Philippines

Dear Dr. Swartz and Anna,
I’m writing to tell you both that C3NY has helped me tremendously. I just got my results last week, and it is a PASS, and I owe thanks to C3NY….to Dr. Swartz for his expertise and direction, to Anna’s for her helpful input and encouragement, and to the great actors. Although I only got to audit the 3rd day, I was still able to learn from the observational experience. I think the greatest hurdle of this exam is not to panic and be nervous. Anna’s advice on deep breathing really works!
Just some input….Dr. Swartz, you are the best, the exam was exactly how you described it would be….but so much easier….I’m glad the practice was harder than the exam. Also, your comments about making lists before entering the room…..I had ideas in mind but never wasted the time to write them down…..I just went in and let the patient lead the way.
Some advice for students…..don’t listen to anyone at the exam site. Do what you’ve learned at C3NY, and you’ll do great!
Thanks for everything C3NY!
RG, M.D., Philippines
Dear Ms Lank and Dr. Swartz,
I attended your C3NY program last November, and I want to thank you for helping me pass Step 2cs.
What I really liked about your course was that you really cared about the students, and was there all day teaching – instead of just hiring teaching assistants. Also, the video during the end of the first day was very helpful, and in general, you gave really good tips on how to pass the exam, since the guidelines issued by USMLE for Step 2cs are
pretty vague.
Take care!
Eugene Tan, M.D., Philippines
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank,
I attended the workshop last Sept. and took the exam 4 weeks after. I got the result a couple of days ago and I passed.
Thank you so much for all the help. I thought I wouldn’t make it, but I just followed all your instructions and everything went well. Your workshop is a way lot harder than the Step 2CS exam itself, but that’s what you told us.
Again, my heartfelt gratitude to all of you guys…
Sam Galicia, M.D., Philippines

Amor Monsalud-Eliazo, MD, Phillipines, Video Testimonial

Dear Anna,
Yes, I took Step 2CS last December 8, 2008…I just recently found out that I passed.
Thank you so much for your help. I found the review course gave me a lot of insight into the mechanics of the exam. The program really built up my confidence.
Thank you so much again!
Francisco Yap, M.D., Philippines
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank:
Hello! I took your workshop last March 2009 (upon the recommendation of one of your students, May 2008 batch). At first, I was terrified of taking your workshop when I learned about the activity on the last day with the SPs. But like what you said, don’t make the exam day your practice for the exam.
I got my results last June 24, and I’m happy to say that I passed. The workshop really helped a lot, especially the tips. I would recommend your workshop to my friends.
Thank you very much, and God bless you!
Aleah Tiu, M.D., Philippines
Dear Ms. Lank,
I’m happy to announce that I’m finally ECFMG certified, thanks to C3NY.
For any foreign doctor, the CS exam seems like a big hurdle, much more so when taken for the second time. But with the help of the workshop (yes, I use the term workshop – not once did I feel that I was in a tense classroom environment), I was able to dissect my past mistakes and thoroughly undergo a paradigm shift – this exam is not solely about patient notes and diagnoses, but effective communication with the patient. With that in mind, the workshop prepared me not only for the CS exam, but for (hopefully) my future medical training.
Thank you very much Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank. Be assured that C3NY will be highly recommended to my colleagues here in the Philippines.
J.P.T. Ridon, M.D., Philippines
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Anna,
Just want to share the good news that I passed my CS done last May 10, 2012.
I got the highest in the part : Professional manner and rapport. You’re right , establishing a good communication rapport with the patient is the key to this exam.
Thank you so much Doctor for everything… To be honest what you told me after the workshop that I am ready for the exam helped me build my confidence in those moments of doubt.
I know that what I learned in the workshop equipped me not only for the exam but for my future medical practice.
God bless you.
Myla Gabriel Macapia, M.D., Philippines
Dear Dr Swartz:
I was one of your students last April 16, 17 and 18, 2007. I took my exam on May 8 and got my result June 20, 2007. I passed!
I would like to thank you for the support and guidance you have given to me. I thought I was going to fail when I left the examination room in Philadelphia. Thank God, I passed.
I will definitely recommend your course to other medical professionals.
Alice Ngo, M.D., Philippines

