Fix it FArthur

My current hobby: keeping track of each error (or potential error) I come across in the Kaplan USMLE Step 1 textbooks (copyright 2011).

At the moment, across 6 texts, I've come across 24 potential errors. The majority are typographical errors, a few formatting, one error that gave an incorrect fact, and one question whose explanation continues to evade me. I know that First Aid gives monetary compensation for every error in its book. I've inquired Kaplan, and they've sent out mixed messages ranging from "no" to "free review book". So, we will see.

So I finally finished all of the histology that wasn't covered by Kaplan professors. It took...uhh...longer than it was supposed to. ie all the time I wanted to give towards actual anatomy that I've studied before went into histology. That isn't doing wonders for my current Kaplan-endorsed schedule.


Edit: found another factual error

Bad Title

It's been a while since I've posted anything.

It will likely be a while longer until I post anything substantial.

Kaplan was a decent course.

Main things I noticed:

• There is information covered in Kaplan that did not appear in First Aid, and vice versa. 
• This is supplemented by the fact that Kaplan suggests spending 30 minutes each night reading First Aid
• I can't speak for the content of the course. It seems good enough, but what degree of that is tested is anyone's guess.
• My main complaint was from rescheduling. It only happened a few times, but keep in mind that I only have 1 day off per week, and a good chunk of that is supposed to be mental recovery. So when that becomes booked off, I can't suddenly make up the time out of nowhere.
• The course is nicely integrated to the same basic level. One professor's explanation of some mechanic in one subject did not contradict another professors explanation in a different topic, which did occur at Ross a few times. In a few instances, one prof would even mention a concept taught earlier by another prof. They knew each other's material well, and the textbooks were also consistent.
• I had heard complaints from one or two students that certain professors didn't spend enough time explaining the process behind diseases, but in all honesty, there is only so much time.
• Things I would hope: Kaplan would integrate their book into some flashcards. Or rather, they wouldn't try to sell the flashcards seperately after I dished out a significant amount of cash.
• Pharm has never been my strong suit, but after making some of my own cards and going over them all (which caused me to be 3 days late into my schedule) I finally improved my pharm score, which has been one of my bigger weaknesses. Having cards I could alter would have saved me a lot of time. I'll probably post them up here when I've gone through them a few more times and caught any big errors.
• The next big weakness is to finish biochem, as I couldn't catch up to the last 3 big chapters in time. Which Kaplan shovelled all into one day, after mentioning they were the most high-yield chapters. And also re-learn all the first few chapters >.>

But the current task at hand: finish all of anatomy. Today. No clue how :P

Feeling: not much at this point. Just focus on the goal at hand. My spirit feel blunted, but then again, this might just be what I've always been. Its been a long time since I've felt joy. I think it was when I was on a boat.

Probably the more annoying thing is the general pain. Muscle pain is most places. I feel weak. I'm so flabby I could have been a stand-in for Flubber. Living isn't necessarily something you work towards, as much as it is something you do. If I was spending a longer time studying, but also had a decent quality of life, I wouldn't have much to complain about. But this....this is something else entirely.

Probably the more annoying thing is the general pain. Muscle pain is most places. I feel weak. I'm so flabby I could have been a stand-in for Flubber. 

My only hobby in the last while spending the occasional hour trying to fix broken things in the family car. 

After a week of not having a single error light on the dashboard (yeah, I patted myself on the back), 2 lights both popped up again. (I had to shake the aforementioned pats off the back. They were dirt on my shoulder).

I feel like my good intentions in January-March back may have cost me a few months of my time. My time spent studying pathology on my own felt like I finally began understanding much of what was I didn't understand before, but it didn't translate to increased test performance. Physiology received the most time, and likewise the greatest boost to my score. Cardiovascular also improved slightly, but not enough. It seems like everything else was a waste of time.

Thus far, I've probably spent more time studying than 2 students combined, and my schedule predicts I won't be ready until I pop a third student under my belt (awkward phrasing). Then again, as an IMG, I probably need it. Not unlike Kaplan, Ross keeps cutting here and there, but there's only so much fat you can trim before you are left with meat, and then only bone.

When the going gets tough, I try to remember a quote attributed to Marcus Aurelius:
"What is there in this that is unbearable and beyond endurance?"

I have it printed and taped up to my wall.
Just dive back in there, amigos.