09-30-2011, 03:40 PM
Hi,
This is my opinion which of course , is pretty subjective!!
U're an old grad , working part time, With 5-6 hrs per day to read. That makes you one out of thousands of old grads. This implies you have forgotten most of the basic concepts.
From ur description of issues at hand, you are moving in a circle( not the circle of Willis, mind you!!)
A circle nevertheless. Because you tend to forget what you read, even if you understood it previously. Then you have to go back and read it again!! This is due to the bulk. Too much material to grind, digest and absorp.
Reading Kaplan lecture notes is good, BUT......cumbersome, as it will take a lot of time, and you will have to go over it again and again and again. TOO MUCH MATERIAL for an old grad working 5-6 hrs a day.
My suggestion?
Summarize USMLE World QBank ( and Kaplan QBank, if necessary) into your First Aid. Use sharp pointed HB pencils. It will take you about 2-3 months of patient, consistent summary of all the concepts. It will be tough, but do not give up. Make sure you understand the concepts as you summarize them. It will open up your mind to the way the questions are asked. Remember, it is all about the Questions.
The advantage of this approach is , you will have all the HY concepts in one book: First Aid.
This way, you can proceed to make your timetable, and study your summarized First Aid cover to cover. Study it 5 times if you will. Your speed will increase from the second read, as things begin to fall in place. After you study a system or a subject, ANSWER ALL THE USMLE QUESTIONS, UNTILL ALL THE CONCEPTS BECOME CHILD'S PLAY.
Let's say it takes
2-3 months to summarize the concepts into First Aid, and
2-3 months to read your summarized First Aid cover to cover
Total time to do this: 5-6 months.
In 6 months, you will be ready for the exam.
How do U know you are ready? Do NBMEs
Remember, it is not about how much you have read, it is all about the number of questions you can successfully and comfortably answer in the indicated time interval.
Best of luck.
The fact is, there are no short cuts with USMLE.
NB:
The advise above goes for All old grads. Remember you are an old grad. You are not any of the options below:
- A recent grad.
- An American grad.
Create your rules for success and forget about the hype out there!!!!
This is my opinion which of course , is pretty subjective!!
U're an old grad , working part time, With 5-6 hrs per day to read. That makes you one out of thousands of old grads. This implies you have forgotten most of the basic concepts.
From ur description of issues at hand, you are moving in a circle( not the circle of Willis, mind you!!)
A circle nevertheless. Because you tend to forget what you read, even if you understood it previously. Then you have to go back and read it again!! This is due to the bulk. Too much material to grind, digest and absorp.
Reading Kaplan lecture notes is good, BUT......cumbersome, as it will take a lot of time, and you will have to go over it again and again and again. TOO MUCH MATERIAL for an old grad working 5-6 hrs a day.
My suggestion?
Summarize USMLE World QBank ( and Kaplan QBank, if necessary) into your First Aid. Use sharp pointed HB pencils. It will take you about 2-3 months of patient, consistent summary of all the concepts. It will be tough, but do not give up. Make sure you understand the concepts as you summarize them. It will open up your mind to the way the questions are asked. Remember, it is all about the Questions.
The advantage of this approach is , you will have all the HY concepts in one book: First Aid.
This way, you can proceed to make your timetable, and study your summarized First Aid cover to cover. Study it 5 times if you will. Your speed will increase from the second read, as things begin to fall in place. After you study a system or a subject, ANSWER ALL THE USMLE QUESTIONS, UNTILL ALL THE CONCEPTS BECOME CHILD'S PLAY.
Let's say it takes
2-3 months to summarize the concepts into First Aid, and
2-3 months to read your summarized First Aid cover to cover
Total time to do this: 5-6 months.
In 6 months, you will be ready for the exam.
How do U know you are ready? Do NBMEs
Remember, it is not about how much you have read, it is all about the number of questions you can successfully and comfortably answer in the indicated time interval.
Best of luck.
The fact is, there are no short cuts with USMLE.
NB:
The advise above goes for All old grads. Remember you are an old grad. You are not any of the options below:
- A recent grad.
- An American grad.
Create your rules for success and forget about the hype out there!!!!