2005 Matched/ Scramble List by Asians

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gynecologist

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good day to all IMG's!!!
please post where you matched (specialty/hospital/state/from which country originally).
this will serve to inspire all IMG's on the match process.
keep the IMG torch burning and light the way!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

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OB-GYN; SUNY-BUFFALO; NEW YORK; FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINES
:idea:
 
gynecologist said:
OB-GYN; SUNY-BUFFALO; NEW YORK; FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINES
:idea:
Which med school are you from ? Congratulations, nice to hear someone from the phils matching to such a tough residency. You inspire me. I am only beginning my first year med this June in UST.
 
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gynecologist said:
OB-GYN; SUNY-BUFFALO; NEW YORK; FROM MANILA, PHILIPPINES
:idea:


-Neat! Congratulations! Hope I could do the same as you did! I'm going to feu this june.. any good feedback with that school? especially the chances to get into a residency program in the states.
 
congrats, gynecologist!
 
am a 30 years old male, graduated from a humble medical school in manila last 1998.
i am not the best student in my class.

i did two years of residency in the philippines, and fate made me to look again in the prospect of tackling the USMLE's and matching for a residency slot in the USA.

i studied by myself for the USMLE steps 1 and 2 and the CSA.
got all the books and materials which i thought are necessary and read them. by heart.

also, i assimilated all the pieces of advice i got from everyone. littelest they may seem, but all were nuggets of gold to me.

i sought our 'elders' to write me strong letters of recommendation and asked my school's dean to make me a very good dean's letter.

my personal statement i composed for a whole week. make that two. for it to be outstanding, yet modest and true. i even asked a friend's friend to help me out.

wrote down all my academic accolades and clinical experiences for my curriculum vitae. it was a very short list.

then went to USA for the CSA.
and interivewed to eight programs from the twelve calls i got.

i aimed to leave a good impression with the interviewing faculty. needless to say, that is different from impressing the interviewers.
i was eager but composed.
conveyed i am confident of what i can offer,
yet reassured them i have a lot to learn under their tutelage and care.
i was interesting as i was interested.
smiled alot. becasue i really do smile alot.

followed up my application by sending thank-you letters and letters of intention.

while waiting for the match outsome, i studied and took step 3.

i matched with a university program for ob/gyn.
but i decided to pusue further, and nest year, for my second year in residency, iam to transfer to a bigger program,- where there is a fellowship for gynecologic oncology.

i think this is a very likely story for people who went through the match.
but what i like to underscore is that
PREPAREDNESS, FOCUS, HARDWORK, PERSEVERANCE and BEING RESPONSIBLE for the choices we make
are the keys to success. For the Match or otherwise.

And, by the way, I always ask and seek Our Lord God's approval in every step of the way.
Surely, He will lead the way.
 
Coming from a not-so-good pre-med school, I applied to all medical schools in
Manila. UERMMC, FEU, PLM, UP and UST. I also got some scholarship offers from the out-lying medical schools in the Philippines (need not mention them). The reason for the offers is my good NMAT score.
I got accepted to all, except in UP. PLM was a very tempting school being a city univeristy, I get to be a scholar there, too. But I decided to go to UST.
Traditionally, FEU, UST and UERM are the better private schools in medicine. And UP is the better public medical school.
Anyone will contest that theirs is the best medical school. But I have been to UST and UP (did my residency there)...
 
gynecologist said:
Coming from a not-so-good pre-med school, I applied to all medical schools in
Manila. UERMMC, FEU, PLM, UP and UST. I also got some scholarship offers from the out-lying medical schools in the Philippines (need not mention them). The reason for the offers is my good NMAT score.
I got accepted to all, except in UP. PLM was a very tempting school being a city univeristy, I get to be a scholar there, too. But I decided to go to UST.
Traditionally, FEU, UST and UERM are the better private schools in medicine. And UP is the better public medical school.
Anyone will contest that theirs is the best medical school. But I have been to UST and UP (did my residency there)...
Hi gynecologist,
I was wondering if you would be kind enough to give some advice/ tips to a fellow Tomasian. It would greatly be appreciated. You said advices are your "pot of gold" and I find that to be quite true. I am planning on buying as much of the USMLE books possible so I can study while in medical school. I have copies of Kaplan notes, Q-bank, and will be buying first aid soon. Any other good review books out there for the USMLEs? What books did you use? any feedback would be great!
 
