lander
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Not too many people here huh. Anyways, here is my exam experience and hope somebody reads this. Step 1 was not what I have expected it would be. Lots of Behavioral Questions. The rest were equally distributed among the topics. Some questions were straight forward and are primarily recall questions, while others require 2 or 3 step processes. My main problem during the exam was time management. I practiced a lot during my review and thought that it would not be a problem but I was wrong. I easily missed out about 3-5 questions per block because of lack of time. I answered the Qs with my favorite letter and moved on. I personally think that the exam is a little bit overrated. Don't get me wrong, the exam was not easy, but it certainly is doable. It's hard to enumerate the testable subjects because no single subject (or topic) was overly represented, except behavioral which I think was subjective and required some knowledge on bioethical issues in the US (which is certainly different from what I have learned). Regarding the review materials, in my humble opinion, Kaplan, First Aid, and lots of sample questions are what you only need. Hard-core lecture-type review materials are out, systems-based review is in. I personally think the Board Simulator Series is a must. It gives you an idea of the actual exam. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT forget about must know topics (first aid is a good representation of the must know topics). In retrospect, I had some Qs about basic must know diseases which I could have easily answered correctly but failed because I focused my review on trivial and rare conditions I haven't encountered during medical school. My final advice, do not freak out before or during the exam. You control the exam, not the other way around. Freak out after the exam, while waiting for the result, like what I'm experiencing now. If you have questions, post it in this forum and I'll try to answer ASAP. Good luck guys. Mabuhay tayo!!!
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
Posts: 118
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hi,lander.ur experience sounds very similar to mine in most ways.took the exam may 18th and it was full of suprises.i always had about 15 mins extra when doing a block of practice qs but in the exam i found that i was left with about 3 to 4 mins at end of block with hardly enuf time to review marked qs.my first block felt like the worst.i didnt get any kaplan q bank questions in the exam,got one from the usmle cd.i soon realised that they werent going to give me qs i had seen before.i took a very unbalanced exam,mainly pharmac and path(i think),i was so numb during and after that i still cant make out what subject matter i was being tested on.i found i didnt really need many breaks but i took some just to be careful that idont get tired during blocks.i didnt get any of the regular graphs'no pressure volume loops.like you i got some easy questions which i may hav failed because i was too busy reviewing syndromes and 'high yield' stuff,but somehow i know that even if i had spent two more years reading i may not hav read some of those things.i also feel the exam is really really overrated.it's not really as terrible as they make it sound,u just need to keep ur wits about u and apply some common sense to the qs based on the basics of medicine that u know(i had many qs like that).im hoping and praying for the best now.wish u all the best too.
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BIMBOLA
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| lander
Forum Junior
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Posts: 51
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Good luck to you too. The lesson of the story is (or in our case, exam experience), each exam is different and the only way to ace it is to study the whole thing. I have 3-4 weeks to go until I get back my score. In the meantime, I have started studying for step 2 and enrolled in Kaplan. I recently read an article that a high step 2 score is better than a high step 1 score if you have to choose one. I hope we get both exams high though. Again, good luck and may the sun shine on our faces and the wind bring us high to the heavens.
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
Posts: 118
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lander,did u read goljan's books or take his lectures for ur step 1?if u did,did they make much of a difference.i didnt have any materials from him and i kind of wish i had,maybe i would hav been more comfortable if i had.
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| stemcell_baby
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 God Bless every one for taking precious time to help others to realize their goals and dreams. I graduated in 1996, had my internship in 1997 and my license in the Philippines in 1998. I did 3 years of gen. practice, moonlighting and an opportunity to work in a geriatric practice (Life Extension Medical Center) in Manila before I migrated here. Unfortunately, I weathered strings of not so good circumstances in life inluding a personal battle with AML. I had series of chemo and eventually a stem cell transplant done last year.
glory be to God I am back in my feet again. I'm trying to gather and collect my thoughts and momentum to start reviewing for the Step I. The advices you are posting will help people like me to be stronger and braver in facing the challenges of the review and will be like a friend that we can turn to for support.
May Gods' blessings be upon us all and Good luck!
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| lander
Forum Junior
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Posts: 51
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To Bims: Hi. Sorry for the late reply. It is kinda funny because I actually had the Goljan 36 pages notes downloaded from another website. But you guessed it, I never had my hands on the material. After the exam, I was able to scan through the material and to tell you honestly, I was glad I never read through it (well, it certainly wouldn't hurt if I did because any amount of knowledge that is gained through reading is good right?). Some of the things were in my exam but presented in some sort of twisted vignette. Nothing that you haven't read of or don't know is in Goljan (the 36 pages). Some people say that Goljan Patho is excellent but I can't comment on that because I didn't use it. Anyways, the waiting part is killing me more that the day before the exam. Again, I hope we both have 90s in the test.
To Stemcell_baby: Mabuhay! I admire you for your courage and perseverance even though I don't know you. Don't give up. If you need help, do not hesitate to ask, we are always here to help. May God Bless you.
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| stemcell_baby
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lander,
Thanks for the words of encouragement.  God bless
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
Posts: 118
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thanks lander for ur reply.now i dont feel so alone about this goljan thing,i was getting bummed out about not using his material before.how do u manage to read for step 2 or have u done it already.for me its so difficult settling down to read for step 2 cos of the tension of waiting for step i results.i just have to try harder cos i want to do it in 2 months.keeping my fingers crossed.and wishing u the best score ever!
to stem cell baby,u cant imagine how touched iam about what u went through.u are so strong and very blessed to go thru such and still come out strong.just keep up that strength and there's nothing u cant conquer in life.i know that God didnt help u through such a tough situation to leave u hanging along the way.take care and all the best.
