In the title of this blog i mentioned philippine boards.
Ay lupang hinirang. WHat is the difference between boards and USMLE? Night and day. Kape at gatas. Langit at lupa. Mantika at tubig.
As i wrote last year, I was better off reading Abante and finding the answers to the board questions in the Philippines than in Harrisons. It did not test my knowledge. It tested my luck.
Mayroon ba namang question, read this and weep:
Who was the first patient who had small pox? And the choices included MOSES, RAMSES, KING GEORGE
Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin alam how that question would assess my doctor skills. Smallpox has been entirely eradicated in the world. May isang lab lang ata or dalawa who has it. Okay fine they could ask smallpox, but sana man lang they made it a point to connect it to maybe, i dunno something relevant like bioterrorism. Pero hindi, ten commandments ang dating.
USMLE tests you and prepares you for a life as a GP. As someone who thinks. Like the exams we have in philippine medical schools. Philippine boards prepares you to be a contestant in jeopardy or trivial pursuit. Pick your battle.
Sorry, but i really think we should radically change the way our exams are in the philippines. I don't know, maybe it should start with considering the fact, that well, maybe we are to be tested as, and this is just off the top of my head, be tested as doctors?
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Audio and Video Clips for USMLE : New thing
Thanks richard for that confirmation! I did look it up, looks like they are going to include audio stuff or video stuff for 2007. Exciting news. Not! Anyways, visit www.usmle.org for more info about it.
The 2007 USMLE Orientation Materials are now available on the USMLE website.
A small number of multiple-choice items in the 2007 USMLE Orientation Materials contain exhibits involving audio and/or video clips. Instructions for practicing with items with associated media clips on Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 are provided in the Tutorials for each Step examination in the orientation materials.
Multiple-choice items with associated media clips will be introduced in USMLE examinations no earlier than Summer 2007. An announcement will be posted to the USMLE website approximately 2 months before any items with associated media clips appear on an actual USMLE examination. Additional information will be posted to the USMLE website as it becomes available.
The 2007 USMLE Orientation Materials are now available on the USMLE website.
A small number of multiple-choice items in the 2007 USMLE Orientation Materials contain exhibits involving audio and/or video clips. Instructions for practicing with items with associated media clips on Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 are provided in the Tutorials for each Step examination in the orientation materials.
Multiple-choice items with associated media clips will be introduced in USMLE examinations no earlier than Summer 2007. An announcement will be posted to the USMLE website approximately 2 months before any items with associated media clips appear on an actual USMLE examination. Additional information will be posted to the USMLE website as it becomes available.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
CS by august?
Question:
happy new year Dr. Louise!
kamusta po? kamusta po ang mga interview ninyo? God be with you always.
friend ko na din po pala si Dr. Randi.
na-kwento ko na po ba? nag-resign na po ako sa St. Luke's before pa mag-start ang residency ko. nag-apply na din po ako ng ECFMG number, pero holiday pa kaya siguro wala pa yun reply nila sa email ko. kaya wala pa din po ako nalalakad sa UST. balak ko po mag-apply sa Kaplan para pressured and guided din ako, para wala din hassle, next week para maka-avail ng discount after ng orientation. nag-start lang ako magbasa ng bulletin of information at booklet ng ECFMG, at first aid ng step 1.
concern ko talaga ay sana makahabol ako sa review and exams for the 2008 match at sana mabigyan ng visa...
may tanong po ulit ako, pag nag step 1 po ako ng april, step 2 CK sana ng july, at CS ng august kasi sabi sa announcement dapat matapos ang CS by august, makakahabol po ba ako at lalabas yun grade for ERAS sa sept, or kahit to follow na yun grade ko? at kung di po ako makahabol, (i'm praying hard na makahabol at maging ok lahat) valid pa po ba yun mga grades ko sa 2009 matching?
thanks po ulit.
God bless you!
