Please read these instructions carefully and devise your own personalised strategy/based on it.

This strategy has been thoroughly researched and is found to be very effective for AIIMS and AIPGE exams. These instructions are published in every AIIMS , AIPGE series book by RxPG. Steps of attempting the exam 1. Read all instructions 2. Rapidly browse through the paper, going through all the sheets in one minute. It helps you to: a) Get a feel of the paper and therefore help you concentrate afterwards. b) Checkout any missing pages and misprints in the paper 3. Take a deep breath and concentrate. TIP: If you have any problems in

concentration because of anxiety, close your eyes and count backwards from 100 to 1. This is a very effective method to get focussed in a very short time. 4. Solve paper in three rounds: First round: Answer" spotter questions" as much as possible a) Keep maximum speed by doing these reflexly b) Don't do any thinking here, if you are forced to think on any question then it is not a spotter question. Leave those you cannot answer for later. c) Answering reflexly here is very important. You can develop these reflexes by practising on as many mock tests as you can. d) Also mark the questions you do not want to attempt at all if you happen to glance.

e) Note the time taken. Advantages: Ten to fifteen percent of questions in five to' seven percent of time takes off the pressure, thereby you can: a) relax and work efficiently afterwards b) not fall in danger of leaving these simple questions un-attempted if time runs out. TIP: For AllMS it is about: 20-30 questions in 10 minutes For AIPGE it is about: 30-45 questions in 12-15 minutes. Second round: The main attempt at the exam Do all the "reader" and "thinker" questions here. Decide quickly whether you want to attempt and then go ahead. NOTE: For AIIMS --spend 2 hrs 30 min on this job (Total paper duration: 3 hrs); For

AIPGE -spend 3 hrs on this job (Total paper duration: 3.30 hrs) Third round: Mop up round Do these in this order 1. Check answers 2. Review attempted questions 3. See unattempted questions. Important: Transfer your answers to the answer sheet simultaneously. You will be in big trouble if you leave this for the end. (based on personal experience of one of the author). Some people may be wondering what these spotter, reader and thinker questions are? So let us explain. In every PG entrance examination based on MCQ patterns these are the only three kinds of questions that are to be asked.

Spotter Questions These are the one liner questions which you can spot easily and answer reflexly. How to identify a spotter question? 1. The question stem will be short (never more than one or two lines). 2. The options will be of one to three words only. 3. Stand out in the paper as your train your eye to look for these words in the questions stem. . Most common . Rare . Most likely . All of the following except . Investigation of choice . Treatment of choice . Drug of choice . Contraindicated

. Mechanism of action . Mode of spread These ten words can work wonder for you if you train your eyes on them. For this best way is to practice on mock tests (Online mock tests are available at this site). Spotter questions give you an advantage when you attempt an actual exam as explained before. Reader Questions These are the questions which are usually long but uncomplicated. You just need to read and comprehend the question and get to the answer without thinking much. This questions consume some time but are very productive. Usually 40% of AIIMS and 60% of AIPGE questions are like this. To get selected you just need to do 80% of these questions right. How to identify a reader question?

A reader question can be easily identified by looking for these features in the question body. . Long question (2-4 sentences) . Absence of laboratory investigation values. . One line or one word options. Usually reader questions are difficult to identify initially but you can train your eyes for it by practising on mock tests (Mock tests are much better than MCQs otherwise as they simulate exam conditions in real time. You can understand the difference by giving a mock test). Thinker Questions To solve such questions you need to. have an understanding of the topic. Just cramming won't help here. These

questions are" devils" in the question paper as they kill your time and are responsible most of the negative marks you will score. So you have to be extra cautions while attempting such questions and keep in mind not to waste any extra time on them. Even if you do 60-80% of them correct without risking negative marks, you stand a very good chance to. succeed. How to identify a thinker question? A thinker question can be easily identified by looking for these characteristics in the question body: . Based on clinical situation . Long-stem of the question . Lengthy options. During the exam, do not bother unnecessarily about identifying the

thinker and reader type questions. You do not need to. The only thing you need is to learn to identify spotter questions (as we have already told you), as that is what you will need to do in the actual

How to deal with a stressful exam situation? Date: Saturday, January 08 @ 05:49:26 CST Topic: AIPGE Here are few tips which I gathered as "during the exam dictums", when I was giving my exams. If you are completely unsure of a

question, draw a box around the question in your exam booklet. This strategy makes it easy for you to return to the questions after you've completed the rest of the exam. Don't get hung up on one question! No one knows everything. Assess the question to the best of your abilities, choose your best "guess," and move on. Show the examiners that you can jump any hurdle and still successfully complete the exam. The exam is just a piece of paper you write your answers on with a pencil. It cannot jump off the table and question you in person. You are in control of the situation, not the exam. Don't be afraid of being wrong.

