rubensssss
Forum Guru
Topics: 95
Posts: 451
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Congratulations, Lucky.
Wish the best write your experience , your type of preparation and your sources.
Good question Malaysian.
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Ruben sssss
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| lander
Forum Junior
Topics: 4
Posts: 51
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Hi. Can I fill in for Lucky? I took step 1 last week. Some of the images I got were not clear, espacially the gross specimens. The radiographs are better (I got X-rays, CT, MRI, PET scan, and even a Ventilation/Perfusion scan). As for the choices, there are questions where the choices ran from A to G, but I personally think those questions were easier because you usually know the answer right after you read the question, you just have to find the right answer, in short, they are recall straightforward questions. It's either you know the answer or you don't. Questions with only 5 choices is another story, they are usually pathophysiology and you must read all the choices and make a decision to find the best answer. They may be all correct answers but you have to choose the BEST among the rest. Many times I tried changing my answer because all the choices seemed correct. My main problem was time management. I had about 3-5 Qs per block where I just clicked on an answer and moved on because I was running out of time. Of course I read the questions first and clicked on what I felt was the correct answer. But I didn't have time to review it or make a wise guess. My exam was also weird because I had a good amount of Behavioral Questions, more that what I've expected. And the worse thing is, they are not the usual Behavioral Qs that I have studied, they are Bioethical questions with lots of Doctor-Patient relationships which I feel is very subjective. Almost all the answers seem right for me. If there's one subject that I think I failed in (if at all I pass Step1), it is Behavioral. Anyways, if you have Qs, just post it in this forum and I'll try to answer them ASAP. Good luck!
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| lucky
Forum Guru
Topics: 23
Posts: 505
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thanks a lot every one. I'd be glad to help.I think lander has painted a pretty good picture. i took the exam on 25 march, and i had a lot of behavioral Q, esp. ethics and biosats which i had not prepared well. lander is very right. the ethics q arenot to be found in any book but they are not difficult , just common sense. u can easily eliminate the choices to two and then make a good guess and move on. etics i didn't find difficult but it scares u if u are not prepared. what i suggest is study kaplan beahviora's last chapter. the one with the rules and then apply them to each q. it helps and it's the best material you can get on ethics.
as for the images , they are very clear . i didn't get alot of them. on gross specimen of kindney and a strange one which i couldn't identify. what i did was read the q carefully and then made a best guess 'cause i couldn't identify it.
The illustrations were pretty straightforward. most were from neuro. and pretty clear.
Iguess if u know u'r theory well u can easily do most of the images q's. some will be difficult but then u can't know everything no matter how well prepared u r.
personally i think 33% r very easy ,33%are a bit difficult , u have to think alittle and 33% r quite tough. the best u can do for them is make a guess and move on.
iwould advice u to know u'r subject really well. if u think u can guess the right answer spend some time on it, but if u r totally unaware of the content , don't bother wasting time.
i would say that time spent on a q done right is better than time spent on one u get wrong. this is very important.
I finished each block about 15 min, earlier and reviewed the difficult ones but i never changed my answers.
once again i'll be glad to help.
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| fetus
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 128
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hi, i made step-2 three wks ago and now started to prepare for step-1.
I have Kaplan's STEP-1 lecture notes(3 blocks) ed.2001.
I'd like to hear opinion on optimal/proper preparation and general tips for step-1.
by the way if you need i 'll be pleased to share my experience regarding step-2.
thanks,
Leon.
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| Malaysian
Forum Guru
Topics: 28
Posts: 778
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Dear lucky and lander,
Thanx for shedding some light on the unknown for us.I wish the best for the both of you.Where did u read your neuroanatomy from?Now I'm worried about the ethics question.....does anyone out there know a good source of information or questions regarding doctor-patient relationship and ethics or a very comprehensive Behavioural Science review book???
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| lucky
Forum Guru
Topics: 23
Posts: 505
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hello,
i'll very much like to know about your step 2 prep. and exam experiece.
which books did u study and how long did it take. I'm currently studying kaplan lecture notes. R they enough? how was the exam in general?
