Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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same here! Its taking me too much time too. So, I have just stopped the DVDs for a while and am trying to finish my first read through Kaplan myself. Then I will start Q bank and USMLE World. I will start the DVDs again when I am doing the Q Bank and UW...So that way it will be revision rather than listening to the DVDs fresh new. The thing is in the DVDs they do throw some tit bits here and there regarding what is asked on the Step 1...So thats why I am gonna go thru them at least once. But yeah....the basic thing is get done with the readings so that you can hit the questions soon......Thats also tedious by the way! Good Luck.
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| myeloma
Forum Junior
Topics: 3
Posts: 78
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thanx royaldoc99 for ur reply.i like ur idea of using them as a revision tool with mcqs side by side.mayb i'll knw the text better by then (hopefully) and will b able to add up key points more efficiently in my lecture notes.
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| mjbapana
Forum Elite
Topics: 32
Posts: 307
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Well i'm not sure wether or not it is a good idea to skip the dvds, my take on it is get done with the dvds in the beginning then u don't have to watch them esp subjects like anat, micro and pharm.
But i've heard that some of the dvds are good. i have'nt watched all of them but what i've watched so far are pretty good. i wpuld personally watch all of them atleast once esp during the first reading.
well the dvds everyone swears by are and say are a must atleast once esp if u dont have the time are
Physio by DR.kudrath some of which i've watched and are really good.
Biochem , old dvd's
pharmac new dvd, he is the same guy who did bichem in the old dvds.
Behav Science goes with out saying.
Immuno new ones, makes it a whole lot easier to understand the notes i mean makes reading the notes faster.
the others well genetics is good not great but good. anat is also pretty good worth watching once esp if u r basics are really bad as mine are
But well this is my opinion.
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
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Yikes!!! Anybody else agree with mjbapana?? I am having second doubts now about postponing the DVDs....... Someone PLZ answer this post !!!
Basically, I canit imagine sitting with the DVDs....its taking forever. I am studying with a bracket of three months to take the Step 1...If I do the DVDs I will have spent the entire 3 months just on the DVDs!!! It doesnt make me go through faster. I guess everyone is different. Anybody else have any comments about this????
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| bhanusupriya
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
Posts: 421
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hi,
i think that depends on ur basic subject's strength.if u r a fresh grad and remember ur basic sciences well,then u can straight ahead go to books and as per royaldoc's idea , listen to dvd's while doing Qbank or after completing Qbank.
if u r an old grad, or if u feel uncomfortable reading books after a loooong time then listening to dvd's and getting a picture of what we r reading makes the things simpler.
anyways, dvd's do tell us where to stress more in our prep and which points r heavily asked in exams.
here r ways to speed up ur dvd's.thanks to goodgirl for suggesting me this...
goodgirl wrote:Not sure if you are still looking for the way how to speed up the dvd, the cheapest and easy way is the Quicktime player '', can get for free online, and maybe you even have it on your PC, it comes often with iTunes library if you own iPod. Than you open DVD with the Quicktime player, click on the '' window--> show A/V controls--> playback speed '' .That's simple ! Hope it helps, must warn you, the guy will sound funny, like a midget talking !  But you will have an idea, especially when you are familiar with the topic.
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| bianca99
Forum Junior
Topics: 2
Posts: 79
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Hi guys
I agree with bhanusupriya
If you dont have that much time or you still in med school there is really no need to listen to dvds unless you are having trouble understanding some topic..
I listened to almost all of them since i had time then..I really liked most of them
Royaldoc...you clearly dont seem to have that leisure time ..and if you dont want to extend and you comfortable with the notes then dont listen to the dvds.
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| P4a99
Forum Fanatic
Topics: 44
Posts: 2,430
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My experience is with the Old DVDs
Some are very good
Some are very useLESS!
I did not waste my time with the mediocre ones.
So which ones do I think are worth watching? (from the Old ones)
The good ones were: Be Sc, Genet, Neuro sc, Biochem, Mol Bio.
Watch the physio ones if you really have no idea about the subject.
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I think the best and perhaps the Only time to watch the videos is during your first read.
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2008 Step 1 Study Plan Discussion ..... I am a moderator not a source for download links. Please do not ask me for any.
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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Now biance....thats a strange comment you have for me there. I agree with what you have to say but none of us are sitting around with years to pass this USMLE Exam. Everybody with me on this??? The only exception is the students who are in their first 2 years of med school who can use those DVDs to learn things that they learn in med school. Everyone knows that taking the USMLEs is a LOOOOOONG process....so the sooner we can get the good scores the better. Now I mentioned "good scores". I am not in a rush to get through this exam. Still I would like to take a path that is efficient and takes lesser time. How can you have
"leisure time" for this? I have devoted 3 months for step 1...now that doesnt mean that I will take it in three months no matter what! If i need two more months studying I will take that time too if this is what i need to score high on this exam. Anyway...enough said....I just graduated from med school and do not want to waste YEARS taking this exam. I have an aunty who lives next door and she has taken this exam 5 times and failed!!! It frightens me. The strategy is be efficient...Get the 99s in lesser time and 3-6 months is a pretty realistic time for step 1. So its not like I am not giving this test enough time! I do have the time. I just dont want to waste it. And I do plan on listening to each and every DVD in this 3-4 months time frame that I have.
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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Also, there is no point studying months and months for this exam...i have friends who take it after studying for a whole year and still failed!!! Plus I won't be able to remember anything that I might have memorized in January in...December!!! So, just spend a realistic couple of months ...where you can actually retain stuff and recall it well for the exam. Remember all those Biochemistry enzymes...the bugs and drugs??? We have got to remember them and a shorter time frame is better in this regard.
