D-Day! Step 2 CK

D-Day! Step 2 ck trials.

The day was Wednesday, August 13th, and it was the day of the long awaited and long avoided Step Exam. I woke up around 5 am. I took a shower and dressed up well. Grabbed a sweater to fight the cold if needed, and then I had my breakfast. I was out the house by 630pm with the sole purpose of avoiding the dreaded traffic into New Jersey. Needless to say, I arrived at 7, a whole hour prior to commencement of my nine hour trial. I flipped through my DIT guide book. Finally, it was time. I walked to the building feeling I had studied a lot and so this test should not be an issue. Just yesterday I had taken the UWORLD assessment test and did decent. Today should not be a problem.

I walked up to the entrance of the building and took a picture.

I was finally situated before my computer to take my test. I clicked next to start the test. I was feeling...

Holy smoke this test was hard. Question stems were longer than I witnessed in nbmes or the uworld assessment tests. Moreover, keeping my eyes open from block one and maintaining my concentration was a task. . I had to reread question stems because I lost focus during the first read. I should've slept at 10 pm, as I planned, instead of 12 am like I ended up doing

Regardless, I was aware that this day was D day. The day I'd prepared many months for. I could not drop the ball. I told myself to focus. I told myself to stay sharp and not make stupid mistakes.

I did focus but it was a tiring task. I struggled to finish on time.

After the final block, I walked out and called a friend to complain. Right after, I went to grab some fast food, which for me post exam has become synonymous with the pain i feel after a hard test. Now, I sit here and wait patiently.

Results of STEP 2 ck:

-        So I found out I passed. I was elated. Waiting for the result was nerve racking. I did not do as great as I wanted to do. However, I scored 60 points higher than where I started from, in my first nbme exam, and that I passed irrespective of being excessively less than optimal mentally on the day I took the Exam.

The grind continues (((((7:59:59))))

Nothing new is up except for studying for step 2 ck. I'm still not where i want to be when looking at my NBME scores. Quite frustrating to say the least. Basically all that means is the grind continues. I've changed modified my studying. I've been keeping track of what i'm doing. If i do well on this exam I'll post what i did.

Wish me luck... I'll bring the hard work.

2/15/2014 -2/17/2014

Today is pure awesomeness in the form champions league matches on tv: barcelona vs manchester city! Unfortunately i'll be in the hospital, ugh. Will just have to catch the rematch.

step 2 studying:
over the weekend, I just reviewed my notes. This morning (2/18) I did a 19 questions.

ramblings 2/11/12

It's getting even harder to maintain a 5 hour one set of questions after work now. Ugh. I did only 19 questions yesterday. At this pace it will take forever to finish uworld. Have to crank up the pace somehow someway. brainstorming. Maybe wake up earlier to do them in the morning. The idea is to get the questions out of the way in the morning and then just do review when i get back home. Or do half in the morning and half at night.

questions:
no to all. ugh!!

Ramblings

Finishing a set of questions, reviewing and taking notes after getting back from rotations is a pain. It is what it is. Presented to the attending and resident today. Went well.

daily questions
1) avoid random websites: n
2) avoid youtube: y
3) do a set of questions: y
4) read kap internal: n
5) review material during the day: y
6) wake up early in the morning to read: y

ramblings

Could barely keep eyes open while doing questions so knocked out early.
 
Daily questions:
avoid random surfing of websites: n
Avoided reading manga-n
avoided youtube--n
did > 200 uworld questions --n (did 12 questions)
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- n

ramblings

About 5 hours finish one set of questions. ugh. 
 
Daily questions:
avoid random surfing of websites: n
Avoided reading manga-n
avoided youtube--n
did > 200 uworld questions --n (did 44questions)
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- n

Ramblings

My new rotation has started. I went for orientation yesterday. Three more to go after this rotation and then... yayyy. But first must get past this current bane of my existence called Step 2 ck. 

I got home and knocked out for a few. Then I did some question and read through my kaplan notes.

Daily questions:
avoid random surfing of websites: n
Avoided reading manga-n
avoided youtube--n
did > 200 uworld questions --n (did 60 questions)
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- n (read ~8pgs)

Step 2 ck grind

-Turns out it takes me about 4 hours to go through a set of uworld question. Painfully tedious. meh. 



Daily questions:
avoid random surfing of websites: n
Avoided reading manga-y
avoided youtube--n (looked at two videos)
did > 200 uworld questions --n (did 68 questions)
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- n (read 12 pgs)

Ramblings: step 2 CK

Yesterday was much better. I studied all day.

Going through questions takes a lot longer that I expected/wanted since I'm going through the answers simultaneously, checking why all the wrong answers are wrong, and writing down what i feel is relevant (a lot.) Also, I was going to push myself through the night to finish up everything but decided against it since I plan on waking up early to start studying. I would be counterproductive if I incapacitate myself as a result of exhaustion. Its OK, so long as I keep shooting for 200 questions everyday I will not slack off.

 Push push push thats the name of the game.

Daily questions:
avoid random surfing of websites: y
Avoided reading manga-y
avoided youtube-- y
did > 200 uworld questions --n (did 105 questions)
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- n (read 20 pgs)

ramblings

Wasn't productive yesterday. Had to run some errands too and drive my pops around. 

Daily questions:
avoid random surfing of websites: n
Avoided reading manga- n
avoided youtube-- y
did > 200 uworld questions --n
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- n

step 2 ck

Day 1
Rough start.

Daily questions:
avoid random surfing of websites: n
Avoided reading manga- n
avoided youtube-- n
did > 200 uworld questions -n (~90 questions)
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- y/n

Ramblings: Step 2 ck

This exam is harder than i expected. i took a few nbme's and although I have been steadily improving in everyone that I've taken the results are still bad. I haven't passed one. I need to bring my scores up. For now I'll finish uworld a second time and finish and review internal med kaplan notes. Baby steps. I'll get there.

---
Daily questions: 
avoid random surfing of websites: y/n
Avoided reading manga- y/n
avoided youtube-- y/n
did > 200 uworld questions --y/n
read a minimum of 30 pages in internal medicine- y/n

Doubt...

I push back my wheeled office chair from the table, upon which books are sprawled, and feel some doubt. Doubt as to whether I can do this, doubt as to whether I will do great on this exam, and when all is done will I make it into residency.  However, its a fleeting feeling/thought. There is no time for doubt. There's only time to grind as hard as possible and let the chips fall where they will.

Now thats done its time to answer the call of the wild, my books are getting impatient.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!