@drszee welcome to this forum......congratulations on you being pregnant....there is something very special about being pregnant the first time....everything is so new.
im a mom of two and my advice for you is try to go through the 7 books of kaplan along with lectures....by the time you are done with kaplan and lectures you it would be time for you to deliver your baby. especially if you are doing this for the first time.
when you have your baby...take a month off and relish your time with your new born...then around the second month try to look into your books when the baby is sleeping or during the nights if you can....and slowly get into the groove. once you are done with the book or chapter in kaplan....read that same chapter in FA and start to do uw questions.
write AS MUCH AS YOU CAN from uw qbank and stick it into FA...build your FA to be the only book to go to....
if all this is too much (it can be) because you want to enjoy your baby too. take some time off...spend as much time with your baby then get some help (nanny, mom, family etc) and pick up your books.
@lucky11 right now im studying alone..i tried the sp thing and it did not work for me. i feel i study better alone....one study partner was over confident and the other was not as driven..
@1128:
Thank you v much for your advice. In our situations, it gets v hard to get sound advice at times.
But i still hv 1 querry. Will kaplan lectures n notes b enough? I hv seen ppl mentioning so many big books on many other forums n threads like katzung review for pharma, goljen etc....
Also, can u gv me some idea on when can b a suitable time after baby is here, whn i cn gv the exam? I know u must b laughing at this question, bt i neither hv any idea abt babies nor abt step1....
Thanks again
In my opinion right or wrong, you need to use this 4 months bc when the baby is born and if you are going to breastfeed –that will take a lot of energy and exhaustion. The step 1 itself –it is a lot of energy and time.So,you need to be realistic about things –you can take your time, but not waste time, but isn’t going to easy bc the hormone are going to do their part. When you can take your exam –that is a question that you can ONLY answer. You are the only one who knows your backbone foundation and study style and concepts and etc…Everything is possible in this Life, but sometimes our wants doesn’t go along with our priorities. There are moms here with 5 kids and full time job and a husband and they are passing the usmle steps and they are people that their full time job is just to study. I am 5 mo pregnant now and I will give the exam around march bc I know myself that after the baby is born –at least 6 months will be my full time job with breastfeeding and etc (this is my 2nd baby, but yet is not going to be easy for me neither )….I will be doing my Masters ,but that Masters is not usmle ,so it is a big difference ,studying for usmles and studying for something else…I was not able to study for a while due to the hormonal changes in pregnancy and morning sickness and bathroom visits and ER visits and etc…
Each one of us is different, so what works for me ,might not work for you…I am wishing you to do your best and do not give up and start reading Kaplan and watching tapes and etc…
Warmly Yours,
Antonella
@drszee....as far as books go...ill tell you what im doing....im doing kaplan+FA+uw. for pathology i tried doing golijan rr book...its too much for me. so i am doing kaplan patho and looking at pictures from golijan rr book. i would suggest that you do not waste your time referring to many books because that will only prolong your study time (it did for me). as far as setting your exam date...start uw...finish uw....review your FA and take an nbme....if you start scoring above 500 in your nbme....take the exam..you are ready.....right now dont set your exam date....FOCUS ON FINISHING YOUR MATERIAL ALONG WITH UW QBANK...TAKE AN NBME AND THEN SET YOUR DATE. i hope i have helped.
@ orangesun, don't worry we all in same shoe it took me forever to finish anatomy cytology and histology now am doing Neuro only God knows when i will finish but you what? we can do it hang in there. if you want to organise skpe discussion its ok but you know it should be with those in same STAGE Of READING with you But anyway i will be interested we can try and see if it will work out everything is trial.
I havent been back to the forum in a few weeks. I again got distracted with events at my daughters school and other holiday activities. I have again set up a time table and really hope to not get distracted again and be regular. I hope you all will motivate me as well.
I am trying to finish my kapaln reading now and also doing FA in btwn. I am planning to start UW in 3 weeks.
Hi all ! looks like everyone is busy no updates , i thought i was the only one .
my husband took his 1 week vacation this week as my bday is today so busy with other work & going out etc. work up soo early this morning to read as i want this bday to be my last usmle prep & bday wish to be in residency next year .
all the best to everyone !!! keep motivating each other , study well
@ usmle 2177.
happy b day!
@usmle2177 happy b'day....my wish for you is to get the residency of your choice.