The exam is a strenuous situation. Are you practicing sitting and using your mind for eight hours a day? Maintain a positive attitude. Commit yourself to meeting your goal of passing the exam. Practice the solutions approach! Beyond knowing the material, you must be able to convey that knowledge to the grader within the time frame allowed. Adequate amounts of sleep, food, and exercise in are necessary to meet the physical and mental demands placed upon you during the exam. You will encounter problems on the exam for which you do not feel specifically prepared. Exam confidence will help you

to overcome the initial frustration, remain calm, and think logically. Using the solutions approach in combination with grader orientation will enable you to pick up a sizable number of points on questions that catch you off guard. Avoid failure by maintaining your exam confidence and adhering to your examination strategy. The most common reasons for failure are: * Failure to understand the requirements * Misunderstanding the text of the problem * Lack of knowledge of material tested * Inability to apply the solutions approach

* Lack of an exam strategy (e.g., time budgeting) * Sloppiness, computational errors, etc. Accuracy is just as important, if not more so, as speed. You should work each section of the exam with a time budget in mind to avoid any last minute panic attacks. Do not mark any known answers wrong just because you are afraid of running out of time. In the end I would like to wish you all the best of luck in the upcoming exams.

However for your help we have classified all the questions in the this exam under these headings only.

What ?, How ?, What not to do during the last week Before the exam Date: Thursday, January 06 @ 20:25:15 CST Topic: AIPGE The following is a checklist of things to be done in the last week before AIPGE Exam. Decide where you are going to stay. Get those facts right now before one week. Check whether you have got your hall ticket. If not communicate to the concerned authorities. Read the details given in the hall ticket

and the prospectus ONCE AGAIN Does the exam need Pen or Pencil. Get 2 (or 3) pens ready. If the exam needs pencil, get 2 pencils, an eraser (which does not leave mark on the paper check it now not on the answer sheet) and a sharpener Pack these and the hall ticket and anything you may need and (if you have a special dress for exams, as most people have - pack that too) now itself. Keep your journey (to and fro) ticket along with these, To search for all these just 1 hour before the start of the journey is not going to do your confidence any good Dont leave these vital things which (may

appear insignificant now, but will occupy the whole of your mind , if not properly planned for and) may significantly affect your PERFORMANCE Take an old question paper of the exam you are going to attend Lock yourself inside a room Try to complete the paper in the prescribed time Correct the paper with the Standard Text book and not with the key given in the MCQ book itself Now concentrate on your MISTAKES. They are more important at this stage. You will now know your "Achilles heel". Dont repeat it in the exam. Dont care

about the answers you got right. You will get it right again in your exam !! What not to be done : Dont listen if some one says that the question will be tough, the question will be easy!, the question is out !!, he/she is not here - gone to get the question paper!!! Listen to only Academic discussions If you are preparing with a group, it is better to get away from the group and become "solitary". It may sound odd, but this is a practical problem and we have seen most aspirants getting depressed after hearing such kinds of news. What ?, How ?, What not to do during the last day Before the exam Take rest !!

If you have traveled a long time, try and get a good sleep. Revise those facts which you find hard to remember , especially the numeric values, investigations, syndromes, etc. Got to bed early What not to be done : Dont try to read more points by forgoing your sleep on this particular day In addition to you recent memory (which you will by reading the whole night) for a good performance you need certain other skills like remote memory, analytical skills, speed, decision making the next say. And to get all these at the zenith is to have a good sleep.

What ?, How ?, What not to do Before you enter the exam hall Get to the exam centre early at least 1 hours before the start of the exam. Check that your number is displayed in the notice board Some times 2 schools / colleges with identical names (or a main school and the branch) will be centers and the Auto Rickshaw will take you to the other center - for example, Kendriya Vidyalaya or SBOA - I was once forced to see many a SBOA School in Chennai !!! just before the start of the exam at the 11th hour Get out of the campus and wait outside.

