focusedvision
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 16
|
Hi all,
Probably failed the test
Took exam yesterday, ad it was much much harder than one could imagine. Of course this opinion could biased, as I am an old struggling IMG, who is much out of touch.
I will mix ,my prep strategy with experience, so that who read the posts will able to identify what mistakes I have done, and to take precautions.
Preparations - I prepared with listening to Kap highlights, thoroughly reading FA, Crush the Boards, NMS Review, and partially, UW.
What everybody told - Test is designed for a medical student who has not completed graduation. Most of the time, diagnosis and first step are expected.
Harder things not expected.
What actually was - only 25 % Q were like that.
60% Q were on specific treatments. Not just, foolish things like, give IV first, or intubate first. They wanted appropriate management. Very specific. You are given choices of many antibiotics, that work, and have to choose best.
EKGs- Too tough for a general student unless you study some EKG book. LBBB, Electrical alaternans, HOCM !
Pediatric - Much difficult. Development of child is no longer a simple Q. 3-4 Qs were about some abnormal children coming for exam, and you are thrown a huge table of choices giving all combinations and permutations, from which you have to select. E.g. Gross motor normal , fine motor abnormal, etc, making a simple q very tough.
Many Qs were in fact, like same, turning them tough.
Many Qs were (i found) tough enough to be asked on specialty boards, at least the person one with a good experience in that area and knows current guidelines for treatments , only will be able to answer.
Many Qs were of NMS or UW style, but they have gone just one step ahead n(asking something speciifc about complication of that disorder or one step back (to step I) by asking biochemistry, physiology
Ortho Q were treatment oriented.
In general - Don't expect only diag or first step, they have gone much ahead.
My advise - Questions can be answered by a person who has read current "text book" of that subject.
Probably thats what I ve to do next time.
|
| paheli
It'sAllAboutGoodKarma
Topics: 192
Posts: 2,582
|
Hi. I know how you must be feeling. But, that's hardly a predictor of your performance or eventual score, coz you're biased. But, the computer tabulating your score is not, thankfully. So, keep the faith, let the program do its job, and you may be in for a surprize.
Thanks for the info. Appreciate it.
Unwind, and lose the stress. Keep the faith. 
___________________
Prepare as if you're the worst, Perform as if you're the best! As you dream, so you manifest. So, DREAM BIG!! When you face hardship, remember, God never gives you more than you can handle. Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.
|
| mumbaimulgi
Forum Newbie
Topics: 7
Posts: 30
|
what is this change that people are talking about/???/
did u notce anything new or unusaual or unexpected
|
| KHILADI420
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 54
|
focusedvision first of all good luck and its ok just wait 3 weeks to see your results and see what happens. second thing is if what you are saying is true then it sucks big time for all of us. i mean usmle always do something new in every year may month. hopefully its not as bad of a change that we cant handle.
|
| kleovoulos
Forum Junior
Topics: 4
Posts: 95
|
thanx for sharing..and try to stay calm. i've heard that this is such an intriguing test that anybody feels like that when have just been done with it.
let's hope that you recognised those few Qs as exquisitely difficult because they were the experimental ones! always remember that!
i wish u an excellent result
|
| focusedvision
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 16
|
Thank you paheli and all, who replied. I was freaking put, hence didn't reply.
Maybe, the difficult Qs might be experimental or anything.
I cant say whether they were experimental Qs or not. But basically, they were tough enough.
Still, for those who want to prepare for exams well, our aim should be to prepare in such a way that we will be able to answer most Qs.
The change, I noticed is that Qs were more based on treatment stuff. What we heard from review courses, is test usually asks about diagnosis and initial step in management (e.g, put a large bore IV cannula etc).
But my test was much specific about pharmacotheray. Also diagnosis is never simple, and many cases were mixed disorders etc.
To solve these Qs, we need either experience in the field, or good text books.
Thank you
|
| zubr
Forum Junior
Topics: 14
Posts: 61
|
bad feeling after exam is good! you should pass, I wish you so!
Do you remember anything about q with audio? murmurs? tnx
|
| focusedvision
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 16
|
Yes, i had two audios
Murmurs. TGA with PDA, yes that was not fair I suppose.
Another of HOCM, typical history and and findings
|
| cherryho
Forum Elite
Topics: 28
Posts: 436
|
Thanks focusedvision. Your experience can really help those, including me, who just started studying for CK. Best luck for the scores.
___________________
99/99/Pass; Certified; 2003; US PhD; 2M US clerkships; GC; Chance favors only the prepared mind. - Louis Pasteur
|
| AnneGermany
Forum Guru
Topics: 32
Posts: 464
|
Hi focusevision,
any news from your score?
I really hope you passed....
Do you wanna post it here?
All my best!
___________________
97/99/CS taken, 2007 grad, GC, no US LoR, no USCE, little bitty research in home country, IM/FM 42/11, appl Sept 2nd, rej/IV 1/10
|
| arlete
Attending in 2012!!!!!
Topics: 42
Posts: 2,968
|
focusedvision:
Most people I know that felt the test difficult got very good grades, I hope you'll follow the pattern. 
___________________
Que sera sera, whatever will be will be.
|
| focusedvision
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 16
|
Forgot to add my score My score 9/239
My interpretation of test - They try to think a step ahead what you can. So, you must try to be one step ahead, and its a race.
The test revolves around the high yield concepts and topics. They try to twist questions e.g. they will give a complex combination of developmental parameters of a child in answers and you have to find one. They will ask specific pharmacotherapy for a condition instead of asking first step. The questions are more sharp, cutting, precise and test our reading of a text book for that condition rather than only review notes.
Thank you all for your support
|
| falcon
Forum Elite
Topics: 12
Posts: 278
|
Now I come to believe that if any one is weeping after the test , he/she is the next 99ier.
Thanks focusedvision
|
| dr_puma
Forum Elite
Topics: 11
Posts: 279
|
hey slow down ...arlete is rt most good students with solid preps feel so n end up acing the exam......wait 4 the result post exam blues r v common...don't dwell much on it buddy.
___________________
do whatever u want,but do it wholeheartedly...never hold back.
|
| AnneGermany
Forum Guru
Topics: 32
Posts: 464
|
Congrats!!!!
___________________
97/99/CS taken, 2007 grad, GC, no US LoR, no USCE, little bitty research in home country, IM/FM 42/11, appl Sept 2nd, rej/IV 1/10
|
| dr_puma
Forum Elite
Topics: 11
Posts: 279
|
go see some action movie or something u like ,I saw Hancock.....totally stupid but a good change none the less
___________________
do whatever u want,but do it wholeheartedly...never hold back.
|
| will try my best
Forum Elite
Topics: 45
Posts: 400
|
Congrats focusdvision!
___________________
99/99/cs passed/2007 grad/need visa/no USCE/no USLOR/no research
|
| white-rose
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 55
|
wow, congrats focused revision, that's awesome!
|
| innocent devil
Forum Guru
Topics: 55
Posts: 807
|
congrats
___________________
man of unknown principles
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
