Heimkringla
07-19-2005, 07:38 PM
The very interesting part about USMLE is that many of the questions are based around a concept that is viewed from different angles and with different goals.
While Step One questions ask you what it is, or what kind of antibiotics we use, Two will instead describe the same case to you, but instead ask what is it MOST likely to be or what is the next step in management, OR more likely what should we do next to diagnose..
Then Step Three waraps the entire thing up with heading decicion-makings and sequence of treatments, preventive management. I also find Step three the one that is most where you fel nothing is new anymore. I doubt that it's easier, but it surely fels more familiar.
To say it like that, Step One is the medical scientist, Step Two is the intern, but Step Three IS the doctor.
All these tests all are designed by the most insightful ppl in the US with regards to US medicine. Don't let to many wisecracks tell you that so and so questions are "illogical", "stupid", "experimental" and so on. Sure there are some questions that will be thrown out, but not even the designers at that time might know if the question works out, so who are you to judge?
These steps worked for me (others are different).
*Read, no matter how smart you are, if you don't read, you don't pass. Don't believe people that say they only "read a little bit". Although you won't hear about many.
*Set a definite date for the exam and stick to it. Do that before you start studying!!
*Do lots of questions. Consider a Kaplan-course or access to question-banks if you need test-taking-training. There are also many other live-courses there, but don't jump on the first and best just because it is a review course...
*Have faith. You have made it to medical school, so you wll make it out of this as well. This is not much harder than having to learn water preservation or take beaches for granted.
*Work out, eat well and sleep well. Yogsa is awesome to boost focus if that is a problem. Avoid to much stuff outside of medicine. This is not the time to attend 15 weddings while you "are just going to study"..
*Don't run through the CD from ECFMG more than doing everything else. Yes, it probably shows the most likely difficuly level, but there are zillions of other questions to get that you will not see on that CD.
Your passing score is what you get and you can never make up for it. So take whatever you get with a smile and moveON, because otherwise you will end up like a whiner for the next years. Just know most "normal" ppl in this wirld cannot even understand these questions OR the words.
Have faith and don't feel sad if you are overwhealmed right now, because it will get worse, but you will also get better ;)
-S-
While Step One questions ask you what it is, or what kind of antibiotics we use, Two will instead describe the same case to you, but instead ask what is it MOST likely to be or what is the next step in management, OR more likely what should we do next to diagnose..
Then Step Three waraps the entire thing up with heading decicion-makings and sequence of treatments, preventive management. I also find Step three the one that is most where you fel nothing is new anymore. I doubt that it's easier, but it surely fels more familiar.
To say it like that, Step One is the medical scientist, Step Two is the intern, but Step Three IS the doctor.
All these tests all are designed by the most insightful ppl in the US with regards to US medicine. Don't let to many wisecracks tell you that so and so questions are "illogical", "stupid", "experimental" and so on. Sure there are some questions that will be thrown out, but not even the designers at that time might know if the question works out, so who are you to judge?
These steps worked for me (others are different).
*Read, no matter how smart you are, if you don't read, you don't pass. Don't believe people that say they only "read a little bit". Although you won't hear about many.
*Set a definite date for the exam and stick to it. Do that before you start studying!!
*Do lots of questions. Consider a Kaplan-course or access to question-banks if you need test-taking-training. There are also many other live-courses there, but don't jump on the first and best just because it is a review course...
*Have faith. You have made it to medical school, so you wll make it out of this as well. This is not much harder than having to learn water preservation or take beaches for granted.
*Work out, eat well and sleep well. Yogsa is awesome to boost focus if that is a problem. Avoid to much stuff outside of medicine. This is not the time to attend 15 weddings while you "are just going to study"..
*Don't run through the CD from ECFMG more than doing everything else. Yes, it probably shows the most likely difficuly level, but there are zillions of other questions to get that you will not see on that CD.
Your passing score is what you get and you can never make up for it. So take whatever you get with a smile and moveON, because otherwise you will end up like a whiner for the next years. Just know most "normal" ppl in this wirld cannot even understand these questions OR the words.
Have faith and don't feel sad if you are overwhealmed right now, because it will get worse, but you will also get better ;)
-S-