To DO or Not to DO?

Okay, So the deadline for next MRCOG Part 2 exam applications closes at 4pm (UK time) on Thursday 19 April 2018.

The big question is, am I ready to give this exam?

Do I have enough time to finish studying?

Should I apply for this time or the next, or the next after that?

Many out there have this dilemma-  and many actually asked me this question- whether they have enough time to finish studying.

Frankly speaking,  It’s a tough question to answer.

Remember ‘Finish studying’ is something that would never happen.  You will always have something more to revise, an eternally feel, only if I had one more week, 2 more days extra before the exam.

The secret is, one should always have a little less time than necessary for an exam. That way the adrenaline will pump and you will get more work done in fewer days.

It’s not the quantity but the quality of study you do.  You can sit for hours with your books but actually absorb or gain quite a little.

And it also differs between people who are starting at the very beginning and people who have studied or read things at least once and just need to revise. The usual average time required is about 6 months or more if you are a beginner.

There are 2 aspects of this exam. Reading to understand, then preparing for an exam-oriented way- like doing more and more question books and revising facts.

You need to ask yourself at which stage you are in, and then decide when to give the exam.

I have been reading and taking notes for quite a long time as I was a master student in a program for 4 years. That’s where acquiring knowledge to be a specialist happens.

But my precise revision for MRCOG itself was about 3 months, just after I had completed the Final exam. And a lot of work has been put into giving the finals.

Try to get a study buddy. It’s not easy to keep things in mind all by yourself. Discussing helps to retain facts. You need to make a schedule and religiously follow it. All the spare time is usually spent in exam prep.

You might be a busy working candidate or one who is not working, but that does not mean you do not have family obligations. So the time you need depends on how much you already know and how much you can give for the exam.

I know it’s very daunting. But take heart. Start NOW.  YOU CAN DO this!