Hello there.
To me, life in UST Medicine is the best! you'll have ample support there from your fellow classmates and you have an excellent group of faculty members.
Books? well, this is the thing... if you do not mind reading photocopied materials/book, you'll be fine there. Specially if you'll buy them from Ms. Rose, she has a small bookstore beside the Wendy's hamburger restaurant in the backstreet (Dapitan St.) of the medicine building.
Then there are the big local bookstores you can buy copyrighted books. They are called 'international' editions, printed on good paper, cheaper compared with the books from the US.
About USMLE books, i guess buy them at the proper time. They get so frequently updated. So grab hold of the newest when you are to take them.
Please say hello to all the faculty members of UST for me once you get there.
 
gynecologist said:
good day to all IMG's!!!
please post where you matched (specialty/hospital/state/from which country originally).
this will serve to inspire all IMG's on the match process.
keep the IMG torch burning and light the way!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


Famiily Medicine: University of Missouri - Columbia
From Quezon City, Philippines :)
 
sine said:
Famiily Medicine: University of Missouri - Columbia
From Quezon City, Philippines :)
Congratulations Sine! What school did you graduate from?
 
gynecologist said:
Hello there.
To me, life in UST Medicine is the best! you'll have ample support there from your fellow classmates and you have an excellent group of faculty members.
Books? well, this is the thing... if you do not mind reading photocopied materials/book, you'll be fine there. Specially if you'll buy them from Ms. Rose, she has a small bookstore beside the Wendy's hamburger restaurant in the backstreet (Dapitan St.) of the medicine building.
Then there are the big local bookstores you can buy copyrighted books. They are called 'international' editions, printed on good paper, cheaper compared with the books from the US.
About USMLE books, i guess buy them at the proper time. They get so frequently updated. So grab hold of the newest when you are to take them.
Please say hello to all the faculty members of UST for me once you get there.
Hi,
I've heard of a bookshop in Dapitan, that must be where they get the good books from. I hear they are easily comprehensible. Thanks Gynecologist, I will definitely extend your regards to the faculty and students.
P.S. You can buy books from this little bookshop that are supplemental right? I mean, the required books you can buy in the larger bookstores or do they sell them also in this little store? Are the books all photocopied? Thanks.
 
hi there ,Sine... congratulations!
Just wondering, though, do we know each other? You from UP-Manila Med School? Internship? This is Mauricio from the Dept .of Surgery then...
 
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gynecologist, how much is a USMLE reviewer now? i asked my parents to buy me reviewers for steps 1 and 2 when they went to NYC last year but they bought me those question and answer type. i was hoping for the reviewer itself (the one w/ concepts coz it's also helpful for me as a reference, since i'm an incoming medical clerk by april 15).

i am still uncertain if i'm going for the USMLE coz almost everyone else is going there. i am aiming for Canada or UK (keeping my fingers crossed).
 
phlipsquad said:
Hi,
I've heard of a bookshop in Dapitan, that must be where they get the good books from. I hear they are easily comprehensible. Thanks Gynecologist, I will definitely extend your regards to the faculty and students.
P.S. You can buy books from this little bookshop that are supplemental right? I mean, the required books you can buy in the larger bookstores or do they sell them also in this little store? Are the books all photocopied? Thanks.

well, that stall besides Wendy's still sells photocopied, uncopyrighted books secretly although their stocks easily ran out. but if you're gonna look on the stalls along asturias, don't get ur hopes up. i heard the stalls were raided sometime way back 2003 coz of their illegal photocopying & selling of some medical textbooks.

there's this bookstore along asturias (miranda bookstore) which also sell books but their selling price is similar to Goodwill bookstore. sometimes, they sell the not-so-latest editions. if they have a stock of the latest edition, they just have 1 copy of it.
 
bleudsky said:
well, that stall besides Wendy's still sells photocopied, uncopyrighted books secretly although their stocks easily ran out. but if you're gonna look on the stalls along asturias, don't get ur hopes up. i heard the stalls were raided sometime way back 2003 coz of their illegal photocopying & selling of some medical textbooks.