Myla Macapia, MD, Phillipines, Video Testimonial

Dear Ms. Anna Lank,
I know this is long overdue, but I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude nonetheless. I attended the 3-day C3NY workshop last February, and I am very happy to report that I was able to pass the Step 2 that I took in March.
Personally, I feel that you, Dr. Swartz, and the Standardized Patients played an integral role in my preparation for the exam. Not only did I learn about the exam and what exactly was required of test takers like myself, but I was able to develop confidence in interacting with Standardized Patients.
Thank you all very much for your time and sincere effort in helping allay the fear and uncertainty I had in preparing for this exam. I truly appreciate all the patience and hard work that go into this workshop, and I feel fortunate to have been able to benefit from it.
Dr. Swartz, you and the C3NY program has helped me in more ways than you know. God bless!
Catherine Corpuz, M.D., Philippines
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank,
I would like to inform you that I passed. I took your course in January 2008, 2 weeks before my examination.
Once again, thank you so much.
FM, M.D., Philippines
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank:
Hi! I’m Dr. Maricris Lapinid from the Philippines. I took your workshop last May 2008. I finally got my result last August, and I passed on my first attempt.
I’m writing you this card to let you know how thankful I am for all the very helpful tips you’ve given me. True enough, when I was taking my exam last June, your voices resounded in my head and what I learned from our workshop was pretty much all I needed during my exam. The workshop tremendously lessened my anxiety for the exam, and it really helped that I had an idea of what I was getting into. Of course, that’s all because of you.
I remember one of my classmates during the workshop commented that you are such a good soul, and I sincerely agree with him. May you continue to inspire more aspiring doctors like me!
I truly appreciate all your help. More power to you. I will encourage my friends to take your workshop. God bless you.
Maricris Lapinid, M.D., Philippines
Dear Ms. Anna,
I was in your March 2009 review class. I just took my CS last September 25 because I was pregnant and I decided to take CS after I have taken my CK. I had my CK last September 8. Last December 9, I received the result, and I’m happy to tell you that I passed!
I would like to thank you for the very informative review sessions. That really prepared me well, even though I took the exam 6 months after your workshop. The long interval from the review to the time of exam did not prevent me from passing CS with just one try.
I would say that the SP’s in your review were more intimidating than the SP’s I encountered during my exam. And it’s true that after leaving the exam center, you will have that feeling of uncertainty of the exam result. CS is indeed a test of communications skills rather than academic.
Again thank you!
Eleanor Calma, M.D., Philippines
Dear Anna,
I was in your April 2009 workshop group. I have been eagerly awaiting my CS results. I am happy to inform you that I passed.
I’d like to thank you and Dr. Swartz for the wonderful experience. Your program has given me a surprisingly different insight as to how to approach the CS exam.
Emilio Javier III, M.D., Philippines
To my C3NY Family,
Greetings! I am one of your students from the 4/12 course for the Step 2CS. A few days ago, I received the result of my examination, which I took in Atlanta last 5/16.
I am thrilled to update you, that I successfully passed the Step 2CS exam on my first try. More than that, I want you to know that whatever I have learned from you with the guidance of Dr. Swartz’ books (which I already purchased), will be my reliable compass as I practice medicine.
Thank you all…To Dr. Swartz, who is a brilliant doctor and professor; to Miss Lank, for efficiently coordinating the course; and to the very effective performances of all the standardized patients.
Just so you know, my study partner who introduced me to C3NY, successfully passed as well.
Kudos to C3NY and Many Thanks!!!
AME, MD, Philippines

