Anyone else frustrated while reading their Premier - virbra

[ArchivalUser]

Seems the content is good but the organization of these notes are TERRIBLE. It's just so super condensed and cluttered etc...

aaaaaaaaaargh!!!!

[ArchivalUser]

PR Notes with Audio is very helpful alone not make much sense ? if u dont like u can follow kaplan one source is enough which ever u like!!!
Good luck

[ArchivalUser]

please stop telling people that Premier review is helpful, it is not.
You meannnnnnnnnnn audio is helpfullll????? this link will take you to sample premioer review video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixFsJlNGcNg

Virba, do you also like feduptoo think this audio is helpful anymore than their notes or am i missing something? too much advertising by PREMIER REVIEW. If anyone thinks this PREMIER AUDIO is helpful, please open up my eyes and let me know how and howw this are helpful???? This is the most primitive teaching I ever heard and I fell a prey for these last year by paying more than a thousand dollars. It left me in awe and despair for one whole year and I have not passed after that premier spending anyway.

[ArchivalUser]

Their notes are good if that is your style of learning. It does not suit my style of learning. I recommend reading Kaplan notes for Step 2 first and then skim through PR notes. They may make more sense if u know the details of concepts taught by PR.

[ArchivalUser]

Feduptoo, kaplan 3 & scientist3: Thank you for your comment.


scientist3,
I was frustrated enough to start this discussion however I did not want to piss off the Premier review fans.

I guess I should say this... Everyone has a different learning style.

My honest impression of Premier Review.

I paid $800+ for these notes and audio. The notes looks like they gave those guys a bullet point gun and they went trigger happy and sprayed the notes with bullets.
The information is disconnected and all over the place, it leaves you asking...uuuuh so which is next step and best step.

Now on the audio they do clarify SOME of the next step and best steps but a lot of the time they just read the notes for you and it becomes like an audiobook.

You must listen to the audio though because they ask you to write questions.

The audio is the worst audio I have ever listened to in my life ( no exaggeration) but I think of the $800+ and I have to listen to it. I can now roll my R's very well too.
Dr.Agrawall have an extremely high pitched voice whereas Dr Akter doesn't. Dr.Agrawal is like a sweet old grandfather because sometimes he goes offtrack and scolds you about distractions and tells you not to take phone calls and check emails multiple times per day.

Even after listening to the audio, It is difficult to breeze through the notes.

I have almost entered a coma numerous times because of boredom with both audio and notes.

I spent tooooo long on the info because I kept finding reasons to take a break or I fell asleep so I had to go back and listen to lectures and read again.

PR notes is like taking an overdose of Diphenhydramine. You get that woozy feeling.

With my huge frustration today and the advice of another on this board I went out and bought another review book ( I am not advertising so I will not say the name) and right about now I am on top of the world.

But I think I will still have to use the PR because I spent that shit load of money on it...

[ArchivalUser]

on re reading my comment...please excuse the typos people.

[ArchivalUser]

virba, I agree with your comments. My frustration is that I spent more than thousand dollars to attend this live review last year and it was most hilarious thing I have done.
I really did some research before I made any such mistake. Here, I have links for three most popular audio reviews who or whose agents keep claiming on the forum that one is better over the other. Look at these sample links here. Look at their styles of teaching and how they can impact the audience and how each one can be potentially helpful.

I think kaplan sample can be downloaded, their step 3 samples need a real player and it did not play on my computer. I got Archer sample from them before I subscribed to their lecture but I realized anyone can log in to view it. While viewing Archer sample, make sure you create your own username as it may not allow same user. Premier sample I got it from their youtube upload.

Kaplan Review Sample
http://www.kaplanmedical.com/Medical_Lic...demos.html
http://www.kaplanmedical.com/Medical_Lic...demos.html


Archer Step 3 Review Sample
http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/ppvln...009200616T


Premier Step 3 Review Sample
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixFsJlNGcNg

After watching the above samples, I draw the following conclusions. Hopefully, this will help many ignorant people from falling a prey to greedy advertisers with low quality reviews.

1) Kaplan has good reviews. I like the material content addressed. I like the way Dr.Fischer tries to emphasize the key points but he goes off track too many times so that after listening an hour, you feel like as if you are forcing yourself to listen more. Other instructors like Dr. Faselis are teaching ok but the tempo in their voice is not upbeat to keep me going. The OBGYN instructor is excellent of all. Good notes however, most people will like to stay focused when a topic is being discussed. So, if i have an option, I would not buy kaplan lectures by paying a huge sum which is $2800 for live prep and $1800 for center prep.