there's this bookstore along asturias (miranda bookstore) which also sell books but their selling price is similar to Goodwill bookstore. sometimes, they sell the not-so-latest editions. if they have a stock of the latest edition, they just have 1 copy of it.
Hi Bluedsky,
Thanks for the input. I do not mind buying new textbooks. The thing I am also looking for are old testpapers. I think i heard from this thread awhile back that you could get old testpapers there, from the Dapitan bookstore...correct me on this one? Anyway, I read this book on how to get good grades in pre-med/ medical school. The number one advice was to GET OLD TESTPAPERS. It is not considered cheating since professors are smart enough in knowing that students have access to this. I mean, looking at those testpapers focuses your study on high yield concepts, and what that particular professor's preference in subject matter! (I only looked over the testpapers after finishing my studies...as a supplement).Do you agree Bluedsky with this tactic? I did this in undergrad science, and no same question from the old testpapers was repeated in the new tests. Nevertheless, the concepts showed up. This helped me in achieving all A's in my biological sciences (biochem,histo,anatomy, physio,microbio). The book that I read said that doing this Tactic can make a B+ student to an A student. Whatever helps is always good as long as its NOT CHEATING....and obtaining old test papers is not illegal! Anyway, It is the same there in the Phils right? Old test papers are law-abiding?

Hnery, my friend,
You should consider this tactic...of obtaining old testpapers....as a supplement.
 
bleudsky said:
gynecologist, how much is a USMLE reviewer now? i asked my parents to buy me reviewers for steps 1 and 2 when they went to NYC last year but they bought me those question and answer type. i was hoping for the reviewer itself (the one w/ concepts coz it's also helpful for me as a reference, since i'm an incoming medical clerk by april 15).

i am still uncertain if i'm going for the USMLE coz almost everyone else is going there. i am aiming for Canada or UK (keeping my fingers crossed).
Hi blue,

I have Kaplan study notes and Q bank. I will be buying First aid Step 1 this weekend. The price is around $30 -35 from Barnes and Nobles (New York) for first aid. As for Kaplan, the study notes go with the class (which are in the thousands in dollars) but I zeroxed all the Kaplan study books from a friend who is taking the class.(More than 2000 pages for about 8 books)
 
phlipsquad said:
Whatever helps is always good as long as its NOT CHEATING....and obtaining old test papers is not illegal! Anyway, It is the same there in the Phils right? Old test papers are law-abiding?

Hnery, my friend,
You should consider this tactic...of obtaining old testpapers....as a supplement.


:laugh:
uh, uh wish our dean and professors thought like you did!
just 2 weeks ago, there was a BIG BIG controversy in our college because a self-righteous graduating senior who failed in the final exam for Research squealed and told the professor of research that most of her classmates were part of a "leakage"! :eek:
Truth was, all that the students did, was, you guessed it, REVIEWED old testpapers from the previous semester of the same subject! :smuggrin:
and the questions were not even repeated! :smuggrin:
The dean (co-instructor of the subject) and the prof were so incensed, they commanded a repeat final exam (unprecedented! :laugh: ) just 2 days before submitting the final candidates for graduation! :eek:
Needless to say, there were many angry among the involved students, and everyone, even those who did not review those testpapers had to repeat the final exam. :smuggrin:
the Squealer was the hot topic for the whole week and irony of ironies, she was also the one who read the Class Prophecy days before her squealing. Long story short, she did not make it in the repeat and she was unable to graduate. :rolleyes:
I wasn't involved though but almost half of our graduating class went through hell having to study again when they should have been relaxing, shopping or planning with their parents. It was a heck of a week! And all because of a bad definition of "Leakage" and some person who thought if she goes down, might as well bring down others with her... :smuggrin:
I hope none of you will ever meet this kind of person in medschool... :luck:
 
phlipsquad said:
Hi Bluedsky,
Thanks for the input. I do not mind buying new textbooks. The thing I am also looking for are old testpapers. I think i heard from this thread awhile back that you could get old testpapers there, from the Dapitan bookstore...correct me on this one? Anyway, I read this book on how to get good grades in pre-med/ medical school. The number one advice was to GET OLD TESTPAPERS. It is not considered cheating since professors are smart enough in knowing that students have access to this. I mean, looking at those testpapers focuses your study on high yield concepts, and what that particular professor's preference in subject matter! (I only looked over the testpapers after finishing my studies...as a supplement).Do you agree Bluedsky with this tactic? I did this in undergrad science, and no same question from the old testpapers was repeated in the new tests. Nevertheless, the concepts showed up. This helped me in achieving all A's in my biological sciences (biochem,histo,anatomy, physio,microbio). The book that I read said that doing this Tactic can make a B+ student to an A student. Whatever helps is always good as long as its NOT CHEATING....and obtaining old test papers is not illegal! Anyway, It is the same there in the Phils right? Old test papers are law-abiding?

