tommyk
02-21-2004, 09:13 PM
Dear Family,
Q) Will Tommy be back? Ans: Of course I will be back as many have asked. How can I leave my family?
But I must answer a few questions in bulk b/c it is too hard to answer individuals, and after all, this is the weekend, I DO have genetic family TOO to spend time with!: (HERE GOES)
Q) Someone asked why they should keep trying? They failed a couple of times and wants to give up...they asked me why should they continue? Answer: Because you will regret it for the rest of your life. First, if you feel God or destiny whatever calls you to be a doctor, then the abandoning of the process will leave you with regret for your whole life.
Q) Someone else, a she (YOu know who you are) asked why bother and become a doctor, there are other jobs.. Answer) Perfect question, hard to respond, but I personally feel that it is worth it if you firmly believe it is your destiny. Second, being a doctor for practical reasons is good. As one of my fellow teachers said, you can always "put food on the table". And another said, "At the end of the day, you are tired, but you feel good about yourself." I agree, ALL jobs are important. I just got a call from a "telemarketer" selling insurance. I "personally" would prefer not to have that job, but I feel everyone on earth is of equal value and importance. But I do feel that for me personally, God wants me to be a doctor. It IS a personal decision. BUT, if you feel sure that you are destined to be a DOCTOR, NEVER GIVE UP! But to clarify someone's point, I do not think being a doctor is the only good job and every other job or person is of lesser value. It is just that everyone has a role, and I believe that everyone has a purpose in life. YOU though must make that decision..and COMMIT TO IT!!!
1) Q: Will Tommy keep coming back? A: Of course, if I can, if time permits...but my heart will ALWAYS be with you all forever and ever..
2) Q: Why hasn't Tommy responded to my personal email or request for HIS personal email address? Ans: My ValueMD mailbox is 100% everything so a lot of your messages to me are bouncing away. Sorry, my mailbox becoming full really fast. And I AM NOT AT ALL AFRAID TO MEET WITH ANY OF YOU PERSONALLY FACE TO FACE. I have had a lot of brothers and sisters invite me into their homes in their countries and I think that is SO GREAT! But the reason I am not responding right away is because I want to ABSOLUTELY sure no one is too weird, just in case, because I admit I am paranoid.
3) Q) Is Tommy afraid anymore of the NBME on his back and try to stop his posts? Answer) NO!!! I am done with that concern totally. I actually contacted the NBME namelessly and they said that as long we all talk and discuss concepts and ideas and not repeat exam material, they are happy and not going to be upset. Since EVERY single one of my posts were original and created by me personally, they are NOT the property of NBME, they are NOT in violation of NBME copyright or content, so I think I have their blessing. Because my posts and questions are 100% meant to educate, the NBME person I spoke to said I am free to keep on educating! My own feeling with the NBME is actually a friendly feeling. I want to completely unquestionably respect their copyright and test content while helping my fellow brothers and sisters be good doctors!
4) Q) Someone asked then how close are your questions to the actual test? Will they be of help? Answer) Yes, I firmly believe they will be of help. Any questions that TEST CONCEPTS will be of help. They repeat the SAME concept over and over, but in a BILLION DIFFERENT SCENES AND WAYS TO PREVENT ROTE MEMORIZATION.
5) Q) You said the NBME has a MILKY WAY number of questions at their disposal? Then how can I master the material? Answer) By continuing to practice concept and STOP TRYING TO MEMORIZING RECALLED QUESTIONS and SPECIFIC CONTENT! The BIG problem I saw as a teacher is that everyone tried to approach this particular test USMLE STEP 1 as any other test. I really believe that 99% of the "tests" in the entire world can be mastered by simple memorization and simple coaching. All of them...the DRIVER'S education tests, the GRADE SCHOOL VOCABULARY TESTs, etc. BUT, I have said that the USMLE STEP 1,2,3...in my own opinion...IS THE TEST OF ALL TESTS AND THE HARDEST OF THEM ALL (in a way). That is because the NBME has taken the greatest pains to prevent students from "mastering" a "pattern" to gain an advantage. Many inferior tests have answers that are grammatically incorrect or have answer choices that are just plain silly. But the USMLE STEP 1 makers, (from all my sources and fellow teachers) are working EVERY DAY (as I said they have an entire department working full time) to retire familar material and ELIMINATE easy straight recall questions... That means that you will likely NEVER IN YOUR LIFE see the connection "Current Jelly Sputum" with the answer KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIA! Again, I heard from good sources have an entire department thinking of ways to defeat students from "taking an easy road" out of simple memorization!!!!!
BUT....does that mean we are hopeless as IMGs and should give UP? OF course NOT!! IF I can do it!, THEN you can do it!!!! BUT you have to approach the test conceptually and CHANGE your mindset...(TO MAKE THIS POST A LITTLE MORE READABLE, I WILL THE EXPLANATION IN A DIFFERENT POST...)
Q) Many asked me about STEP 2. I am reading just a few books and do NOT plan on studying as much as for STEP 1. The books I have are:
1) USMLE STEP 2 SECRETS by Adam Brochert, MD
2) NMS Step 2 Review by Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
3) Rx Prescription for the Boards, A Student to Student Guide
4) Finally, a question bank: Either Q-Bank or the PRETEST series. I have not decided which. And I will take the test in the next few months hopefully. I don't want to wait until the last minute.
Q) Again, why do students with Q-Bank and Board Stimulator Series and NMS questions KEEP on failing????
(This question keeps coming to me and I WILL POST ON A SEPARATE POST due to the extreme nature of the question). But it involves students trying only to memorize questions and NOT concepts....
--Did I miss any questions? Please privately email me on VALUEMD. I will try to keep emptying my box so your message is RECEIVED. IF you get a bounced message, either try again OR post the question on the main board!
