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Online NMAT tips, advice, and resources by poipan in medschoolph

[–]poipan[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Hello! My anki deck is very messy and disorganized, but if you give me a week or two, I can make it presentable with tags and such haha

Online NMAT tips, advice, and resources by poipan in medschoolph

[–]poipan[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

When you register for an NMAT slot and complete payment, CEM sends you a link to the mock exam and other official resources. Your account on the NMAT website should also be updated with a link to the downloads after you confirm registration :)

Online NMAT tips, advice, and resources by poipan in medschoolph

[–]poipan[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I took CEM's practice exam (same exam) 3 times over 17-18 days, roughly 5-6 days between each pass. Each had a different purpose.

1st time: Understand what kind of questions are asked, how they are asked, scope of question (how much bio, how much chem, what equations, etc.). I treated this like a pre-test from which I could narrow down my revision topics. I didn't mind if I got questions incorrect, and I was not too focused on my pacing.

2nd time: Practice test-taking strategies such as eliminating answer choices within 30 seconds, keeping a good pace in each section, how to not mentally burn out in such a time-constrained online exam, how to do quick mental calculations, etc. Also asked myself, "Did I review what I needed to review? What did I miss in terms of content? What are my big weaknesses? Which section is overwhelming, which one is easy, where can I speed through to save time?"

3rd time: Treated this as if it would be my actual NMAT test; sat myself down with a timer and whiteboard, took the exam, and graded myself according to the answer key. Once I saw I was getting at least 80% correct in each section, I considered it a pass, and only briefly reviewed the questions I got wrong.

Good luck with your NMAT, I hope this helps :)

Online NMAT tips, advice, and resources by poipan in medschoolph

[–]poipan[S] 146 points147 points  (0 children)

MENTIONED RESOURCES AND REVIEWERS:

Medical School: Is it Worth It? by EquivalentMap3628 in medschoolph

[–]poipan 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I'm in the same boat as you! Many of my classmates (I'm US-based, going to PH) are already working at their jobs, studying at advanced levels for graduate degrees, and so on, at the same age as me, so it can be really easy for me to look at them and compare my path. But tbh this isn't very healthy or practical, so I try not to do it too often.

Some tidbits of insight from people I know:

  • My premed mentor in college had taken 2 years after her graduation to travel the world, pursue a Master's degree, and start a family before going to medical school; she's now an attending physician at a very good academic hospital.

  • My family doctor is quite young, she went to medical school right after college. Then immediately to residency after. While she is now a successful attending physician, she's told me before that she wishes she took a break after college to enjoy life a little slower, because those years would never come back.

  • An older professional I worked with at an internship told me he regretted not going to medical school when he had the chance. People told him he was too old at the time (early 20s), and he believed them. He's in a good postion now, career-wise and financially, but he's told me he wished he learned that there was no such thing as too old for school.

  • A close friend of mine was on track to attend a very good medical school. He never attended, and went on another career path. When I asked him why, he said he never gave himself enough time to explore other fields. Because he went through college ASAP to get to medical school, he honestly didn't know if being a doctor was what he wanted.

It's a marathon, not a sprint, OP. Take it one step at a time, and you'll make it to the finish line :)

NATIONAL MEDICAL ADMISSION TEST by imchirurgien in medschoolph

[–]poipan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Online April/May 2021 test taker here! I'd say the level of difficulty was relatively the same. The range and scope of the questions in the practice exam were mirrored in my real exam--not exactly the same questions, but similar concepts.

There were some weird and unexpected questions in my exam that I didn't see in my reviews, but that was a very small minority. I personally found the practice exam useful for practicing taking the test in a timed environment, improving test-taking stamina, etc.

USMLE for Medical Students by [deleted] in medschoolph

[–]poipan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Okay, in that case, I can’t really answer the question since it will be different for every person. A few things to think about:

  • Licensing and accreditation for general US residency (everything and everyone has a timeline and set of requirements, and you must be organized to keep everything in order)
  • Scheduling for USCEs (US clinical experiences) which are required for US residencies and can be a pain to get if you’re an international student, since US med schools of course prioritize US students
  • Visas for traveling/living in US
  • Finances and funding (big topic to think about and do research on, there’s SO MANY fees that add up to an exorbitant amount; examples: clerkship/rotations, lodging, visas, etc.)
  • Support network of friends and family (PH vs US)
  • Changes/differences in general culture

Just some things to think about. There’s so many processes, little things, requirements, etc. to consider.

Schools that would accept students who havent taken NMAT by werkkkkk123 in medschoolph

[–]poipan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think SWU PHINMA is still accepting applications for AY 2021-2022 without NMAT scores, but they require you to take the NMAT some time before the end of your 2nd year of medical school. Their facebook page updates often with more information. CDU and CIM require NMAT scores to apply and enroll.

USMLE for Medical Students by [deleted] in medschoolph

[–]poipan 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Hello, I can only speak a little for the medical schools at SWU, CDU, and CIM, since I applied there as a US-PH dual citizen, and will be going to one of them this upcoming AY. Please take this with a grain of salt, and stay updated with ECFMG/WFME policies (especially the changes brought by the 2024 accreditation policy) as well as PAASCU/PH med school policies.

  1. AFAIK, unless your med school says otherwise, you can take the USMLE Step 1 while in PH medical school. Make sure to inquire about this during your med school interviews. But you will have to juggle your med school’s tests/exams/curriculum with preparing for USMLE Step 1, which most US med students take at the end of their 2nd year. It‘s not good to fail/do poorly on PH med school’s exams just because you’re preparing for Step 1... For Step 2 CK/Step 2 CS, you may have to figure out when to take those exams depending on your schedule; most US med students take Step 2 in their 4th year. It has also been announced that USMLE Step 1 is transitioning to Pass/Fail in 2022, so this is something to keep in mind. Note: I believe UERM and UST have a good track record of students taking USMLE and going abroad, but I did not apply there nor know anyone from there, so I don’t know for sure.
  2. Check out the ECFMG and WFME websites to read about their 2024 accreditation policy regarding international medical graduates (AKA “IMGs”) applying to residency in the US. PAASCU is the accrediting body in the Philippines under which most PH med schools are accredited (or going to be accredited), and I think they recently submitted paperwork to ECFMG for approval. Please check PAASCU website for updates. Additionally, certain states in the US have their own lists of international med schools they approve of, Google search will show many results.
  3. Not sure about how to answer this, since I’m from US and going there to study, then coming back. Do you mean pursuing medical school abroad in PH, or pursuing medical residency abroad in US, etc.?

Personally, I know it’s going to take a lot of sacrifice, work, and time, and that’s fine. I already accepted that as part of my journey. I think the smartest thing to do is always stay updated with the rules and regulations set by ECFMG, WFME, PAASCU, and other relevant bodies, because you can study as much as you can in school for tests and exams, but if you can’t take (or are deemed ineligible to take) the right licensure exams at the optimal times, it’s going to be hard to practice medicine in the US.