Answer:
1. I'm doing fine. Interview wise - hahaha deserves new entry for this. It's a fun experience.
2. I think what the announcement is saying is that you should have scheduled or at least enrolled in CS by august 2007 to assure that you get to schedule your CS for 2007. Most hospitals would prefer that they have your step 1 grade, step 2 ck grade and cs grade, but would interview you even with just any step grade. The key word here is prefer. It's like, imagine if you are entering a contest for miss universe, the judges would interview the contestants in long gowns but would look favorably on contestants who not only have long gowns prepared, but the talent portion and the bathing suit portion... Usually for hospitals, they decide who they want to have as residents by january or february so if you don't have your cs result by jan or feb 2007... good luck na lang. :)
3. Visa - try to follow the schedule i gave you via friendster. The visa support letter from the ECFMG is very important for your visa application. It's a B1/B2 visa you are applying for aka tourist/business. More on visas na lang later. You don't need to concern yourself with this for the moment. Worry about this after you take step 1. I'll try to answer any visa questions you might have if i know the answer.
God bless. You are in my prayers!
happy new year Dr. Louise!
kamusta po? kamusta po ang mga interview ninyo? God be with you always.
friend ko na din po pala si Dr. Randi.
na-kwento ko na po ba? nag-resign na po ako sa St. Luke's before pa mag-start ang residency ko. nag-apply na din po ako ng ECFMG number, pero holiday pa kaya siguro wala pa yun reply nila sa email ko. kaya wala pa din po ako nalalakad sa UST. balak ko po mag-apply sa Kaplan para pressured and guided din ako, para wala din hassle, next week para maka-avail ng discount after ng orientation. nag-start lang ako magbasa ng bulletin of information at booklet ng ECFMG, at first aid ng step 1.
concern ko talaga ay sana makahabol ako sa review and exams for the 2008 match at sana mabigyan ng visa...
may tanong po ulit ako, pag nag step 1 po ako ng april, step 2 CK sana ng july, at CS ng august kasi sabi sa announcement dapat matapos ang CS by august, makakahabol po ba ako at lalabas yun grade for ERAS sa sept, or kahit to follow na yun grade ko? at kung di po ako makahabol, (i'm praying hard na makahabol at maging ok lahat) valid pa po ba yun mga grades ko sa 2009 matching?
thanks po ulit.
God bless you!
Answer:
1. I'm doing fine. Interview wise - hahaha deserves new entry for this. It's a fun experience.
2. I think what the announcement is saying is that you should have scheduled or at least enrolled in CS by august 2007 to assure that you get to schedule your CS for 2007. Most hospitals would prefer that they have your step 1 grade, step 2 ck grade and cs grade, but would interview you even with just any step grade. The key word here is prefer. It's like, imagine if you are entering a contest for miss universe, the judges would interview the contestants in long gowns but would look favorably on contestants who not only have long gowns prepared, but the talent portion and the bathing suit portion... Usually for hospitals, they decide who they want to have as residents by january or february so if you don't have your cs result by jan or feb 2007... good luck na lang. :)
3. Visa - try to follow the schedule i gave you via friendster. The visa support letter from the ECFMG is very important for your visa application. It's a B1/B2 visa you are applying for aka tourist/business. More on visas na lang later. You don't need to concern yourself with this for the moment. Worry about this after you take step 1. I'll try to answer any visa questions you might have if i know the answer.
God bless. You are in my prayers!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Other Advices
So the short answer for I am's other unanswered questions:
1. Don't take up medical residency while you are studying for the USMLE. It's too hard to do that. I do advise na mag moonlight ka prn (as needed) not to raise money for the USMLe, but to gain confidence na kaya mo na pala maging GP
2. Kung mag moonlight ka, i advise do it once a week lang. Ako nga mga once every 2 weeks lang. Pag nag moonlight ka kasi, nakaka addict, iisipin mo, wag na mag usmle. Know what you want. In this case, you want the USMLE. Get rid of other doubts and distractions.
3. Visit the websites na helpful:
www.prep4usmle.com
www.ecfmg.org
anyways, i'll try to guide you through it. May balita, i'm not sure how true, this according to erwin kho, ka batchmate niyo, na baka mag include daw ang USMLE ng heart sounds. I'm not sure how true... but if you have any problems with your murmurs, i could help.
