Q1 What inspired you to pursue a medical career, and how did you prepare for the NEET PG examination?

A: To be honest, I was not interested in medicine until very late. My parents and brother suggested I take up the field after 12th since there was no doctor in my family before me and they felt I had the aptitude and character to do it. Once I joined MBBS, I started warming to the field, and now I am completely fascinated by it.

I started preparing for NEET-PG in the later part of my 2nd professional year, although reading standard textbooks in my first and second years had already helped me create a strong base. I used the platform Marrow for dedicated NEET-PG videos, question banks and tests; I also used the Computer-Based Test (CBT) series from the Delhi Academy of Medical Sciences (DAMS) and their DAMS Visual Treat (DVT). I also gave free mocks from other apps whenever I could.

 

Q2 What was your study schedule like, and how did you balance your preparation for the NEET PG examination with your other responsibilities?

A: Contrary to expectations, I didn’t really have a schedule. I ensured I gave enough time to all subjects, and a bit more to my weaker ones, but I didn’t really have a rigid schedule I adhered to. I used to have a target of watching at least 10 videos per day but wasn’t able to meet it all the time due to my internship and other commitments. It is important to be flexible and not be rigid about your schedule so that you can make some leeway for ups and downs in your preparation. I also used to watch and play football about once or twice a week to relax my body and mind and I feel that’s very important.

 

Q3.What were some of the challenges you faced while preparing for the NEET PG examination, and how did you overcome them?

A: I faced a drop in my mock test scores somewhere in the middle of my internship, which was a little depressing. But I am thankful that it happened since it helped me avoid complacency and buck up my prep. There were times I would not remember simple things and keep making silly mistakes which would be frustrating, but it's important to keep going and use them to highlight your weaknesses and dedicate more time to them.  My grandfather passed away a week before the exam. I couldn’t study for some days, but he always wanted to see me become a doctor and push my limits, and I am grateful I could fulfil his dream. I dedicate this achievement to him.

Q4 What study materials did you refer to while preparing for the NEET PG examination, and which ones do you think were the most useful? 

Standard textbooks for most subjects except some minor ones (radiology, dermatology, anaesthesiology and psychiatry) and Marrow for all subject videos and question banks, including previous year questions. Some standard textbooks are indispensable, such as Park’s textbook for community medicine and Robbins for pathology. Apart from those, I found the Marrow videos, GTs and especially the pearls really helpful.

 

Q5 How did you manage your time during the examination, and what strategies did you use to tackle the different sections of the paper?

A: I had given plenty of mocks before the actual test, and time hadn’t really been an issue for me. I used to be an avid quizzer during my college days, and that has really helped me speed up my thought processes. I could go through the entire paper about 2 times and through tougher or trickier questions about 3 times. I first solved all the questions I felt were straightforward and I was confident, and then dealt with the ones I felt were tricky or tough to make some calculated guesses by ruling out options. I marked these for review and gave them a final review before the exam ended.

Q6 How did you handle stress and anxiety during the preparation phase and on the day of the examination?

A: Don’t try to do too much in the last week. Talk to friends and family, get enough sleep and focus on revising select topics only.     

 

Q7 Did you opt for offline or online coaching for your NEET PG preparation? What were the factors that influenced your decision?

A: Online coaching only. I am not an offline class guy, haha! I used to fall asleep in 10 minutes even in my college lectures. I preferred online coaching as I could tailor it to my needs and adjust it to match my preferred timings.

 

Q8 What are the advantages and disadvantages of offline and online coaching, based on your experience?

A: Advantages of online coaching: Convenient, flexible, easy to use even during travel, cheaper, speed of reading can be adjusted to one’s requirement. Cons: Minimal interaction with teachers (at least in videos), requires dedication, screen fatigue, requires good quality devices and internet. Advantages of offline coaching: Interactive, peer learning, gives some a more conducive environment to study Cons: More expensive, draining at times, might be too fast or too slow for some

 

Q9 How did you ensure that you were getting quality coaching and guidance, regardless of whether you chose offline or online coaching?

A: Mock tests. Regardless of what you use, try to assess yourself wherever possible, on multiple platforms. That will help you confirm your progress and most importantly, the fact that your concepts are strong.

 

Q10 How did you ensure that you were able to stay disciplined and focused during your online coaching, as opposed to being in a classroom environment for offline coaching?

A: I had an overall target that I must go through all subjects at least twice, plus I used to revise subjects for quizzes as and when they came. That really helped keep my memory fresh. Like I said, I didn’t really have a schedule, but I did watch videos regularly. I guess to be honest, I didn’t need a special dedication to study and the will to do well in the exam was enough by itself.

 

Q11 How did you leverage technology and other online resources to enhance your NEET PG preparation, in case you opted for offline coaching?

I mostly used online resources for learning and used the CBT series by DAMS to test myself in a simulated offline environment. That gave me a feel of the actual exam.

 

Q12 Do you think that the shift towards online coaching due to the pandemic has been beneficial for NEET PG aspirants? Why or why not?

I have always felt online teaching is superior. That is my personal opinion. Especially for students in inaccessible areas or small towns, online coaching is invaluable. With the provision of video downloads, students are also able to study using limited internet so that’s a great plus.

 

Q13.What advice would you give to aspirants who are confused about whether to opt for offline or online coaching for NEET PG?

There is no single best choice. There is a multitude of factors which determine your result, but online or offline coaching is definitely not one of them. A guy with an AIR of 50000 in online coaching is not likely to have achieved an AIR of under 100 by switching to offline alone.Use whichever you feel is comfortable for you, but whatever you do, do remember the fact that there is no substitute for perseverance.