There will be bouts of absolute hopelessness, says PrepLadder alumni Dr. Chinmay (NEET PG Rank 96)

PrepLadder congratulates Dr. Chinmay Parale on securing Rank 96 in NEET PG. We wish him all the best for his career and future ahead. In this exclusive interview with PrepLadder, he shares the plan that worked for him to help you succeed in NEET PG.

Hello, Please tell us something about yourself.

Hi! I am Chinmay Parale. I secured AIR 96 in NEET PG and I am currently doing my Internship in Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai.

What do you think is the correct approach to study for NEET PG? Only MCQ's or Theory + MCQ's?

The Ideal approach in my opinion is to study Theory/Synopsis given before each chapter followed by practicing MCQs of that chapter and a revision of the theoretical part 2-3 days later.

When should the preparation ideally be started?

Well to be quite frank, if you decide to slog really hard and are determined enough in your Internship, it is quite easily attainable. I started preparing in a somewhat dedicated manner from III/I MBBS.

Please list the books you studied for each subject.

Here is the list of books which I followed for PG preparation:

• Anatomy: Arvind Arora
• Physiology: Arvind Arora
• Biochemistry: Arvind Arora
• Pharmacology: Gobind Garg
• Pathology: Arvind Arora (Devesh Mishra is a better book)
• Microbiology: Arvind Arora (although I've heard that Apurba Sastry is significantly better)
• Forensic Medicine: Sumit Seth (Not very fond of this book)
• PSM : Arvind Arora
• ENT: Sakshi Arora
• Ophthalmology: Arvind Arora (Ruchi Rai is unorganized and does not provide explanations). My advice would be to stick to Arora, at least for understanding the basic stuff which is all that is essential)
• Medicine: Amit Ashish
• Surgery: Rajamahendran and Arvind Arora
• Obstetrics and Gynecology: Sakshi Arora for Gynaecology, Punit Bhojani for Obstetrics (Alternative being Deepti Behl's notes)
• Pediatrics: Arvind Arora
• Skin, Anaesthesia and Psychiatry : Arvind Arora
• Radiology : Sumer Sethi (Arvind Arora for Radiotherapy)

Have you attempted PGMEE previously?

This was my first attempt.

How big is the role of practice and revision while preparing for NEET PG and how much time should be dedicated for it?

Revision is the most important factor especially for an exam like NEET which is based almost entirely on Rote memory. A minimum of 3 readings of all subjects is required if one anticipates a decent rank. In my opinion, last 4 months before the exam must be reserved only for revision.

Did PrepLadder play a role in your success? If yes, how?

Indeed, it did. PrepLadder’s Free Tests conducted at the All India level gave me a fairly accurate idea as to where I stand on the national level. I had purchased the Premium Test Series 2 months prior to the exam and that helped me assess my performance and whether it was actually improving or not with successive revisions. It also helped me identify my weak subjects and weak topics which proved quite useful particularly towards the end with limited time at hand.

Did you use a time table/study plan to keep your preparation on track?

My aim was to complete my first round of preparation in 6 months (February - July), Second round of preparation in 3 months (August - October), Third round in November and a Final reading in the last 10 days. I stuck to this plan and it worked out quite well for me. My daily target used to be 50 pages per day in the first reading, 100 in the second and 300-350 in the third.

Were you a topper or a mediocre student during MBBS?

I was not exactly a topper, however, managed to stay in the top 10 bracket quite consistently.

List the most difficult and easiest subjects for you.

Most difficult subjects were all the first year subjects, Anatomy and Biochemistry in particular. Forensic Medicine and Anesthesia also were quite difficult to remember. PSM and Surgery were the easiest (and hence my favorite) subjects.

One mistake that you believe everyone must avoid while preparing for NEET PG.

Do NOT give up. It is going to be difficult, there are going to be ups and downs (downs more than ups!) and there are going to be bouts of absolute hopelessness. Keep going. It may seem difficult to believe, but getting a good rank is easier than it seems.

Some last tips for our readers preparing for NEET PG?

Be consistent. Make your own plan, make the necessary changes periodically and stick to it as far as possible. MCQs are as important as the theory before the exam, probably even more. Do not make the mistake of reading only the theoretical part and not solving the MCQs. Revise all the subjects at least twice. Do NOT waste time on controversial questions. Prefer books over Facebook and WhatsApp groups. All the best!