Plan!!!!

[RedSoxSuck]

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Well, i really want some feedback...

Few weeks ago took NBME 12 and missed alot of questions. Half of the missed questions were from Pathology. And 1/2 from the other 50% of missed questions were from pharm. So i have been doing pathoma, just like other people have suggested.

So i read a system in pathoma then read the same system from FA (has notes from BRS, High yield series and med essentials) then do USMLERx question (~40q) from the same system focusing on path, pathphys and pharm. Then before going to sleep, i quickly look over pharm which was covered that day. I do 1 system a day.

I finished aforementioned schedule and now starting the same schedule over. Next NBME test date is april 12th. I should be able to finish everything by then. I MUST SEE improvements. Hopefully will be around 215ish range on next NBME.

Prior to NBME 12, i was doing Uworld questions in a untimed tumor mode and because of that i think, i had trouble recalling information in a timely manner on practice exam so now i am doing questions in a timed mode and forcing myself to finish the block with 3-4 minutes to spare.

So questions is: Am i doing enough and approaching it the right way to see improvements or do i need to make changes? Thanks. Hopefully shortened version of the post will get me some reassurance etc because i am dying due to anxiety.

I am scoring high 60s to low 70s on USMLErx. Thanks folks!

 

[Chirurg]

Prior to NBME 12, i was doing Uworld questions in a untimed tumor mode and because of that i think, i had trouble recalling information in a timely manner on practice exam so now i am doing questions in a timed mode and forcing myself to finish the block with 3-4 minutes to spare.

So questions is: Am i doing enough and approaching it the right way to see improvements or do i need to make changes? Thanks. Hopefully shortened version of the post will get me some reassurance etc because i am dying due to anxiety.

I am scoring high 60s to low 70s on USMLErx. Thanks folks!

Tumor mode sounds hardcore man!

Your plan for path is good, I've watched quite a lot of pathoma videos by now and I'm convinced he will sort you out.
For pharm do Flashcards from the pharm that is in FA which is sufficient as many people have said, but generally for pharm it's good to do it for systems and I think you already do that.
you can do manual flashcards but I would download Anki, which is free.

 

[RedSoxSuck]

Tumor mode sounds hardcore man!

Your plan for path is good, I've watched quite a lot of pathoma videos by now and I'm convinced he will sort you out.
For pharm do Flashcards from the pharm that is in FA which is sufficient as many people have said, but generally for pharm it's good to do it for systems and I think you already do that.
you can do manual flashcards but I would download Anki, which is free.

Thanks for the feedback.

I have Lange flash cards and not really like them. I bought them as an impulse. I have fa phrm organized in my head so I think deviating from that organization will be more time consuming.

 

[Chirurg]

Thanks for the feedback.

I have Lange flash cards and not really like them. I bought them as an impulse. I have fa phrm organized in my head so I think deviating from that organization will be more time consuming.

in that case there is one more thing which gave me a superior understanding of pharm and that is kaplan's raymond lectures.
that guy is a genius or the goljan of pharm if you like.

 

[RedSoxSuck]

in that case there is one more thing which gave me a superior understanding of pharm and that is kaplan's raymond lectures.
that guy is a genius or the goljan of pharm if you like.

Good idea!!

 

[shan564]

I wasn't initially going to comment on this thread because I don't feel like I'm qualified to do so (I haven't taken the test yet, so my guess is as good as yours). But because you asked me to comment in another thread, I'll give it a shot.

I think your study plan is good. But if you're like me, the most important thing is to have a plan that is manageable - that is, a reasonable amount of content (not so little that you're not busy enough, but not so much that you start to compromise your sanity).

It sounds to me like you're focusing on a reasonable amount of content at the moment and you're doing a good job of targeting your weaknesses. But my major concern would be that you might start to forget some of the other subjects when you're focusing on path/pharm.

If you have time, then I agree that the Raymond lectures are great. That's how I learned pharm, and it's now one of my strong points.

If you're in the high 60s-low 70s range on USMLERx, then I'd be surprised if you didn't break 215 on your next NBME.

As far as the bottom line - that'll depend on how much time you have. When's your test?

 

[RedSoxSuck]

..

 

[RedSoxSuck]

I wasn't initially going to comment on this thread because I don't feel like I'm qualified to do so (I haven't taken the test yet, so my guess is as good as yours). But because you asked me to comment in another thread, I'll give it a shot.

I think your study plan is good. But if you're like me, the most important thing is to have a plan that is manageable - that is, a reasonable amount of content (not so little that you're not busy enough, but not so much that you start to compromise your sanity).

It sounds to me like you're focusing on a reasonable amount of content at the moment and you're doing a good job of targeting your weaknesses. But my major concern would be that you might start to forget some of the other subjects when you're focusing on path/pharm.

If you have time, then I agree that the Raymond lectures are great. That's how I learned pharm, and it's now one of my strong points.

If you're in the high 60s-low 70s range on USMLERx, then I'd be surprised if you didn't break 215 on your next NBME.

As far as the bottom line - that'll depend on how much time you have. When's your test?

When i review a system from FA after reviewing corresponding system from pathoma, i review embryo, anatomy, phys, path and pharm from FA. So i am still reviewing other stuff besides path/pharm. However, when i do questions, i am ONLY targeting path/phys rather than everything.

Raymond lectures as in Kaplan lecture notes or Kaplan videos?

I think biggest problem was: Not being able to recall information in a timely manner and getting bogged down on a question because i was on the "verge" of figuring it out. Now i am doing question in TIMED mode and forcing myself to spend equal amount of time on a question, marking it and then moving on.

The reason why i wanted you to comment was because we are all in the same boat. So perhaps fresh eyes might give a different perspective or confirm it etc etc.

Thanks!

 

[shan564]

Raymond lectures as in Kaplan lecture notes or Kaplan videos?

I used the 2007 videos with the 2009 notes and I did it in 2010. I don't know about other years, but those were great.