Thanks
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I am glad that eventually I have time to share my experiences in USMLE exams. I have always been thankful to this very useful forum from which I got information and inspiration.
At this point I can tell everyone pursuing a medical career in US is definitely possible and doable. The main thing is you need to be PREPARED. Be prepared means you need to prepare for the match the time you start taking the exams. The same to find any kinds of job, networking is very important for residency application. At least you need strong letters of recommendation for your application. So you need to prepare your supporting network the time you are seriously taking the exams. I am not an expert in networking, but one thing I can assure you is this: if you work hard and show people your abilities and passion, you will earn the respect and support from people.
A little bit of my profile:
USMLE step 1, 99/245; step 2 CK 99/248; CS pass; Matched for 7/2008
Here are my experiences on the exams:
First of all, I feel USMLE are exams for primary care. So there are two things you need to pay attention to all the time you are preparing for the exams: most common diseases and the diseases that may lead to very serious consequences. For example, you need to know everything about hypertension, DM, smoking, alcoholic. Things like these are just so important. Probably this is also why aortic dissection is USMLE big time favorite.
Step 2 CK.
Study material:
Kaplan notes, Q book, and USMLEWORLD online.
The Kaplan Q book is comparatively easy, and the questions are too short. USMLEWORLD is more similar to the real exam. At least in my exam, every question goes like a full patient note. So you may end up just so tired that you can’t concentrate to read fast enough. Practice is very important. So when you do UW, be sure to use the timed mode. Here is how I did it: when I start on a new subject, I will do 20-30 questions using tutorial mode first, to warm up and get use to the questions. And then use timed mode, do 25 questions (about 30 min) every block. Read explanation and MAKE NOTES right after you finish each block. I think this is the most efficient way, since you can still remember most of the questions, especially the ones you are not sure about. In this way, you may save much time. Mark the question you were not sure or did wrong, so you can review them later. I only did the UW once, though I think it will be helpful if you have time to do it twice. At least do the questions you marked for a second time.
Because the questions are just too long in Ck, one trick I used was to read the first sentence of the question stem first (to get general profile of the patient), then jump to the last 2-3 sentences of the questions stem. In this way, you can get a clear idea what is being asked. And very frequently, you may find they told you the diagnosis by the end of the question stem! If this is the case, when you go back to read the question, which you must do, you just need to figure out whatever being asked other than the diagnosis. For example, if treatment is asked, you just need to find out indications/contraindications.
Another suggestion: when preparing for CK, I was kind of too treatment-oriented. Because there are a lot of 2-step questions in UW, which asking for treatments. In my real exam, however, I felt there were not so many questions about treatment. In contrast, there were still questions about the mechanism of diseases, similar to these in step 1. Anyway, this is my personal experiences.
About Kaplan Video:
First all, you won’t have time to watch all of them.
In internal medicine, endocrinology is very good. Conrad Fischer’s lectures (cardio, hemo/onco, infectious diseases) are very good and entertaining. The others just so so.
Gyn/OB is also helpful. Surgery is basically notes reading.
Step 2 CS:
Studies material: First Aid, UW cases and video.
The key to CS is to develop your own system for history taking and PE. There is not time to think during exam, which is basically true for step 1 and ck too. I felt the history questions in FA are poorly organized, so I organized them in my way for each case. The cases in FA should be sufficient for your exam. It will cover most of the cases in your exam, however, be prepared for case not included in either FA or UW. In that case, don’t panic, use your medical knowledge and common sense, and you will be able to do it.
UW will be a good source if you don’t know how to ask the questions, since they provide the actual questions. And unlike the UW Qbank, you can print most UW cases and download the video. Do subscribe UW CS as soon as you decide to use it. The UW video is helpful too. The setting is similar to the exam room in the really exam.
For history taking, MNEMONICs are very helpful. I developed my own for each FA case. Digitaldoc blogger shows many good examples, also very helpful tricks for the exam. However, it is important to develop your own system. Once you saw the case, you should come up with your MNEMONIC. I felt it is helpful to write the mnemonic down before you entered to exam room. It may take 30s, but it is worth it.
About practice: many people suggest finding a partner and practicing with each other. But I think the most important thing is to have a CLEAR MENTAL FRAMEWORK for each case (including history, PE, differential diagnosis and workup). Again, you don’t have time to think during the exam. I studied myself, and just practiced a couple of times with my wife before exam (practice for a couple time is a must, unless you are really really good). I think I did well during the exam. So the point is, not mater how you study, just find the best way to establish the mental framework or conditioned reflex. Once you have this done, you will do well in the exam.
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| Feyza
Forum Guru
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Congrats  I can imagine how you must be feeling right now
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O my Lord! Open my chest for me ( grant me self-confidence ) and ease my task for me.Ta-Ha 25-26.
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| dr ruman
Forum Elite
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CONGRATS
i know small word for such big achievements,thanks for sharing nice study and prep tips
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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
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Congratulations
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“When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.”
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| veroni14
Forum Senior
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Thanks 4 sharing....great post!
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| Moslem Doctor
Forum Senior
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congratulation!
iam going to take step 2 in few days but iam afraid that i didnt do step one first so can u tell if there is pure step 1 Question in step 2 , i know many took step 2 first and get in 99 even before take step 1
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Say ye: "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (in Islam)." Holy Quran
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| Thanks
Forum Newbie
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Thanks everyone for your encouragement. I beleive everyone will be able to achieve their goals as long as working hard and keeping the faith.
Moslem Doctor, I mentioned there are some questions in CK on disease mechanisms, but I can't say they are 'pure step 1'. They are more clinically oriented. also there are not many of such Qs at all. I also heard people took ck first, and did pretty well. So you don;t need to worry about this.
Thanks
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| zolpidem
Forum Junior
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congrats thanks...
thats a nice post and inspiring
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| Vietnamese
Forum Senior
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Congratulation !!!!
What score did you get in UW before CK exam?
I just get 55% in timed mode. I will take exam in 2 months to come, that score makes me get improved in real score > 90 ?
Thanks
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Nothing is impossible.
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| Vietnamese
Forum Senior
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Hi Thanks,
I got your PM.
Thank you.
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Nothing is impossible.
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| Miradautas Vras
Forum Senior
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Posts: 150
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Kickass dude! 99/99s is an awesome achievement! Gimme some of your patience genes!
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Man who fights too long against the dragons becomes a dragon himself.
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| MRMAVERICK
Forum Guru
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great job
well done
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| KHILADI420
Forum Newbie
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congrats!!! you are a great source of inspiration for me
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| kaphoury
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 16
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Congratulations i hope u all de best
i'm going inshallah to set the CK exam . i'm reading kaplan notes and doing kaplan q-book and UW...but i'm not doing kaplan q bank.......i'm asking about the kaplan Q-bank, is it necessary to do it b4 the exam???
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