 weeks after NBME I for my exam. At the end of 6 weeks, i will take NBME II (August 15). This will give me 2 weeks to do my final review before the exam!!
So far, i have devised a plan for the next 8 weeks. I used the 19 content areas listed in the sample USMLE test score sheet to lay the plan so it covers every aspect:
Behav. science - Apr 28,29 (since i have been studying for the past week, i thought 2 days
would be sufficient to wrap up, besides this is my strong area).
Mole. biology - Apr 30 - May 2
Biochem - May 3-7
Genetics - May 8-11
CVS (All systemwise topics, will cover Pharm/Physio/Patho/Anat) - May 12-14
GI - May 15-16
General Principles of Health and Disease (Pharm/Physio/Patho) - May 17,18
Embryology - May 19,20
Histo - May 21-23
Immuno - May 24-27
Musculoskeletal - May 28-30
CNS - May 31-June 3
Hemato - June 4-6
Nutrition - June 7, 8
Renal - June 9, 10
Endo/Reproduc - June 11-13
Microbio (+ antimicro) - June 14-17
RS - June 18-20
I plan to cover First Aid side by side chapter wise, while reviewing the respective chapters in the textbooks. While covering these subjects, i plan to do a block of questions every day except friday. I plan to complete Kaplan Q book and USMLE world during this time-frame. Also, will do Kaplan Q-bank if time permits during this time-frame.
This looks like a mammoth task, so i need all your prayers and support.
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| veteran
Forum Newbie
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Posts: 17
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Simon, that looks like a good plan. Do your plans involve just completing the questions from Q book and UW? It would be wise to revise the questions before you take NBME form one. Infact, I see most people these days only taking form 3 and form 4. Please check into the score thread, which is a pinned topic under "experiences". These scores do highly correlate with the real test score and also, the scores posted by others from practice tests such as UW and Q book will help you asses what you can expect to score in the NBME.
Closer you get to the exam, the trend should be to do more questions as well as to revise the old questions. This will be more high yield for exam than revising from text.
May I also suggest that for 3 days before the exam, do no plan on doing any text revisions at all. Just try to solve all the questions you got wrong earlier. Day before my exam, I solved questions on the USMLE CD. I dont remember how many blocks- 3 or 4, but the format is similar to the exam one 100%. If you want to play around with it earlier, then you must solve it earlier. I knew I was not going to underline or take notes on the computer, or even check normal labs, as I was afraid it may be time consuming, but on the day of my exam, I did have plenty- on average 15 to 20 minutes after each block on step one. I like to be prepared for the worst and find myself be pleasantly surprised than vice versa.
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Thank you veteran for your advise and suggestions. I truly appreciate it. Obviously, you have gone through it and felt what worked and what didnt - a true Veteran!! I will look at the score thread and if i find what you said, i will take form 3 and 4 instead. i will also try and compare my UW scores when i start it with what it is posted in the thread.
Yesterday, i completed Behavioral science as planned and started with Molecular biology. I plan to take off this friday to put in few more study hours. I did a block in behavioral science yesterday and scored 62%!!, i thought i had a good handle on it and expected more!! Oh, well, need to dedicate more time.
Thanks again veteran.
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| veteran
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Started with Molecular biology yesterday. I am getting a better understanding as i read it for the second time. Hope i will be able to grasp more in this reading.
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Started my 2-month UW subscription yesterday. Did a block and scored 52%!
Still in Molecular biology. Supposed to have finished yesterday!!
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| veteran
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 17
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I know your weekends are hard, Simon. Try to plan on doing lighter subjects mostly. Keep working as much as you can! I am following your progress.
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| girldoc
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 28
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simon73
My plan to take step1 is in august. Good luck for the prep and exams.
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| classymom
Forum Newbie
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Posts: 6
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Hi Simon, Im new to the forum too. Anyway my exam is on 25th aug. Tell me is this nbme a paid site coz i just cant get it to open??? My plans are somewhat similar to yours but i have yet to receive my copy of Goljan audio. People in this and many other forums suggest u listen to it atleast once. Do u have it?? If so pls post some material which is missing from Kaplan can u please do that??
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Thank you veteran for your support. I am two days behind in my schedule. Hopefully will finish molecular biology today!
hi girldoc, all the best for your preparation as well. Have you scheduled your data for August? I have scheduled mine on August 29th!
hi classymom, i have not taken nbme yet, i plan to do one on the first week of July. I know someone who took it and i was told that it is a paid test. I have listened to Goljan lectures once, they are very good. A must listen for step 1. i dont know how to post the lectures in the website, though i have seen people do it. Let me look for the goljan lectures posted in this site and email you the link sometime today. All the best for your prep. I will be taking the exam on August 29, 4 days after you. Lets keep checking each other's progress towards this journey.
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Hi classymom,
Sorry, i couldnt send the link yesterday as promised. Below is the link i ran across:
http://newblog.usmleturk.com/category/goljan-path...
All the best.
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Finally, finished Molecular Biology yesterday. Will start Biochemistry today. Still 2 days behind schedule, hopefully will make up for the difference by the end of the week.
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| veteran
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 17
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Simon, if are behind schedule, try to make it up within a week, if you are not able to, then skip topics and go with original plan or make a fresh plan. All of us fall behind schedule- that is for sure! Talking about it wont make it any different!    Do something positive about it, now. 
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Thank you veteran for your advise. Hope is not a strategy, Change is!
I have started with Biochemistry yesterday. My plan is to finish Biochemistry and Genetics by Monday period. If i can do that, i will still be on track with my original plan. I will reevaluate at that time whether to stick with the plan as it is or to skip topics and go with the plan.
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| doctor123
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 125
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Hai simon73
Frankly speaking, youare making excellent progress, but dont slack anytime before exam & you will be set for 99
GL
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Thank you doctor123 for your kinds. I will try and keep up the pace.
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| commit
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 80
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Excellent job! You are doing great. I have been behind my schedule for the last month. Eventually I gave up and did not stick to it. I think that was a silly mistake. I could have just skipped some and sticked to the original plan, as Veteran said. I will be working to get a more workable schedule soon. Hopefully things will work better this time. But simon73, you are my role model, let's beat the exam together.
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| veteran
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 17
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Good idea, Simon! When you do your revision for NBME and more importantly for the exam itself, please have some margin built in to make up for fall backs in plan. There are a 100 reasons that distract or keep us from sticking to a plan. A good plan must take this error margin into account as well. As exam nears, you will find that you will be going faster, not revising some topics and needing more time than you expected with other topics. Have 3 to 4 days set aside unplanned before exam just so you can catch up and make a plan then for a quick weak subject alone brush up or revision of old questions. I am sorry I havent looked over the plan you posted earlier in detail. I am on call today and have to run- will catch up with you soon.
All the best!
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| girldoc
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 28
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simon73
Hi Simon,
I didn't take the exam date yet. But in my mind is august. Lets see.I need alot of hard work .I dont know how much time ill take to cover and master everything. But roughly my plan is to get done with all this and take exam in august,.
Good luck for your prep. Please tell me your schedule.
thanks
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Hi commit,
I am up for your offer in beating the exam. All the best to us.
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| simon73
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 91
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Thank you veteran for watching over. Continuing to make some progress in Biochemistry second reading.
Hi girldoc, I have scheduled to take my exam on August 29th. If you scroll up this page, you will see my dream plan to accomplish by first week of July. All the best to you.
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