“Give lots of mock tests as they prepare you for the final day”, says Dr. Anubha Dev (JIPMER Rank-10)

PrepLadder congratulates Dr. Anubha Dev on securing Rank 10 in JIPMER May 2018. We wish her all the best for her career and future ahead. In this exclusive interview with PrepLadder, she shares the plan that worked best for her to help you achieve your dream PG seat. Hello, please tell us something about yourself. I am Anubha Dev. I have done my MBBS from JIPMER. My rank in the JIPMER PG May 2018 entrance exam is10 and institute rank 1. What do you think is the correct approach to study for JIPMER? Only MCQ's or Theory+ MCQ's? Theory is obviously important. Without theory being strong we cannot blindly solve MCQ’s and our concepts won’t be strong and we won’t be able to solve new MCQ’s that way. The ideal approach is to read the theory and solve the relevant MCQs side by side so whatever we read gets consolidated at the same time. When should the preparation ideally be started? Preparation starts in 1st year itself as it’s ultimately the MBBS syllabus itself. We cannot forget the basics suddenly start afresh. But overall if internship is relatively free in your colleges then purely entrance oriented preparations should be started at the same time. Please list the books you studied for each subject. 1st year subjects+ FMT: Across Pathology: Sparsh gupta Pharmcology: Gobind Rai Garg Microbiology : Apurba Shastry PSM: Vivek Jain Ophthalmology: Utsav Bhansal Dermatology: Saurabh Jindal Radiology: Sumer Sethi Psychiology: Praveen Tripathi Have you attempted any PG exam previously? If yes, what were your ranks then and what did you do different this time that lead to your success? I attempted Nov 2017 exams also. I scored the following ranks: AIIMS - 1023 JIPMER - 49 PGI -1700 Frankly, I hadn't taken much preparation for this exam due to a hectic internship. So, I didn’t expect any rank. This time I tried to cover and revise as much as possible. How big is the role of practice and revision while preparing for JIPMER and how much time should be dedicated for it? Practice and revision plays a very important role in any entrance, especially with pg entrance as the subjects are so volatile. Revise at least twice or thrice. Have to keep solving MCQ’s and previous year’s questions. Did PrepLadder play a part in your success? If yes, how? Yes. I frequently used to access the question bank to test how much I have understood or how much I remember. The grand tests helped a lot in telling me where I stand and what areas I had to work upon. Did you use a time table/study plan to keep your preparation on track? Definitely. I started proper preparations in Jan. So, I kept 3 months for 1st reading and one month for revision and solving previous year’s papers. Mostly, I used to do one subject per week and give a test of that subject on Sunday. Special focus to be given to basics and high yield areas. Were you a topper or a mediocre student during MBBS? I got the best student award in first year and received the gold medal for microbiology in second year. List the most difficult and easiest subjects for you. I find anatomy, dermatology, PSM, ENT easier. Difficult ones were Surgery, Biochemistry and Pharmacology. One mistake that you believe everyone must avoid while preparing for JIPMER. Don’t focus too much on the rare signs and syndromes that no one will know. It will just waste time and not increase your yield. Always revise and remember the basics. What was your exam taking strategy? How many questions did you attempt in JIPMER? I tried to remain calm as questions were very difficult. My plan was to answer the topics that I know correctly. I attempted around 235 questions. Some last tips for our readers preparing for PG? Always be focused during your preparation time. Have your goal fixed and plan accordingly. Divide your time between subjects. Don’t delve deep into a subject if you are short of time. Go for the high yield portions instead. Give lots of mock tests as they prepare you for the final day. Eat well and sleep well. Most importantly have confidence in yourself. All the best guys!!! We thank Dr. Anubha Dev for sharing her success story. Best Wishes for PG entrance With Love, Team PrepLadder