I worked with Dr. Le Pava for Step 2 CK preparation, and knew that returning to Ocean Ink for Step 3 would be a great decision. Dr. Le Pava creates a flexible schedule that you can follow along while getting used to the long hours of residency, and she checks in with you to ensure that you are staying on track. I felt well-supported and gained the confidence I needed to face this exam and was so pleased with the results. Dr. Le Pava’s gift for teaching and her kindness make Ocean Ink so special. I would 100% recommend Ocean Ink to anyone looking to improve their test-taking skills and follow their dreams.

Dr. Le Pava is unique in that she provides a comprehensive course. She teaches medicine as a collective system. When discussing an organism system, you learn it not as a single function system, yet you understand how the systems are overlapping understanding how cardio, pulmonary, renal, and endocrine all work together. In this sense, repetition helps you not only understand one system, but it reinforces how “multiple systems” are coming together and the consequent pathology that arises.

Dr. Le Pava saved my medical career. When I met her, I had failed Step 1 for the second time after using another program. Dr. Le Pava helped me to build my confidence back up and made sure that I would not take Step 1 again until she was sure that I would pass. She sees you as a person and not just a number. She takes the time to understand what your strengths  and weaknesses are. Her approach to questions and learning the material have allowed me to succeed on Step 1 and further on into my third year. It has strengthened my study skills and allowed me to carry that momentum and confidence to excel in third year. I 100% recommend Dr. Le Pava.

If you are looking for a miracle look no further, my Dr. Le Pava is truly HEAVEN SENT!!! 

For months I had been searching and researching different tutors and programs that help with STEP2 CK. It was so frustrating because I couldn’t be sure if the programs were legit or if they just wanted my money! What I really wanted was to know of someone who actually used one of these tutoring programs and how it turned out. I was asking my deans, my classmates, my professors, my mentors, but no one could say for sure that they personally knew of anyone who used tutoring resources for their board exams. (Later I learned that people aren’t always honest about the resources that they use- it’s literally like top secret information people don’t want to share for whatever reason. But believe you me, most genius individuals with insanely outstanding scores are definitely utilizing extra resources they didn’t want to tell you about) FINALLY one of my closest friends shared with me that another anonymous friend she had used Dr. Le Pava's course, and it worked well for her!!! My friend was already enrolled in the course and said it might be helpful for me. Honestly I was kind of angry she didn’t share this information months ago, but I was excited, nonetheless, to finally know some good referrals!

I spoke with Dr. Le Pava over a Zoom call and her love, compassion, generosity and passion for what she does was so obviously apparent- she was practically bleeding love, joy, and happiness through the camera. I felt as if I had known her all my life. She is very honest, very genuine. I wanted to start the very next day, but as my story goes, I did not begin the course. I actually took a gamble on saving my money and trying to pass the exam on my own. Well, I failed the exam by a single point. It was devastating. Not only did I miss the match cycle that year, my significant other at that time matched and left me alone in DC with the kids. I was so depressed and overwhelmed I took five months off to heal my mind, body and soul before even attempting to try studying for the beastly exam again, but I was not going to make the same mistake.

When I was ready to study again, I contacted Dr. Le Pava, and just as before she had the same loving energy and willingness to teach. I have a specific reading disability for which I received extended time accommodations in undergraduate and all 4 years in medical school but NOT for STEP exams (go figure). I am also a single mother of two. Disadvantages that make me an extreme underdog. Thankfully, the toughest cases are my Dr. Le Pava's specialty!!! I enrolled in the Ocean Ink courses with Dr. Le Pava and took a self-assessment exam. To my surprise, my self assessment was considerably lower than it was 5 months prior. (185 on my STEP2 CK form 1) I was basically starting from square 1.

Dr. Le Pava truly has a calling for teaching. She is passionate and serious about every individual who enrolls in her course; many times she sacrificed her own personal time to ensure our success. She treats all of her students like her own children: nurturing us, encouraging us, even lecturing us when we don’t do our homework! Dr. Le Pava is committed 100% to making sure her students pass the exam (seriously, if you are not ready to test she will tell you to wait; listen to her). My biggest struggle was letting go of my old habits and structure of studying and adapting to the way Dr. Le Pava was teaching me. I wanted to hold on to what I thought worked best for me, but when I finally just let go and trusted Dr. Le Pava and her techniques there was a clear transformation. Dr. Le Pava opened my eyes and understanding. My foundation of knowledge had so many cracks, and for years I had no idea that I was trying to build on a broken foundation! My Dr. Le Pava already knows where most of the cracks in our foundations are, so once she helps you repair that foundation, building up the concepts become EASY! 

