For the people who are using / already finished DIT (2011) I was wondering what you thought of the different lecturers? I hear last year it was just Dr. Jenkins, but this year there is more people... are they any good?
if you are currently / already did 2011 DIT
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What's the correct way to approach these lectures? He is basically reading FA :-S. Its just stressing me out. What are you guys doing to reach your goal w/ DIT?
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This is what I'm doing---Listen to DIT and annotate into FA in the morn/afternoon (~8 hrs). Actively take the quizzes and stuff along with the lectures. Review that topic afterwards and try to memorize it as best as possible (3-4hrs). Review DIT handbook for yesterdays subject (1 hr).
Sometimes I have less time to review the DIT handbook bc it takes longer to memorize/review that days stuff so I allocated 1 day after every 5 days of the course to review the last 5 days and tie up loose ends. Hopefully get a few sets of uworld during that extra day as well.
How many days are you into it?
I was trying to do something similar, but quickly dropped that plan.
I did my first UWorld set (40 questions) since starting the program. Did pretty well...77%. (Hopefully I can get that to over 80% in the next few weeks) Only got to review about half of them though...
I just finished day 5. Tmro is my review day. I just did a set like 20 min ago as well -- got 22% above the average which isn't too bad. I'm realizing there are certain things I know really well and other I kinda know but not enough to get the 3rd order question right. So i'll try to focus on those tmro. Hopefully I can get through everything --> Pharm + Psych + Behavioral + Immuno + Embryo + 1/2 of micro.
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He repeatedly mentions the most common types of diseases in subcategories (example- adult brain tumors = Metastasis, GM, Meningioma, etc.)
How high yield is this? I haven't seen any NBME questions and only a couple World Qs asking for this info but he constantly mentions it and asks Qs about it in the handbook?
How high yield is this? I haven't seen any NBME questions and only a couple World Qs asking for this info but he constantly mentions it and asks Qs about it in the handbook?
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In the actual test situation there will be a few questions where you'll have to answer solely based on clinical likelihood, rather than being given any clinical clues. But even more importantly: there will be times where the USMLE decides to ask a 15th level question (clearly exaggerating to make a point) and you are totally torn as to what it can be. The odds are that its still going to be the most common form of the disease then. Not every time, but enough times to be worth it. Knowing the most common types is pretty big for moments like that.
Actually, I would think that *particular* fact was semi-high yield. I think it's because (to the best of my understanding) GBMs are by far and AWAY the most common type of *primary* brain cancer (not 'it's close with 3 other things'). But I'll let you know on Thursday? Haha.
Ugh I'm kind of questioning my decision to have gone with DIT at this point. I'm realizing that there are certain parts of FA that I know inside outside and backwards...and then other parts like embryo and GI...where I was weak to begin with and in my final run through I'm realizing how much weaker I STILL am in those areas than I am in other areas.
Should I have just spent more time with those specific areas? Would that have helped more than going through a whole program that reiterated a lot of what I already know? 🙁
I guess I'm just pretty weak at any section that has a large anatomy component 🙁 I knew that at the outset, but it's kind of a hard thing to fix especially when everyone's telling you that over the course of the test it's not that high yield.
Also I improved my question bank from about 53% to 65% (optimistically) over the course of the entire program, but in the week since doing it, I've jumped a lot more. :-/ Oh well. I think it was worth it, I feel like it was worth it, but the numbers don't bear me out well. 🙁
I don't think I'd be questioning my decision as much except that I used over half of my study period to dedicate to DIT so I feel that I didn't leave myself enough time to really nail down the things that need to be nailed down. 🙁
Also I SWEAR the grass is ALWAYS greener. ALWAYS. Haha. I'm sure if I hadn't done it, I'd be regretting that, too.
I'm just irritated that I have to take Step 1 four weeks earlier than my classmates. If I had those four weeks back...🙁 (I gave up the time to do research after my first year - and it's haunting me all the way into third year because I have to make up a second year class during third year. Oh and that second year class was the class where ppl went over x-rays, sarcoid, antibiotics, lung function, wegener's, acid-base disorders, tuberculosis, cor pulmonale, decent chunk of micro. No biggie).
/rant
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I swear, no matter how many times he covers the SHIPP mnemonic I will NOT learn them. WTF? In fact, he just mocked me in the toxicology section and said, "If you learn one thing from this course *laughs* it better be the drugs that cause drug induced lupus." F you, Brian Jenkins MD!!!
hahaha...
