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+--- Thread: failed - aridane (/showthread.php?tid=538687)
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0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
hey guys can we please help each other? my email is
fascia25
we should plan on how to study and what to study, etc.
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
fascia check your email I just emailed you
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
Hi guys, I can completely understand what you could be going through. I hardly ever write on forums but have been consistenly reading this forum.
Following is my story ...I got my result last night.I passed it in first attempt with 77 though a low score but still cud save myself.
http://www.usmleforum.com/showthread.php?tid=538618
I know with my 77 only I might not sound some one who shudnt be advising others but I was extremely struck in my timings having only two/three hours available each day to study for 4-5 months.It kind of killed my scope of good score.
I did uworld only once with 56% ..didnt even have chance to revise it, cudnt even revise wrong answers.
did MTB twice, crush one time with a study partner , step 2ck medicine book and gyne book once..read white coat once.
Did only UW in ccs without any archer or premier.
I knew exactly before exam where I was heading to based on my preparation level.
I didnt read a single case of ccs from anywhere except uw .
I had problems in ccs because of my nervousness and not because I dint know how to handle cases. "If you are perfect in 96 cases of us ..You cant fail"
Had I kept myself a bit calmer I wud have got problem only in once case probably.
My four cases had suboptimal mistakes all becuz I was nervous.
I wud still like to write my observation about ccs.
Reading step 2 ck (except medicine )is big wastage of time not all that helpful
Even while reading that ck medicine one shud actively avoid reading pathophysiology etc etc and shud focus on diagnostics and management ONLY
Crush/MTB both are NOT all that great.
I read white coat too.I wud say combining white coat and MTB sounds far better combination rather than combining step 2 ck med+MTB .
Make a list of ccs cases ...It is not archer or premier review which is key of success..
Rather when u are reading theory , read those topics which come in ccs in exactly the same approach needed for ccs.... read the theory part in mtb /white coat/whatever u have chosen for ur theory.
And then mug up those topics very very well in mind.
I had simple strategy in mind and THAT worked for me considering I had less time ,was supposed to take exam in september by all means.
I focussed on ccs from one side (UW) and did it four times.(all 96)
I wrote all cases on note books exactly as we used to do in childhood ...memorised them.
so UW showed up with straight way same 4 cases ....I did perfect in those 4 !
Out of 9 I believe, 8 wud be counted not all 9 becuz this is rule in usmle to keep a part as standard.
Imagine if those four were 100% right = You get close to 90% in those 4 cases.
now for rest 5....
I got two cases similar to uw if not all that same ...may be if in two even if did suboptimal thing i might have reached close to 75% in those two...
now rest of 3 cases ...lets us say all are close to even 50%
It still can drag one person to passing marks.I have just one star below borderline in ccs.
Now on other hand if you do two/three materials..like uw /premier /archer..It is double number of cases in same time..You wudnt master all 200 ...all wud be 75% or something.
And there is no guarantee that case wud exactly same as in archer /premier.
I have observed almost every one gets minimum 4 cases exactly as in uw..
then 2 cases almost similar to uw histories and rest 3 cases from other topics.
Out of these 3 one can be considered as dummy case so now game is for 2 cases, you are putting rest 7 in risk by picking up some other material and giving it equivalent time.
...Whatever you pick up uw or archer or premier I dont have any issues about that ...just drink and eat it and for rest no of cases....
just take a list of cases (beyond those 96 of uw) and give them a good theoretical single read conceptually when u are reading your theory so that atleast you know all basics right and dont land up killing patient.
Many people asked me to read two materials simultaneously and I was sure if I wud do that I wud certainly fail because of being imperfect in all 200s considering my time constraints.
This strategy helpled me.
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
Hi schewtz, I read both your stories here and on your thread, and it is truly inspiring.. I like your avatar moment too.
my ccs cases were as follows:
sigmoid volvulus
aortic stenosis
pregnancy/ocp
domestic abuse
arm pain (vague)
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
Reiterating guys....
perfect shud be tragetted to 100 % in those 96 cases and rest shud be given one good conceptual reading.People have passed Step 3 with UW alone in past and that has worked big time.Dont waste your precious money on courses here and there.
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
I don't know why the post I have written got stunted like that? I wrote quite an extensive post with all the cases etc.
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
short of death of loved ones which I have experienced all too often, today has to be one of the worst days of my life..I wonder if there is life after this, career paths etc...the only hope I was banking on came back to bite me big time =(
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
You have to persevere, Aridane....you've come this far, quiting now is just not an option. The perseverance you've demonstrated is a measure of your character, and I, for one, would prefer to have a doc who refused to give up (on me). When you overcome this (AND YOU WILL OVERCOME IT), it will only serve as another example of the kind of person you are.....unwaivering, refusing to give-in to the "consensus", if that was ever valid. You're not a quiter. Keep fighting, you'll get there.
Btw, it is absolutely shocking that anyone (let alone, a residency coordinator) would act so unprofessional. No matter what she/he actually thought, you just dont say those things. Boards scores are just that, board scores.....u may be a lousy test taker....SO THE HELL WHAT!!!! That has little to do w/ how well you'll actually manage pts in a hospital setting, trust me. You gotta let it roll off, man. You are already in a extremely select group of people based on what you have already accomplished to this point.
0 - ArchivalUser - 10-06-2010
limboland
what wonderful words, thank you.. even the joy of words she took from me today, but I did tell her that she is a defeatist who desired to bring everyone down to her common denominator, and that at the end of the day I have a B.S/MD after my name and what does she have if she'd faced and weathered similar trials on the way to attain them.. even though I was writing to defend my very bruised ego inside I was dying really.. not sure where to muster the drive to do this crap again, especially while working knowing that after putting in more work and concetrating on my weakness I ended up with a lower grade than my panicky first day where I messed up five cases and how poorly this must reflect on my applications..
she did apologize btw after I stopped emailing her, but all the damage had been done at that stage.. =(
strange world