What thought processes do you use to solve problems?

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LuckiestOne

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I have been doing UWorld and I tend to keep getting questions that I actually already know in my head due to not being able to make connections with certain topics.

When I read the explanations it's crystal clear most of the time and it is frustrating that the idea hadn't come into my head although I knew it.

What type of thought process do you guys use in solving the problem generally?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!
 
I have been doing UWorld and I tend to keep getting questions that I actually already know in my head due to not being able to make connections with certain topics.

When I read the explanations it's crystal clear most of the time and it is frustrating that the idea hadn't come into my head although I knew it.

What type of thought process do you guys use in solving the problem generally?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Keep doing questions and you will learn how to recognize question patterns. Most people know the information theu question is askinG, the problem is with having the answer pop up immediately without having to think of all the dfferentials. Only way is by doing questions aNd questions and more questions.
 
Keep doing questions and you will learn how to recognize question patterns. Most people know the information theu question is askinG, the problem is with having the answer pop up immediately without having to think of all the dfferentials. Only way is by doing questions aNd questions and more questions.

If that happens it would be great.. Thank you for your input
 
I have been doing UWorld and I tend to keep getting questions that I actually already know in my head due to not being able to make connections with certain topics.

When I read the explanations it's crystal clear most of the time and it is frustrating that the idea hadn't come into my head although I knew it.

What type of thought process do you guys use in solving the problem generally?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Read the question you are to answer first. That means read the last line of the question first.

Then read each answer choice next.

Bam. You have aligned your brain to look for cues that will tell you what the answer is. Step 1 has no curve balls. If you have a question about the shape of sugar in the body, and it lists 5 types of sugar, and you hear "6 ringed" stop. Buzzword complete. Its glucose. BAM. Done. But if you started at the top of the question they might have given you some crap about DNA or the building blocks of life, or blah blah blah. Read the last sentence first (what question are you answering), then read the answer choices (what are your options), scour for buzzword to get you to pick the right answer.

Alternatively, you can read the vignette first. IF you are good, you will be able to predict the question and the answer choices. Most people are not this good, and the first method works much better.


Question to answer, options to answer, buzz words. Done.
 
Read the question you are to answer first. That means read the last line of the question first.

Then read each answer choice next.

Bam. You have aligned your brain to look for cues that will tell you what the answer is. Step 1 has no curve balls. If you have a question about the shape of sugar in the body, and it lists 5 types of sugar, and you hear "6 ringed" stop. Buzzword complete. Its glucose. BAM. Done. But if you started at the top of the question they might have given you some crap about DNA or the building blocks of life, or blah blah blah. Read the last sentence first (what question are you answering), then read the answer choices (what are your options), scour for buzzword to get you to pick the right answer.

Alternatively, you can read the vignette first. IF you are good, you will be able to predict the question and the answer choices. Most people are not this good, and the first method works much better.


Question to answer, options to answer, buzz words. Done.

Thank you for your suggestion! Will try it out.
 
Read the question you are to answer first. That means read the last line of the question first.

Then read each answer choice next.

Bam. You have aligned your brain to look for cues that will tell you what the answer is. Step 1 has no curve balls. If you have a question about the shape of sugar in the body, and it lists 5 types of sugar, and you hear "6 ringed" stop. Buzzword complete. Its glucose. BAM. Done. But if you started at the top of the question they might have given you some crap about DNA or the building blocks of life, or blah blah blah. Read the last sentence first (what question are you answering), then read the answer choices (what are your options), scour for buzzword to get you to pick the right answer.

Alternatively, you can read the vignette first. IF you are good, you will be able to predict the question and the answer choices. Most people are not this good, and the first method works much better.


Question to answer, options to answer, buzz words. Done.


You know what, this is a solid suggestion. Because i have noticed myself quite a bit spending time figuring out whether particular set of lab values are normal or highlighting piece of information in a stem which was NOT relevant at all. Meaning, they were asking about something totally different which had absolutely nothing to do with what i was highlighting or was being presented in first few lines.
 
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Then you need to do some practices problems on webpath and learn what normal values are so you can do a quick look through and pick out the abnormal.

Trust me its easier to just know the normal ranges than having to go look them up in the lab values. You can also download the sheet from nbmes with lab values and just have it handy when studying and eventually the most common lab values will stick.

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Read the question you are to answer first. That means read the last line of the question first.

Then read each answer choice next.

Bam. You have aligned your brain to look for cues that will tell you what the answer is. Step 1 has no curve balls. If you have a question about the shape of sugar in the body, and it lists 5 types of sugar, and you hear "6 ringed" stop. Buzzword complete. Its glucose. BAM. Done. But if you started at the top of the question they might have given you some crap about DNA or the building blocks of life, or blah blah blah. Read the last sentence first (what question are you answering), then read the answer choices (what are your options), scour for buzzword to get you to pick the right answer.

Alternatively, you can read the vignette first. IF you are good, you will be able to predict the question and the answer choices. Most people are not this good, and the first method works much better.


Question to answer, options to answer, buzz words. Done.

Really good suggestions that's exactly how you should approach all questions. Makes it much faster when doing a timed exam.

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