I dunno if this will help but I just made up a story on the spot and maybe it will stick in your head...
picture a Hydra Surfing with a Cane in his hand on a Sonny day. He is photosensitive and gets a rash so he has Lupus.
Just realized I forgot Phenytoin but throw that in there somehow lol.
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Just got back from my Step 1. I think the DiT course nailed the topics on the head. The big glaring exception of course being no questions on what has a capsule and no questions on SHIPP. I actually had a very pharmacology-light test as well.
But as for topics covered in depth vs passingly, definitely thanked Brian Jenkins many many many times during that test.
But as for topics covered in depth vs passingly, definitely thanked Brian Jenkins many many many times during that test.
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Congrats on being done, Spaniard!
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It can't hurt. DiT doesn't pretend to cover everything, but they definitely cover stuff (especially what they cover in depth) that you'll be seeing. So if you want to make sure you get correct the question you know are coming: do the study guide again.
My personal suggestion is see what trips you up more. Do you make lots of mistakes on stuff "you're supposed to know"? Then definitely do the review book again. It will get you a lot of questions right on the stuff "you should definitely know." If you make most of your mistakes on stuff that comes out of left field, the extra time with a Qbank, or some other material prone to hit the unusual stuff might net you an extra 3 or 4 questions. A kind of choice between 25+ questions that you might get right anyway vs 3 or 4 you wont get right unless you've seen them.
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how high yield were seat belt laws? haha
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Had a few questions today that I got right specifically because of DIT. I'm sure there were more than that, but a few at least that I specifically remembered because of DIT!
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That's good to know... I have a bit less than 2 weeks until my step 1...finished DIT, and I'm hitting that point where I'm starting to doubt myself and wonder if I even know enough. The more I study, the more it seems I am forgetting everything! 
Out of curiosity Sheldor, what did you think of the DIT self-assessments that you do on the web? I took NBME 12, UWSA 1 and 2, and it seems that the DIT self-assessment split the difference between the two. Thoughts?
Out of curiosity Sheldor, what did you think of the DIT self-assessments that you do on the web? I took NBME 12, UWSA 1 and 2, and it seems that the DIT self-assessment split the difference between the two. Thoughts?
Day 12 is really p***ing me off. I didn't pay 700 bucks for you to tell me, "You guys really need to know this, but I'm not going to go through it," or, "I don't have anything more to add." COVER IT, A**!
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Was that the day with neuro and biochem? I actually really like both of those subjects and wanted to smack myself in the head after sitting through all of those hours of lectures (which were painful).
I feel like biochem in general is not a particular strength of the DIT course. A lil bit too much of "sorry guys you just need to know it, so learn it".
I feel like biochem in general is not a particular strength of the DIT course. A lil bit too much of "sorry guys you just need to know it, so learn it".
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Agreed. Though I feel like you can't do much with biochem... it's just a bunch of incessant details.
Yeah, I agree. I got a LOT better at it after just writing the pathways out once. Makes a huge difference.
I wish he would spend a little bit more time on anatomy since that's actually just something I'm bad at, too, but I suppose anatomy isn't really in FA either, so much.
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Yeah anatomy/embryo is always is always the broadest and lowest bar on all my exams. Too late to go through all of anatomy now, I'm trying just to stick with FA anatomy/embryo and the anatomy/embryo associated with systems and hope that my test will turn out ok...
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I am on Day 14 and I have to ask what they were thinking by having Dallas Alvey teach us? He not only reads directly off the page without adding anything but he also can't finish a sentence properly! Who confuses p53 for p54!?
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Day 12 was the longest day but what really pissed me off was on Day 15 when going through the RBC pathology and there are 2 pages of pictures and he says something along the lines of "There are probably 3 of these that are high yield but it would be wrong for me to tell you"- I wanted to punch my pc! I spent over $700 for your course- tell me what you think is high yield dangit!
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YES! I agree. I was like huh? Seriously?
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Is that seriously what he said?? I thought I heard him say that but then chalked it up to me being delirious from listening to the lectures for so many hours. Didn't we pay him to tell us what is high yield?
Haha, I think you're the one who can answer that question best since the rest of us haven't taken it yet 😉. DID we pay him to tell us what was high yield??? 😛
Man, your avatar keeps reminding me that I can't wait to resume my weekend TV schedule with my boyfriend (whom I haven't seen in a month and a half!). Our lineup is Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, and Parks and Rec. Sunday is going to be a good day!