Check your purses/wallets and make sure that there are no bits of papers (which you might have kept long time back) inside that might create problems with a checking squad Avoid reading at this time (Easier said than done) What not to be done : Dont discuss any question. When some one asks you a question and if you cant answer you may be depressed What ?, How ?, What not to do Inside the exam hall First Write your Register number looking at it from the Hall ticket (and not from your memory - however good your

memory is) and then shade accordingly. Then shade the Question Paper Code, if any If there any other paper work do it Read the instructions in the question paper / answer paper. What not to be done : Dont leave the important details like Register number question paper code blank and start with the questions right away. You may commit a mistake (which may be fatal) when you shade these things later "in a hurry". Mark the answers in the Q.Paper as you read the questions. When you have completed a batch of 25 (or 50) quesitons transform the answers to the

answer sheet What not to be done : Dont try to read the entire question paper once again and then mark the answers What ?, How ?, What not to do Inside the exam hall Clinical Questions Read the question once clearly, without skipping any thing and then mark by the side the age, SEX, complaints, Symptoms - duration Signs Investigation and follow the SAME Approach you did in your Final Year Exams.........

In 90 % of the cases, you will arrive at an answer..... What ?, How ?, What not to do Inside the exam hall Clinical Questions But the conditions are an endless list and definitely will not be limited to Mitral Stenosis, Hemipleiga, VSD, Prolapse, CTEV, Ca Stomach, Anaemia Complicating Pregnancy !!! If you have followed the same procedure while preparation, you will find this method easy What not to be done : Dont skip any part of the question by reading fast. What ?, How ?, What not to do Inside the

exam hall Statistics Questions(PSM ) Write the details on the rough sheet and work systematically. If you know an alternate way of working that particular problem try that also and check whether the solutions tally What not to be done : Dont do mental calculations or try from you memory. What ?, How ?, What not to do during the after the exam Relax ! Try to recollect the questions. It is better if you do it as a group. Work out the answers

Try to find out how much you might score. Wait for the result !!! What not to be done : Dont try argue over few questions that might be ambiguous So These slides are not for advising you They are to point out to you some facts It is your life, your career and so it is your decision !!! Or post it in the message board/forum

And before you leave Nevertheless, there are lot of points that may be of benefit to all PG Aspirants So you are requested to change certain minor details especially those regarding the text books to suit you if you find the list given not to your choice And if you can read between the words and find out what we are trying to convey, you can be successful in any PG Medical Entrance Exam Wishing you ALL THE BEST for YOUR PREPARATION!!!

My list of topics for last minute revision before AIPGE Date: Thursday, January 06 @ 20:28:58 CST Topic: AIPGE I wish some body post a list of topics ,tables ,charts etc to be revised most aggresively in this last week before aipg.like whixch tables and charts from harrison,robbins etc. here r a few iam going to doAnatomy -nerve supply,blood supply, branches of arteries and nerves,embryology-specially derivatives of the branchial arch Biochemistry - metabolism charts from harper, lists of metabolic and storage

disorders,causes of metabolic and respiratory acidosis and alkalosis Pharmacology -list of following category of drugs teratogenic drugs drugs causing qt prolongation drugs causing g6 pd deficiency drugs causing aplstic nad megaloblastic anaemia newer h1 blockers anti epileptics anti malarials mech of action of antimicrobials digoxin Microbiology -high yield facts from the micro pretest book list of bacteria wise culture media hiv etec,epec,ehec,eiec

mycology-as far as practicable immunoglobulins patho-- chemical mediators of inflamation changes in m.i fsm- list of ipcs list of surest signs of various modes of death poisons-particularly heavy metal,cocaine,alcohol,and antidotes to all poisons rape-defn [bleep] wounds rigor mortis,maceration,adipocere PSM - biostats most important- specially screeing tests and t tests and anova test values of imr,mmr,population and SEX ratio of india have to read millenium development goals from the new park-18th ed epidemiology

dots recommendations of different committees components of rch phc contraception eye,ENT --well best scan through b ramgopal sure success Psychiatry ,anasthesia,SKIN,Radiologysubsstance abuse,anxiety disorders,leprosy,plus either tens scanning or b ramgopal scanning paed-developmental milestones rickets duchenne's congenital adrenal hyperplasia thallasimea metabolic and congenital disorders

Medicine- gosh wat an ocean leukaemia pneumonia-16th harrison as many of the algorthims as possible from harrison hiv scan infectious disease scan 1st 500 pages-almost imposible in such short time Surgery-another ocean treatment protocols of all malignancies burns shock tetanus thyroid, breast lumps in the neck facial nerve palsy orthopaedics- chart from gupta tripathy about diagnosis of bone tumors

perthe's supracondylar # ten yrs scan carpal tunnel syndrome peripheral nerve injuries gyenae Obs --as many algorithms from dutta as possible intersexuality and chromosomal anomalies infertility malignancies of ovary,endometrium,cervix ectopic pregnancy iufd foetal and pelvic measurements hallmarks of different tpes of presentations ventouse forceps

well i know its an arbirrary list - but then mci questions are arbitrary too.in any case just posted my hunches.most importantly dont go for reading any new topics. and anybody wanting to help- please make addtions or comments on the list. cheers.