As for step 1 , i think the best source is kaplan lecture notes and the q's given at the end of each subject. as for the general tips , if u have a particular q in mind regarding the pprep or any other thing i could be more specific and helpful in answering.
As i was working it took me really long. also i wasn't very serious in the beginning about taking the exam so it took me quite long.
Otherwise i think 6 mo are enough .or maybe 7 if u are the worrying type.
Ask me specific q about the prep and i'd be glad to answer.
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| lucky
Forum Guru
Topics: 23
Posts: 505
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hello malaysian,
please don't panick , the qs are not as difficult as it sounds. U will be knowing most or them if u keep ur cool. The most detailed book is brs. but do read kaplan lecture notes as well. esp. the last chapter , it is on ethics and doctor patient relationship. That's the best u can get on the topic.
For neuro i studied high yield.
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| fetus
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 128
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thanks for the reply
i just started reading Kaplan's lecture notes.My question : Is it OK- the 2001 edition and is it enough as a sole theoretical background?(the FA i intend to read at the end). Because i read in the forum -people reading several sources.. :?: And as i understand - the MCQs banks I have to pass later on,do I?
regarding step-2 : i made MCQs books on 5 main topics(OB&GYN;Surgery;Internal and so on).While passing trough those books i was "filling spots" from Current int.med. 2003 and other relevant textbooks.Ask me , what subject you're currently studying and i'll tell you more exactly.After I finished them ,I took 2 online banks : Q-bank & USMLEWORLD.About each of them i may tell you when u'll start practicing them.The're really worth!These 2 banks i finished within 1.5mo + plus reviewed once each.
I dont have my score yet,but the exam was very close to above 2 banks.
Leon
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| lander
Forum Junior
Topics: 4
Posts: 51
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Lucky is right. I personally think that the exam was overrated. It was not easy, but it was certainly doable. Try to maintain your cool before (and during) the exam and don't expect to know all the answers. There were some really REALLY tough questions but I feel they are the experimental Qs, at least, I hope they are hehehe. I think there is no single behavioral science review material that is most representative of the questions in step 1. I studied NMS and Kaplan Behavioral and most of the Qs I got were far from what I've studied. This is the subject where American Graduates score higher than IMGs because the questions deal with bioethical issues and doctor-patient relationships in the US Health System. What may be legal and ethical in the US may not be acceptable elsewhere. As for the review materials and length of review, I didn't enrol in any course (e.g. Kaplan) but had Kaplan Review Materials from a friend. I studied for 4 months for about 5-6 hrs a day. More than that I get a really bad headache. I made sure to relax and unwind every weekend so as not to burn-out. I also slept well in between study hours to give my brain time to absorb everything. Do not believe what people say about the most testable topics and subjects because the topics were equally represented at least during my exam, except perhaps for Behavioral. For the review materials: Kaplan and First Aid are must read. Board Simulator Series is also useful. I used Lippincott for Biochem and Pharma, Made Ridiculously Simple Microbio (very easy to read and excellent for cramming), BRS Patho, High Yield Neuroana, and all other subjects from Kaplan. I didn't read the entire review books but focused on topics in Kaplan and cross-referenced it in the review materials. I did Q Bank for a few days but I didn't like the way it is structured so I can't comment on that. But from what I heard, it is almost as difficult as the real exam. Lastly, do not forget that one of the most powerful weapon that you can use during the exam is your stored knowledge, the facts and experiences you got during med school and from your patients. The other one is prayer. Good luck. May we all pass this exam.
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| lucky
Forum Guru
Topics: 23
Posts: 505
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hello,
i'll tell u what i read for all the subjects .
Anatomy : high yield for nuero and gross
FA for histso and embryology.
Physiology : kaplan
Pharma: kaplan
Pathology : kaplan
Biochem. : kaplan
microbiology : kaplan
Behavioral : kaplan and Brs
FIRST AID i studied at the end. but i think it is amust. esp. for pharma and pathology.
Lander is right , all the subjects are tested equally. so try to master all of them.