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pardon the barge.....
as someone thinking about doing this for next years boards....how long did it take you all to finish the course???
tia
as someone thinking about doing this for next years boards....how long did it take you all to finish the course???
tia
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i did it in 21 days. But I only did 2 lectures some of the days
I'm currently keeping track of my DIT hours. It includes all lectures and studying that I do until I complete the course.
I'll likely finish it in 16 days. I'm starting to get fatigued, however, and I'm not sure that it's really benefiting me. Although today (respiratory) he seemed like he was tired too, which is rather annoying. With each passing day, I'm getting more and more annoyed with him.
BTW, thought I'd post this:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1621748492
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Same here. It takes a lot longer than the 15 days. I started getting fatigued somedays and only did 2 lectures. And even then it was a struggle. I think the pace they go, at 15 days is freakin' insane.
It depends on what you're trying to get from it in those 15 days. If you're trying to review, do questions, and do the lectures, it's impossible. If you do the lectures and review OR do questions on any given day, 15 days is entirely possible.
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Yeah that's what I was doing. I was trying to do maybe 3 blocks of 46 UWorld questions, reading the explanations, annotating/re-reading relevant parts of First Aid and doing DIT. Once I hit day 12, I just ran out of steam and had to take Day 12 sorta slow.
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Just out of curiosity, I have like 11 days until the test, is it worth re-watching some lectures? Or should I just go over the high yield stuff in the DIT coursebook?? Feedback would be appreciated.
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Its so hard to say how much DIT helped me. Hard to tell what I would have known had I just read First Aid versus doing DIT. I can say that there were 3 questions in particular that as I clicked the answer I knew I knew it because they said it or emphasized it in DIT. One question in particular Dr. Jenkin's specifically brought up twice, so that was cool. But $700 bucks for 3 questions? I don't know though, if I get a good score I would never bad mouth their class because it obviously would have worked. I felt well prepared, so that says something.
As to your second thing, my wife and I love those shows as well! Those are our three favorites, along with The Office and 30 Rock. Personally I think the three you mentioned are the best, but my wife LOVES 30 Rock 🙂
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I really am not a fan of Dr. Alvey. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Although he does give me hope that I could get into a general surgery program, ha.
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wow. GI lecture. Who took Dr. Alvey's step 1 for him? (heck, who took his Iowa Basic Skills tests for him?)
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So I miscounted the days (31 days in May!!) and my subscription expires today but I am only on day 14. I finished GI-I and probably can watch 3 more today. Of the 5 remaining ones left which are the best? (GI-II Path, GI-III Hepatic and Vitamins, Renal-I, Renal- II, Hematology). So frustrating!
TY
TY
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If I had to pick the best on of those, I would go with the heme lecture. Definitely skip the vitamins since he doesn't even use FA and just skims that part in the handbook really fast.
I don't have a whole lot to add after having taken the test (maybe I will remember more things later) but I will say that there was at least one specific question that DIT covered that was not covered at all in FA. I think I could have gotten the question right if I'd paid more attn to what DIT had to say about the subject. As it is, I don't know that I got it wrong, I don't know that I got it right (and I also don't care that much cause I'm done!!)
Just FYI for ppl in the DIT course.
Just FYI for ppl in the DIT course.
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hm, good to know... do you wish you had looked over the course book more?
Well, I might have gotten that one question right, but in general, I'd say no. For me, I needed to pick up the small details in FA to really score higher than I did. Which was, hopefully, still ok. 😛
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Thanks quepatho! I was debating if I should give the coursebook another go, but I think I'll just focus on first aid at this point in the game...I'm so jealous! I wanna be done too....
Ahhh the nerves, the jitters are starting to kick in!
Ahhh the nerves, the jitters are starting to kick in!
Thanks quepatho! I was debating if I should give the coursebook another go, but I think I'll just focus on first aid at this point in the game...I'm so jealous! I wanna be done too....
Ahhh the nerves, the jitters are starting to kick in!
Yeah, UW + FA is money, as everyone's been saying. Personally, I think I spent too much time with DIT and not enough time with the picky details in FA, but that's just me and everyone's different. And maybe I missed a whole lot more questions than I thought I did.
DIT is a good product though, I might still use it for Step 2 but I would possibly try to do it over winter break or something so that it didn't eat up all of my time right before the exam (too nervewracking for me).
The only thing I felt like I could have used an extra resource in is anatomy; but I also did terribly in anatomy in school and it takes me forever to learn it :-/.
Also, don't be nervous! If you've put in the time, you WILL get results. You know? I believe it, that's all. Hopefully I don't get a crushing blow come July. 😛
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