June and July Test takers

[Kluver_Bucy]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I need your help guys.

My motivation is waning, and it is because a lack of a plan. I end up watching TV or talking on the phone with my girlfriends. God, I wish I could go shopping without feeling guilty about not studying. Could you guys post a typical day for you on here. Do you wake up at 8 am and do 50 question Qbank etc, and then read the rest of the day. Do you study at the library or at home. I guess what I am asking is what is your goal for each day (8 hours a day?) , how you study (systems approach or by class), and where you study.

I'm taking the exam in July so I still have some time to turn things around, I just need an idea on what you guys do each day. This should help the below average students like myself or those that just read the posts for inspiration have a glimpse of a typical day for the kind students on here.

I know everyone has a different plan, but I figure the more plans I see the more likely will find one that suits me. So please post what has been a typical day for you this week. Thanks a Bunch.

 

[marlow]

I need your help guys.

My motivation is waning, and it is because a lack of a plan. I end up watching TV or talking on the phone with my girlfriends. God, I wish I could go shopping without feeling guilty about not studying. Could you guys post a typical day for you on here. Do you wake up at 8 am and do 50 question Qbank etc, and then read the rest of the day. Do you study at the library or at home. I guess what I am asking is what is your goal for each day (8 hours a day?) , how you study (systems approach or by class), and where you study.

I'm taking the exam in July so I still have some time to turn things around, I just need an idea on what you guys do each day. This should help the below average students like myself or those that just read the posts for inspiration have a glimpse of a typical day for the kind students on here.

I know everyone has a different plan, but I figure the more plans I see the more likely will find one that suits me. So please post what has been a typical day for you this week. Thanks a Bunch.

Hey, I have definitely been enticed by TV, SDN, the beautiful weather, etc. Especially weeks ago when I thought "hey, I have enough time to study." Now with only a week or two away, I'm freaking out just a little bit and so all things entertaining have been put aside. As for my study schedule, I do a little Q-bank in the morning and study for the rest of the day. It's been working out okay. Sometimes I wish I would get more done and that the days were a bit longer, but it'll all work out for all of us. If you take a break (like 60% of the day which happened to me early on), its hard not to feel guilty, but don't feel bad. Just let it go and learn something with the time you have. Good luck!

 

[jbloggs]

You have plenty of time to study so you're still alright. This does not have to be a miserable time unless you want it to be. If you want to go shopping, you might as well. I take a 1.5 hr break each evening when i play basketball with my brother/shower/eat dinner. It gives me something to look forward to at the end of each day. I had six weeks to study. The first week I spent on biochem/genetics/molecular bioday. Then I am spending about 4 days per system. In each system I spent the first day reviewing embryo/anatomy/histology/physiology. Days 2-4 I reviewed pathology. I am ending each day reviewing micro and pharm (since this is mostly memorization) and doing QBANK questions. I'm hoping the last week I can focus on just First Aid and QBANK. Hope that helps. Good luck

I need your help guys.

My motivation is waning, and it is because a lack of a plan. I end up watching TV or talking on the phone with my girlfriends. God, I wish I could go shopping without feeling guilty about not studying. Could you guys post a typical day for you on here. Do you wake up at 8 am and do 50 question Qbank etc, and then read the rest of the day. Do you study at the library or at home. I guess what I am asking is what is your goal for each day (8 hours a day?) , how you study (systems approach or by class), and where you study.

I'm taking the exam in July so I still have some time to turn things around, I just need an idea on what you guys do each day. This should help the below average students like myself or those that just read the posts for inspiration have a glimpse of a typical day for the kind students on here.

I know everyone has a different plan, but I figure the more plans I see the more likely will find one that suits me. So please post what has been a typical day for you this week. Thanks a Bunch.

 

[JMD]

I try to do 12 hours a day in 4 hour blocks.
8-12 q-bank + review
Then I take a 2 hour break to workout, enjoy the sunshine, relax, etc.
2-6 study
6-7 dinner
7-11 more studying

Now, this is my "ideal" schedule, but I haven't stuck to it as much as I would like to. Sometimes I'll sleep in a bit, take an extended dinner, quit early, etc.

I've been doing this for 2 weeks... only 3 left so I'm trying to motivate myself to stay on track. Nice weather and SDN aren't helping me much with that though 🙂 .