Russia

Good morning, Dear Anna and Dr. Swartz!
I am writing to say THANK YOU for everything you did!!!!
I passed my USMLE Step 2 CS from the first attempt and just received my score!!!!!!
Thank to all your team and personally to you both for your help! I cannot express my feeling how happy I was after leaving your course in May 2015, but I am many times happier now after receiving my score!!!!
Thank you both and all the SPs for your great help in teaching me to be a great doctor in USA!!!!!!
I’ve already recommended your course for my friends who just started their preparation for USMLE as a part of “must do” to continue a career here – in the USA! And I will definitely recommend your course for everybody!!!!!
Best of luck and one more time THANK YOU!!!!!
Sincerely,
Ekaterina Bratysheva, M.D., Russian Federation
Hello Dr. Swartz, Anna and Ginny,
I took my exam on July 21 and got result back yesterday!!!!!!!! I passed it!!!!!!!!
Thank you for you help! I took my exam in Atlanta. I didn’t find the exam to be very difficult after your workshops, but I was a little bit nervous.
Thank you for everything!
Irina Boldt, M.D., Russia
Good morning Dr. Swartz.
I am Tatiana Sinitsina, if you remember me from the September C3NY workshops. I took the exam on November 7 and finally got the result. I passed!!!!
I appreciate every minute of your course and your comments. In three days we got the most valuable, compact information needed to succeed on CS. After the course, I followed your advice and practiced my English with “American English Pronunciation Program” and also prepared the cases. On the exam, the most difficult part for me was time; the rest, due to your workshops, I felt quiet comfortable and confident.
Thank you, Dr. Swartz, Mrs. Anna, and your SPs! I would be happy to have my comments on your web page. And one more time THANK YOU!
Tatiana Sinitsina, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz!
Thank you and your team for good work!
I passed my Step 2CS Exam! As you told us, I had not absolutely any idea about this exam at the end of exam’s day. Of course, I forgot to do a lot of things, but I tried to listen to every patient. And I was successful!
I’ll recommend your workshop to all my friends.
Thank you again, I wish you the best.
Marina Tilich, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz & Anna,
I passed the exam on April 21, 2008 in Philadelphia (one week after the workshop). It was my second attempt. The first attempt was in March 2007 in Atlanta.
The exam was not too difficult. I felt more confident after the C3NY Workshop, and after the accent reduction course.
I should have taken your workshop earlier!
Thank you very much.
Nadya, Russia
Dear Ms. Lank and Dr. Swartz,
I’m from the September 2011 workshop (the one with a baby). Had my CS exam 5 days after the workshop in Chicago.
A couple of days ago I received the results. Thank God and thank you, I passed! My report shows very high performance in Data Gathering, what I attribute solely to your course.
Because of low typing speed, I was really nervous about Patient Notes, so I also used Dr. Swartz’s advice to put the most relevant information in the first sentence (like: the patient with a history of XXX, currently on YYY, now presents with ZZZ). It really helped a lot. Thank you again.
Polina Makovskaya, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank!
I took my exam on July 26, and felt pretty terrible afterwords.
Thanks to you, I knew damn well what I had to do, and how. But, as Dr. emphasized, this is not a perfection they’re looking for. For me it was hard to believe, but I’ve realized this when received my report two days ago – and it says – PASS!!!
I’m so happy, and grateful to you. You’re doing an exellent job, helping IMGs like me to get through this ordeal. Please pass my very special thanks to Charles and the other SPs; their feedback was invaluable.
I wish you all the best.
Yuliya Perch, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz,
Please forgive me for such a long silence. Endless waiting for the CS result began to get the best of me, so I decided to abandon the temptation of checking Oasis every five minutes and escaped to an Oasis of my own. I got back yesterday – replenished and much more sane and elated to discover my passing CS report! It took more than eleven weeks! (my exam was on July 30 in Philadelphia ). But all is well that ends well.
I know that your CS workshops are just the beginning of what the Clinical Competence Center is meant to be. Your work answers a call that would otherwise fall on deaf ears. I also hear it resonating and would consider it an honor to be of help to you in any way.
You rekindled in me the excitement of knowing that everything I embrace as truth today is just a small part of what I will eventually be able to recognize. Thank you for your kindness, your devotion, your care.
Elina Tsyvkin, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz,
This is message from Natalia Vojtovich who had a pleasure to participate in Clinical Workshop on May, 2006. My trip from Chicago to New York wasn’t useless: I passed Step 2 CS! I wish I would take your course earlier. In that case I would have passed my exam without failure on first attempt.
You and your team are doing great job. You help us, FMGs, to gain more confidence, to adjust our knowledge and skills to US medical environment and eventually pass the exam. After your clinical workshop everything on the real exam was predictable, time wasn’t so pressuring and almost all patients encounters were more easily manageable.
Thank you a lot for helping us to make first steps towards getting to medical field in U.S.!
Natalia Vojtovich, M.D., Russia
Good morning Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank!
Your mornings should be good when you receive thankful messages from your students. I promised you on our last day that I’m going to pass, and I’ve kept my promise.
Without you, it wouldn’t have happened. You are marvelous team and I’m speechless about Dr. Swartz. I couldn’t even picture this level of professionalism, creativity, love to what you doing and such respect to every student, your incredible patience.
God bless you all.
Anna Pudinak, M.D., Russia
Hi Anna!
I received my score report on 12/10/2008. I passed. I’m very happy!
Again, I thank you all and Dr. Swartz for the tremendous help in understanding this exam. The C3NY class showed me a whole new perspective of medical practice.
Dmitry Mezentsev, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz,
I participated in your course in April and passed the test in May.
Thank you very much!
Mikhail Barchugov, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz,
I would like to thank you, Anna Lank and all SPs in that you are guys doing for us on everyday basis! I passed!
This C3NY Workshop is really important and helpful for preparation. Using a chance I want to say to future exam-takers that Step 2CS is not an “easy” exam as many people write on different forums. It is important not to underestimate the level of challenge, but when you pass – the feeling is even better than after Step 1 or CK!
Good luck!
Roman Maximov, M.D., Russia
Dear Dr. Swartz and Ms. Lank,
I would like to inform you that I have passed the exam!
Thank you very much for your help and support, for your professionalism and patience. Your course was extremely useful for me and I believe for many others. I wish you good luck in everything.
Take care,
Timor Litvinov, M.D., Russia

