Jezzielin
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 5
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I've been a silent observer of this forum and you guys are all so supportive of each other! I just took my exam and am overwhelmed with thoughts, anxiety, etc and I don't know what to do. I took my exam yesterday and feel so of thoughts I just find myself tearing up. Here's my experience (sorry if it is long):
I began my studying after the new year. I had failed my first COMP exam with a 62% (175 Step) and was working towards passing it the second time around. My prep was with Kaplan, FA, UW and NBMEs mostly. I was in my 5th semester and I completed just about all of the videos, of which at this point down seems very long ago. Once that was over with I started UW. It began very slowly but by the end I got through ~75% of it. Towards the time of the boards I just started going through tests without taking them just to read the concepts they were teaching. Before I did that though, I guess I was around a 54% or so - I don't really know for sure but it was around there. I then started taking NBMEs and started with form 3 then form 4 and went up to a 190 (all scores are in USMLE). From there it was more FA, flashcards, UW until my second COMP exam. After taking that, which seemed harder than the first, I got a 198! I was very happy with that score and constantly improving. After that 5th semester was over and I came back home to do the rest of my studies which consisted of Goljan (again), FA, more UW and more practice tests. I had about a month or so to go. The reason I had to take it so quickly was that I had been offered a 2 year rotation spot near my home. With just getting engaged, a new house and dog, it meant so much to me to after nearly 2 years to be near my family, so I was determined to take it and get my scores by the desired date July 16th.
So my next stage of my studying was working out well. I decided to take my next practice test after nearly a month and I took the USMLE.org free test. I got a 219. I wished that was accurate but in my mind I just kept thinking it couldn't be true. I am pretty hard on myself but I just didn't want to get too comfortable thinking I was "all good". About a week before my exam I took the UW exam. Some told me not to take it right by my board exam, especially because it was more difficult than I should expect. Well, I went back down and got a 195 on that. I felt comfortable taking the exam and was hoping it would work out well. Not that I am thrilled with a score like that but in truth, I will most likely end up in IM which makes me very happy. I was thinking ER but I love the diversity of options there are in IM and there are so many that interest me!
Anyhoo, so I took the exam yesterday. I got a full 8 hours of sleep before my exam and had a decent breakfast but nothing too heavy. Honestly I was shocked at how informal it was. I mean there was still the signing in, photo, sign out for breaks, locker, etc. but barely anyone was taking an exam in Prometric but me and I had the whole room to myself. It was very nice. I did block 1 and 2 then took my first break, same with 3 and 4 then a break, 5 and 6 then a break, then 7. It went by fast but felt like I had plenty of time to take it. I finished each block very quickly (oddly enough) and with all the checks that I had I had a good amount of time to go back and think them over.
Blocks 1, 4 and 5 seemed doable and I finished those feeling pretty good about them. The rest were a bit tougher... There were QUITE a few that were "gimme" questions. I was sooo surprised! I just didn't understand how they were on the exam! I know there are experimental questions too so when I got to a question I had no idea about, I told myself "Oh, it's one of those experimental ones!", haha. I think though what has gotten me down the most was block 7. I don't know if it was the exhaustion or just a bad block but it left me at the end of the day sad, down and out.
Overall though, the day went smooth - no glitched, interruptions or distractions. I am just overwhelmed now with feelings of failure. I worked hard to get to the point I am at and just thinking I will have to take it again is just very worrysome. I am wanting to enjoy my break. If all goes well and scores are in on time, I start FM July 14th right near my home. Who would have thought that after all the sacrifice of leaving home for school I would get the chance to end up right down the street! Ugh, I just don't know if I should start studying again or what. Very confused, anxious and worried. It's only been a day since my test so maybe I should give it more time but I can't help but think of the worst. I'm just not sure how to read it. Maybe I am this way because of how many checks I had down. I mean, if I had a shred of doubt - I checked it lol. So at the end of a block it looked scary. I don't understand if there is a curve or not, or whether the gimme quetsions would even make it a bad curve. I'm trying to think of how many I needed to get right for a pass, like what percentage. So many thoughts and so much time to swim around in them!
Anyway, thanks for letting me vent! Any words of wisdom welcomed. Nothing beats hearing from fellow students who have been there! I guess now it's a waiting game... In the meantime I am going to start crazily cleaning my house to keep me busy and pray, pray, pray!
*HUG* Jezzielin
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| rockjock
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 7
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You did great hun - go have a brr!!!
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| Jezzielin
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 5
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Haha, you have to say that - you're my buddy  But thanks!
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| kingsof2005
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 208
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goodluck wit ur score!!!
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| Moods
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 2
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Its those questions we think that we may have done wrong that stick in our minds and keep bugging us, and we tend to forget about the tonnes of questions that were done correctly.
Relax , chill out everything's gonna be alright
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| Jezzielin
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 5
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I just found out - I PASSED! 200/82 and I'll take it! WOO! Celebrating this weekend since I have started my FM rotation this week (and lovin' it)!
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| dowjunk
Forum Elite
Topics: 14
Posts: 435
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Congratsulationsssssssssssssssssssss Jezzielin!!!
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Grad of 2007. Work in progress.......
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| usmlekiller
Forum Guru
Topics: 18
Posts: 1,010
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congrats
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FUTURE 99ER
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