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BIMBOLA
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| lander
Forum Junior
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To Bims, I enrolled in a Kaplan course for step 2 because if I self-study, I'm afraid I can't finish the whole thing for the 2005 match. I tried the OASIS trick the other day and I passed. So it's just a matter of time before I know what my score is. I'm really hoping for a high score, but 80s would be fine with me considering I had a tough time during the exam. I once thought reviewing for the exam and waiting for your score is the toughest part in the MLE, now I know it is just one of the many hurdles we should clear. I'm in the process of scheduling for an interview in the US Embassy and you can't imagine how long the waiting list is to schedule for an interview; plus getting LORs is just driving me crazy. For now, I'm focusing on Step 2 and hope to pass it before the 15th of August. Again, good luck to all of us. :P
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
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congratulations!!lander.i'm sure u will do very well,wish u all the best with the u.s embassy and ur LORs.the LORs thing is giving me nightmares too just thinking about it.i havent even started asking yet and i want to make 2005 match too.just be sure to make them very strong letters.the letters should reflect that the recommender knows u well,ur character strengths and possibly weaknesses.it is recommended that u give the person writing it a copy of ur cv and ur personal statement and i think there is some kind of letter from nrmp too that explains what is required but i'm not sure.i hear a LOR may not necessarily help u but can harm u,if its doesnt reflect that the person knows u well or if its contradicting you in anyway.luckily u can choose the ones u submit.all the best.wish my oasis had been updated,at least i'll know my result is on the way.
and thanks for always replying.totally appreciate it.good luck!!!
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BIMBOLA
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| lander
Forum Junior
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It took 3 weeks for the OASIS trick to work. In any case, continue on praying and I'm sure our prayers will be answered. Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. Are you studying for the step 2? As I said earlier, I'm reviewing in Kaplan and if you're not, I suggest you enrol in one of their courses for step 2. It is fun and concise and I'm learning a lot of new things I haven't encountered in med school. The lecturers have a different approach to teaching and I feel they are better in sharing their knowledge than my teachers in med school. Of course, that's just me. I thought that it takes 4-5 weeks for the score report to come in, what's taking them so long?!? Anyways, I hope we all did well in step 1....one down....3 to go!!!!!
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| lander
Forum Junior
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How are you?
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| stemcell_baby
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Lander,
M doing great, thanks for asking Congratulations on passing step I and Good luck and God bless for the rest. I can feel your determination. I know God listens to our prayers and I know He will bless us all to be able to continue our profession here in the U.S. Good luck too for your interview with the US embassy. Just keep on praying and keep in mind, God knows what is best for us.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences with the USMLE exams and your review. You are helping a lot of our colleagues this way.I salute you. :icon_salut: :icon_salut:
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
Posts: 118
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hi lander.my score's beeen reported,just did the oasis trick and i passed...thank God for that!!!hoping for a great score.
yes i am taking the kaplan highlights lecture for step 2 quite interesting.want to do step 2 in august.
do u mean u've waited for more than two weeks since the oasis trick and ur score isnt out?thats really nasty if thats the case cos i was hoping it would be a lot earlier than that to get the scores.im outside the us too u see.
take care.
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BIMBOLA
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| lander
Forum Junior
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To Bims: Congratulations! You deserve it. My step 2 is also in August. I'm now waiting for my CS schedule. Hey, did you know that Philadelphia is not accepting IMG for CS anymore? Their reason is that more IMGs were scheduled than US citizens, so the balance is slightly tipped. Now I have to take the CS in LA or maybe Houston. Are you going for the 2005 match? If so, schedule your CS ASAP because slots are disappearing very fast.
To Stem Cell Baby: Good to hear you're doing well.
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
Posts: 118
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hi lander how have u been.just got my score today.had 225/91.i was hoping for at least 95 but i'm really thankful all the same cos it could have been worse than that given how my exam was.have applied for cs still waitin for my application to be processed.now i can really focus on getting that 99 in my step 2 or else i'll hang myself.do u reckon 91 is ok for a residency in pathology?take care.
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BIMBOLA
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| lander
Forum Junior
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First of all, congratulations! I am doing great!!! Just received my score this morning, it was 235/95. I was so shocked I nearly tore the score report into pieces. Guess what my best subject was....Behavioral Science!!! Of all the subjects in the world! Isn't that freaky or what? Anyways, 91 is a very good grade. Some say it doesn't matter what the second number is, as long as the first is a nine. I don't know if it's true, but I'm sure we are both happy with our results. I know you'll get into any Patho residency with that score. I'm still waiting for my CS permit, hopefully I can schedule my CS by November. Again, congratulations to both of us. May the sun's rays touch our shoulders again in Step 2, and for all of eternity.
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| bims
Forum Senior
Topics: 26
Posts: 118
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hearty congratulations to you !!!ooooh i'm sooo jealous!!but seriously i'm really happy for you.thats a g8t score.i'm so glad we both did well.sad the step 2 forum is not as active as this one.but u can email me anytime just to say hi at bimsode@yahoo.com and to let me know how things are getting on.remember we've both got to get 99 in step 2,lets aim for that.all da best.
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BIMBOLA
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| lander
Forum Junior
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Personally, anything 90+ looks good on anything. Here's my e-mail landerph@yahoo.com Keep in touch.
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