Exam experience - black

[ArchivalUser]

My preparation for step 3 was for around 3 months.Sice the concepts of step 2 were fresh,I did not do either step 2 or step 3 kaplan books.But whenever I had doubts i cleared them with step 2 ck books.Gave 1 reading of Swansons.I really liked the book,it was a very good revision,IT REINFORCES ALL THE IMPORTANT DETAILS,FOR THE EXAM.
In retrospect,the exam is bit vague.We already know the concepts well,but they ask it in slightly diffrent angle,as to what u will tell the pts about the prognosis.Alot of questions stressed the impotance of sking for
suicidal tendencies in depressed people.A potpurri of cts,ekg derm pictures,mri,fundus etc.
Time was also vital,so much of details in every q,but atleast we have to go thru them once,even though half te details are distractors.polypharmacy,ethics were heavily tested.Not much of statistics,a q on nnt,number needed to treat.Time management is the key!
THE CASES WERE,
1. ELDERLY WOMAN WITH UNEXPECTED PREGNANCY,
2.h/o arthritis who takes aspirin,now has gastritis
3.child with gastroenteritis,but he does not get better with fluids,turns out to be meningitis
4.mva with perforation,accepted for sx
5.siadh with lung nodule
6.mva with heart block
7.substance intoxication,thought it was morphine,but did not get bettr with naloxone,and as the rr was going down,i intubated and ventilated,the case ended,ordered everything else in after the 5 min warning
8.small bowel obstruction
9.acute sinusitis
It is a doable exam,but even after the exam, I don't know what book I should have studied,to feel better.A thorough understanding of all the concepts is vital.Ethics is vague,so answering them well really depends on the choices of answers given to us and our presence of mind.

[ArchivalUser]

need your help black, doing usmleworld with 60's now, first time around had 50's unused timed , also did nbme got 430, in May planning to give exam in august, struggling on cases , so whats your advice?should i delay

[ArchivalUser]

relax now bro...

thank you for posting the cases. I cant so many LEECHER IN THIS FORUM. 140 view and 1 comment.

[ArchivalUser]

Dear black do you remember any of your mcqs ? if any plz post them
Thanks

[ArchivalUser]

sorry,could access the internet only now
babak:I will post the qs,one was abt suicide with acetaminophen,the lady refuses to take n.acetylcysteine.The options were1. restrain and give nac orally2.give midazolam and then give nac.3.give i.v nac.Once they have attempted suicide,it is enough to consider them to be not in stable mind and incapable of making decisions.Since nac is effective only orally,I chose the first one.Growth and development in babies,asking for suicidal ideation in depressed people was repeated in many different ways,in abt 12 qs.Some qs were repeated in various blocks.
Some qs had the same answers,like when u hear a carotid bruit,the first inv is carotid doppler.He refuses it and a year later he comes with tia and again the inv is carotid doppler.
FP doc:50s in usmleworld is good.I feel whatever time u spend on cases is well worth 'coz doing that in a good way is in our hands,like if we practice well and thorough with the software,it goes smoothly.But the mcqs ,how much ever we do,25%is gonna be vague.Try to do cases well.

[ArchivalUser]

thanks black if you remember more plz send it.