1. Don't take up medical residency while you are studying for the USMLE. It's too hard to do that. I do advise na mag moonlight ka prn (as needed) not to raise money for the USMLe, but to gain confidence na kaya mo na pala maging GP
2. Kung mag moonlight ka, i advise do it once a week lang. Ako nga mga once every 2 weeks lang. Pag nag moonlight ka kasi, nakaka addict, iisipin mo, wag na mag usmle. Know what you want. In this case, you want the USMLE. Get rid of other doubts and distractions.
3. Visit the websites na helpful:
www.prep4usmle.com
www.ecfmg.org
anyways, i'll try to guide you through it. May balita, i'm not sure how true, this according to erwin kho, ka batchmate niyo, na baka mag include daw ang USMLE ng heart sounds. I'm not sure how true... but if you have any problems with your murmurs, i could help.
USMLE summary
For some strange reason, my juniors (doctors I’ve handled when I was an intern) kept asking me for tips for the USMLE. Strange because, only a handful were concerned with the local boards. Alarming because, most of the people who came up to me, were the great ones, the ones in my mind, had the intelligence, and spirit to make fabulous doctors. And where are they going?
United States
. Okay if you are reading this, you are prolly one of those great intelligent doctors I know. So here’s the thing, I know the pay we get here is below minimum wage and really, unless you have a practice of patients to inherit, you might as well eat dirt. So promise me, that when we make it big in the US, we will pay it forward to the people who needs our help. You know, those patients we see at charity wards who often die because they have no money to buy the antibiotic that will cure them. I know that we all have a purpose, it’s no secret we will be making oodles of money four to five years from now. I tell you, bawi lahat ng tuition fee natin in just one month. Keep your eyes on the target. Be blessed to become a blessing.
So here’s the deal with the USMLE. A fellow USMLE’er gave me the following time table. I’ll just add some more tips:
TIPS
1. Don’t rush if you can’t. If others can do it in three months and you are more comfortable with four or five months, then take five.
2. Kaplan. Kaplan. Kaplan. You know what I mean. There’s the pro edu manzano version, original and then there’s the not so pro edu.
3. First Aid for step 1 rocks. Yan na talaga.
4. I found the Kaplan books for step 1 to be lacking. BRS and high yield were much better. HY immunology. BRS patho, HY anatomy. BRS physio. KAtzung pharma ang okay. HY cell biology (pang genetics ito). Micro – hmmm parang bahala ka dito. Sabi nila, made ridiculously simple. Ako I stuck with NMS which I found too OA and lengthy. Sabi nila, Kaplan biochem is good. Basically yun ang alam kong books na maganda talaga.
5. Get hold of a book called “Goljan Pathology”. IT’s a lot like first aid but tailored to foreigners like us. Limewire might be able to help you track it down.
6. Answer the Qbank. IT really helps. Wag kang madishearten if you answer a question tapos puro mali mali ka. Your purpose in answering the Qbank is not to get a high score, but to identify where you are weak. MAtuwa ka kung madami kang mali at alamin mo kung bakit ka nagkamali.
7. Pray.
8. Pray. His purpose is much bigger than what you have in mind.
9. Add ko lang… Ting asked me if moonlighting was a good idea during usmle prep. From experience, moonlighting gave me the confidence I needed to handle emergency cases (plug ko ang Ospital ng Muntinlupa). BUT, if napapagod ka sa pag moomoonlight (kagaya ko), then stop and focus on usmle. Your goal is to get a good mle grade, not to be a great moonlighter. Besides, the UShospitals there would primarily look at your usmle grades and not on the fact that you moonlighted… unless of course you worked in WHO.
If push comes to shove, pick mle. Mag moonlight ka na lang after.
10. Breakdown of expenses: Tumaya na sa lotto ngayon pa lang. Roughly half a million pesos? Tips: Pwede rin sweepstakes or kausapin ang nakababatang kapatid na mag OSY muna.