we do have old test papers but we get them from the higher batches or from my classmates involved in frats/sororities. i've never heard of obtaining old testpapers at Dapitan. maybe, the ones they are selling there are for the local boards (coz i remember i bought my copy of past board questions there when i was reviewing for Physical Therapy).

well it helps to review past exams (what we call 'samplex') coz sometimes the questions are repeated. the profs do not know that we have a photocopy of it (well, i don't know if they're aware of it, in the first place). for me it helps coz i have an idea how they give questions so i know what other topics to focus and/or it identifies my weak points during my review. most of the time, the correct answers are written - so, i rationalize why this choice is not the best answer and why this choice is the answer. u get the idea?
 
phlipsquad said:
Hi blue,

I have Kaplan study notes and Q bank. I will be buying First aid Step 1 this weekend. The price is around $30 -35 from Barnes and Nobles (New York) for first aid. As for Kaplan, the study notes go with the class (which are in the thousands in dollars) but I zeroxed all the Kaplan study books from a friend who is taking the class.(More than 2000 pages for about 8 books)

well i also have Kaplan Step 2 but it's the question and answer type. like i said, i'm looking for the actual reviewer of Step 1 (the one w/ concepts) coz it's also helpful for me as a medical clerk. talk about being an oc-oc. :laugh:

i wonder if i could buy those books at their Morayta branch (since it's the closest to UST)..
 
bleudsky said:
well i also have Kaplan Step 2 but it's the question and answer type. like i said, i'm looking for the actual reviewer of Step 1 (the one w/ concepts) coz it's also helpful for me as a medical clerk. talk about being an oc-oc. :laugh:

i wonder if i could buy those books at their Morayta branch (since it's the closest to UST)..
Hi Blue,
The Kaplan study notes, q-bank, and First Aid, I heard are the best reviewers for the USMLE. I have many resident friends in the hopital where I work (in NYC) who told me they studied through Kaplan and with a First Aid book. One of my resident friends, who graduated from Up, and who got 90's on his step 1 is helping me with buying review books. Let me tell you a little bit of his advice. BUY FIRST AID....FIRST... Then stemming out from this, take a Kaplan course. Then buy other reviewers if you wish. The good thing with First Aid, since I have recently bought it, is that is has about 400 pages of high yield concepts, that show up on the USMLE! Also, I looked through the book yesterday and there is a section in the Firstaid book where they rate the best reviewer books per subject. Since there are sooo many books out there, the editors rated the better ones and gave them a grade from A to a B-. Meaning A is a TOP NOTCH, HIGH YIELD book. For example, for Biochem, they rated Lippencott's Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry, as an "A "resource, which you should buy compared to STARS Biochem Review, which they rate as a B-, which is a mediocre book for studying for the USMLE. They have comments on all books and why they gave them a grade, and why they are excellent, or mediocre study aids. In the next few weeks, I am going to invest in these books and buy the A rated books for each subject. (They range from $30- $70 per reviewer book of a particular subject). I am starting my hunt for these books next week. Also, a good point that FirstAid brought up, DO NOT buy too many review books, since you are not gonna have time to cover all of them. Hence, you must buy the HIGH yielding books. So blue, if you would want to consider helping each other, maybe we could, if you wish. I will be buying at least 2 of those A rated books per subject, and will definitely have an ample collection of USMLE reviewers that would be more than enough. If you wish, I could let you zerox copy my stuff, when I am in UST. Also, If you could do me a favor, could you let me zerox your testpapers from years 1 and 2 in return. Please let me know if you are willing. Take care.

P.S. Let me tell you these are NOT question and answer types, they are actual reviewers than go and delve with the high yield subject matter that you need to know. Only the Q-bank are the questions and answer types, which I believe are actual questions taken from PAST USMLEs.
 
