white-rose
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 55
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Hi all,
I gave my step 2 ck yesterday - 8th july. Let me start from the day before.
I had heard everyone say that you shouldn't study on the day before the exam and just relax the entire day. I think that's completely upto you. If you think you are too stressed out then by all means relax. But you've been through exams in med school and you might have an idea of what works for you.
For me, I study all the way to the last min and that works for me. I continued to study the last day and I'm glad I did. I went through many topics which I had completely forgotten which helped me out in the exam alot.
As for sleeping 8 hrs the night before, I knew I had to be well rested in order to perform well on the test but unfortunately I had slept for 2 hrs in the evening and so I couldn't sleep at night. If I did, it was a very light sleep and for maybe 3 hrs. I tried everything to get relaxed but nothing was good enough to fall asleep. My body was reacting to the stress that I didn't think I had. Next morning I knew I had to drink very strong coffee if I wanted to survive.
Now, I never drink coffee. I have had coffee maybe 10 times in my life so it worked pretty well. I had it at breakfast time (6am) and I didn't feel sleepy till 11pm that day.  I also took some paracetamol, half a tablet of ranitidine because I had alot of acidity due to stress, an antispasmodic because I get diarrhea due to stress, 2 sandwiches, water, juices (which I didn't feel like drinking finally). I took tablets of antacids in the break.
The exam:
My time management was rubbish. Here's how it went:
I went to the bathroom before I started which I recommend everyone does whether or not you feel like going.
Tutorial - did it in 3 mins (just spent time adjusting the headset and the screen which I suggest people do if you want to be able to see CTs and x-rays clearly).
Block 1
Block 2
Break of 30 mins - my break time got wasted because my mom said she'd be waiting for me and I couldn't find her. Ah well.
Block 3
Break of 5 mins
Block 4
Break of 5 mins
Block 5
Break of 14 mins
Block 6
Block 7
Block 8
My exam was mostly IM. Very little of psych, surgery, peds and OBG. In IM I had more of infectious (most pneumonias) and cardio, few poisoning, few neuro (mostly lesions so please memorise them), few hemat, few onco, maybe 2 rheumat. I had 1 question from statistics (make sure the table rows are not reversed), 1 from 1 epi, maybe 2 from ethics which were simple.
There were about 10 questions that I felt were exactly like UW and atleast 1 which was exactly like NBME. But they didn't give the obvious clue words which help you diagnose the disease like "current jelly" stools. Don't expect them.
I didn't think the exam was difficult just that I messed alot of questions out of confusion and because I forgot things because I didn't get a chance to revise.
I thought the first 2 blocks were easy maybe because most people find them easy - they were very much like UW questions. They weren't very long. I found the last 3 blocks the best because I felt I was sure of more questions but I was able to finish them JUST in time so no chance to review.
Tip: If you are on the last question of the block and you have 15 secs left. Just choose any random answer and THEN read the question. Who knows, you may get it right. 
With all blocks I was able to finish on time and had 1 - 3 mins to review the marked questions. Last 3 blocks I was able to finish on time but I didn't have any time to review.
The questions were not very long. I was highlighting the key points as I had done while doing UW. I didn't practice more than 7 blocks in UW in timed mode. I did max in tutor mode.
I had 2 cardio audio-visual questions on murmurs. When the first one turned out to be the last question on the block, I made sure to check every block after that for the last few questions to see if it was an AV question. I did atleast 3 blocks backwards half the way & that was helpful because I found the next AV question at the very end of the 2nd last block & it required some thought.
Even though I felt the exam was easy, I can easily fail the exam. I have no idea how I did. I can only hope that I did well. And I was just happy it was over. I spent the rest of the day watching a movie and chilling out.
Best of luck to all and I hope you all found this post helpful.
Edited by white-rose on 07/09/08 - 01:20 PM
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| will try my best
Forum Elite
Topics: 44
Posts: 308
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Thanks White rose for your detailed experience.All the best for your results!
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| MAB
Forum Senior
Topics: 16
Posts: 183
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Thank you so much "white rose"
now relax and we will pray for your best results...
such a nice detailed description
..how many EKGs did you have?are they not wierd?
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| ssssss
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 127
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thank u white rose
and GL for ur result
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| falcon
Forum Elite
Topics: 12
Posts: 262
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Thanks for giving good exam tips,
Best of Luck for ur good score
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| paheli
It'sAllAboutGoodKarma
Topics: 192
Posts: 2,573
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Looks like you had a good test. Nice write up too. Good luck for the score.
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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.
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| drms
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 444
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Thank u soo much white rose 
Now time for rest & relax
Wishing u a reat score
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drms!dreams+responsibility+motivation=success!
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| drms
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 444
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sorry Greaaaat score
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drms!dreams+responsibility+motivation=success!
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| egyusmler
Forum Elite
Topics: 20
Posts: 281
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GL whaite_ rose with ur score..Inshaallah u`ll do very well
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| Toledo
Forum Junior
Topics: 8
Posts: 56
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u sounds so well
hope u a great score
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| white-rose
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 55
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Thank you all! I hope I didn't make too many blunders. I know I changed one answer from right to wrong. I'm only relaxed because the exam is over & not because the exam went well. I honestly have no clue how the exam went. I don't see any point worrying about the result until it's time to get the result. THEN I'll worry. :P
MAB wrote:Thank you so much "white rose" now relax and we will pray for your best results... such a nice detailed description ..how many EKGs did you have?are they not wierd?
Thanks for your best wishes & prayers!
I can only remember one ECG. Two abdominal X-rays - GI and one chest x-ray - achalasia.
Each block had 46 questions, no exceptions so in total I had 368 questions.
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| Tuscani
Forum Senior
Topics: 27
Posts: 157
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congrats!!!
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| ssssss
Forum Junior
Topics: 7
Posts: 127
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whiterose can i ask u about respiratory system Q that u remmember if u remmember any ?
espicialy the ventelator Q s
thank u in advance and GL agian
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| white-rose
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 55
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Really sorry for the late reply. I have been extremely busy.
sss - I think I got only one ventilator question. I think it was something to do with residual volume of the lung. It was confusing for me. 
One was an ethics question which was pretty simple.
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| innocent devil
Forum Guru
Topics: 54
Posts: 748
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congrats..hoping for good score
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man of unknown principles
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| white-rose
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 55
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Thanks Sadiq & everyone for your well wishes and helpful nature! Wish you all the best of luck in your exams.
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| dr_puma
Forum Senior
Topics: 6
Posts: 211
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hi congrats for doing ck and sorry I could not acknowledge ur help to me earlier. I took ck on 14 july n reading this [For me, I study all the way to the last min and that works for me] on ur post gave me confid that other people too read like me till the last minute...i fact it is when i am at my peak concentration.
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| white-rose
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 55
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That's great dr_puma! I'm glad my post was of help. It has served it's purpose.
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