EXPENSES
Step 1 – 825 dollars
Step 2 CK – 825 dollars
Step 2 CS (sa States) – 1200 dollars
Plane ticket – 1000 dollars
ERAS and NRMP – around 800 dollars if you are applying to 40 hospitals… not all offers you interviews. I know someone who applied to 60 hospitals yet got 8 interviews.
Per interview mo you spend around 400 dollars for travel and hotels. Ay sus. So ayan.
Para kang nag UST med uli in one year.
Add na natin if gusto mo talagang mag burn ng money:
Kaplan Review: 42000 pesos per step.
So prepare to sell all your belongings.
Also ang open to foreigners are – IM, pedia, FM .
Pero wag nang mangarap ng Surgery , Derma, Radio or Ophtha.
To make it sound more palatable though, tell your parents that residents in the US
gets 42 thousand dollars per year. And a consultant makes about 200 000 dollars a year. Simpleng consultant pa yun.
But let’s make it more meaningful – promise to pursue something out of passion. Never make it about the money…Yun ang sabi ni Dr. Sjoberg Kho who looks a lot like Colin Firth…. Though kung passion mo ang Ferraris… go ahead. Knock yourself silly in five years. I’ll probably contact you one of these days when we become you know, somewhat loaded, and talk about giving back. God bless. Any more specific questions, just paste a comment here and I will try to answer them or just text me.
> HOW TO APPLY FOR AN EXAM
> 1.Go to ECFMG Home Page: www.ecfmg.org
> 2.Click on IWA (Interactive Web Application)
> 3.Complete the application form online within 14 days (or else you have to start a new one)
> 4.Pay the Exam Fee
> 5.Print out FORM 186 (This will come out after you’ve paid na)
> 6.Download FORMs 344 and 345 from the ECFMG Home Page
> 7.Send your documents to ECFMG: (Form 186, 344, 345, diploma and picture)
> a.Form 186
> b.Form 344 & 345
> c.Diploma
> d.Pictures
> * don’t send your transcript, ECFMG will get it directly from UST
> 8.Wait for your permit. You can track your status on OASIS via the ECFMG Home Page.
> 9.Once you get your permit, schedule your exam with Prometric.
>
> HOW TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCY
> 1.Apply for a Token thru the ECFMG Home Page.
> 2.Use your token to open your ERAS Website (by September).
> 3.Send your documents to ERAS:
> a.White copy of Transcript
> b.Letters of Recommendation (minimum of 4)
> c.MSPE/Dean’s Letter
> 4.Type (or cut & paste, para faster) your Personal Statement onto your ERAS website
> 5.Search programs on ERAS
> 6.Choose the programs you want to apply for by clicking on them and then clicking “OK.”
> 7.Once you’ve chosen everything na, go to Programs Selected, then click “APPLY”.
> 8.Pay for everything.
> 9.Wait for your invitations for interview.
> 10.Once you get your invitations, schedule your interviews na.
> HOW TO APPLY FOR THE MATCH
> 1.Go to www.nrmp.org
> 2.Pay $95.
> 3.Submit your Rank Order List by February.
> 4.Wait for Match announcement in March.
>
> TIPS ON SCHEDULING
> 1.Ideal sched for all the exams:
> Jan-March study for Step 1
> April STEP 1
> May-July study for Step 2
> August STEP 2-CK
> September (1st week) STEP 2-CS
> Nov-Jan Interviews
> January STEP 3
> 2.Apply for your CS as early as possible so that
> you don’t run out of slots.
> 3.As soon as ERAS opens in September, apply to
> as many programs as possible na agad kasi the
> earlier you apply, the better your chances of
> getting invited for an interview.
United States
. Okay if you are reading this, you are prolly one of those great intelligent doctors I know. So here’s the thing, I know the pay we get here is below minimum wage and really, unless you have a practice of patients to inherit, you might as well eat dirt. So promise me, that when we make it big in the US, we will pay it forward to the people who needs our help. You know, those patients we see at charity wards who often die because they have no money to buy the antibiotic that will cure them. I know that we all have a purpose, it’s no secret we will be making oodles of money four to five years from now. I tell you, bawi lahat ng tuition fee natin in just one month. Keep your eyes on the target. Be blessed to become a blessing.
