Greetings! I am a 2017 graduate from Theni Govt Medical College, Tamil Nadu, India. I started my preparation by reading experiences in this group. And here I am posting mine hoping it will help you in some way to achieve your dream.
Duration: 14 months (Including lot of breaks)
Resources:
• FA 2017, 18 (The actual book to master) I did 5 times!
• Kaplan videos (Except pathology and behavioral sciences)
• Kaplan books ( For Anatomy, behavioral science, biochemistry)
• Anatomy shelf notes (Covered essentials...good one)
• Pathoma videos, pathoma step 1 review book once (Excellent resource)
• Goljan audio with Goljan pictures (Listen to them once, along with pictures)
• Khans Ethics (must), Conrad’s 100 cases
• Zanki flash cards (Helped me a lot in active recalling)
• U world biostats review (Did it twice...it all made sense the second time!)
• YouTube channels like Meet Patel, Randy Neil MD and The path to medicine.
Q Banks:
• U world for 6 months(76% only once)
• Kaplan q bank
Initial Preparation: (5-6 hrs a day)
Started with Kaplan videos by July ‘17, did them just to familiarize the subjects. Kaplan notes only for weaker subjects as mentioned above. Then I did pathoma videos with the book. (4 months)
After this started FA and U world at random timed mode 1-2 two blocks per day system wise and I took notes directly on to FA (only essential missing stuff as to not overload). (6 months with lot of breaks)
It was hard to find motivation everyday and I did slow down after that. I started doing Kaplan qbank after May ‘18. It was the first q bank which I bought at the start of prep for one year subscription but switched to U world in the middle. So after U world was over I did Kaplan. It comes with 2 simulations. I barely passed the first one with 194 and the second simulation was 216 one week after the first. This was so shocking but I took it as a challenge, after that I gave FA a 2nd revision, improved my weaker areas.
Exam application:
I applied on august 13, 2018, for eligibility period October to December hoping I would be ready by that time. I had an issue with my form 186, so my application was not approved until September first week. Start the application process 6 months out so that you won’t have to worry about it near exam time!
Final preparation: (9 – 10 hrs per day)
Took nbme 1, then I did FA revision for the 3rd time along with zanki cards. I was able to improve so much with anki because active recall works for me and kept me out of the boredom of passive reading. If you like active recall, anki cards is gold and I would absolutely recommend it.
Nbmes : All online except old ones.
• Nbme 1: 46 wrong (3 months before)
• Nbme 13: 240 (2 months before, online and self paced)
• Nmbe 2,3,4 : 25 to 30 wrong (1.5 months before)
• Uwsa 1: 262 (1 month before)
• Nbme 16: 230 (2 weeks before)
• Nbme 17: 238 (1.5 weeks before)
• Nbme 19: 246 (1 week before)
• Uwsa 2 and free 120: 254 and 84% (5 days before)
• Nbme 18: 246 (4 days before)
I did FA 2 two more times simultaneously with nbmes. For the last 3 days I revised high yield and volatile pages in FA, reviewed nbme and uwsa wrong ones, micro, khans ethics, formulas and u world biostats review( because they were my weaker areas).
One thing we all get scared about is how to spend the last week of prep more productively. Make a timetable and put your full heart to it. You have to push yourself because no one else is going to. JUST PUT YOUR FOCUS IN THE PRESENT.
Day before exam:
The day before exam I went through FA rapid review and was skimming pages though I knew it would increase my anxiety (can’t help it ! ha-ha!) I slept for 8 hours and woke up refreshed for which I thanked myself later! Sleep well even if you didn’t revise what you planned to, because you should feel refreshed on exam day to even remember those things!!
Exam day:
Pack light food which you feel comfortable having and some fruits for instant energy. I reached prometric 45 minutes before. I was like “let’s do it!” Be calm and that way your mind will recollect faster! I wrote some biostat formulas on to the practice sheet before starting my first block.
I took 2 blocks-break-2 blocks-break-1 block-break-2 blocks. However I took a silent 3-5 mins break in the desk in between 2 blocks. Make sure you have fewer pockets in your pants because you will be asked to turn them out while checking in and out.
Questions were a bit challenging, lengthy and I marked almost 10 to 15 qns in each block. I had some time issues, which I never had before. This is not to scare you but try to be in that moment and I had been telling myself over and over to stop panicking and that “every second is precious”, so better make it count. I gave my best and walked out with mixed feelings.
Post exam blues just for two days! No point in whining because it’s done! Spent good time with family and got involved in new hobbies!
Mistakes I made:
• I had spent a lot of time on Kaplan videos which of course I did forget at the later stages. So if you are doing them make sure you keep a track of your time.
• I took lot of breaks in between mostly recreational and some breaks due to lack of motivation and my application delay. My u world 6 month subscription ended by May 18 and I did not renew it. I survived with offline u world (saved money for nbmes). Wish I had properly planned the subscription and exam date!
• I took nbmes late which I should have started at least 4 months out. I recommend starting them earlier and at regular intervals in standard time mode.
• I kept postponing without making a decision for exam date. Please fix the deadline date in your mind and strive hard that you become ready for that date.
General tips:
• Find friends with same goals, from the beginning.
• Motivation is hard to find every day especially in the initial prep time. Only consistency matters. Make each day count and ask yourself everyday “What did I do today to achieve my goals?” That’s a powerful question that helps you to be consistent because everyone is afraid to their conscience and it will not let you sleep until you give it what it wants!
• Personally I believe in prayers. They made me optimistic. If you do believe so, wait not.
• It’s absolutely OK to spend weekends with family and friends, it’s essential for recharging our mind.
• Please do not succumb to discouragement, at such times just visualize the score u want to get, write your score on a vision board so that u keep looking at it often and keep working!
• While doing nbmes or q banks, it’s okay if you score low. Better to commit mistakes and learn from them now rather than on the exam day.
• Find your own way of reading, make a plan and stick to it to the end because you will be comfortable in your style of prep. No one’s plan will be so perfect, trust that it will all workout well at the end!
All that I am now and all that I hope to be, I owe to my family. Without the unwavering support of my parents I would not have achieved this score! And special thanks to my friends who guided and motivated me throughout. You can think, now that I have my score report I am making it seem so easy…. but trust me…I have been so afraid and lost at one point hoping for a lift up. You have to do what you dream of doing even while you are afraid!!
That’s it guys. “MAKE IT HAPPEN”. Remember that the happiness in your beloved’s faces is priceless and that’s the best reward for your efforts. Wishing you all the best for your exams! Be happy and fly high! Cheers!
Dr. Vaishali Sahana Malavathu
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