My IOM Entrance Experience

Hi, I'm 3rd year Medical Student .
IOM (2016) Score   : 90

It's almost three years but everything is so fresh and vivid. It seems like yesterday.

During my preparation ,I consulted many seniors and asked them about how should I prepare ; Do's and Dont's .
Every experience and wisdom shared by them was so precious without which it won't be that easy ride .

So continuing this act of kindness ,I want to share my experience ;Hope someone will find it helpful.

Premedical Days
   I joined NAME premedical classes at starting of 12th class . Honestly balancing NAME class and college lecture was real chaos. I ended up Quitting NAME .

After 12th Exam
   Took a week off .
Then started planning and fixed my goal. I calculated  the tentative total duration of preparation (* from previous year IOM exam date ) . It was roughly about 4 months.
As old proverb alludes " Strike while the Iron[Fe :)] is hot " If we delay shaping Fe when it is hot and pliable, the metal soon cools and hardens; and oppurtunity is lost .
This is the right time to hit it harder. 

I try to read every subject (Bio, phy, chem) each day in different shift. Later after few weeks I Realized this wasn't productive way and I was wasting so much of time in between .

So started reading " Each Chapter In and Out " as long as It takes me to finish it (* usually 1-2 days )
For example :- If I started " Digestive system " I read theory first from human biology then compare and contrast it with earthworm and frog. After finishing theory , I solved past questions provided in NAME module .
There is great dilemma which book to follow.  DINESH , MEGHA are big Names but these book are very frustrating too. My advice is if you have only 3-4 months left , don't read these books . Resist your temptation to study because it will rob your valuable time which could be utilized for high yield materials.

NAME modules and Elementary Biology ( Trueman's) for theory + Complete solution ( Dr Krishna Raj Adhikiari) for past questions is all you need .
  
Dedicated time ( about 2 hr ) everyday to solve each set of Previous Year IOM question from Complete solution ; it really paid off (PS few question in real exam were exact replica )

Through our my preparation
Read- Relate - Revise  & Sleep(Of course 8 hr ) had been my main MANTRA.

Stay motivated, call your parents and if necessary ask your seniors for help .

The Day Before Exam

I rapidly went through Highlights and my note book.  No new chapter .
Checked my document so as to avoid last moment panic.
At 6 pm went to walk around Baneshowr so that I could get good night sleep.
[ If u can't, take medicine by consulting doctor.  Test the drug on yourself a week before  to make sure it works on you . Be aware of Side effects :( ]

Calm and Alert Brain is equally important as your whole study :)

Exam day
- Wake up at 6am , took heavy breakfast
Went to exam centre ( 1 hour early as mentioned in entrance card )
- Few questions were difficult and memory based one liners. In my opinion dont waste a lot of time on such questions. You'll score high only if you don't mess up with easy one. If time permits you can always review the difficult questions.
    MY TWO CENTS :)

                   APPEDNDIX

I love reading Biographies and Quotation
Here is my favourite one which I keep on my desk .
    " If your highest goal simply the Exam, you may still succeed but journey will be fraught with anguish.  If you can remember that someday you can Relieve the suffering of one individual or Save the life of even a single person from what you learn as you study , then all of your effort will take New Meaning and Purpose. Make your goal eternal quest to perfect the Art of Medicine in service of Humanity . "

Conrad Fischer, M.D.