FMGE June 2020: It's time to turn the Tables Around

It is a day of rejoicing for many and a day of dejection for some; with the announcement of the FMGE Dec 2019 result. Those that cleared their exam can now look forward to starting their PG but what about those that couldn’t clear it?

Well, those that couldn’t make it this year shouldn’t be bogged down rather look at it as another opportunity to try. In this article, we will talk about how to prepare for the FMGE June exam especially of those who are giving it the second time. Failure is never easy to deal with. Some cope up with it quickly and others take time. No matter which category you fall in, just remember never to lose hope. Do not give up but give it another try. Given below are a few pointers that give the second timers an upper hand amongst other aspirants.

FMGE June 2020 preparation after failure (starting afresh)

“Keep Calm, and keep reading”- Dr. Apurv Mehra( MBBS, MD Orthopedics) Do not let failure make you doubt your potential. Look at failure as another opportunity, a chance to do well. Many must be wondering how to start and when to start preparing after failure. “The best time to start studying would be now”- Dr. Gobind Rai Garg, (MBBS, MD Pharmacology). Given below are a few pointers that will help you to start your FMGE preparation afresh

Focus on the clinical presentation

Every year many experts that analyze the FMGE exam have seen the MCQs be majorly based on clinical representation. So, make sure to study the clinical signs which include: Clinical science, Medication, Side effects, Management For those who are preparing while working or during their internship should keep a check on the clinical cases during their ward cases. This will help you to learn it practically and not just cramming it from the textbooks. For those who are droppers, can make the most of the digital boom by watching clinical videos online by just sitting at home. This will help you to keep up with the practicality of the subjects as the exam constitutes majorly of clinical cases. Online clinical exam videos are the future of medicine.

Keep a checklist

“Note down the clinical presentation along with studying the topics”- Dr. Apurv Mehra. For someone preparing for the second time could use this time to their advantage by revising as much as they can. Make sure to keep a checklist of all the clinical signs for a particular topic and its concerned subject. Doing this will help you hasten your final revision and you won’t have to go through the whole topic again.

Make your notes

Note making= Revision Notes are meant for revision and not for concept building. They serve as an easily accessible guide to having an overview of the topics during your final revision. If you are studying online, then the best thing to do would be to make notes along with watching topic wise videos. Online videos come with an explanation, so to make notes simultaneously which will save up on a lot of time. It is better to develop your notes rather than picking up notes from the market and mugging them up. “Notes will be useful only if you make them yourself”- Dr. Gobind Rai Garg. Online videos= concept building Watching online videos are a source of concept building which is coupled with notes which should be made during the videos itself. Keep online videos as a source of concept building. Do not make the mistake of randomly picking up notes by skipping videos. Let watching videos and making notes go hand in hand. “Watch videos, make notes, then read them simultaneously” – Dr. Gobind Rai Garg. If it’s your second attempt then, you can revise from your previously made handwritten notes and add pointers to them while watching topic wise videos. The benefit of watching videos is that you cannot write all the concepts in the notes, so the things that aren’t mentioned in the notes are taught in the notes (in case you opt for handwritten notes).

Maintain a proper schedule

“Stay in your schedule given to a particular subject”- Dr. Apurv Mehra Let your study schedule be specific by assigning particular days to each subject and topic. Make sure not to follow it religiously and even if you miss out a day, leave that topic and move to the other one. Keep a note to study it later on. This will help you to follow a strict schedule and be disciplined enough to follow it. It will be easier for those preparing the second time, as their mind is already accustomed to a disciplined schedule. Moreover, you have already revised the whole syllabus once and this will be a re-revision for you. Thus, giving you an upper hand amongst your competitors.

Revision is a must

“Keep room for revision. Rapid Revision should be done along with your subjects”- Dr. Apurv Mehra Revision should go hand in hand with your note-making and watching online videos. PrepLadder’s dream team suggests that you imbibe the rapid revision in your study schedule so that you are accustomed to it and won’t spend much time adapting to it during your revision as you would have already watched those during your concept building. Once you complete an online video of a topic, make sure to check its rapid revision simultaneously. The benefit of this is that later on, you can revise the rapid revision which will not be time-consuming as you would already be aware of the concepts mentioned in it. If you are appearing for the exam for the second time and have already made notes and watched the online lectures, then you must go through the topic wise rapid revision and add extra points to your notes wherever required. This will be like are- rapid revision for the second timers.

Give Mock and Grand Tests

Practicing 80 to 100 MCQs every day should be a part of your daily study routine. On completing a particular topic, give mock tests related to it. If you are starting your preparation from January, then you should start giving your grand tests from now on. “One grand test per week”- Dr. Gobind Rai Garg. Do not let a low score in your grand test make you sad, rather focus on the good score that you achieve in a particular subject and let that motivate you to do better in the other subjects as well. Let the low grand test score be your driving force to do exceedingly well. On receiving a low score in a particular subject mock or a grand test, do not make the mistake of doing them again rather keep that topic or subject in your top priority revision. Do not lag in following your study schedule. Do not break away from your schedule just to study that topic all over again.

Analyzing your preparation

The best time to study would be now as it will make a path for you that the subjects that you have mastered now should be towards the higher end of your analysis where you should score in your grand tests. If that does not happen then you can check where you’ve gone wrong. The second-timers have an advantage as they are now well aware of the examination pattern and also know where they went wrong. This analysis will help you to work on your weak areas.

Consistency is the key

“Be consistent and read every day. Do not be the last minute.com” – Dr. Apurv Mehra. Nothing beats consistency! Make sure to utilize your 24 hours wisely. What you do in those 24 hours is very important. Stay focused, calm and continue studying. Time is very crucial for FMGE aspirants. If you don’t value time, it won’t value you.

What to do when you are oversaturated?

“Keep studying little bit daily”- Dr. Gobind Rai Garg If someday you do not feel like studying, then skip that day keeping it as a break or rest day. In case of a family function, try to keep at least one hour for studying. That way it won’t be a total waste of the day. “Value each day”- Dr. Apurv Mehra Do not fall into the trap of missing 2 or 3 days at a stretch as it will make it difficult for you to study on the 4th day as you will have to start afresh by building the habit again. Also Read our blogs for FMGE Preparation :

5 Mistakes To Avoid Before Taking the FMGE Exam	5 Things Not To Do 1 Month Before FMGE Exam
How to Ace the FMG Exam: 30-Day Revision Strategy	5 Tips to Stay Motivated for Fmg Exam

Happy Studying, you got this!