simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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Thank you antidepressant for your kind words. Welcome back to Journal world. I have been busy at work for the past few days, hopefully it is over now. I need to get back reviewing for NBME. Hoping to have a productive weekend.
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| simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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Weekend was OK, could have done better in time management. Will do the NBME on sunday and evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. UW is running out tomorrow, am trying to get as much as i could from it, not planning to renew.
Time to get to review.
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| simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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Took courage to purchase NBME form 2 today. I will do it sunday morning. Started reviewing First Aid, will have to finish it by saturday.
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| study499
Forum Guru
Topics: 5
Posts: 576
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Hi simon,
Thank you for all your well wishes and great support...
All the best !!!
___________________
With God, all things are possible.
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| veteran
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 81
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Simon, give it your all, buddy! 
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| simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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Thank you study499 and veteran for your kind posts. NBME revision schedule is going according to plan, i just hope that i retain as much as am studying. Will finish review of subjects tomorrow and will start reading notes taken from UW questions. Sunday, i will find out where i am really in step 1. Thinking of it, makes me nervous! Will put in all i can over the next two days.
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| usmlekiller
Forum Guru
Topics: 18
Posts: 1,010
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gl simon!! u will do well!!!!!
___________________
FUTURE 99ER
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| commit
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 264
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Simon73, I am nervous too. Looking back, it has been a long road to this point, even though it doesn't really feel like that long. Whatever the score is, I am happy to see us here. We all have obstacles, ups and downs. But we keep trying and going and did not give up. Thank you and many other friends for your support. Good luck to our NBME scores!
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| simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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The clock is ticking for my NBME. I hope and pray for a decent score. Hopefully i will be back with smiles.
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| study499
Forum Guru
Topics: 5
Posts: 576
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All the best simon...give it all ...
I'll send you a little prayer...
GOOD LUCK !!!
___________________
With God, all things are possible.
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| commit
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 264
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Hey buddy, I am finally done with it. The score is not very exciting but acceptable. Hopefully you will get a better score. Good luck!
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| simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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Congratulations to you commit, i just read your post.
I am very very disappointed! I took NBME form 2 and scored 340!!!, i couldnt believe! I am so disppointed and broken! For all the time i had invested in it so far, i expected much more. I am totally confused and dont know what to do now. I was scoring mid 40s to mid 50s in UW and i consoled myself thinking that i am learning and my scores would improve! I was also ashamed to post my UW scores and now with this low score in NBME, i am totally broke. I really dont know what went wrong. My lowest performance was in Behavioral science, Nervous system and Genetics, rest of areas in borderline!!
I had scheduled my actual exam on August 29th, now i am very much afraid to even think about it.
For
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| simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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Congratulations to you commit, i just read your post.
I am very very disappointed! I took NBME form 2 and scored 340. I couldnt believe! I am so disppointed and broken! For all the time I had invested in it so far, I expected much more. I am totally confused and dont know what to do now. I was scoring mid 40s to mid 50s in UW and I consoled myself thinking that I am learning and my scores would improve! I really dont know what went wrong and what I can do different to improve my scores. My lowest performance was in Behavioral science, Nervous system and Genetics, rest of areas are low to borderline.
I had scheduled my actual exam on August 29th, now I am very much afraid to even think about it.
If any one has any advice on what strategies I can use to improve my score, or what study techniques would help, please post it here. I would appreciate all your input.
Edited by simon73 on 07/06/08 - 06:52 PM
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| study499
Forum Guru
Topics: 5
Posts: 576
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simon,
This was your very first nbme...you still have 2 months...you are very brave to take one at this stage...and well done for taking one...for months my friends have been advising me to take one so i can assess my weak areas but was just not brave enough to take one...been saying i will take one when i'm ready to go to the exam...so probably if i sit for one now, i would get much less than what u got...and i have only 3 weeks...
I am not in a position to advise...I am sure that more experienced friends like veteran and commit will come up with how to proceed from now on...but i can say that in the next 2 months you are gonna sit for many more NBMEs...and gradually, you will increase your mearks...i am sure of that...
some people have only 2 months to study for this test and they start from no where and finish it with high passing score...it is possible...you will pass with a high score...again,knowing you this far...i am sure...because you have been working hard and you are gonna continue to do even better...just please decide to work a lot harder with positive attitudes...the good thing is that you have the whole next month off...full-time studying...isn't it?...that's like heaven...you are gonna do sooo much in that month...everyday like 12-14 hrs concentrated and fresh...
go and attack your FA, UW and even I would say start on kaplan q bank,robbins qs if u can...
in 2 month you can even get a 99 score...yes you can...if you just study every moment in hand.
All the best !!!
___________________
With God, all things are possible.