I was really struggling in my personal life during the course, but Dr. Le Pava truly kept me grounded and motivated. She's seen greatness and untapped potential in me, when others, including myself, could not. Thank you so much!!! By the end of three months I was ready to take my STEP 2CK exam. My practice exams for both Uworld and NBMEs were consistently around 236 before I took my exam (I had even passed a practice STEP 3). My actual STEP 2CK exam score was 229!!! In 3 months time I went from 185 to 229.  Dr. Le Pava was truly a blessing for me, and I know if she can do it for ME she can do it for YOU! She is a woman of faith who is truly worth her weight in gold. I love you Dr. Le Pava, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 

Dr. Le Pava knows the USMLE inside and out. She helped me reframe my approach in answering the questions. With her help I was able to increase my Step 2CK score 40 points! This course gives you the information and the tools to perform well on the exam.

I am thankful to Ocean Ink!! With your program and guidance I was able to increase my step 3 score by 26 points after my third attempt. Going back to the foundation was everything that helped me conquer the exam once and for all. Thank you, Dr. Le Pava  for the morning questions and nonstop drilling. Thank you, Dr. Le Pava, for constantly encouraging me and believing in me.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Dr. Le Pava worked with me to improve over 30 points from my STEP 1 score. She truly defines what an educator is. She was able to meet the specific needs that I had and tailor my learning so that I could not only understand but apply what I learned. I appreciate all that Dr. Le Pava has done for me and will certainly be using her for STEP 3!

I was introduced to Dr. Le Pava through an upperclassman at my medical school. I did not have the best history with standardized exams and was really worried about Step1. I felt like I was very behind on studying for my boards during my second year. Despite this, I was very hesitant about tutoring at first! But at our first meeting in the spring semester of my second year, Dr. Le Pava reassured me and supported me like we had known each other for years. Medical school is a long journey and sometimes you need to make the investment in yourself. I realized I needed the support - I always worried about what I did not know or was very hesitant about practice questions even when I did know the answer and often made silly mistakes. Dr. Le Pava always reassured me and strengthened my confidence! She invests a lot of time into students as a group and individually with multiple approaches to reinforce knowledge, approach board-style questions, and build confidence during this process. Dr. Le Pava is an excellent teacher, and she is very good at building a strong core content foundation. She is very in-tune with the personal needs of each student. She has very strong faith and believes in all of her students even when we doubt ourselves. I was able to jump over 50 points from my baseline score! I am hopefully looking forward to working with her for shelfs and Step 2!

I never realized medical school could be synonymous with any other word than survival. I had completed the first two years barely passing each block exam. When STEP 1 came around I felt behind the curve and my NBME scores showed what I had feared during my studying: I may not pass the exam. I was three weeks into my dedicated study when I finally decided to reach out for help because my scores continued to decline despite my increase in content review. I messaged a medical student I met on a random flight back home, and he told me he received tutoring for Step 2 through Ocean Ink. I thought it was absurd! I had never heard of tutoring for medical school. The next day I talked to Dr. Le Pava during the introduction meeting, and my life was changed forever. She really believes in her students, and she helped me to believe I could achieve anything. She gave me back my confidence, and it’s something I never realized I lost. I am grateful for all of the time and effort she puts into each individual student. I passed my Step 1, and you can guarantee I’ll be returning to Dr. Le Pava for Step 2 preparation. You will not regret your decision to join the Ocean Ink Family.

"Dr. Le Pava is an amazing teacher. I started seeing her halfway through my second year of medical school, and she helped me raise my step 1 score by almost 40 points. She is excellent at helping students build a strong foundation of knowledge that will help them perform well on exams and in clinical settings. She truly reinvigorated my passion for learning. Dr. Le Pava is guided by her strong faith and is a patient teacher. I am excited to continue working with her as I prepare for shelf exams and step 2. Thank you, Dr. Le Pava!"

"Dr. Le Pava is truly a God-send for me. I have been with her since my Step comprehensive to my Step 2 CK. Until I met her, I was struggling to pass my comp. I had already tried six times and failed, and it wasn't until she started teaching me that I was able to pass my first exam. She never gave up on me and believed in me more than myself. She will go to any extent to help you. She will be your friend when you are down. She will be your motivator when you feel like it's impossible. She will become that strict parent when you just want to give up or don't feel like studying. When you are with her, her only focus is your success and trying to achieve the highest score possible."

"I came to Dr. Le Pava after having been in the Step 1 Dedicated period for 4 weeks on my own. I had just received a 194 (after 4 weeks) and was beyond the period of panic, loss of confidence, and confusion. Being in COVID-19 circumstances it was difficult reaching out for help and it made it even more challenging being isolated. I knew I needed professional help but legitimately did not know what to do. Some said to be patient--the jump in score was coming--while others said you might need to postpone starting third year. After scoring another barely passing score on NMBE 22, a friend told me to consider looking up the Ocean Ink Program, that there’s this amazing, extremely intelligent and God-fearing woman that can help. Within seconds of speaking with her via a Zoom interview, my mind was already made up. She professionally assessed what I had been doing and made strong/constructive critiques on what I needed in order to do well! She was honest that the program was rigorous but repeatedly stated “you will have to trust me” and that I need to extend my test date. Having gone through other programs twice during the school year, I was amazed to still see how Dr. Le Pava exposed the gaps in my knowledge! Simply forcing me to verbally explain topics taught me how integrated all the content truly was and helped re-establish my foundation. Needless to say, my practice exam after the first week showed a 14 point jump! The detailed approach to attacking questions was a complete game-changer for me and forced me to think differently. Dr. Le Pava, if you allow her the opportunity, CAN guide you through the process and truly help smoothen your insecurities!"

