To Anyone interested in taking MCCQE Part 1 but is completely freaked out...
I'm a Canadian citizen but I'm a US med graduate who graduated last year and just finished my internal med internship and passed USMLE steps 1&2. Just wanted to let you know how HAPPY and GRATEFUL I am that I passed my MCC Part 1 exam taken in early November. It's really an AMAZING and MIRACULOUS story. I was really nervous because I was reading all these post about how hard the test is. Anyway, I read all these post about people taking the test like 5 times and reading Toronto Notes backwards and forwards several times and still having a hard time passing. Others said it was the hardest test of their lives. Another post said it takes like 6 months to get through those Toronto Notes. Anyway, after dragging my feet I finally got to studying but only had about 3 weeks (actually 2 wks because my last week of studying was basically useless. So, I basically felt like I was so unprepared for this test and then 2 days before the test I was all panicked and decided to skip the exam and reapply for the Spring session. SEVERE TEST ANXIETY. But then, the day before the test I didn't feel right about skipping the exam. So, I changed my mind and just took a LEAP OF FAITH and decided to write the test come what may. I thought to myself..."the worst case scenario would be that I failed but atleast I would know what to expect in the Spring session."
Anyway, the morning of the exam was the first snowfall of the season and traffic was super slow like an inch/minute. And, not only that, but half way there I realized I forgot my glasses. Then, my Dad who was driving and supposed to drop me off decided to take a detour to avoid the traffic, but we met tons of construction road blocks. So, now I was even more panicked then before, saying things like, "Maybe this is a sign that I'm not supposed to take test!" But, my Dad insisted that I should go ahead no matter how late I was. He dropped me off without even waiting to see if the test proctors would let me in to the exam! The exam proctor was like an angel...super-nice. I explained to her that I was unsure whether to go ahead and take the exam because I'm so late. I had calculated about 1 minute some seconds per questions and now I had even less time! She reassured me and told me that there was tons of time and that some people finish early blah, blah blah... She encouraged me to take a deep breath and just take the test since I already paid $1000 for it (I applied late). So, she set me up at my computer, which then froze and then I had to be moved to a different one...which wasted another 5 minutes. Needless to say, I was 30 minutes late to the exam. I started the exam around 9 am instead of 8:30 am. To make a long story short...all that adrenaline from being late got me through that test. I think I was reading at my fastest speed ever...because I finished the exam with a few minutes to spare!
I wasn't sure how well I did because the questions are adaptive but I just hoped and prayed for a passing grade. But, I definitely wasn't looking forward to getting my results. Anyway, I got my results letter just before Christmas. Which sucks because if it was bad news it could ruin my holidays. So, I decided to wait until finally...I couldn't take it anymore...I had to know the results. So, on New Year's Eve, I opened the letter and read the results and HALLEUJIA (is that spelled right?) I PASSED...and with flying colors! I'm so ecstatic that inspite of all the misshaps that day, I still made it. Anyway, I strongly believe that it was all the "Man Upstairs" (GOD for those who don't know) because I did not feel ready at all for this test. So, this is proof that miracles do happen. My advice for anyone taking this test and freaking out after reading all those scary posts out there about the test's difficulty is to have some FAITH. (In addition to studying the areas that you are the weakest on...for me that was Ethics and those stinkin' epidemiology equations) Oh...and Toronto Notes is DEFINITELY the best resource for this test. Just trust that you didn't go to med school for nothing...and you'll pass. And like my Dad says, medicine is so huge, you never feel like you know enough. So, be confident in what you know so far. And guess what? The short-answer questions only count for 25% of your score...so don't kill yourself worrying about those. I hope this encourages someone out there. Feel free to PM me if you have questions or need more info...
Stay blessed,
Venom.
I'm a Canadian citizen but I'm a US med graduate who graduated last year and just finished my internal med internship and passed USMLE steps 1&2. Just wanted to let you know how HAPPY and GRATEFUL I am that I passed my MCC Part 1 exam taken in early November. It's really an AMAZING and MIRACULOUS story. I was really nervous because I was reading all these post about how hard the test is. Anyway, I read all these post about people taking the test like 5 times and reading Toronto Notes backwards and forwards several times and still having a hard time passing. Others said it was the hardest test of their lives. Another post said it takes like 6 months to get through those Toronto Notes. Anyway, after dragging my feet I finally got to studying but only had about 3 weeks (actually 2 wks because my last week of studying was basically useless. So, I basically felt like I was so unprepared for this test and then 2 days before the test I was all panicked and decided to skip the exam and reapply for the Spring session. SEVERE TEST ANXIETY. But then, the day before the test I didn't feel right about skipping the exam. So, I changed my mind and just took a LEAP OF FAITH and decided to write the test come what may. I thought to myself..."the worst case scenario would be that I failed but atleast I would know what to expect in the Spring session."
Anyway, the morning of the exam was the first snowfall of the season and traffic was super slow like an inch/minute. And, not only that, but half way there I realized I forgot my glasses. Then, my Dad who was driving and supposed to drop me off decided to take a detour to avoid the traffic, but we met tons of construction road blocks. So, now I was even more panicked then before, saying things like, "Maybe this is a sign that I'm not supposed to take test!" But, my Dad insisted that I should go ahead no matter how late I was. He dropped me off without even waiting to see if the test proctors would let me in to the exam! The exam proctor was like an angel...super-nice. I explained to her that I was unsure whether to go ahead and take the exam because I'm so late. I had calculated about 1 minute some seconds per questions and now I had even less time! She reassured me and told me that there was tons of time and that some people finish early blah, blah blah... She encouraged me to take a deep breath and just take the test since I already paid $1000 for it (I applied late). So, she set me up at my computer, which then froze and then I had to be moved to a different one...which wasted another 5 minutes. Needless to say, I was 30 minutes late to the exam. I started the exam around 9 am instead of 8:30 am. To make a long story short...all that adrenaline from being late got me through that test. I think I was reading at my fastest speed ever...because I finished the exam with a few minutes to spare!
I wasn't sure how well I did because the questions are adaptive but I just hoped and prayed for a passing grade. But, I definitely wasn't looking forward to getting my results. Anyway, I got my results letter just before Christmas. Which sucks because if it was bad news it could ruin my holidays. So, I decided to wait until finally...I couldn't take it anymore...I had to know the results. So, on New Year's Eve, I opened the letter and read the results and HALLEUJIA (is that spelled right?) I PASSED...and with flying colors! I'm so ecstatic that inspite of all the misshaps that day, I still made it. Anyway, I strongly believe that it was all the "Man Upstairs" (GOD for those who don't know) because I did not feel ready at all for this test. So, this is proof that miracles do happen. My advice for anyone taking this test and freaking out after reading all those scary posts out there about the test's difficulty is to have some FAITH. (In addition to studying the areas that you are the weakest on...for me that was Ethics and those stinkin' epidemiology equations) Oh...and Toronto Notes is DEFINITELY the best resource for this test. Just trust that you didn't go to med school for nothing...and you'll pass. And like my Dad says, medicine is so huge, you never feel like you know enough. So, be confident in what you know so far. And guess what? The short-answer questions only count for 25% of your score...so don't kill yourself worrying about those. I hope this encourages someone out there. Feel free to PM me if you have questions or need more info...
Stay blessed,
Venom.
