Isabela
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 2
|
Hi collegues! 
English is not my first language (I am from Puerto Rico) but I will try to do my best.
Step I is finally over
I was a passive participant of this forum and let me tell you that you all were an inspiration for me. Whenever I felt tired of so much studying I look at your messages and that gave me energy to keep studying.
My impression of the exam is that in general it tests broad concepts rather than specific details. I had 10-12 questions on each block that were really hard :shock: , in some of them I had to guess and keep going :roll: . There were like other 10 questions where you have to think a little and the rest were easy. Mostly my exam was patophysiology. Anatomy was more than I expected. The rest was well distributed.
Behavioral: mostly doctor-patient relationships, some personality disorders (give you a vignette to ID the personality disorder). One about child development , give you a description of a child and ask in which part is retarded: social skills, developmental, or motor.
Biostat: odds ratio (easy one, no calculations, just know the formula), one about what is affected if you decrease prevalence (think answer was decrease PPV), same questions about case- control, chohort studies (gave you the description of the study and you ID the type of study.). One about interpretation of p value.
Anatomy: few CT to ID structures, for example, you have a tumor in this area, then ask where it will spread and gave you a lists of muscles. Few questions of neuroanatomy mostly they test nerves. Advice: you must know the course of the nerves in the body because they will give you a XR of bone, and tell you there was a fracture in this place and ask will function is affected. Some of the nerves tested in my exam were: ulnar, radial and tibial. Some questions about Parkinson (indicate substantia nigra in a cross section), Huntington (ID caudate atrophy), some questions about which neurotransmitters are involved in a disease for example Parkinson, Alzheimer.
Physiology: Like 5 questions about Na/K pump and what happen to the cell when you inhibit it. Questions about receptors and its mechanism of action. Thyroid hormone- bind to receptor which directly activate gene trasncription, glutamate-NMDA involved in memory, few questions were they present a synapse and ask you in which place does this neurotransmitter or drug works ex. alpha-2 agonists, benzodiazepines, glutamate. Questions that test general concepts like the type of receptors in x tissue, ex. what do you give to relax uterine smooth muscle, a: beta-2 agonist. Menstrual cycle: know how hormone levels changes along the cycle. Know the actions of testosterone, DHT, estrogen, MIF in the development of sexual organs, like 10 questions about that.
Genetics: Two pedigree two tell mode of inheritance (easy ones, in my test autosomal dominant and mitochondial). One about gene frequency. The others they give you a description of a disease and you have to tell the mode of inheritance; in my test: APKD, Cystic fibrosis, Glucose-6-P dehydrogenase deficienct, Marfan.
Patophysiology: It is important to know blood chemistry (pH, electolytes)in some disorders: DM ketoacidosis, hyper/hypoaldosternism, SIADH, APKD and some others that I can not remember right now. This is very important, I had like 20 questions about it. Like 5 questions where they present a blood smear, Hb cncentration, MCV and ask for the condition (I had spherocytosis, iron-dificiency anemia) or they ask about what is deficient (DNA synthesis-megaloblastic anemia). I had many questions about tumors in every system, those I can not remember very well because they ask different things like: tumor marker, site of metastasis, type of tumor or association with other disease. Other topics tested: Grave's, Hashimoto (easy ones, give you a vignette to ID disease), APKD, general concepts of inflammation (cells involved), apoptosis (one question about what to do to induce apoptosis, think that one of the answers was supress bcl-2), necrosis (coagulative, liquefactive Know in which organ it occurs), lots of questions about renal and GI system (pyelonephritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis) usually thes give you a vignette plus lab values and you have to ID disease or in the worst cases you have to tell another associated finding- these I found the most difficult of the exam.
Pharmacology: Some graphs about the effects of ANS drugs, MOA, side effects and indications of antivirals and antimicrobials (acyclovir, cephalosporin, macrolides, aminoglucosides penicillin were in my test). Show you a pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism and ask where x drug act (aspirin in my exam). Some questions about ACE inhibitors and the RAA system. Not much pharm in my exam.
Microbiology and Immunology: Mostly vignettes to ID the causative agent(RMSP, atypical pneumonias). Immunology: Chronic granulomatous disease and questions about the cell/cytokine involved in viral or bacterial diseases. Questions in this part are not direct for example they give you a vignett you have to know it is tuberculosis and then ask you what is increased in T-Helper cells (I think INF-gamma was one of the answers).
Biochemistry: inborn errors of metabolism and vitamin deficiencies mostly. Beside that I have one question of metabolism that ask the effects of insulin and glucagon. Questions in this part were straight forward, do not have to think much :wink:
I will wait until I receive my score report to tell you my study resources (wish me luck :lol: ), but from what I have seen on that test BRS pathology, BRS physiology and of course First Aid are good options. My advice for you is to study but then as the exam is near relax and do not try to memorize any new material because this will make you anxious. I think 50% of doing good in the exam is studying and the other 50% is mental preparation and feeling confident. Another advice is to try to make a simulation of the exam (do 7 blocks in 8 hours), because this will prepare you for the real exam because I found it really long and I was exhausted at the end. :o
That is all for now... wish you luck; and keep smiling, you will do great :wink:
|
| tasneembanu
Forum Guru
Topics: 96
Posts: 545
|
hai Isabela,
u did a great job writing ab't ur exam experience in detail,all the best for ur results.
|
| sk
Forum Senior
Topics: 23
Posts: 122
|
Hey....thanks Isabela....,..I just have seven days to my exam...and im starting to get a little nervous............
best of luck with your result...
|
| Colombia
Forum Guru
Topics: 85
Posts: 438
|
Thanks ISabella, thanks for the advice. You write very good.
|
| Colombia
Forum Guru
Topics: 85
Posts: 438
|
Dont panic!!!
I am gonna write my examen in 5 days 
|
| DiaHuq
Forum Elite
Topics: 46
Posts: 402
|
thanks Isabella.Hope u all the best
|
| rida
Forum Guru
Topics: 109
Posts: 721
|
Yea thanx a lot isabella, wish you all the best with your score!!!
___________________
"If He takes you to it, He'll take you through it."
|
| maria.b
Forum Senior
Topics: 17
Posts: 57
|
well...i took my exam today too......
and i was thinking oh my God where am i going to get the energy to write it all down...i feel sooo free today...but real exhausted too.....!! :shock:
 but!!!!!!!!.....i guess i don't need to post my exam experience any more....cuz mine is sooo close to Isabella.........its unbelievable...like i had almost the same questions!....
and since i did this today as she mentioned each topic...i can totally picture most of them.....
hmm.......let me add a couple of things.......
NUERO.........quite a bit of it
quite a bit of acid base
more than 2 questions on GABA receptor...they like their receptors in pharma.....one abt nitroglycerin...maybe 2..!
i agree they go for the basics......know ur physio........kidney concepts..lung....quite a bit of cvs...and yep endocrine physio!...and patho is kinda build up on physio questions....not too much detail really know ur signs...cardiac murmurs...respiratory signs...like inc in resonance and stuff!
........so much for now....!
Best of luck to everyone...and like i am hearing from everyone...its not UNDOABLE guys........don't go int here scared...u know wat u know...infact most ppl on this forum...know more than enough...!
p.s:NMBE questions...help!!!{hint hinT} :wink:
___________________
M.B
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | |