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| target
Forum Guru
Topics: 5
Posts: 842
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Hi Simon,
I read your whole post today from page 1. Awesome, tireless effort ....steady progress - that too with a full time job. Study499 is probably right, you need some "fresh" mode studying - without the stress of work, when your mind is receptive. I think you have it all in you right now.........it is matter of going back and forth from questions to first aid and consolidating the concepts. Did you happen to revise first aid before this NBME to consolidate your short term memory? .... Another suggestion would be to go subject/system wise ....and do say 20-25 questions on the topic you just read instead of random mode.....that way you can assess how well you have got the concepts ( or figure what is actually going wrong between the studying process and picking the answer- it might be just as simple as another revision ) ....and quickly go back to the test/first aid/explanations in UW and have a clear picture of how to tackle these type of questions.
The answers are in you dear simon.....I bet most of the questions were familiar territory....you probably just have to learn how to put your finger on the right answer! I am sure veteran and commit might have good suggestions.
I am not in position to comment as I am in my first read....but I have scheduled my exam around your date......but I hope to get there somehow.....maybe you can help......I work too and am single mom. We can all get there ........let us put our hearts and minds together and support each other. Best wishes ....stay positive ! The tide is just about to turn ......so dont stop swimming!
___________________
In Him I trust !
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| commit
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 264
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Hi simon73, I can understand your frustrations and disappointment considering how much effort you have put in this thing. However, it is not as bad as it seems. 340/175 is pretty close to the passing line 370/185. Additionally, it is good you take the NBME this early. It will give you extra motivation. I know some people who didn't know NBME and failed the test directly. The purpose of the test is to give us some sense of where we are and then guide our prep accordingly. I am sure you will improve a great deal in the next two months. Stay positive and use the score as a motivation, work harder. You are going to have a breakthrough soon.
From my personal experience, I would recommend Goljan audio and doing tons of questions and repeating the wrong questions. A learned point or concept in the book or in the mind does not always lead you to the right answer. Practicing questions can also help you to learn the knowledge better. For me, listening to Goljan helped a great deal. Additionally, FA plus USMLERx might be a good combo. But you may not have time to do that. I only have some downloaded Qs from Rx. It seems to be a good concept to learn FA cold. FA is really HY. However, you have to pay attention to every detail in it. Don't give up UW. Doing the wrong Qs again and again will help you to get the concepts. When you feel comfortable, do another NBME in 4 or 5 weeks.
Things don't always work our way. But one thing that we can rely on is to consistently give our best efforts. I believe you will have a quick turnaround and improve fast in the next month. Study499 and target said much better than me. But I think the message is the same: Stay positive and work hard. Things will take care of themselves eventually. You are doing nothing wrong. You just need some time and more effort.
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| veteran
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 81
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Simon, I feel your pain. First, let me applaud your efforts, and your courage. It takes more than an ordinary person to even try to do what you are doing- full time job, seeing your kids only on weekends, several years out of med school. I wonder if I would even think of preparing for USMLE if I had your hurdles stacked against me.
Next, let me reassure you- you have done well. Really. You have assesed yourself to know where you are. Now that you know where you are, you need to work towards where you need to be. I know your aim is not to pass this exam, but to get good scores as well. You are in the right path, and you are close.
Let me post a couple of inspiring quotes and will get back later as I got to run right now.
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Colin Powell.
Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Calvin Coolidge
30th president of US (1872 - 1933)
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| veteran
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 81
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Simon, Please set a new target date for NBME even if it is pretty painful to think about the exam right now. I love the above Calvin Coolidge quote. I am not terribly smart or terribly talented, but I like to think I am consistenly persistent. After you have picked a date, make an attack plan. Choose one of your strong subjects to help build confidence first and set to totally master the topic. Then do Kaplan questions for those with an aim to score around 70 to 80. See where you are. If you score less than 70, say in Genetics, stop and study again.
Take care and I will write more when I can.
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| Ferritin
Forum Senior
Topics: 18
Posts: 131
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Yep I must appreciate you as of right now I dont even have the balls to take the NBME
I love that quote too
someone mentioned FA+USMLE RX ANYONE got a link for usmle rx download ?
Sick of paying for stuff
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| simon73
Forum Elite
Topics: 4
Posts: 484
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Dear Friends (study499, commit, target, veteran, Ferritin),
Thank you all for your kind words. I am disappointed mainly because of my false expectations i guess. This is not the first time I face failure and certainly would not be the last, but it sure hurts. Thank you all for your thoughts and words of wisdom, i need it. I think NBME really revealed where i am exactly. I read Kalyann's post on 'Find Your Reason Why', and started asking myself, if i really what to do it or drop it. I want to do it, is the answer i got. I have invested so much time (of course with my limitation being with my full time job and family) so far to just let it go. I know that i am not alone in this situation, i read a post by 'yunuz' from exam experience thread, who seemed to have gone through a similar situation!
So, i have decided to jump in again and give my best under my current situation, and reassess my self. Thank you veteran for your thoughts. I will take a subject, review, do kaplan questions, revise again if i score less. I will take another NBME in 4-5 weeks and assess myself. I hope and pray that i am doing the right thing! Thank you all for your support.
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