Like a bad penny: The Comp Exam!

This post goes out to a student who asked me about the Comp exam and how my first attempt differed from my second (which is so late but I hope helpful!). Basically, like I said before the first attempt I didn't try that hard. I just got back from the island around Christmas and was scheduled to take my Comp in the beginning of January. I was just so excited to be home, I really put the studying off. My studying was mostly just glancing at some notes and - well I don't know how else to say it but really just wanting to take the thing and move on. Smart me, as I have never been good at tests in the first place - here I was... wingin' it.

Once I found out I failed, I was very sad but wasn't surprised. I had no one to blame but myself and I knew it. I couldn't say I tried my hardest... Well, I could because I did but I really didn't prepare at all to even 1/2 my potential. In my defense though, after everything I had been through, I felt like it is all I could give.

During my 5th semester in Saginaw, I knew this was my "make or break" exam. This determined it all: graduating on time, staying in Michigan for rotations, being able to secure my wedding date - everything. Luckily, in the area I was in and the hotel room (or as I call it the hamster cage) I lived in, studying was my entire schedule, with the exception of the gym, seeing Tony some weekends and of course - going downstairs to the bar later at night here and there to wind down from a long day. In the beginning of the semester, I made my strategy: knowledge, questions, practice tests. I calculated how many videos I had in each subject and divided it out each week. For me, I did a different subject each day. Mondays were an easy topic because it was Monday, so like anatomy/histology. Tuesdays were biochem, Wednesdays micro/immuno, etc. Whatever subject that I felt that would fit my mood for those days, I chose. I figured that doing mixed subjects would be better than all one subject then a new one after because by the time I got to my third subject, I knew the first would be half way out of my head. This way it was staying fresh and I didn't lose my comfort dealing with each topic. I did have the Kaplan texts but truthfully with my timeframe it wasn't feasible. I do think it is a wonderful idea though if you can read fast but it is pretty close to just the videos in text form.

Anyhoo, each day I would do my requirements for 5th then after go right to Kaplan videos. I would wake up early in the morning even sometimes to watch a few (of course on fast speed). I took notes from Kaplan and put it into my First Aid book so all my notes were in one place. I was done with Kaplan within about 5 weeks or so, give or take. I didn't finish path or pharm/micro in Kaplan videos because I liked Goljan better for path and pharm/micro - well it was just all memorization. I did though go over the beginning of pharm, like the fundamentals, equations, dynamics/kinetics, etc. That was useful.

Once the videos were done it was onto USMLE World. I finished probably close to 30-35% of the questions (which I got through them all by Step time) with the time that I had to prepare and after much experimenting with how to do it, finally chose random questions (as how tests were) and chose untimed/timed (never been a problem but if I found myself taking forever and lingering I chose to time myself to keep me moving). I made sure I read through each answer. To me, each question was loaded with up to 5-6 facts. Even if they were the wrong answer you learned from each one.

I never did amazing on the questions and I wasn't really looking at my scores much. I just wanted to get through as many as I could and understand them. I then started to take practice exams. I used the NBMEs and started with form 3. Forms 1 and 2 are old and dated to me - too easy. I did 3 and 4 (was saving 5 and 6 for the Step, which I didn't end up doing anyway). I think those were the only two I did for the most part but still was answering UW questions at the same time up until the second Comp. I knew where I would be taking it in Saginaw, so I took a practice exam in there so it was a familiar environment as well which took away 99.9% of the jitters. Then the day came and I thought it was harder than the first one. I was down but knew how much work I put into this one. Now, I could say I did my best and worked to my hardest potential and I had no regrets. I improved from a 62% to a 69% - not huge but enough to make me happy. Once 5th was over it was time to study for the Step and I'm sure you all know how that went! ;)

All in all, that is my story and I hope that it was more descriptive than my other Comp posts. I'm sorry to whoever was asking about this for so long but I hope this has helped. I will check the comments section in case you have more questions on things I may have not commented on but truly studying is all about what is best for YOU! I took many different ideas from people and made a study program of my own. So get many ideas and do what you will stick with - what you will look forward to and not dread when study time comes. Medicine is lifelong learning journey so hop on the ride and make the best of the study time that you have! :)