tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post3680805708643399552..comments2024-03-18T09:00:31.992-04:00Comments on Doctor Grumpy in the House: It's that time of year againGrumpy, M.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09858110332436246760noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-44323025964594818592011-05-31T23:09:40.738-04:002011-05-31T23:09:40.738-04:00Dr. Grumpy,
I have been in a cave for four weeks...Dr. Grumpy, <br /><br />I have been in a cave for four weeks. My 2 year old had fever last night and I would not go near her. I will have to pay for her therapy one day, but I am taking step 1 tomorrow. I had planned to stop studying tonight at 7:00pm to relax and go to bed early. I did not stop studying until 10pm when I finally realized that I was not going to get through everything I wanted to. I logged on to your website for the first time in months and I came across this post. I am so glad I read it. Thank you for your words of encouragement.<br /><br />IndyMomIndyMomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-20108022488675060142011-05-28T12:27:11.759-04:002011-05-28T12:27:11.759-04:00@cholerajoe..
I was a nuke officer, now a med stu...@cholerajoe..<br /><br />I was a nuke officer, now a med student. Nuke school was a walk in the park compared to med school.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-58071130863258359032011-05-28T07:35:49.414-04:002011-05-28T07:35:49.414-04:00Dr. Grumpy, a serious question comes to mind. Do y...Dr. Grumpy, a serious question comes to mind. Do you think that this test(and others like it) is really the best way to determine whether students know the material?<br /><br />I'm not denigrating those of you who have taken these tests, but I wonder if there might be a better way.<br /><br />Further, there is the question of how much memorization is really needed nowadays? For example, I use a calculator in much of my design work. I could do it by hand, and for the simple stuff I do. But for the rest of it, to save time, I use a cheap calculator.Don Phttp://parker-dl@att.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-88659385982542031192011-05-25T01:10:04.254-04:002011-05-25T01:10:04.254-04:00Thanks for the re-post Dr. Grumpy! I read the orig...Thanks for the re-post Dr. Grumpy! I read the original post a while back, but it really has a whole new sense of commiseration when you're right in the middle of it! I take mine in less than 3 weeks and am starting to get freaked out. So many resources; so little time. Like you, I have also eaten a PB&J for lunch every day during this study period -- no time (or money) for anything else! And I have a daily uniform of jeans + t-shirt (+/- hoodie depending on temperature). But I have been showering (unlike an above poster), and I definitely can't make it on 4 hrs of sleep a night -- that's impressive (or crazy or both). Sundays are my favorite day of the week because I let myself sleep in till 9am. Sweet, sweet Sundays! Lots of luck to all the other studiers out there!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-76340441607274825412011-05-24T18:12:02.745-04:002011-05-24T18:12:02.745-04:00i think you studied way more then i did. i always ...i think you studied way more then i did. i always relied on the force to take those tests. i went with whatever answer felt the most right. i do remember spending a great deal of time organizing my colored pencils...happy internisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950939814034109000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-48308059836879443412011-05-24T09:45:51.648-04:002011-05-24T09:45:51.648-04:00I honestly don't remember any more.I honestly don't remember any more.Grumpy, M.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09858110332436246760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-65328008183226765762011-05-24T09:43:44.907-04:002011-05-24T09:43:44.907-04:00What field did Enzyme go into? I am studying for s...What field did Enzyme go into? I am studying for step one right, June 20 is the big day!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-5581270694282169832011-05-24T08:27:02.705-04:002011-05-24T08:27:02.705-04:00All these comments about computer tests make me fe...All these comments about computer tests make me feel SO FUCKING OLD. I took it on paper, with a #2 pencil.Grumpy, M.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09858110332436246760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-74748689512597807922011-05-24T07:47:16.272-04:002011-05-24T07:47:16.272-04:00I saw that movie about a year before I went to Cal...I saw that movie about a year before I went to Caltech. It really is a lot like the movie, minus the glamour.<br /><br />And I had a term like that, minus the screaming. Instead, students left pitiful notes on the Sun lab whiteboard before they dropped the class. "We can't take it anymore." It made it easier for the rest of us to get onto the computers to do our projects.<br /><br />So yeah, the way someone else simply takes the good spot at the table, that just about captures it.<br /><br />wv: sorli -- how one feels looking backAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-72607083536860780252011-05-23T20:32:17.327-04:002011-05-23T20:32:17.327-04:00Blocks of 200 questions sounds terrible! Thankful...Blocks of 200 questions sounds terrible! Thankfully, the test format has changed a bit; it's now seven blocks of 46 questions that each have an hour time limit. It's all computerized now too. <br /><br />I take mine tomorrow...can't wait to be done! My study experience hasn't been that terrible compared to some of the horror stories, but that's probably because I have a really low study tolerance. I think I've played more guitar and seen more friends than normal since I've been "studying".<br /><br />Good luck to everyone else who's taking it soon!Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-41060250690349296102011-05-23T20:25:32.474-04:002011-05-23T20:25:32.474-04:00I don't know if other people touched on it, bu...I don't know if other people touched on it, but the exam is computerized (as everything is) these days. Since the computer testing centers only have a small number of computers (7-15, in my experience), only a few people take the exam on any given day. For example, I took it almost a year ago, June 16th, which was relatively early for my class. Most of my class took it somewhere between June 10th and June 29th or so. So while we all weren't studying for the same exact day, we did huddle together in almost exactly the way you described; grabbing food when we could, working out, swapping jokes, etc. It was one of the most depressing times of medical school (which is saying something in and of itself); I think the only reason that those of us who stayed sane did so because of mutual peer support. I'd also venture to guess that, while there is more importance than ever placed on Step 1, there are also better study aides out there that really have it down to a science... as long as you're willing to commit to the time and energy.