Just my two cents.
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| bianca99
Forum Junior
Topics: 2
Posts: 79
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My friend royaldoc99
My response was to your 2nd post in this thread..In which you say that you cant imagine sitting for the DVDs..and also that you are studying with a bracket for 3 months...
now you say its 3-6 months...Well there is huge difference between 3 and 6 months..And when i say leisure time i am talkin about that exact difference...
If I am not wrong most people say that ideal time to study for Step1 is around 6 months..In which case most of the people listen to dvds..There are a lot of people who are pretty fast and dont need the DVDs and still get a 99..
I dont understand why must you respond to my post like this...how cud i have possibly offended you?
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| bianca99
Forum Junior
Topics: 2
Posts: 79
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Whoever said that you need to study for it forever??!!!
But very few people can manage a good score in 3 months..However 6 months is ideal for most.period
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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Thanks my friend Bianca,
That 3-6 months difference is not "leisure time" . It is the EXTRA time that I might need if I havent finished studying. My point is you cannot label any time as " leisure time". After all this is what this thread is about ....."TIME" taken to listen to those DVDs! The ideal time to study for step 1 varies ....a lot...most students from my med school got 99s with 3 months prep....Thats why I say 3 months. Now I might need 6 months as yopu are saying....
Anyway I just got offended by your statement which said "Royaldoc...you clearly dont seem to have that leisure time ..and if you dont want to extend and you comfortable with the notes then dont listen to the dvds." You made it sound like I am not giving enough time to Step 1 prep and that I should not listen to the DVDs if I can't give it time! The point is not to avoid the DVDs ...but to fit them in our preperation schedule efficiently so that not much time is wasted. I am not trying to avoid the DVDs altogether.
Anyway....I think I have studied a LOT today and my brains are FRIED!! So, please dont mind anything that may have upset you. PEACE I think I need to get some sleep now! Bye.
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| bianca99
Forum Junior
Topics: 2
Posts: 79
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Well i wrote in response to what I figured from your post which started with a YIKES!!! You might wanna explain yourself better next time if you get offended so fast..Well I am not going to explain myself...AGAIN!!
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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Bianca...Bianca...CHILL....You seem to be on fire dear! Yes, I am a sensitive darling in real life...but I am also very caring and loving. Lets remain friends....Ok? I had no intention of this heating up like this. My yikes post simply invited responses and yes it is taking ages to listen to those DVDs....and I did explain myself clearly in the above posts regarding timing etc.
I think you get offended fast too..... Nevermind....I love delicate people. They are sweet. Now CHILL OUT and lets forget this argument ok? and lets remain friends. 
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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It just cracks me up that I got into an argument with someone on this website!! I just want to make it clear that everyone on this forum is very dear and close to my heart...A very important part of my life as I am in the USMLE cocoon. I dont even keep in touch with my med school batchmates!!! Its just my family and this forum! It motivates me and keeps my drive going......Thanks to all you special people who make this forum to keep me alive. I will owe it to you all when I get my 99! Now lets go study.....hit the books.....
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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Ummm....Bianca....are you okay now??? Are you feeling better?....Just cant go to sleep thinking that I hurt somebody's feelings here. I am sorry okay.
Take care. Study hard.
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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Lagta hai Bianca so gayi. Anyway...does anybody else have any more ideas about the DVDs?
Basically, everybody is different. Do whatever works best for you. I cant sleep and so i might start a DVD now. Good Bye Everyone. PEACE
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| bianca99
Forum Junior
Topics: 2
Posts: 79
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Bianca nahi soyi dear...Chillax ...i was alright even then..Just a bit shocked to read that huge post that addressed me ONLY!!! Thats all
So we kool??!!sleep well..Goodnight
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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Thanks! YUP WE R COOL. I will take care not to write such huge posts in future. So you speak Hindi too huh? Nice to know.....I just finished listening to one chapter from the Behavioural Science DVD ...It is pretty good. But now I have a stiff back and am almost going to drop dead sleeping!! I spent a total of 18 hours studying today.....Am EXHAUSTED! See you tommorrow guys. Its 3 AM here ....Hope to be up by 7 to sit down to cover more ....I really hope I get a 99.....I am trying my best....I don't know what will happen....Anyway. Good Night. Thanks for your help sweety. Bye.
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| sigh
Forum Elite
Topics: 23
Posts: 290
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Where can I get these DVDs what you all taking about? Thanks
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| myeloma
Forum Junior
Topics: 3
Posts: 78
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bhanusupriyah,mjbapana,p499,royaldoc and bianca thank u all for ur advice.so i guess i have to squeeez in dvds in my tight schedule of first read..which only means more study hrs this test is draining all my energy!good luck to all of u.may GOD help us all.
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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myeloma...U can squeeze a DVD in when you are too tired to read ....AT least the professor in the DVD will keep you awake....I think its good break time use. Thats what I am doing now.
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| myeloma
Forum Junior
Topics: 3
Posts: 78
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hmmm ..will try ur way Royaldoc. its just that watching the screen for so long gives me watery eyes and a headache.will b drinking lots of coffee to combat the headache which will add upto my calories ofcourse but a man,s gotta do wat a man's gotta do rite?
good luck to u too.
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| Royaldoc99
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 139
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I don't watch the screen..... I sit sideways and just LISTEN to them! It saves all the eye problems but yeah the lactic acid accumulates!
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