Saudi Arabia

Hello Anna and Dr. Swartz
Well I was hesitant about my preparation after taking your course. After the exam I felt lousy because I thought I did bad even though I remember Dr. Swartz saying if you feel bad after the exam, you probably did a good job.
Well I got my results, and I passed! Taking your course was really helpful.
Thank you,! Please send my regards to Dr. Swartz.
Abdullah Alhammadi, M.D., Saudi Arabia
Dear Dr. Swartz
I wish this finds you well.
I’m glad to let you know that I have passed Step 2CS with a high performance!
The 3 days course with you was an incredible experience, and I really learned a lot. I’m going to recommend your course to the people who would take the CS exam.
Thank you Dr. Swartz. It was a pleasure to work with you and again this was a great experience in my life!
Regards,
Haytham Mously, M.D., Saudi Arabia

South Korea

Hi Dr. Swartz and Anna,
This is Jiyo Shin from Korea who enrolled late for the May workshops so I could only observe on Day Three. I just got the mail from ECFMG telling me that I passed Step 2-CS. I feel so happy and appreciate everything that you did for me.
I will post my experience in Korean USMLE websites so many people can have the same great experiences.
And here’s more wonderful news. Do you remember a Greek guy Nicol and a Burma lady Kimmama? We practiced together after the workshop. And we all passed the Step 2-CS exam. I think you were absolutely right. Practicing cases with the classmates from C3NY was great fun and very helpful for preparing for the exam as well as relieving our anxiety for the test.
Thank you C3NY again.
I look forward to meeting you again in the future as a physician in USA.
Jiyo Shin, M.D., South Korea
Dear Dr. Swartz,
Hello this is Raymond. My friends Jang and Jaanna and I flew from Korea to take your C3NY workshop in September. After your excellent workshop, we all flew to LA to take the exam. We only had one day to review your course, but we had no choice. : )
September 29th, was our exam date, I was pretty nervous and made a few mistakes on the first three cases, but after the case number 4, I became calm.
As you said all the real cases were easier than C3NY cases. : ) I think practicing with your SPs helped a lot. They were excellent.
Finally today, me and my friends found out that we ALL passed the Step 2 CS.
I really appreciate your work and that of all your professional actors.
Please say thank you to Anna!
Raymond Kim, M.D., South Korea
Hi Anna,
This is Sarah Lee of November 2007 workshop. Just 1hr ago, I knew I passed.
I am very happy, and I really really want to thank you and Dr. Swartz. It was my fortune to go there.
Thanks again.
Sarah Lee, M.D., South Korea
Dear Dr.Swartz,
I just got an email from ECFMG and I passed. :)
I just followed your teaching, how to communicate, and it worked.
Thanks for your help and encouragement.
Sang Hyeon, M.D., South Korea
Good Afternoon Dr. Swartz,
I found out that I passed the exam today!! I was nervous before I open the file since I failed three times previously. However, I passed this time with high marks on all three sections!
I like to thank you, Ms. Anna Lank and all the actors and actresses who helped me understand not only let me pass the Step 2CS exam, but also taught me how to treat other human beings genuinely and kindly.
It was a remarkable education for three days. Dr. Swartz, I like to tell you that I am a living your testimony! I even had all the rotation in the United States and I had been told by other doctors that I have quite good communication skills. However, I failed three times with very low score in data gathering, patient note section and even other parts. I believed your teaching from the first day with all my heart and learned and practiced them. Now I passed with very high score!
Thank you again and have a wonderful day Dr. Swartz!
Younsuk Kim, M.D., South Korea
Dear Dr. Swartz,
This is Nicky, and I just got the result and it was PASS!!!! Thank you very much. I really appreciate your help. The workshop was a very productive time not only for the exam but also for the rest of my life as a doctor. I recommend the class to many Korean doctors and explain to them what the unique things you have in this Workshop.
