Hi everyone, I thought it'd be nice if we could start this thread, tell others of our experiences in preparing for the AMC exam, like what books you used, study methods, tips, experience during the exam, etc.
Please write your experience in preparing for AMC exam. If you're also done with AMC part2, please also write down your experience:
AMC1:your preparation
AMC2:your preparation
I'd be hoping for everyone's (those who have taken the exam, especially Rhonda, Nonie, Pragathi, Indiboy, Rajsarin, Bsethi, Surr_amc, Cheche) participation. icon_biggrin.gif icon_biggrin.gif icon_wink.gif icon_wink.gif Arihant has posted his in the previous threads, so we'll just be reposting his experience ( I hope it's alright Arihant?)
This will, I think help those who will take the exams in the future. icon_biggrin.gif icon_biggrin.gif
AMC1: Well, I've prepared for AMC part one for around 2 1/2 months, around 8 hours per day. During this time, I've read what reference books I've got from medical school (Williams for Ob, Schwartz for surgery, Nelson's for pedia) then had OHCM for medicine, toronto notes for psych and gyne and the anthology book, also visited this site as well for exchanging of answers to questions. icon_wink.gif
Night before the exam, I haven't slept well because I was so nervous that I opened my books and tried to absorb more information. icon_confused.gif
During the exam, I tried managing my time, answering questions to what I can, and eating the candies at the table, hehehe! Then had a small meal after part one.
It was a similar experience for part 2.
Umm, my advise would be study well ahead in time so you will not be as nervous as me! icon_biggrin.gif
Other tips:
For the MCQ,
No need to memorize the doses, but of course know the common drugs used. Also it is good to know antidotes, though not the dosages.
One has to memorize the following values (according to the AMC specifications handbook): in SI units
FBC (blood count)
Common serum electrolytes
ABGs
glucose
CSF
Microurine mircroscopy and culture
The other reference values will be given for a particular SEX /age.
Best source of pictures will be Anthology of Medical Conditions as they get most of their pictures from there. Try to get any ECG book for ECGs, but I would suggest Basic Electrocardiography in Ten Days by David Ferry, cos it has lots of ECG pictures, and they are well explained.
Readings for any subject even if just once is alright, provided that you understand it. Remember quality is more important than quantity.
Good luck!!
.a good thread Ella..
AMC Part 1: Well I prepared for three months straight. I was in Aus for more than 6mnths before the exam but the first three mths was lost in finding about the exam getting the material for the exam, applications etc ...weell..if I had known about this site then it would have been much easier I suppose..
I had joined a study group of OTDs in the Monash Uni in Melbourne and to be honest they did all the hunting for the material..As most of them had been there since much before me..as I had said earlier its very useful to be part of a bridging course,in this respect, as then they will be providing you with the material..
All we did as study was to answer previous recall papers..as many as we could get our hands on..and study the related topics from the med school books like Davidson,B n L, Oxford etc..we did not have to read any Aus books separately..oh yaa we did check out John Murtagh for some statistics of Aus and the way of things there etc..
I think that should be enough cause as I said most of the questions are frequent repetitions and some basic things only..They dont go very deep into the subject..
And friends, Indian entrance exams are much tougher and if u have been preparing for any of them then your knowledge must already be thorough, in which case AMC wouldnt be much of an effort..Believe me!!
AMC 2:.......not yet given..and I too am waiting for some of the others who have cleared, to post their experiences
Hi NIC and everyone,
AMC1: I just answered another thread about preparing for AMC1. Anyway, iI had 3 months to study, working almost full time. I took 3 weeks off before the exam during which I only did recall questions.
I used one of the reference pediatric book for peadiatrics but I am not convinced it was necessary
I used the Oxford Handbook of Medicine as a reference for the other topics.
I found the gyne books helpless and finally didn't use any.
I study medicine, surgery, gyne-obst and Psychiatry by browsing through recall questions
I used the Toronto notes as an excellent summary for all topics including Psychiatry . The notes were designed for the Canadian exam which has similarities with the AMC. THe 2002 version can be downloaded at
http://tecksiong.tripod.com/torontonotes.htm and the 2005 version can be bought on ebay for about 20AD (but make sure it is the 2005 version). Google is full of useful medical information and emedicine is another very helpful medical website
I read the annoted AMC questions as the explanations are very good.
Finally sharing questions on this website proved extremely helpful.
Good luck to everyone.
Hi AMC is an easy exam but it is only that u have to know how to approach it. Before I started the preparation when I went through this forum I read nonnies advice where she said that we have to be perfect in the 2 books of AMC(MCQ and anthology books)
and then the previous recalls. I think it is more than enough if we are thorugh in the two books and recalls and there are very usefull previous questions discussed in this forum by NIC and others , these have been very usefull for me .
I will be very happy if anyone out there who have completed clinicals can give us advice regarding the preparation for clinicals.
Hi everyone!!!
This is a wonderful started by u NIC!!
Good job!!
Well I have taken both the parts and was kind of smooth sailing for me. I hope its the same fro everyone. I studied about 1 and half mnths for step 1 and about 2 and half for step 2
I followed the standard books for step 1 and 2 which has been written in this forum time and again
Recalls whether for part 1 or 2 are the GOLD STANDARDS for preparations
Nothing can substitute them. For step 2, John Murtagh is indespensible. Both GP practice and patient eductaion books by JM are useful.
