WaleedBadr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 18
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UW (50% of questions): 63%
Kaplan notes: very few notes occasionally.
Exam date: 26/March 2008.
Score: 199/81
Guys please take care of saving some good time to sleep, I only slept 6 hours in the two days prior to the exam. Another advice is: If you are planning to take the exam in a different country (like I did) arrive 2 days earlier and book a hotel next to the exam site because I believe I ruined my chances partly because of the late planning.
Now please and honestly I need someone to tell me if I should go with the rest of USMLE or not since I have only done the CK. Is it feasible? (in case I will work hard and plan well for 90+ in step 1 inshaa Allah). I am looking for an internal medicine residency.
My other details/credentials are:
Age 31 years
PLAB with valid full registration with the GMC UK
Part 1 MRCP
BLS and ACLS (AHA) certified (recent).
1 year Locum sho/clinical attachment UK (Medicine)
4 Years Medicine/oncology in home country
I would really appreciate a REALISTIC opinion from your experiences and your friends' ones. In case it is not feasible I can save the resources for a different plan instead of wasting it on the exams and travel.
Thanks.
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| GOGETA
I PASS step 1
Topics: 228
Posts: 2,296
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If you are a green cad holder it will help you.
I have seen people with those scores an able to match, the thing is to know exactly where to apply and that you will not mind where you will do residency.
Now I have questions for you about the exam
Did the majority of questions where based on the basic things we need to know as doctors or they where very deep.
___________________
As a general rule, the better it felt when you said it, the more trouble it's going to get you into.
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| WaleedBadr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 18
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It is a bit difficult to tell you, as I said I did not sleep well before the exam and I was almost dozing during it. I can't remember anything beyond the second block.
I can say though, UW is very helpful and I think if I did finish it's other half I would have got a much better score.
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| mangoshaikh
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 30
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First of all Congrats on passing step2 ck. your score is definitely not bad, in fact it should propel you to write the other exams and get these exams out of the way.... I know ppl that got a passing score 2 yrs ago and now that score is not a passing score and they still matched this year. I was surprised since they were also IMG's. All they could say was that they really wanted that residency and if the scores were not good they applied for research in that field and got recommendation letters. They said a lot rides on your interviews so prepare for the residency interviews like it was another exam dont just show up. Bottom line your half way there...
Thank you for sharing your ck experience my exam (ck) is in a week so i will try to get some rest the day before and not study the last day. I scored a lot lower on uw then you but Inshallah i hope things work out. If you have any advice on studying in the last week that would be helpful i would appreciate it. I really dont know what ppl do in the last week and the last 2 days esp...
ps: I belive if you cant do something completely, don't give it up completely either....dont doubt your self, your half way there brotha...this is the time to just focus on step1, apply for residency and then leave the rest to GOD. Like i said sore is the main thing but there are other ways to show your dedication(research) if you think the score is not good.
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| WaleedBadr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 18
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Thank you Mango for your words, I am trying to focus now and I think I will get over it.
I have got some friends who scored in the 90s and some of them actually got double 99 they all said that the best thing to do is to relax the day before the exam and go out for some time, may be have a light meal with friends.
Regarding the last week, if you have taken notes from UW, read them.. If you read them, keep reading them again and again.
If you are particularly weak in a branch maybe it is good to go through the notes (kaplan in a couple of days).
Bro. the most important is to SLEEP, I remember in the break before the last block, I went out for a red bull and relax a bit, after I drank the red bull I rested on a desk in the garden and what do you think? I almost slept there and was about to waste the last block..
One time while I was checking out for the break, I handed over the keys of the locker to the supervisor instead of my paaport, they went on a silence moment and then they started laughing that I am not fully awake and that they need the passport not the key!!
Organize the week before the exam...
stay awake all day and go to bed at 10 every night, so you can do the same on the night before the exam..
The exam is very doable, but it will be the most exhausting exam you ever had, i don't know if you took step 1 or not yet so you might have an idea.
Where are you taking the exam by the way?
Take care and BEST OF LUCK
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| mangoshaikh
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 30
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I took my step1 in toronto and now i am taking my step2 in toronto aswell. Yeah i took step1... i did the kaplan notes ...qbank (70% completed) with 51% average. there was no uw then soo didnt do that and i did first aid (50%) and i was out of time so i didnt want to waste my time taking nbme i needed to learn more and keep doing questions till the end...so i just went and sat for it when the day came. i did take the day b4 off and just walk all day and went to bed on time 11pm. I got a 80% on the actual exam so Im happy...hope i get the same in step2. I feel i have prepared better for step2 but the uw and nbme scores are just not saying that. i finished (uw 65%completed) with 50% average and got a 380 on nbme forum 2. soo yeah now i just dont want to evaluate any more i just wana keep pushing and studying and take it. Its weird i see ppl with higher averages on uw and nbme not pass but then again i used uw as a learning tool. what do you think of the usmle cd bro should i do that?
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| WaleedBadr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 18
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Hi Mango
I did the cd 2 days before the exam and I only solved the first block, I scored 41/46. To tell you the truth this made me wrongfully confident that the exam will be with such ease. anyway do them just as a matter of practice. Do them timed so that you are under the same circumstances as the real exam.
Try to solve 2 blocks at a time everyday until two days before the exam so you can do the same with the first 2 blocks on the exam without abreak.
take care and good luck,
by the way what is your visa status: Visa/GC or citizen?!
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| mangoshaikh
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 30
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I don't have status but i am aloud in and out since i am Canadian. So guess Visitor? I did my med in the Caribbean and i thought of going back to Canada and practicing but there were just soo many more opportunities in the states. I think the system is ment to be scary so ppl work hard at what they want but i also think the system also is not as rigid as ppl talk about it. So dont loose hope. Now as for me... I am a really bad test taker i dont know why i find it hard to solve questions by eliminating choices ...but like i said there are other areas i can show my dedication so i'm not giving up hope. My exam is in a week so i'm a bit stressed but seriously i cant wait to just enjoy the summer after this.
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| WaleedBadr
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 18
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Good luck and best wishes for a good score.
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