maia said:
:laugh:
uh, uh wish our dean and professors thought like you did!
just 2 weeks ago, there was a BIG BIG controversy in our college because a self-righteous graduating senior who failed in the final exam for Research squealed and told the professor of research that most of her classmates were part of a "leakage"! :eek:
Truth was, all that the students did, was, you guessed it, REVIEWED old testpapers from the previous semester of the same subject! :smuggrin:
and the questions were not even repeated! :smuggrin:
The dean (co-instructor of the subject) and the prof were so incensed, they commanded a repeat final exam (unprecedented! :laugh: ) just 2 days before submitting the final candidates for graduation! :eek:
Needless to say, there were many angry among the involved students, and everyone, even those who did not review those testpapers had to repeat the final exam. :smuggrin:
the Squealer was the hot topic for the whole week and irony of ironies, she was also the one who read the Class Prophecy days before her squealing. Long story short, she did not make it in the repeat and she was unable to graduate. :rolleyes:
I wasn't involved though but almost half of our graduating class went through hell having to study again when they should have been relaxing, shopping or planning with their parents. It was a heck of a week! And all because of a bad definition of "Leakage" and some person who thought if she goes down, might as well bring down others with her... :smuggrin:
I hope none of you will ever meet this kind of person in medschool... :luck:
Hi,
That's shocking. Im sorry you had to go through that. What medical school did this happen at? I am going to UST, and I am trying to make sure that doing this is viable and law-abiding...attaining old test papers.I checked the UST website and information booklet. They ACTUALLY mentioned the idea that students used old test papers, and said it matter- of-factly. I mean, a direct quote regarding the schools curriculum said (regarding UST being traditional from the past and becoming PBL) "the curriculum of the UST faculty of MEd and Surgery has long been traditional, teacher-oriented and teacher-centered. Students were passive and teacher-dependent. They memorized facts and figures to pass their examinations and relied on lectures, handouts and OLD TESTPAPERS." It goes on, blah blah blah about the school adjusting to PBL. Anyway, this may not be grounds for it proving that its legal, since it refers to the past, but why would they say it matter-of-factly? Any comments anyone? Please, I do not want to get in trouble, when I am there. I know other UST med students use this tactic.
 
hei!

don't worry, it happened in my undergrad and my university does not have a medschool so you won't ever encounter it!

God bless in medscool! You're starting in June, right?
 
phlipsquad,

i went to Goodwill Bookstore a while ago to check if they have any available stocks of USMLE reviewers. i saw those First Aid books that you're talking about, but they are for Clerkship. i asked a saleslady if the sell those kind of books. she said the only ones they sell are Kaplan w/ a limited stock. i guess those First Aid reviewers are only sold in the US, not here in the Philippines.

being enrolled under the PBL curriculum for 3 years, i can lend you my copies of the old testpapers that i have, but not in every subject. remember we didn't have all the basic subjects that the 1st yr students had (enrolled under the Integrated curriculum). the old testpapers that i can lend u are regarding biochemistry, and the clinical subjects coz we dwelve more on the clinicals (honestly speaking).
 
phlipsquad said:
Hi,
That's shocking. Im sorry you had to go through that. What medical school did this happen at? I am going to UST, and I am trying to make sure that doing this is viable and law-abiding...attaining old test papers.I checked the UST website and information booklet. They ACTUALLY mentioned the idea that students used old test papers, and said it matter- of-factly. I mean, a direct quote regarding the schools curriculum said (regarding UST being traditional from the past and becoming PBL) "the curriculum of the UST faculty of MEd and Surgery has long been traditional, teacher-oriented and teacher-centered. Students were passive and teacher-dependent. They memorized facts and figures to pass their examinations and relied on lectures, handouts and OLD TESTPAPERS." It goes on, blah blah blah about the school adjusting to PBL. Anyway, this may not be grounds for it proving that its legal, since it refers to the past, but why would they say it matter-of-factly? Any comments anyone? Please, I do not want to get in trouble, when I am there. I know other UST med students use this tactic.

as i said before, reviewing old test papers gives you an advantage - it doesn't necessarily mean that you're cheating. it gives you an idea how the profs might give questions on your actual exam, and it gives you an idea on what topics you should focus more or review again. sometimes, those teeny-weeny details that we take them for granted during our review are the ones being oftenly asked in the exam. of course, they are just supplements. reviewing them solely doesn't give you a guarantee that you'll pass the exam. if the question is repeated on the exam, well good for you. at least you'll know the correct answer straight away. and if the question was ever repeated, don't blame yourself - blame the staff for being lazy in coming up/making new questions on your exam. they can't blame you for being resourceful - coming up with a copy of the past exam.

don't worry, all students do this. in fact, everyone crowds over the photocopy machines just to get hold of their own copy, days before an exam.

if the admin and staff are aware of this tactic, that i don't know. well, if they aware of it, it should give them a wake up call to be more industrious in avoiding repeating the same questions or questions asked in previous exams.
 
