recently moved to US and need help studying for step

[hopefulsurgeon]

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Hello everyone.

I was hoping some of the kind members would be able to help me make a study plan. I am an international doctor that was a practicing surgeon in my homeland. I recently moved to the US with a green card and my wife and 2 kids. I have been out of basic sciences for almost 8 years. I know that this may be aiming too high, but I would like to get 220 and above because I would really like to get a surgery rotation. I can't imagine doing something else after all these years. I hope I'm being realistic in my goals.

I have allocated the next 6 months for study. the 1st 3 months, i am doing a part time job which gives me 3 days off completely and half a day the other 4 days of the week. some bills have to be paid. The following 3 months, I will devote completely to study.

does anyone know of a 6 month study plan? I've noticed most don't go past 8 weeks. any help anyone out there could provide would be very much appreciated. I've read the experiences thread so I have a good idea in terms of materials, but wasn't sure how to allocate the time and/or style of study.

I would like to thank you. I've learned a great deal from reading this forum. Once again, thank you for all your help.

 

[doc20]

People who take 8 or less weeks are usually medical student still in school and just fresh out of basic sciences.
for someone that has been out of basic science for a long time its a good idea to spend a little more time to get back the basics
your plans sound good, and 220 is not a high aim, just do NBME

 

[ZonaRidicularis]

z

 

[Pascal8]

you can also just go back home to your home country and be a doc there . I think residencies in the us should be reserved only for us citizens studying either in the us or the 1st 2 yrs in the caribbean . All the major US banks and US lending institutions lend millions to us citizens to study medicine ( either in the us or caribbean ) , these funds help build the us economy ( which is now hemorraghing ) . It really is not fair to allocate us spots to visa foreign docs since residency is funded by us citizens tax dollars .

Further it is notr fair to the home country of those foreign doctors . All the tax dollars and support of the foreign country to produce a doc only for him to leave the country for the us ...what a waste for that country

Finally , foreign docs who emigrate to the us would be less inclined towards patient care since afterall the only reason they are coming to the us is for big $$$

I don't know why a separate thread was started . Tons of experience here . Also foreign docs who complete 6 years of med school plus experience are sitting for an exam designed for 2nd year med students . Talk about a big advantage for these foreign docs . Not impressed by your 99's .

 

[peter90036]

he didnt ask for political opinions.
there are many questions that are repeated in this forum, do you go around heckling every one of them?

 

[lord_jeebus]

Let's stay on the topic of the original poster's questions.

 

[estrogenic]

Pascal8...its ironic how you think that IMG's will lack patient care because they are just after the big bucks...it is the arrogance of people with your mindset who usually are the ones who are apathetic towards patients.

 

[ZonaRidicularis]

z

 

[hopefulsurgeon]

Thank you very much for all your help. I apologize if I offended anyone. It was not my intention to do so but I am sorry nonetheless.

From reading some of the posts, I've decided to go with this plan. Please feel free to critique it.

1st 3 months: subject oriented following the kaplan videos (for example, do biochem using kaplan videos and notes), and follow along with corresponding information in first aid.

last 3 months: use First aid as a framework for organ systems and follow along with other materials (for example, do CV in first aid, and read the corresponding information in RR pathology, CMMRS, BRS physio, etc)

I will also subscribe to a Q bank and do a certain number of questions accordingly.

does this sound feasible or efficient?

thanks once again.

 

[DrTennis]

In terms of using a Q-Bank along with your studying, if you are going to do the 3 months of subject based review followed by 3 more months of systems based review, I would do perhaps Kaplan Q-Bank for the first 3 months. Then for the last 3 months during your systems based review, do USMLE World (harder than Kaplan). Both of these Q-banks have around 2500 questions or more.

Some find that doing just one of the q-banks is sufficient, but since you have been out of basic sciences for a while, you'll benefit from doing both. Also, doing many of these questions will familiarize yourself with the multiple choice question style that is used on USMLE step exams. One of the biggest challenges for an IMG is getting used to multiple choice questions, as I recall my Dad who is an IMG telling me that he was so used to fill in the blank and open answer questions when he was in med school back in Asia. It took him some time to get used to the way multiple choice style questions are asked.

 

[hj0517]

Pascal8 - with a statement like that I'm surprised you are even in med school mate, gosh you would be excellent in a debating society with all those sweeping generalizations wouldn't you?

If you don't have anything productive to say then don't say it because a) anyone with half a brain will dismiss your argument and b) nothing you said actually answered this chaps question!