Just don't stress yourself out about the time you're not studying. Take a couple hours to shop or whatever and relax, but make sure when it is time to study again you get stuff done.

On that note, biochem is calling me.

 

[sapience8x]

It depends. the first week, i had a really rough time getting it together so i moved my test date! 😀
then i was studying but i felt as if i wasn't going anywhere ( it was phys). so i decided to do nothing inthe eveninsg after 8. i studied all day though.
this week i have been relaly going at it, studying for about 10-11 hours each day. and then today happened. i had a really rough time getting it together. however, i did get about 6 or 7 hours in. the last 3 have been really good.

most days i don't anwer the phone. if they really want me, they'll leave a message. if i have to take a break, I do. I also take advantage of the times when i actually have it together and make the most out of that.
don't beat yourself up over it.

 

[NMH2001]

study...check SDN...play with ferrets...study...check SDN...play with ferrets.... 😉

Comlex in T-10 days, USMLE July 31st.

 

[Ramoray]

i wuold def. try studying systems if you dont already. I personally think its boring as **** and not productive to study the same subject for days in a row, all day. I mean once you start getting bored of a subject you stop caring as much and skim over things more etc. I personally am alot happier studying systems. I started cardio this week. I spent my first 2 weeks doing general path, biochem, pharmkinetics, immunology and a couple loose ends that didnt fit well into systems. Now for the next 8 weeks i am doing systems and questions from qbank based on the system i am doing and it is alot easier to put in 12 hour days when your doing somethign new each day, atleast for me.

 

[Kluver_Bucy]

12 hours a day, wow! Good for you. Where do you get the staying power. I am consumed by my ADD.

Anyone else please post your typical study day this week to inspire the other people on SDN. Thanks a bunch to the posters.

 

[ucbdancn00]

sup all...

typically my day ranges from 12-16 hours per day. yes you're probably thinking, the WTF..however...i'm a relatively slow reader and it takes me longer than you speed demons out there. I'm your slightly above average student and the guy who only recently learned how to take tests.....

i've been following kaplan's lecture schedule (i'm not in the class, but i have their lecture notes) and reading through every subject....certain subjects that are more brute memorization aren't so bad and those that are conceptual (ie physio) take longer. i've been annotating into first aid (my book is becoming one big post-it)

At night i go over questions in a slightly diff way that most people; instead of doing random blocks (with all subjects); I do random blocks with all the subjects i have reviewed up through a given day. That way it helps to review my understanding of what i have gone through previously.

I'm finishing having gone through everything by next friday (june 3rd) and taking the first NBME prac exam on june 4th. I guess if my score is kinda crappy i'll figure out if i'm going to push it back or not. From this point on i'm gonna try to churn through first aid 3x in 9 days. 10th day take 2nd nbme..

June 15th is d-day..

good luck to all of you and don't fret....it's easy to stress out, but do whatever you have to to stay calm. take care

ucb

 

[jwin]

i am studying for 4 weeks. the first 2 weeks i probably was averaging about 8-9 hours a day. in these last 2 weeks i have probably been doing about 10 hours a day. i try to go to the gym 4 times a week. i definitely watch some tv now and then as a break. i usually do reading during the day and Qbank at night. 12 hours a day for 4 weeks is just not sustainable for me. i would become bitter and end up doing worse on the exam.

 

[JMD]

At night i go over questions in a slightly diff way that most people; instead of doing random blocks (with all subjects); I do random blocks with all the subjects i have reviewed up through a given day. That way it helps to review my understanding of what i have gone through previously.
ucb

I use the same strategy. When I start to cover a subject I simply add it to my "cumulative" blocks in q-bank, so i'll be doing totally mixed blocks by the end. Some people advise against it, but for me I find it totally useless (and aggravating) to do questions on stuff that I haven't covered yet.

 

[marlow]

ucb, my stomach just got major butterflies from hearing you say "D-day!" Lots of luck to you and everyone else who's D-day is soon approaching.

 

[ucbdancn00]

ucb, my stomach just got major butterflies from hearing you say "D-day!" Lots of luck to you and everyone else who's D-day is soon approaching.

hahah, thanks man....g'luck to everyone....i'm going to sleep for a bit. my brain is tired again. useless need for REM.....

ucb