So here’s the deal with the USMLE. A fellow USMLE’er gave me the following time table. I’ll just add some more tips:
TIPS
1. Don’t rush if you can’t. If others can do it in three months and you are more comfortable with four or five months, then take five.
2. Kaplan. Kaplan. Kaplan. You know what I mean. There’s the pro edu manzano version, original and then there’s the not so pro edu.
3. First Aid for step 1 rocks. Yan na talaga.
4. I found the Kaplan books for step 1 to be lacking. BRS and high yield were much better. HY immunology. BRS patho, HY anatomy. BRS physio. KAtzung pharma ang okay. HY cell biology (pang genetics ito). Micro – hmmm parang bahala ka dito. Sabi nila, made ridiculously simple. Ako I stuck with NMS which I found too OA and lengthy. Sabi nila, Kaplan biochem is good. Basically yun ang alam kong books na maganda talaga.
5. Get hold of a book called “Goljan Pathology”. IT’s a lot like first aid but tailored to foreigners like us. Limewire might be able to help you track it down.
6. Answer the Qbank. IT really helps. Wag kang madishearten if you answer a question tapos puro mali mali ka. Your purpose in answering the Qbank is not to get a high score, but to identify where you are weak. MAtuwa ka kung madami kang mali at alamin mo kung bakit ka nagkamali.
7. Pray.
8. Pray. His purpose is much bigger than what you have in mind.
9. Add ko lang… Ting asked me if moonlighting was a good idea during usmle prep. From experience, moonlighting gave me the confidence I needed to handle emergency cases (plug ko ang Ospital ng Muntinlupa). BUT, if napapagod ka sa pag moomoonlight (kagaya ko), then stop and focus on usmle. Your goal is to get a good mle grade, not to be a great moonlighter. Besides, the UShospitals there would primarily look at your usmle grades and not on the fact that you moonlighted… unless of course you worked in WHO.
If push comes to shove, pick mle. Mag moonlight ka na lang after.
10. Breakdown of expenses: Tumaya na sa lotto ngayon pa lang. Roughly half a million pesos? Tips: Pwede rin sweepstakes or kausapin ang nakababatang kapatid na mag OSY muna.
EXPENSES
Step 1 – 825 dollars
Step 2 CK – 825 dollars
Step 2 CS (sa States) – 1200 dollars
Plane ticket – 1000 dollars
ERAS and NRMP – around 800 dollars if you are applying to 40 hospitals… not all offers you interviews. I know someone who applied to 60 hospitals yet got 8 interviews.
Per interview mo you spend around 400 dollars for travel and hotels. Ay sus. So ayan.
Para kang nag UST med uli in one year.
Add na natin if gusto mo talagang mag burn ng money:
Kaplan Review: 42000 pesos per step.
So prepare to sell all your belongings.
Also ang open to foreigners are – IM, pedia, FM .
Pero wag nang mangarap ng Surgery , Derma, Radio or Ophtha.
To make it sound more palatable though, tell your parents that residents in the US
gets 42 thousand dollars per year. And a consultant makes about 200 000 dollars a year. Simpleng consultant pa yun.
But let’s make it more meaningful – promise to pursue something out of passion. Never make it about the money…Yun ang sabi ni Dr. Sjoberg Kho who looks a lot like Colin Firth…. Though kung passion mo ang Ferraris… go ahead. Knock yourself silly in five years. I’ll probably contact you one of these days when we become you know, somewhat loaded, and talk about giving back. God bless. Any more specific questions, just paste a comment here and I will try to answer them or just text me.
> HOW TO APPLY FOR AN EXAM
> 1.Go to ECFMG Home Page: www.ecfmg.org
> 2.Click on IWA (Interactive Web Application)
> 3.Complete the application form online within 14 days (or else you have to start a new one)
> 4.Pay the Exam Fee
> 5.Print out FORM 186 (This will come out after you’ve paid na)
> 6.Download FORMs 344 and 345 from the ECFMG Home Page
> 7.Send your documents to ECFMG: (Form 186, 344, 345, diploma and picture)
> a.Form 186
> b.Form 344 & 345
> c.Diploma
> d.Pictures
> * don’t send your transcript, ECFMG will get it directly from UST
> 8.Wait for your permit. You can track your status on OASIS via the ECFMG Home Page.