Try to collect Recalls from the same center exam u r planning to appear
Like if u plan to appear from syudney, try and collect all the recall for last 5 yrs from that centre exams
Chances are lots would be repeated in clinicals
I still must say, its not as difficult as we may think and put extra pressure on ourselves. Be confident in clinicals. Thats very important and act safe doctor
All the best!!!
thts great to hear about the clinicals cause i ve seen the questions n i found them really tough. but i guess i felt the same about the mcq exam but managed tht so i hope this too shall pass.
well about my mcq preparation, well i gave it during internship so my final year subjects were still fresh so concentrated on Psychiatry n Dermatology as had never paid attention to tht in final yr, did the past recalls in the last 15 days n they helped a lot, read the chairman reports as there are useful hints given there. everybody's weak points are different so concentrate on that.
i hope this is of some help.
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One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries
Thank you Indiboy and New_doc for your inputs.
The following are quotes from previous posts of Arihant and Djdr. They have both taken the AMC MCQ May 2005 Exam, and have both passed.
Quote:
Arihant:
Many of the books would be same as u did in PLAB and everyone does OHCM& OHCS for AMC.
10 teachers for gyne-Obs or gyne-Obs . from OHCS.
Psychiatry not enough in OHCS so consult your MBBS textbook for it.
annotated mcq book published by amc is a must. It will give you a fair idea of how the mcqs r like.
anthology isnt that much important for part1,though it is for part2.
Do SKIN from a book where there are lot of pics, not from harrison. Davidson is good. See the SKIN pics from anthology.
Go through the important ECGs, these would be WPW,LBBB,RBBB,MI,LVH.
See the CTs of cranial hemorrhages- all types,infarct,cysticercosis,tuberculoma.
Definitely do the emergency med. at the end of OHCM.
In the last 15 days, but not before that devote most of your time to mcqs.
The paper was fairly cool, though the 2nd part was a bit more tough than the 1st one. One has plenty of time to do the exam. I did the 3 hour exam in 2 hours & revised the mcqs backwards in the remaining hour. Same was the story in part 2 exam.
Don't have too much to eat in the break in between the 2 parts. I had like a sandwich in between & kept feeling sleepy in part2!
Approach with confidence, most of you will get through, that's not just a line, its a statistical fact.
Read the questions very carefully because there are a lot of EXCEPT questions.
Don't exchange recalls freely on the net because the amc can send u a warning letter in this regard.
One more tip, if infectious disease seems long to you & time is short, only do mycoplasma, leptospirosis, TB, giardia & echinococcus, also cryptococcus & CMV. Its such a long chapter & nothing much apart from these is asked.
Quote:
Djdr:
I gave my AMC exam in Melbourne. Exam was OK. I have gone throughj a couple of threads regarding AMC. I guess lot of people are studying USMLE stuff. I just want to tell you IT WONT HELP. Please stick to Aussie books. They want that answers not the US or Canadian answers.
Please read only the recommended text books and Past papers. Most of the questions are tricky. Don't rely 100% in past paper questions, since some of them are poor recalls. I found the questions which we were arguing in our study group came out with entirely different options.
I did my preps at Monash Med Centre ( MMC) Clayton. Its a very good library and you can meet a lot of Amc candidates preparing for both MCQ & clinicals. AMC books are also available there. But this is far away from the city. Please note its MMC (hosp) lib and not Monash uni lib. MMC is open only from mon-fri. Thats the only disadvantage.
Another option for city dwellers is either Melb university lib or St Vincent's lib. St Vincent's is a small lib, not too many specialty books but all the essential books are available. AMCQ is available there. In Melb Uni u will get all the books. Both libs are open 7 days
According to me the key to success for this exam is past papers.
And for preparation read about the emergency management. You should be thorough with ECG's & treatment of each conditions. AMC most of the questions are clinically oriented. In India I used to study a lot of theory for eg the receptor on which drugs acting, here they won't ask those types.
The following books i found very helpful
Medicine ; Davidson, ECG made easy
Surgery : Tjandra/Scott
O&G : Lewellyn Jones
Paed: Essential paeds
psych : Oxford
Guys , u have to study psych coz' about 20 - 25 qns are from psych.
Gud luck 2 everyone! Cheers
Hello everyone!
Took AMC MCQ Sept 2005
I'm working but I started seriously preparing for it 2 months before, I read the 2 books suggested by AMC, Toronto Notes 2002, and Kaplan Step 2 Notes. After trying to absorb as much as I can, I tried to answer as many recalled MCQs as I could and then reviewed the topics frequently asked.
I went there on a tourist visa.
The night before, I did not attempt to read any review materials anymore.
The Part 1 & 2 went by smoothly. There were free drinks at the waiting room outside. You have the option of eating lunch inside the building or going out ur whole break.
Partied like there's no tomorrow afterwards. Results out after a week. Rank 8/205
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I'm always doing things I can't do, that's how I get to do them.
Thanks nic & cheche! Wouldn't be able to make it this far without your help guys! Thanks again! I guess I just got lucky that's all! It was unexpected but a pleasant surprise!
No cheche I didn't get in the earliest slot for the clinicals. Maybe because I applied too late or something else I wouldn't know... but it's all for the best I suppose.
Hopefully we can review together for the clinicals...I'm still procastinating though hehehe, maybe next week =)
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I'm always doing things I can't do, that's how I get to do them.
Hello friends,
Got AMC part 1 in march.
1]Is OhCS sufficient for gyne & Psychiatry ?
2]Do we need memorize the treatment part in details, or just the name of procedureis important?
3] Do we get single lead ecg in exam or the 12 lead ecg qs?
4] What are the best resources for CTscans, MRI, xrays?
5]Its been said that current amc format resembles USMLE format, so solving clinical oreinted USMLE qs from USMLE reviews going to help?
Pls answer my queries.I have special request to our co-ordinator to start a seperate thread for where people can write about their study methods, plans & aprroaches.That will give us inspiration & guidance.
Thanks
Thanks nic & cheche!
Thanks nic & cheche!
Thanks nic & cheche!
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