lifestruggles
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- Dec 12, 2018
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I see people requesting help for SEP section so I just want to give you guys some advice that might help from my CS experience. I actually didn't have problem with SEP or CIS on my exam, my issue was the ICE section, but I finally passed it. I practiced with many SPs online and in person so my knowledge and experience might help others pass SEP section who are struggling with it. My 3 SPs failed SEP, but passed it on 2nd try. Their major mistakes for SEP section were speaking fast, repeating questions multiple times, too many confused/feeling lost facial expressions while speaking, and major pronunciation mistakes. I think SEP is just not the English speaking test, but how you speak the language for others to understand you properly so also about the manners of speaking.
How I passed SEP section and what I would recommend to improve on it:
- Speak slow
----If you speak fast then you will end up repeating questions making the pt think you don't understand and you have trouble with speaking and understanding English.
- Don't ask same question 2-3x. This shows you don't understand them.
- Don't ask 2 questions together, ask 1 question at a time.
----For example don't say: " Do you have nausea or vomiting?" instead: Any nausea? wait for their response then "Any vomiting?" pause...
-Let the pt finish talking before you ask another question.
-Don't talk over the pt.
-Don't rush the pt when he/shes giving you information even if you are running out of time. STAY CALM.
-Don't show confused facial expressions after pt tells you something. They will think you don't know what you are asking or talking about when in reality you know way more than them. Control your facial and body expressions. You should seem calm, relaxed, and confident about what you asked.
----You can improve this and facial expressions by finding a center where many students come to practice for CS and practice with as many people as you can. Keep practicing until your new sps can't take out any mistakes even if it takes 2-3 months to get better, especially since its your 2nd try.
- Don't be scared of the patient and start stuttering or mumbling.
- Maintain your voice tone. It shouldn't go up and down when you speak as that shows you are scared.
----It shouldn't look like you are the patient who needs anxiety medication because you are so scared of him/her that you can't speak properly and about to pass out and the pt is the doctor. lol ... One of my SP would speak properly when we weren't doing cases, but as soon as I gave him a case he would start sweating, mumbling, and stuttering. It made me feel bad that I was scaring him or something when I was doing my best to calm him down by not looking at him directly constantly or speaking in very calm voice, but that was still not helping him. I told him the only way to deal with this was to keep practicing with new people and focus on relaxing yourself at the same time when you are speaking to the pt.
--For SEP section don't stick to few SPs, you need to talk to as many people as you can so they can take out your mistakes. Tell your SPs to focus on your speaking part and to take out your mistakes. Have new partners everyday.
- Make a list of all the terms you say wrong and look up terms' pronunciation on youtube or other websites that your SPs are pointing out that you are pronouncing wrong. Either learn to pronounce it correctly or replace the word with another one with similar meaning that you can pronounce.
-Make sure to say "Thank you, I appreciate, I'm sorry, etc"
-Find people who got high marks or passed SEP with a star but failed other part so you can help them with other CS parts while you get help from them to improve your SEP. They need you and you need them.
-Take a mock exam at the end to check yourself before you go into the real exam.
-After mock exam give yourself couple weeks to improve your mistakes on your mock exam.
-And then finally go into the center with calm, relaxed, and confident attitude.
-If you are looking for a program then couple students have told me that gold course in Houston helped them pass SEP part 2nd time around.
Hope this helps out. I know what students go through when they fail such expensive exams and what others don't see; the heartache, depression, PTSD, panic attacks, stress on family, anxiety, uncertainty, financial burden, and much more that comes with it. I wish you guys the best and hope we all make it.
Best of luck everyone!
How I passed SEP section and what I would recommend to improve on it:
- Speak slow
----If you speak fast then you will end up repeating questions making the pt think you don't understand and you have trouble with speaking and understanding English.
- Don't ask same question 2-3x. This shows you don't understand them.
- Don't ask 2 questions together, ask 1 question at a time.
----For example don't say: " Do you have nausea or vomiting?" instead: Any nausea? wait for their response then "Any vomiting?" pause...
-Let the pt finish talking before you ask another question.
-Don't talk over the pt.
-Don't rush the pt when he/shes giving you information even if you are running out of time. STAY CALM.
-Don't show confused facial expressions after pt tells you something. They will think you don't know what you are asking or talking about when in reality you know way more than them. Control your facial and body expressions. You should seem calm, relaxed, and confident about what you asked.
----You can improve this and facial expressions by finding a center where many students come to practice for CS and practice with as many people as you can. Keep practicing until your new sps can't take out any mistakes even if it takes 2-3 months to get better, especially since its your 2nd try.
- Don't be scared of the patient and start stuttering or mumbling.
- Maintain your voice tone. It shouldn't go up and down when you speak as that shows you are scared.
----It shouldn't look like you are the patient who needs anxiety medication because you are so scared of him/her that you can't speak properly and about to pass out and the pt is the doctor. lol ... One of my SP would speak properly when we weren't doing cases, but as soon as I gave him a case he would start sweating, mumbling, and stuttering. It made me feel bad that I was scaring him or something when I was doing my best to calm him down by not looking at him directly constantly or speaking in very calm voice, but that was still not helping him. I told him the only way to deal with this was to keep practicing with new people and focus on relaxing yourself at the same time when you are speaking to the pt.
--For SEP section don't stick to few SPs, you need to talk to as many people as you can so they can take out your mistakes. Tell your SPs to focus on your speaking part and to take out your mistakes. Have new partners everyday.
- Make a list of all the terms you say wrong and look up terms' pronunciation on youtube or other websites that your SPs are pointing out that you are pronouncing wrong. Either learn to pronounce it correctly or replace the word with another one with similar meaning that you can pronounce.
-Make sure to say "Thank you, I appreciate, I'm sorry, etc"
-Find people who got high marks or passed SEP with a star but failed other part so you can help them with other CS parts while you get help from them to improve your SEP. They need you and you need them.
-Take a mock exam at the end to check yourself before you go into the real exam.
-After mock exam give yourself couple weeks to improve your mistakes on your mock exam.
-And then finally go into the center with calm, relaxed, and confident attitude.
-If you are looking for a program then couple students have told me that gold course in Houston helped them pass SEP part 2nd time around.
Hope this helps out. I know what students go through when they fail such expensive exams and what others don't see; the heartache, depression, PTSD, panic attacks, stress on family, anxiety, uncertainty, financial burden, and much more that comes with it. I wish you guys the best and hope we all make it.
Best of luck everyone!
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