> 9.Once you get your permit, schedule your exam with Prometric.
>
> HOW TO APPLY FOR RESIDENCY
> 1.Apply for a Token thru the ECFMG Home Page.
> 2.Use your token to open your ERAS Website (by September).
> 3.Send your documents to ERAS:
> a.White copy of Transcript
> b.Letters of Recommendation (minimum of 4)
> c.MSPE/Dean’s Letter
> 4.Type (or cut & paste, para faster) your Personal Statement onto your ERAS website
> 5.Search programs on ERAS
> 6.Choose the programs you want to apply for by clicking on them and then clicking “OK.”
> 7.Once you’ve chosen everything na, go to Programs Selected, then click “APPLY”.
> 8.Pay for everything.
> 9.Wait for your invitations for interview.
> 10.Once you get your invitations, schedule your interviews na.
> HOW TO APPLY FOR THE MATCH
> 1.Go to www.nrmp.org
> 2.Pay $95.
> 3.Submit your Rank Order List by February.
> 4.Wait for Match announcement in March.
>
> TIPS ON SCHEDULING
> 1.Ideal sched for all the exams:
> Jan-March study for Step 1
> April STEP 1
> May-July study for Step 2
> August STEP 2-CK
> September (1st week) STEP 2-CS
> Nov-Jan Interviews
> January STEP 3
> 2.Apply for your CS as early as possible so that
> you don’t run out of slots.
> 3.As soon as ERAS opens in September, apply to
> as many programs as possible na agad kasi the
> earlier you apply, the better your chances of
> getting invited for an interview.
Tanong ni I Am
hi Dr. Louise Lane!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
humihingi lang po ng advice, tulungan ninyo naman po ako...
i am accepted for IM Residency training in St. Luke's, start na po sa January...
parang gusto ko na po mag-USMLE
eto po ang mga naiisip ko,
ayaw ko po simulan ang MLE tapos magkakaroon ng problemslike ma-delay ako, di pa po ako nagre-review, gusto ko po makahabol para sa 2008 residency, tama ba yun term ko?, and baka delay dahil di ako mabigyan ng visa, di pa po ako nag-tour sa US, or delay dahil di ako ma-match...
magulo po ba yun mga nasabi ko? sorry po!
pwede po ba humingi ng advice...
kaya po ba na March po step 1, June step 2, August-September CS? kakayanin ko ba? makakahabol po ba ko for matching? etc.
pwede po ba malaman ang magandang timetable na ginawa ninyo... ang mga steps, requirements, process, etc... wala po ako mapagtanungan kasi...
thank you very much po!
God bless you po!
respectfully,
i am
iampresurreccion@yahoo.com
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
humihingi lang po ng advice, tulungan ninyo naman po ako...
i am accepted for IM Residency training in St. Luke's, start na po sa January...
parang gusto ko na po mag-USMLE
eto po ang mga naiisip ko,
ayaw ko po simulan ang MLE tapos magkakaroon ng problemslike ma-delay ako, di pa po ako nagre-review, gusto ko po makahabol para sa 2008 residency, tama ba yun term ko?, and baka delay dahil di ako mabigyan ng visa, di pa po ako nag-tour sa US, or delay dahil di ako ma-match...
magulo po ba yun mga nasabi ko? sorry po!
pwede po ba humingi ng advice...
kaya po ba na March po step 1, June step 2, August-September CS? kakayanin ko ba? makakahabol po ba ko for matching? etc.
pwede po ba malaman ang magandang timetable na ginawa ninyo... ang mga steps, requirements, process, etc... wala po ako mapagtanungan kasi...
thank you very much po!
God bless you po!
respectfully,
i am
iampresurreccion@yahoo.com
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