LOVE, Tommy
Q) Will Tommy be back? Ans: Of course I will be back as many have asked. How can I leave my family?
But I must answer a few questions in bulk b/c it is too hard to answer individuals, and after all, this is the weekend, I DO have genetic family TOO to spend time with!: (HERE GOES)
Q) Someone asked why they should keep trying? They failed a couple of times and wants to give up...they asked me why should they continue? Answer: Because you will regret it for the rest of your life. First, if you feel God or destiny whatever calls you to be a doctor, then the abandoning of the process will leave you with regret for your whole life.
Q) Someone else, a she (YOu know who you are) asked why bother and become a doctor, there are other jobs.. Answer) Perfect question, hard to respond, but I personally feel that it is worth it if you firmly believe it is your destiny. Second, being a doctor for practical reasons is good. As one of my fellow teachers said, you can always "put food on the table". And another said, "At the end of the day, you are tired, but you feel good about yourself." I agree, ALL jobs are important. I just got a call from a "telemarketer" selling insurance. I "personally" would prefer not to have that job, but I feel everyone on earth is of equal value and importance. But I do feel that for me personally, God wants me to be a doctor. It IS a personal decision. BUT, if you feel sure that you are destined to be a DOCTOR, NEVER GIVE UP! But to clarify someone's point, I do not think being a doctor is the only good job and every other job or person is of lesser value. It is just that everyone has a role, and I believe that everyone has a purpose in life. YOU though must make that decision..and COMMIT TO IT!!!
1) Q: Will Tommy keep coming back? A: Of course, if I can, if time permits...but my heart will ALWAYS be with you all forever and ever..
2) Q: Why hasn't Tommy responded to my personal email or request for HIS personal email address? Ans: My ValueMD mailbox is 100% everything so a lot of your messages to me are bouncing away. Sorry, my mailbox becoming full really fast. And I AM NOT AT ALL AFRAID TO MEET WITH ANY OF YOU PERSONALLY FACE TO FACE. I have had a lot of brothers and sisters invite me into their homes in their countries and I think that is SO GREAT! But the reason I am not responding right away is because I want to ABSOLUTELY sure no one is too weird, just in case, because I admit I am paranoid.
3) Q) Is Tommy afraid anymore of the NBME on his back and try to stop his posts? Answer) NO!!! I am done with that concern totally. I actually contacted the NBME namelessly and they said that as long we all talk and discuss concepts and ideas and not repeat exam material, they are happy and not going to be upset. Since EVERY single one of my posts were original and created by me personally, they are NOT the property of NBME, they are NOT in violation of NBME copyright or content, so I think I have their blessing. Because my posts and questions are 100% meant to educate, the NBME person I spoke to said I am free to keep on educating! My own feeling with the NBME is actually a friendly feeling. I want to completely unquestionably respect their copyright and test content while helping my fellow brothers and sisters be good doctors!
4) Q) Someone asked then how close are your questions to the actual test? Will they be of help? Answer) Yes, I firmly believe they will be of help. Any questions that TEST CONCEPTS will be of help. They repeat the SAME concept over and over, but in a BILLION DIFFERENT SCENES AND WAYS TO PREVENT ROTE MEMORIZATION.
5) Q) You said the NBME has a MILKY WAY number of questions at their disposal? Then how can I master the material? Answer) By continuing to practice concept and STOP TRYING TO MEMORIZING RECALLED QUESTIONS and SPECIFIC CONTENT! The BIG problem I saw as a teacher is that everyone tried to approach this particular test USMLE STEP 1 as any other test. I really believe that 99% of the "tests" in the entire world can be mastered by simple memorization and simple coaching. All of them...the DRIVER'S education tests, the GRADE SCHOOL VOCABULARY TESTs, etc. BUT, I have said that the USMLE STEP 1,2,3...in my own opinion...IS THE TEST OF ALL TESTS AND THE HARDEST OF THEM ALL (in a way). That is because the NBME has taken the greatest pains to prevent students from "mastering" a "pattern" to gain an advantage. Many inferior tests have answers that are grammatically incorrect or have answer choices that are just plain silly. But the USMLE STEP 1 makers, (from all my sources and fellow teachers) are working EVERY DAY (as I said they have an entire department working full time) to retire familar material and ELIMINATE easy straight recall questions... That means that you will likely NEVER IN YOUR LIFE see the connection "Current Jelly Sputum" with the answer KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIA! Again, I heard from good sources have an entire department thinking of ways to defeat students from "taking an easy road" out of simple memorization!!!!!
BUT....does that mean we are hopeless as IMGs and should give UP? OF course NOT!! IF I can do it!, THEN you can do it!!!! BUT you have to approach the test conceptually and CHANGE your mindset...(TO MAKE THIS POST A LITTLE MORE READABLE, I WILL THE EXPLANATION IN A DIFFERENT POST...)
Q) Many asked me about STEP 2. I am reading just a few books and do NOT plan on studying as much as for STEP 1. The books I have are:
1) USMLE STEP 2 SECRETS by Adam Brochert, MD
2) NMS Step 2 Review by Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
3) Rx Prescription for the Boards, A Student to Student Guide
4) Finally, a question bank: Either Q-Bank or the PRETEST series. I have not decided which. And I will take the test in the next few months hopefully. I don't want to wait until the last minute.
Q) Again, why do students with Q-Bank and Board Stimulator Series and NMS questions KEEP on failing????
(This question keeps coming to me and I WILL POST ON A SEPARATE POST due to the extreme nature of the question). But it involves students trying only to memorize questions and NOT concepts....
--Did I miss any questions? Please privately email me on VALUEMD. I will try to keep emptying my box so your message is RECEIVED. IF you get a bounced message, either try again OR post the question on the main board!
LOVE, Tommy