[Jones_WILLY]

I am in my second year on medical school in Mexico. The school requires the students to take the USMLE step 1 Kaplan course and pass a USMLE practice exam in our 4th semester. We started Kaplan in May and we had a midterm USMLE that I scored 38% on. We have covered all the material except half of Anatomy and Half of Biochemisty...

We have two weeks left until the final and today I did a full length Kaplan exam and I scored a 40. As a side note I have been studying as much as I can following the 6 hour Kaplan lecture but I think it is really taking a toll on me. At this point I have no clue what to do and I am really discouraged, I was really hoping for at least a 50 (which is the Avg of the last 5 blocks I did in Kaplan part of my nightly qBank blocks).

I want to pass the final to get signed off so that I can utilize the summer in the United states to prep for the real thing. I have decided that I need to be running consistent 60-65 Mixed Kaplan Qbank in order to even think about NBME's..

When I am ready for the NBME I was aiming for >400 before even thinking about the REAL USMLE. But I just can't seem to get there. I have all the current Kaplan material, First aid 2010 and Goljan Rapid review. I have been through 65% of the Goljan but I find that you really need to be fresh to get the most out of Goljan and I am not sure I am fresh after 6 hours of Kaplan. I have read through the forums and looked at the different methods but nothing seems to fit just yet. Any pointers or advice would be great... ThanKs!

JONES!

 

[khanar]

Keep it up

It's obvious that you need to read more.

If you are short of time I suggest you stop doing questions and throw Kaplan notes away.

Grab your First Aid and start reading carefully. You can finish in it in 2 to 4 weeks. FA is a one book that has all what you need to score higher.

Then after that do some Kaplan blocks and see how you do.

Also your question tackling strategy may need some modification. Sit with a colleague (who's scoring high) and see how he/she doing the questions and ask them to look at you when you do question (like a sample of 10 or 20 question) they may pinpoint what's making you score low.

Keep it up, don't get stressed about it. All of us have gone through this difficult times

 

[always]

I am in my second year ...... ThanKs! JONES!

don't worry man all of us r going to pass thru this phase..i badly need kaplan notes the latest ones..i have 2006 version..anything newer wud b a grt help..

 

[theartofbone]

don't worry man all of us r going to pass thru this phase..i badly need kaplan notes the latest ones..i have 2006 version..anything newer wud b a grt help..

The notes are just about the same within year to year..

 

[Seetal]

don't worry man all of us r going to pass thru this phase..i badly need kaplan notes the latest ones..i have 2006 version..anything newer wud b a grt help..

have u tried asking antanaRK? she has 2008 version. i got mine from her months ago.