Here is a picture of the books on the coffee table so that you can see approximately how large they are, excluding the question book:
Here is a close of up of the books again excluding the quesiton book:
We headed to the Kaplan center on Thursday for an all day session of study. We were so enthusiastic that we didn't even take a lunch break--that is right, we studied for about 8 hours straight. We were like USMLE machines! First Kaplan makes you take a diagnostic exam. Remember, we two week vacation from studying medicine (although being a medical student, medicine never really leaves the background of your mind, things always pop up to remind you of something). There is a mindset you have to have when you are studying and testing a lot, I presume like an athlete getting ready for a competition, and after two weeks of vacation, I was not in the correct mindset. So, I wasn't thrilled with how I did on the diagnostic exam. Realistically, I made some errors that I probably wouldn't have made if I was paying closer attention and I had details that I couldn't remember. But that is exactly why we are taking this course. I can make as many mistakes as I want now and they don't mean anything...in fact it is almost a good thing to make mistakes because it gives me an opportunity to learn before taking the USMLE in November. I'd rather feel stupid now and make mistakes than make the mistakes on the USMLE.
Kaplan tells us the order in which to study things based upon how we did on this diagnostic exam. The funny thing is that some of the subjects that I have historically struggled in, I performed better than some of the subjects that were easier for me in the last two years. I'm not sure if I performed better on the subjects that were traditionally more difficult for me because I since they are harder for me. Nonetheless, I was surprised. It doesn't really matter as I have to study everything in the next two months.
The study plan we chose involves us going to the Kaplan center to watch DVDs and such. We can also work form home on their website. The last professor that taught for our UMBR (the review course offered during our last semester) is also a Kaplan professor. He gave us an outline of how to organize our studies daily, in light of our review course. Basically, we are to do questions in the morning. Eat a nice long lunch. Review the notes and videos for that day's lectures. Have E.S.S. between 6:00 and say 8:30. E.S.S. in his words is "Exercise, Shower and Socialize...in that order." Then we are to study for another two or three hours--six days per week. The seventh day we are to rest, but we probalby will still do a few hours; like today, we did just four hours. Each of our chapters in the Kaplan review books have quizzes at the end of the book and we get to go online and take another quiz. If we don't meet a certain mark, the computer tells us what to review and gives us other lectures and quizzes to take until we can meet a certain mark.
I know this sounds like fun. I'm sure you too can enjoy a 10-12 hour study day if you want. I like to think of the quote at the top of my blog when I'm sick of studying and remember that is is a privilege to have the time and money resources to study all day. In fact as Einstein says, it is an enviable opportunity to learn. Most days, the studying is rather fun. If it wasn't I wouldn't have made it into my third year of medical school (or as I like to tell younger children, my 20th grade--if you include kindergarten, or my 19th grade--if you don't include kindergarten).
Every day Farley tells me, "Carpe diem." Right now, thinking about the daily schedule can be exhausting, so I'm just thinking "Seize the Biochemistry Chapter"!
You go girl!!!!1 You'll do great ;]
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