Advice on MCQ Examination Technique Date: Thursday, June 19 @ 17:04:42 CDT Topic: RxPG Most students have had ample practice at multiple choice question exams. Nevertheless, some candidates have particular difficulty with this part of the

examination, and in many cases, this is due to poor examination technique. The following help and advice is applicable to all negatively marked mcq examinations. Terminology It is important that all examiners and candidates should have a clear understanding of mcq terminology. You may find helpful, the following advice usually issued to the exam question conveners. "Recognised" means "an accepted feature of the disease". "Pathognomonic" means "a feature specific to the disease, and to no other". "Characteristic" means "a feature without which the diagnosis is in question". This

term must therefore be used with care. "Typical" is synonymous with "characteristic". "The majority", "most" or "usually" mean over 50%. Percentages as a specific figure are unacceptable, and should be given as a range e.g. 30-40%. Vague non specific terms e.g. "commonly", "frequently", "often" and "rarely", should be avoided . Use of "can" or "may" typically demand a true response, and should therefore be avoided. Absolute terms "always", "never" and

"invariably" similarly demand a false response and should also be avoided. Eponyms should be defined unless in common use [e.g. Crohn's disease]. Avoid double negatives. Male : female incidence ratios are usually pointless items. Intuition and Guessing Answers As most of the exam is negatively marked, many candidates erroneously believe that guessing will not significantly influence their marks. Random guessing in a (+1,0,-1) negatively marked exam should produce a zero overall average score gain. Some candidates will not guess answers,

worried that they will have a net score loss. It is not uncommon for conscientious candidates to feel particularly anxious, and even pessimistic on the day of the exam. In practice however, most candidates know at least something about the question being asked. It has been shown for the majority of candidates, guessing answers intuitively will improve marks. Represented graphically, the improvement approximates to a normal distribution about a mean. Most candidates increase their score. A minority of "bad guessers" will be worse off. The trick is to know which questions to guess. You should practice your technique before the exam, using mock

examination papers. Complete the exam as you would normally, and calculate your marks. Then go back, guessing at the questions you answered "Don't Know" to, and calculate your change in score. As you practice guessing, you will develop a feel for which questions you should attempt. In the unlikely event you turn out to be a consistent "bad guesser", it is probably best you don't! The following tips may help your intuitive guessing strategy: Use any clues in the question terminology. Give away words such as "may" and "always" sometimes slip through the question selection process. Examiners are usually trainers, and want to teach you something. If you have

never heard of the question topic, the stems [A-E] are more likely to be true. If you have heard of the question topic but are not aware of an association raised in a question stem, it is probably false. Remember, you will make errors and incorrect answers in every exam. Even if you answer only the questions you think you know the answers to, you are likely to get 5% wrong. If you answer only 200 out of the 300 question stems, you will almost certainly fail. Transcribing Answers Some candidates prefer to jot their answers on the question paper, and then transcribe their answers after completing the all the questions, or in batches at the end of each page. It beggars belief how

many times I have seen candidates frantically transcribing their answers, whilst arguing with the invigilator who is trying to collect the answer papers at the end of the exam! It is not surprising that transcription errors are made. As errors are propagated, a whole series of answers may be incorrectly transposed. If you do not detect these or, even more disheartening, do not have time to correct them, you will almost certainly fail. The simple answer is DO NOT TRANSCRIBE YOUR ANSWERS. Fill in the boxes on the answer paper as you complete each question. If you are unsure about an answer, put a mark next

to the question on the question paper to remind you to review the question later. Make sure the question and answer numbers correspond each time you enter an answer. Any transcription errors should then be detected early, before disaster ensues. Leave 5-10 minutes at the end of the exam to go through the answer sheet to make sure every question has been answered. The answer papers are read by machine which pauses and asks the operator to advise it whether no response has been offered, or if there is a response that it is unable to read. This slows down the marking process. The co-operation of candidates in ensuring that they record a clear response to all questions is much appreciated and aids the examiners in being able to provide speedy results to

candidates.