[usmlelover]

By chintoo - 02/27/07 21:56

Hello all,

Im done with exam today. I am so excited. I have used the forum a lot. Mainly to see questions and sometimes for help. I am writing this uninvited review of my exam so that I can be of some help to anyone who needs help during prep. The prep was very hard for me. About my prep, I prepared for 5 months. I am doing my phd so I studied for 2-3 hours on weekdays and 5-6 on weekends. I read Kaplan once and then did Q book and started with UW questions. I revised UW wrong questions once and then gave a quick revision of Kaplan medicine and first Aid.
My exam:
- I ate and slept very well the previous night.
- Went 30 min prior to the center. Started at 7.40 am with the exam.
- Took first break after 2 blocks and then 10 min break. 3rd and 4th block then 10 min break. Fifth block 15 min and then 10 minutes after every block.
- Finished every block at 50-55 minutes (I typically finished UW block in 46-48 minutes) so I could not check every marked question in the exam.
- Exam was 50% medicine and 15% psychiatry and then rest all equally divided.
My advice:
- please study common topics in detail, like tear them apart. Know everything about them from all the qbanks, forums and books.
- Do lot of questions and all the questions in timed mode.
- Prepare yourself for a very lengthy exam, take lot of sugar and a analgesic with you.
My mistakes:
- This is number one. Studied uncommon, rare things, fancy treatments from UW, forum, I think that energy could have been spent on more common things which I missed. AIDS, Diabetes, dementia (about 10 questions), CHF, screening tests, common gynec disorders, immunizations etc.
- Don’t waste time on statistics, total waste, baby questions and 3 in all exam.
- Pratice a lot of questions and Practice with timed mode. I was fatigued by 5-6th block. Sometimes I had to read question again.
- Should have used FA along with my revisions and q banks, I used it in last 7 days. Add things there. I did that in step one but not this time. People said its not helpful; but I think if u have ur notes and FA at the end should be very helpful.
- I spent sometoo much time sometimes on some questions, this is very tempting but try to avoid that. I could not review marked questions becoz of that.
- lastly if you plan to do NBME stay away from forum questions, sometimes people post NBME questions, some unknowingly and some are just plain selfish.

Good luck to everyone. I know everyone is anxious but on that day give your best don’t get tired. Thanks to everyone, especially klebsiella and CD45. I will post my score whatever it is when it comes. Happy Studying (I know its an oxymoron!)