I would suggest this course especially to anyone who thinks the CSA exam is to diagnose SPs’ diseases. I thought like the same before I took this course, and I tried to memorize all questions from books and it was really hard. However, I realized the memorizing way would never be working because there are so many disease cases, and we never cover all of them. After I took the first day of the workshop, I understood the purpose of the exam and figured out what I should do for this exam.
I still remember two things what I learned from the course, “This exam is the exactly the same as your normal day in a hospital.”, and “How would you like to be treated if you were a patient?”
This course taught me a lot not only for passing an exam but also for the rest of my life as a doctor. Physical examination workshop on Day 2 was very easy to follow as Dr. Swartz explained the exam in every detail and in a simple way. Practice with SPs on Day 3 was amazing because I could get the comments directly from them about my English such as the way I asked the questions, how much easy it was for them to understand my English, and my pronunciation.
Thank you again very much and also to Anna.
Nicky Chang, M.D., South Korea
Hello,
I’m Ghana Kang from South Korea who took the C3NY course in May. I just got the Step 2CS result. It is PASS. As I promised with you, I want to share my result with you.
It was really helpful to learn from you. It was a lot of information, and very good colleagues to practice with, etc. The 3 day course changed the whole paradigm about the exam. That’s why I could pass the exam I think.
In addition, what I liked the most is that your lectures didn’t just focus on how to pass the exam. It was for beyond the exam, such as American culture, proper attitude for better doctor-patient relationship.
I would like to appreciate all of your effort and help again and again. Now I’m studying for Step2 CK which is upcoming July 31th.
Thank you very much.
Ghana Kang, M.D., South Korea
Dear Dr. Swartz,
I took your class during the last week of June, and I got my result, which is PASS!!
While I took your class, your class gave me new ideas about the Step 2CS test. Thanks for inspiring me.
I can definitely say your class is worth to take for people who need help and confidence.
Shany Han, M.D., South Korea

Younsuk Kim, MD, South Korea

Sri Lanka

Dear Dr. Swartz,
I participated in the September C3NY workshop & gave my test in October. I got my results in December, & I passed. Your workshop helped me a lot to pass the test. I found my exam very easy; maybe due to your right guidance. I would like to express my special THANKS to you & the staff of C3NY.
I’m from Sri Lanka & my first language is not English. And also I was new to this country & didn’t know the proper way of greeting & cultural differences. You addressed that area also which helped me a lot on the exam. We can’t get that kind of information from standard books.
I hope you will help thousands of doctors to get through this exam in the future, because you are an excellent teacher.
THANKS again & wish you a very happy new year.
Manjula Hewavitharana, M.D., Sri Lanka
Dear Dr Swartz,
After a long painful wait of over two and half months I got my results of the Step 2CS, and I passed. What a joy!
Coming to USA was a whole new experience for me. I really felt the diversity of the two cultures along with a marked difference in doctor patient relationship. The C3NY comprehensive clinical program prepared me immensely to build a confidence to practice here in the USA.
After losing clinical exposure for nearly two years, the course revived my clinical knowledge which lead to the success at the Step 2 CS exam. It was like a dream come true.
I am so grateful to Dr Swartz and the team for conducting such an invaluable program. I strongly recommend anyone to follow the course and see the difference in the attitude once you had.
Thank you so much for helping to make my dream a reality.
Erosha Jayawardena, M.D., Sri Lanka