<br />Loved your post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-2111347302989431202011-05-23T17:56:36.955-04:002011-05-23T17:56:36.955-04:00This post gave me heart palpitations... I'm no...This post gave me heart palpitations... I'm not even in med school, but I, too, will take licensing exams someday. SIGH.suzy pepperhttp://suzypepper.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-2416263245648112562011-05-23T16:21:20.980-04:002011-05-23T16:21:20.980-04:00Yet another reason I'm glad I went to pharmacy...Yet another reason I'm glad I went to pharmacy school instead.<br /><br />posting anonymous (don't want to get flamed by fellow PharmD's).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-36839843652773782132011-05-23T15:46:49.258-04:002011-05-23T15:46:49.258-04:00Bar Exam --similar, but after working full time an...Bar Exam --similar, but after working full time and going four years at night, I Was run to ground, so spent my time trying to rest and study. What we are willing to put ourselves through--leads to the inevitable If I had to do it over again.Packerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10790343423937405624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-78312796526997037822011-05-23T13:13:13.791-04:002011-05-23T13:13:13.791-04:00Mine was in the summer of 1972. If I hadn't be...Mine was in the summer of 1972. If I hadn't been cut from the Olympic squad in 1970, I could have been in Munich dodging bullets. Much preferable to USMLE.CholeraJoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12167312554521861745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-80956092836612886902011-05-23T10:22:54.356-04:002011-05-23T10:22:54.356-04:00When I was in the US Navy, I attended the Naval Nu...When I was in the US Navy, I attended the Naval Nuclear Power School in Orlando FL. In a six month window they crammed all the science and physics of a two-year nuclear engineering AAS degree into our little minds. At the end, we were given a comprehensive Essay-Only test on the entire course. You had to score an 85% to pass, if memory serves.<br /><br />Officers had it worse, their six-month course covered a full four year Nuclear Engineering degree.Donhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01287039093284613915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-45254940176717086662011-05-23T07:06:42.123-04:002011-05-23T07:06:42.123-04:00I took the USMLE during my maternity leave for my ...I took the USMLE during my maternity leave for my daughter. Didn't study one single bit as a nursing mom.<br /><br />P=MD.ER's Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203520439121823165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-26113091388765790402011-05-23T06:48:39.135-04:002011-05-23T06:48:39.135-04:00I remember studying for my doctoral comprehensive ...I remember studying for my doctoral comprehensive exams...but I had all summer to study for the written part in the fall of '93. Took 5 days at 8 hrs per day to complete the written part. Then about a month later I had to do the orals, which covered the weaker areas of the written part. No way I could have been ready in only 30 days for the written. Four years of coursework reduced to 40 hrs of exams. Gotta love it! LOLDrPeteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04723388814143243881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-20953020163856003932011-05-23T04:12:27.703-04:002011-05-23T04:12:27.703-04:00aaaaaand that's why I'm doing speech patho...aaaaaand that's why I'm doing speech pathology instead of medicine.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-22166480115864818432011-05-23T03:48:10.273-04:002011-05-23T03:48:10.273-04:00@This littlePiggy:
Med school in the US and UK is ...@This littlePiggy:<br />Med school in the US and UK <i>is</i> very different. I've just finished finals, but this friday also have USMLE step 2 - the easy one. I'm putting of STEP 1 until i'm study for MRCP - we just don't get taught (for good reason) half the crap they have to know. Well, not in my medical school anyway. I'm yet to find a single clinician in the UK who's managed a case of Fabry's disease. Or any of the hundreds of other pointless 1 in a million million diseases they pull out of the woodwork for that test. Good times, and good luck all test takers.legalaliennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-81498855288282137182011-05-22T22:34:25.208-04:002011-05-22T22:34:25.208-04:00yuk, what an insane way of testing all those years...yuk, what an insane way of testing all those years of learning, i did the practice test 1 and 2, i got over 60% right, now maybe if i did some study...Mrs Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03109885833512528798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-77600309796239139182011-05-22T22:30:25.117-04:002011-05-22T22:30:25.117-04:00Real Genius = Best. Movie. Ever.
I want Lazlo Holl...Real Genius = Best. Movie. Ever.<br />I want Lazlo Hollyfeld in my closet!<br /><br />Anyway, I digress.<br /><br />Step I of the USMLE definitely brought the realization that there was no way I was going to be able to study everything. However, the American Board of Internal Medicine recert exam drove that point home with a sledgehammer. All of the cramming, all of the stomach-clenching, added to the fun of seeing patients every day and getting hit up for narcotics.<br /><br />Admittedly, though, it's still better than internship...dr_dreddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02412828381611806365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-32938634340605501182011-05-22T21:11:08.939-04:002011-05-22T21:11:08.939-04:00Did you have to go into detail about the shorts?!Did you have to go into detail about the shorts?!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-87982751964234346192011-05-22T21:00:03.052-04:002011-05-22T21:00:03.052-04:00The best thing I ever did in medical school was tu...The best thing I ever did in medical school was tutor other students-I don't say that because it helped with Step 1, but it certainly had that effect as well.<br /><br />By the day of the test, I had been through the neuroscience course material three times, physiology, biochemistry, and clinical medicine twice, and we had just finished pharmacology. So I primarily studied path, micro, and anatomy; the month before the test was not less stressful than the rest of the first two years of medical school, but was not more so either.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18088942706408014844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5883634615775822475.post-61627758680310442312011-05-22T19:28:20.886-04:002011-05-22T19:28:20.886-04:00Ugh. You've brought back memories. My experi...Ugh. You've brought back memories. My experience in studying for Step 1 was very similar (minus the beard and running shorts). <br /><br />It's been thirteen years since I took Step 1, and I'm so glad I'll never have to do that again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com