2) Archer has very good reviews. CCS Workshop by Dr.red has completely revised the standards of step 3 courses. Very good style of teaching and a lot of energy in the voice as you may have seen in that sample. He discusses questions and gives answers. Never goes off track and highly focused. This suits someone like me. I would have liked it more if dr.red also had sense of humor here and there to keep it more interesting. But overall, this is just an awesome teaching that I have never ever heard from any body in my medical school. Keeps every minute very energetic. The price I paid was $97 for ccs workshop and $196 for Archer's video lectures , total $293. Really a sensationally low price for priceless teaching. I am happy their price is low which may be because they are relatively new but I wish they keep the price at the same level. Limitations are that they have to improve their pediatrics section and provide notes in a book form rather than giving powerpoint notes. But the notes was still great when I listened to the lecture.

3) Premier has poor review courses. I think they advertise heavily that gets people like me to fall a prey for them. I agree that their notes is above average and they give it in a book format but it is not enough. Like virba mentioned, it is condensed, cluttered and like you saw in the above audio sample, listening does not add anything extra to the notes more over, makes you feel disgusted of wasting time by listening to a worst audio. It is expensive for no reason and like my case, paid $1000 for live course. I think online courses are cheaper but after listening to the above samples, you may choose this at your own risk and if you have lot of money to shell on experiments. The Premier review is nothing but a costly useless experiment with time and money.

I am not an agent of Kaplan or Archer and I have nothing against Premier. I have seen many people may be kaplan, archer or premier agents on these forum probably, promoting their own courses. It is their own marketing technique. But, we, as a educated doctor should use our basic intelligence to choose the best. I hope this post of mine will put an end to advertisements and hope I gave you appropriate links to samples.

[ArchivalUser]

Vibra thanks for your analysis of PR notes.

My confusion is there are so weird and varied views about PR notes on this forum- Sometimes it is difficult to believe who is honest and true.

Can u tell us which is the other book u are using ??
I failed first time 74/185 by following only UW . I need good review book/notes.
i was debating between PR and Archer.

Plz e-mail me at docmin76

I would highly appreciate it. plz show me the way.
Thanks

[ArchivalUser]

Docmin.

I cannot say if this review book I bought is going to be great for step 3 or if a lot of questions from step 3 comes from it ( because I have not taken the exam as yet, I am preparing for it ) and I am sure that the best way to choose one of these books would be to go to a bookstore and look through them to see which one is your style.

The book I bought today is Master the boards by conrad fischer. The book is extremely interesting but it was not edited properly. I have read one chapter earlier today and he called RTA type 1 a problem of the prox tubules and type 2 a prob of distal tubules whereas it's the other way around...however in the summary table that follows- he had it the correct way ...and he did not mix up the treatment...just the name.
But his book is a good read for me because I like color and his writing style. I am sure for someone else maybe first aid or crush might be the best ' supplement book' etc... you just have to find what you like.

I purchased PR notes after reading discussions on forums on usmle.net website. I had asked advice between PR and Kaplan since I had not heard of Archer... and the answers by 2 people were both PR.

On receiving the folder I was excited... Skimming the notes I was happy...because it was so little ( meant things were probably well summarized and I had little work to do).

Then when I played the audio, it was like punishment... I got headaches for the first 3 days then I decided not to use my earphones and also I guess I kind of adapted to the annoying poor quality.
Sometimes I felt nervous like my stress level was rising...because Dr.Agrawal's voice can sound like he's shouting + it's high pitched... He starts talking at a certain tone then he increases to almost a shout.... I had to switch it off cause I felt stressed.

Like I said he is a nice man and he means well by his lectures. It's just that as he shouts in the classroom, everyone there is happy to hear him but his microphone probably works a little too well. Even the volume control and speakers doesn't really help me out.

The other doctor... Dr. Atker is ok to listen to but unfortunately most of the lectures are by Dr.Agrawal.


Like I said I will continue to use their notes though because I already paid all this money for it.

I will not recommend it to anyone of my friends though...maybe to an enemy lol. no just kidding...not even an enemy.

scientist3 I'm gonna look at your links now.

I feel bad for the poor review...but people don't take my word for it...maybe it's not good for me but it'll be just what you need... may I suggest getting your eye on a friend's set of PR notes first...or listen to the audio on youtube BEFORE you purchase it.

Don't follow my dumb ass and order it blindly because people I didn't know told me to!!!!!!! :o)

[ArchivalUser]

scientist3:

The guy in the PR video is Dr.Atker, I recognize the voice ( now I know what he looks like)... Do we have those videos showing the lecturers???? Now I'm gonna go play my cd and see if it's there...

I listened to all mine on my IPOD. I popped the cd in and transferred it to my IPOD...

Dr.Atker is the one that I can tolerate...it's Dr.Agrawal's voice that I cannot.

( Sorry, Dr.Agrawal if you're reading this, I am not hating on you...you seem like a wonderful old man but I just guess your microphone worked a little too well)