Syria

Dear Dr. Swartz,
I passed the Step 2CS exam. Thank you very much.
The workshop was really helpful. Many thanks to the entire team.
I will for sure recommend your workshop for anyone who asks. You are an amazing teacher; you could, in just three days, provide us with the necessary information and techniques in a unique respectful manner for everyone in the group.
Samar Said, M.D., Syria

Mohamad Hanouneh, MD, Syria, Video Testimonial

Dear Dr. Swartz,
I’m writing to say that I PASSED the CS Exam.
Thanks to GOD, and thank you so much for your help. That was really appreciated.
Ibrahim Hanouneh, M.D., Syria
Hi Dr. Swartz & Ms. Lank,
I am Mohamad Hanouneh. I joined C3NY in April, 2012.
I got my Step 2CS report today. I passed and I send this email as we promised.
The course is amazing. I will for sure recommend your workshop for everyone. It is really the best way to prepare for Step 2CS and to pass it.
Thanks so much for helping me pass.
Mohamad Hanouneh, M.D., Syria

Taiwan

Dear Dr. Swartz,
I received my CS score today…I passed!!!!! Thank you C3NY for all the help!!! I don’t know how I could have make it without going to C3NY’s amazing classes. I am proud of being one of C3NY’s workshop members.
Fond regards,
Alicia Huang, M.D., Taiwan
Dear Dr. Swartz:
I am the doctor from Taiwan (Chao-Yu Liu) who joined your C3NY workshop in March. I am delighted to tell you that I passed the CS exam in May.
The information you’ve given us was indeed helpful not only for this exam but also for the coming clinical practice in the US.
After your workshop, I joined several other workshops held in other places. I probably joined all the available CS workshops in US due to my lack of self-confidence. However, after experiencing all these CS workshops, I think I might be the one person who has the best experience for preparing for Step 2CS.
After these experiences, I would like to sincerely tell you that the way you taught us was fantastic. The main idea you taught us that “forget the mnemonics and focus on patient instead” was absolutely right and essential. You are the only one among the teachers in these workshops telling me the better way to approach American patients.
Now, I am on my way to the USMLE step 3 and the coming Match.
I wish you can continually help more international medical doctors achieve their goals. Enjoy the teaching.
Chao-Yu Liu, M.D., Taiwan

William Winardi, MD, Taiwan, Video Testimonial

Dear Dr. Swartz and Anna,
We passed CS!!!
Thank you so much for all the help. We are so happy we had the C3NY course before our electives, and also had standardized patient Skype sessions before the exam.
I think C3NY improved us in all 3 parts for the exam, but the CIS was a guaranteed part. We both had the same high performance in the CIS part. At the end of the course, the advice we got was to practice, so we practiced the ICE and SEP together and by Skype with your standardized patients. The CIS concept you implanted into our mind at the very beginning of the workshop WORKED!
Thank you again for your teaching and the feeling of support. C3NY not only gave us knowledge, but also the confidence that we can do it.
We are very happy to have had you and Anna last summer. That was a precious memory for us!
Thank you very much 🙂
Thanks to you both and the standardized patients again…thanks for all your help! Big hug to you both!
Yours,
Ching (Taiwan) & Rui (China)
Dear Dr. Swartz, Anna,
Got my report today. I passed. Thank you for your teaching.
For future test takers, I can’t emphasize more on Communication parts. I forgot knocking the door few times, but remained in good attitude and caring in each encounter.
I missed a lot on data gathering and physical exams. Thought I am going to fail it, but still passed with high marks.
It’s not about medicine; it’s really about professional communication.
I am glad to share my excitement with you and wish you the best!
G.T., M.D., Taiwan