Q's i did at the end. But i think u should do them side by side with the theory. i am afraid of q and i do them only after preparing a subject well as a bad score really depresses me.
the key is to know ur subject well and then do as much of q's as possible to get in the exam mode.
i haven't received my score yet[ i think it's lost in the mail ].But if it is good then maybe my strategy for the exam worked well. and if bad ,  well wishme better luck next time.
Currently i'm studying surgery from kaplan. i find it quite good , esp. the vignette sectiion. Do ineed to suplement it with some other book? Are there some selective topics which i need to review from some other source.
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| fetus
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 128
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Well,it seems we study at the same way - i mean theory and then MCQs.
So,regarding your Surgery preparation you dont need something additional.Just the important thing is -that your source 'll be the most updated!I mean the last guidelines for treatment-surgical vs conservative and so on.It relates to all subjects in step-2,the bastards like it..
Besides,surgery is the least subject you have to worry about,as it is usually integrated with Internal,Pediatrics.Thus if you know the disease well,surgical aspects you'll find the easier part.Qs about surgical technique is very-very rare,and if appears,so usually classic & easy question.
The most 'pitfalls' to be ready,which u need to the exam - you'll find in MCQs banks(Kaplan's & USMLEWORLD),so there is nothing to worry about.
More detailed info(in comparison to Surgery) to memorize u'll find in OB&GYN & Pediatrics and of course in Internal med.So ,when u'll need assisstance on these - email me.
Now,I have a small q - what internet site do u recommend for imaging for step-1?I 'm passing now trough Anatomy in Kaplan's and i face some imaging pictures.Do they like topographic knowledge on CT/MRI sections on the exam?
Leon
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| lucky
Forum Guru
Topics: 23
Posts: 505
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i didn't go to any website for anatomy. just did the images in high yield , they are enough. most of the images were from neuro .
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| khrys
Forum Newbie
Topics: 8
Posts: 32
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I took Step1 on Apr.28, and I got my results today :235/95. It feels realy good! But I worked very hard for it: I took Kaplan course (in-center prep), I read bunch of books besides it, I got Goljan lecters and notes - those are very helpfull. It took a lot of time. It was very hard. But it is "doable". Study books first, know concepts well. Study Goljan. Do Q-bank, it is very good. And in the end, do First Aid: 2 or 3 times. It has all of it in a short form.
If anyone tells you that they did it fast, or it was easy - it is not true. It is hard test, but you will be glade that you did it.
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| fetus
Forum Senior
Topics: 13
Posts: 128
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and thank you for sharing!
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| Malaysian
Forum Guru
Topics: 28
Posts: 778
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Congratulations khrys........I'm sure you must b proud now that your effort has paid off(not to mentioned relieved)....all the best in future endeavours and thanks for sharing your expereince....just wanted to know how long for how many hours a day were you studying(I really need those sort of marks!!!)
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| anne
Forum Elite
Topics: 41
Posts: 348
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congrats khrys----wish u all the best ahead.
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
Posts: 118
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hi khrys,please can u tell me how u felt right after the exam and for a few days following it.did u know u had passed?did u make a lot of silly mistakes?
___________________
BIMBOLA
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| asmi
Forum Hero
Topics: 1043
Posts: 4,609
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"khrys" wrote:
I took Step1 on Apr.28, and I got my results today :235/95. It feels realy good! But I worked very hard for it: I took Kaplan course (in-center prep), I read bunch of books besides it, I got Goljan lecters and notes - those are very helpfull. It took a lot of time. It was very hard. But it is "doable". Study books first, know concepts well. Study Goljan. Do Q-bank, it is very good. And in the end, do First Aid: 2 or 3 times. It has all of it in a short form.
If anyone tells you that they did it fast, or it was easy - it is not true. It is hard test, but you will be glade that you did it.
hi khrys,
Congradulations 
I and my friend anne took the test on 29th April ,but we didn't get the score till now.They say 4 to 6 weeks. How did u get ur score so early ?
Plz do tell us ! :roll: [-o<
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