bleudsky said:
phlipsquad,

i went to Goodwill Bookstore a while ago to check if they have any available <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=stocks&v=56">stocks</a> of USMLE reviewers. i saw those First Aid <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=books&v=56">books</a> that you're talking about, but they are for Clerkship. i asked a saleslady if the sell those kind of <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=books&v=56">books</a>. she said the only ones they sell are Kaplan w/ a limited <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=stock&v=56">stock</a>. i guess those First Aid reviewers are only sold in the US, not here in the Philippines.

being enrolled under the PBL curriculum for 3 years, i can lend you my copies of the old testpapers that i have, but not in every subject. remember we didn't have all the basic subjects that the 1st yr students had (enrolled under the Integrated curriculum). the old testpapers that i can lend u are regarding biochemistry, and the clinical subjects coz we dwelve more on the clinicals (honestly speaking).
Hi Blue,
The First Aid Study Guide for USMLE 1 must be only available here in the states. I remember SpartanDoc mentioning the idea for the Phil-Ams to buy ONLY FIRSTAID here in the states, implying that they are not available there in the Phils. i would really still appreciate it if you could lend me your testpapers, so I can zerox copy them weeks before classes start. You can look at all my stuff, and zerox copy anything you would want. I guess I will also look for some current sophomores who can help me with the tests. P.S. So the new curriculum started last year? Is that correct? It is then integrated PBL? Anyway, I will be leaving the states on May 23. I will be in Manila May 24th. I hope to keep in touch and see you then. Blue, the best way to contact you is through this thread right? Thank you so very much and have a great day!
 
maia said:
hei!

don't worry, it happened in my undergrad and my <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=university&v=56">university</a> does not have a medschool so you won't ever encounter it!

God bless in medscool! You're starting in June, right?
Hi Maia,
I am starting in UST this June. What about you? Which school are you in/ going to?
 
two cents in...
all books for medicine, specially for the board or USMLE review are available in manila. photocopied or original ones.
and do not invest yet on review materials if one is not to take the boards yet.
stick with text books.
then if one is to take/prepare for the boards/usmle, please cquire the newest edition. review books tend to be revised so often.
very very important point.
and regarding 'sample' test questions/papers, there is alot out there. relax. and again, look into the newer/newest ones,- the discipline and knowledge of medicine keeps to be updated tremendously.
 
gynecologist said:
two cents in...
all books for medicine, specially for the board or USMLE review are available in manila. photocopied or original ones.
and do not invest yet on review materials if one is not to take the boards yet.
stick with text books.
then if one is to take/prepare for the boards/usmle, please cquire the newest edition. review books tend to be revised so often.
very very important point.
and regarding 'sample' test questions/papers, there is alot out there. relax. and again, look into the newer/newest ones,- the discipline and knowledge of medicine keeps to be updated tremendously.


-hi! i just want to ask, where can you avail the reviewrs or books for the usmle in manila? and is it cheaper?
 
phlipsquad said:
Hi Blue,
The First Aid Study Guide for USMLE 1 must be only available here in the states. I remember SpartanDoc mentioning the idea for the Phil-Ams to buy ONLY FIRSTAID here in the states, implying that they are not available there in the Phils. i would really still appreciate it if you could lend me your testpapers, so I can zerox copy them weeks before classes start. You can look at all my stuff, and zerox copy anything you would want. I guess I will also look for some current sophomores who can help me with the tests. P.S. So the new curriculum started last year? Is that correct? It is then integrated PBL? Anyway, I will be leaving the states on May 23. I will be in Manila May 24th. I hope to keep in touch and see you then. Blue, the best way to contact you is through this thread right? Thank you so very much and have a great day!

ok. maybe i'll just contact my relatives at the east coast if they could buy that for me.

no, Integrated curriculum started again 2 years ago (June 2003) because there was a change of Dean (from Dean Alora, who implemented PBL, to Dean Lopez from the Pathology Department). unfortunately, we weren't happy about the transition (more of personal and academic reasons, but that's a different story).

by the time you arrive here, i'll be already in the hospital clinical division doing my duty (clinical clerkship officially starts 15th of april). but i'll keep in touch with you.
 
