seven_fingers
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I thought I would post my USMLE Step1 and 2 CK experiences since I have both results in my hands.
I am an IMG, studied in Russia. Basically went there coz I was too bad a student to study in India 
I got 264/99 in Step1 and a 251/99 in Step2.
if you are an averages student don’t stop reading here for reasons I stated above.
WHAT I THINK I DID RIGHT ABOUT STEP1 and 2
Time of Step1 March
Start of preparation : December
Time of Step2: July end
Start of prep: April end
• Pray 
• Kaplan, Kaplan and Kaplan. 
Their notes are the absolute must have. You can buy them second hand from someone who has already been through the course.
The web-prep videos are good in the sense that it leaves with you a lot of visual imagery and audio cues.
What do I mean by that?
Means when you see a question you go : “Oh I remember him drawing that on the board..” or “oh yes, I can hear is irritating, sleepy voice telling me this point over and over again.”
• Dr.Goljan’s audio lectures are also a must have. I heard them thrice over by the time I sat the test. The high yields are really that. I couldn’t believe the number of questions I got from it. 
• Start making flash cards from Day1 preparation, of any information that needs to be memorized. Especially pharma.
Carry it with you everywhere. I used to sit in the loo and go over flashcards. Flashcards while walking down the street.
Flashcards in the bus. If you died from studying too hard, you better have flashcards on your person when they do an autopsy.
p.s: for those who don’t know – flashcards are rectangular pieces of chart paper about 3x2 inches. One side goes medical condition other side goes drug of choice or whtever. Make them yourselves and save money. it uses less memory to use flashcards than to memorise conventionally. Trust me I did a lotta reading about this one.
• USMLEWORLD – don’t copy the pirated screen captures  . Spend the money and sign up at the site. You get to assess how your studying is going. I did them in timed mode subject wise. Then did all the ones I got incorrect in tutor mode. Read all the q’s and answers. Yes even the ones you got right. Very useful resource (no I don’t get paid to say this- no conflict of interest either)
Step1 i got 72% - 85th percentile
Step2 i got 75% - 85th percentile
• Webpath - went through it a lot. especially serial sections of the brain and the CT's. helped me like nothing else. iw as laughing at the CT's on the exam thanks to webpath.
METHOD IN THE MADNESS
I used to be up at around 10ish. Do sundry stuff till 11.
In my quiet time pray and ask God to help me accomplish whatever I needed to that day while studying .
Went straight from 11 a.m till 7.30p.m. - one 30 minute break for sandwiches and a 15min power nap.
Dinner and family time from 7.30 p.m – 10p.m
Then from 10 p.m to midnight used to do the USMLEWORLD q’s (I took one month subscription, starting one month ten days before the exam.)
Used to fool around on all these USMLE forums from midnight to 2 am. Didn’t bother studying in this shift coz I would have to repeat it anyways.
I picked up a lot of decent tips and encouragement from these forums. Which is why I’m taking time to write this.
Dosent mean to say that all of you should spend 2 hrs a day on internet. I used to also listen to the Goljan lectures at that time.
Sundays off. Saturdays half day off. Weekdays and Saturdays, no TV. Not even a little.
Before the last ten days appear on the scene you should have finished going through your notes twice – first time slowly getting a big picture and understanding, second time memorizing and making up mnemonics. You should also be done with your USMLE WORLD and listening to the Goljan lectures.
Do the above and you should beat my score. I don’t care what type of student you are. I played Age of Empires 3 and wasted a otta time on step1 and played warcraft and wasted a lotta time on Step2. But God gives grace.
Am applying for the 2009 Match. So those who pray, keep it in prayer.
-Seven Fingers
Edited by seven_fingers on 09/01/08 - 11:24 AM. Reason: added step 1 and 2 UW scores; added to pathology section
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| seven_fingers
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I also forgot - STEP 1 FIRST AID FOR BOARDS NEEDS TO BE ON YOUR TABLE ALL THE TIME!!!! its very good - with menomnics and other stuff. i used an old one someone passed on .thx dr.s and dr.r
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| usmlekiller
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well done congrats on both scores
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| seven_fingers
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thanks. all da best 4 urs
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| hisham
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congratulations
nice and organized exprience really it s very helpful
good luck in ur match
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| bithionol2005
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can you tell us your score in uworld? thanks and congrats!
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| seven_fingers
Forum Junior
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to bithionol's q
on Step1 i got 72% - 85th percentile
Step2 i got 75% - 85th percentile
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| littledoc
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nice. congrats! by the way, did you read Goljan Rapid Review? or just audio?
Good luck for match!
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| dr_puma
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simply great ...cool tips,Thanks
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| PEPCK
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Congrats on a great score! Can you tell me if you did kaplan Qbank and if you think it is helpful to do it..or skip it and just do UW....also would you say First Aid is sufficient for micro, immuno, and pharm?
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| vaibhavbora
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congrats
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VB
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| sigh
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Congrats and Thank you for your tips
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| seven_fingers
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to littledoc: "did you read Goljan Rapid Review? or just audio? " did both. audio many times over. review once, the slides many times over.
to PEPCK: I didnt know Kaplan Q-bank existed till it was too late hahaha.... i had the Q-book which i did three tests in Pathology from and ditched it coz i felt the questions were not representative.
also i tried Pre-test and did a couple of tests from it and ditched it for the same reasons that i did the Q-book.
First Aid is NOT ; I repeat NOT NOT NOT NOT sufficient for micro as a standalone. NOT NOT NOT. there i said it one time more than seven. i remembered something about micro and path so i put it up on the next post.
Immuno - you might get away with it; but there will be stuff you missed out. if you want to ace the exam u need to know immuno cold - Goljan covers 95% of what you need though
Pharm - i did it entirely form Kaplan's pharm. used first-aid to sort of just get a big picture of things.
Edited by seven_fingers on 08/14/08 - 12:43 PM
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| Karime
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 Congratulations!!!
I didn't understand this point : did you do UW on line or the "off line" mode.....?
How many times?
Thank you so much for this helpful post
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| Kalyann
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congrats
amazing interpretation
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| seven_fingers
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Karime - good point. i had a dial up connection. so i used to log on get the test. finish it (if it had pictures i would hit the pause button - save the file and then upload the incomplete test - then resume it online , see the pictures, answer the questions and finish the test.)
i did each test once. if i got a very low score in some test, i repeated it once.
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| seven_fingers
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thanks Kalyaan - what do u mean interpretation?
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| dr_elreifai85
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congratulation first
but i noticed asmll diff in u result
the title of the topic is
264/99 Step1 251/99 Step2
and then u said
I got 262/99 in Step1 and a 250/99 in Step2.
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| seven_fingers
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oops elreifai - goes to show what studying for the USMLE does to one's brain... will fix it ;-)
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| Melu
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Seven fingers great score,congartulations!  I liked your methodology a lot!
Will try to learn from you.
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