gynecologist said:
two cents in...
all books for medicine, specially for the board or USMLE review are available in manila. photocopied or original ones.
and do not invest yet on review materials if one is not to take the boards yet.
stick with text books.
then if one is to take/prepare for the boards/usmle, please cquire the newest edition. review books tend to be revised so often.
very very important point.
and regarding 'sample' test questions/papers, there is alot out there. relax. and again, look into the newer/newest ones,- the discipline and knowledge of medicine keeps to be updated tremendously.
Hi gynecologist,
Thanks for the advice. I read firstaid this weekend, and the FIRSTAID editors recommend that you review for the USMLE's during your 1st year by supplementing your books with top rated reviewer books for a particular subject. They say its useless to study the Qbank or any question and answer types for know, since one is not knowledgeable about this if one is only starting 1st year. Nevertheless, they advice to buy 1 or 2 Top notch reviewer books PER subject to supplement with your medical books. Ex: Lippencott's Biochem Review. What do you think? Do you see what they mean. I agree with their reasonings. Any feedback?
 
bleudsky said:
ok. maybe i'll just contact my relatives at the east coast if they could buy that for me.

no, Integrated curriculum started again 2 years ago (June 2003) because there was a change of Dean (from Dean Alora, who implemented PBL, to Dean Lopez from the Pathology Department). unfortunately, we weren't happy about the transition (more of personal and academic reasons, but that's a different story).

by the time you arrive here, i'll be already in the hospital clinical division doing my duty (clinical clerkship officially starts 15th of april). but i'll keep in touch with you.

Thanks for the help . Good luck with clerkships! Have fun developing relationships with the patients! Please do keep in touch. Ciao.
 
phlipsquad said:
Hi gynecologist,
Thanks for the advice. I read firstaid this weekend, and the FIRSTAID editors recommend that you review for the USMLE's during your 1st year by supplementing your books with top rated reviewer books for a particular subject. They say its useless to study the Qbank or any question and answer types for know, since one is not knowledgeable about this if one is only starting 1st year. Nevertheless, they advice to buy 1 or 2 Top notch reviewer books PER subject to supplement with your medical books. Ex: Lippencott's Biochem Review. What do you think? Do you see what they mean. I agree with their reasonings. Any feedback?

>>> to me, this is med school: 70% prescribed textbooks, 30% lecture notes.
one can use those review books as a road map. please be aware that the subject matter in class and the test questions are sylabus-guided, meaning there would be specific objectives for a specific subject. so please be guided by this.
again, use study review materials as a guide only. i had a classmate who used these materials (lippincott's, ridiculously simple, coloring books, A and L's, etc). and he couple this with the past test papers. he always flunked the tests and always ended up doing removal/make up exams. he got delayed one year. he is a smart guy, but lazy.
worry about and review for the USMLE's in proper time. the learning you'll have in UST is more than suffice to tackle the USMLE's. i assure you that. just do your part in being a good medical student first, then everything will follow.
you'll see my point in due time.
bear in mind too, that these review books get to be updated almost yearly, so do not buy any yet at this point in time. acquire the newest edition in proper time.

just here to help.
 
gynecologist said:
>>> to me, this is med school: 70% prescribed textbooks, 30% lecture notes.
one can use those review books as a road map. please be aware that the subject matter in class and the test questions are sylabus-guided, meaning there would be specific objectives for a specific subject. so please be guided by this.
again, use study review materials as a guide only. i had a classmate who used these materials (lippincott's, ridiculously simple, coloring books, A and L's, etc). and he couple this with the past test papers. he always flunked the tests and always ended up doing removal/make up exams. he got delayed one year. he is a smart guy, but lazy.
worry about and review for the USMLE's in proper time. the learning you'll have in UST is more than suffice to tackle the USMLE's. i assure you that. just do your part in being a good medical student first, then everything will follow.
you'll see my point in due time.
bear in mind too, that these review books get to be updated almost yearly, so do not buy any yet at this point in time. acquire the newest edition in proper time.

just here to help.
gynecologist,
Wow! That is definitely some EXCELLENT advice. Never thought of it that way! I am definitely going to use my own school books. I never though of replacing them in the first place. I mean, I will definitely emphasize on them first. I will only use supplements/ reviewers when I have time for myself to review. I heard with an integrated PBL/traditional curriculum UST has now (it is supposed to be a fusion of these two) one has some free time for independent studying. I hope I will have extra time, after exhausting all the resources from my schooltexts to move on to the reveiwers. THANKS for the advice
 
phlipsquad,

thanks! :)
 
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