"I was first introduced to Ocean Ink when speaking with a friend who mentioned that he had great success on Step 2 CK after joining the program. Knowing that my Step 1 score was not very competitive, I gave Dr. Le Pava a call and after our initial conversation, I knew that committing to working with Ocean Ink for Step 2 CK was the best decision I could have ever made. Dr. Le Pava is extremely dedicated to her students, and she taught me valuable techniques and helped me gain the confidence I needed to face this exam and achieve my dream score. My score increased by 29 points from Step 1 to Step 2 CK. The support I felt as a student in Ocean Ink is unmatched, and I am eternally thankful and grateful to Dr. Le Pava for helping me see that with hard work, any goal is attainable."

"Taking standardized tests has never been a strength of mine. I always found myself being disappointed with my score, falling quite short of my goals consistently. This pattern continued with Step 1. One of my friends told me about Ocean Ink and how successful he was on Step 2 after completing the program. Using Ocean Ink for my Step 2 studying was the best decision I could have made. Dr. Le Pava did not just teach me how to take this test; she helped me get my confidence back. Dr. Le Pava gives her all to her students, and her support is unwavering. My score increased 35 points from Step 1 to Step 2. I met my goal score and then some. For the first time, I felt that my score reflected how hard I worked. I am so grateful to Dr. Le Pava and Ocean Ink and could not thank her enough for what she did for me."

"I met Dr. Le Pava during what I found to be the lowest point for myself in medical school. I had failed COMLEX Level 1. This was the first time I had failed anything in medical school and came as a complete shock to me. I was embarrassed, scared, emotionally labile and I thought my medical career had come to a dead end. I did not want to take the risk of retaking the exam and failing again, so I researched online and went to Champaign, Illinois hoping for a miracle to help me because I was broken. I met Dr. Le Pava during my struggle with studying for COMLEX Level 1, and she is the only person responsible for all of my successes since then. She was everything to me – a teacher, a guru, a friend, my guiding light. She showed me the way, and I followed everything she told me like a scripture. She treated me not like a student but like her family. I could not have gotten through those four months without her. She worked with me constantly, encouraging me through times when I was depressed, scared and didn’t feel like I could go on. She was the only reason I regained my confidence and was able to take COMLEX again. My score went up from 390 to 510. I could not have gotten through that difficult time and done so well without her. I returned to my rotations for third year and the time to take COMLEX PE and COMLEX Level 2 came again. This time I was much more confident because I knew what would help me and that was Dr. Le Pava. She worked with me for four months online tutoring me for COMLEX Level 2 because I was still on rotations. I followed her system again and this time taking the exam was much less scary. I got a score of 540 with her help. I had achieved more than I thought I was capable of and it was all because of her. This reinforced in me what an amazing teacher and guru can do for you. She has all the pearls anyone needs to succeed. I returned to Champaign, Illinois for two weeks because I knew I needed to be in her guidance and her presence for taking the COMLEX PE. She worked with me everyday individually for 3-4 hours and taught me how to take a perfect history and physical exam. She had me practice cases every day, and we went through PE books multiple times. She had me take practice exams on the weekends where she replicated test-like conditions and had other actors so I could get used to testing conditions. I was nervous and scared due to my past failure, but she had confidence in me. I took the PE after spending two weeks with her in Champaign. I recently got my score back, and I passed the COMLEX PE. I had gotten my career back. Ever since I practiced for the PE with her I have been getting excellent comments from attendings on my rotations about how perfect my history, physical exam and notes are! I had done much better than many other classmates. I am writing this testimonial for anyone who is in the position that I was in. Dr. Le Pava is the one who can help you. She is the perfect resource for any of the USMLE or COMLEX exams. Her knowledge base is vast, and she will care for you like no one else will. She is an amazing teacher and she is like family to me. I owe every one of my successes only to her. Thank you, Dr. Le Pava; words are not enough to express all that you have done for me."

"There aren't enough words to express what Ocean Ink, specifically Dr. Le Pava, has done for me. I never had testing issues until the Step exams. After struggling with Step 2, I knew that I'd need help with preparing for Step 3. It wasn't until I got with Ocean Ink and Dr. Le Pava that things really started to "click." I was on a regimented schedule, did multiple blocks of questions and had personal tutoring sessions, which helped me feel more immersed in the material, improved my understanding, and helped me make connections that I previously hadn't made. Dr. Le Pava's dedication and working with me daily--her motivation, tough love and belief in what to me seemed impossible--was the driving force that lead to my success. There may be many review courses out there that have certain claims, but I speak first-hand on behalf of Ocean Ink and say that this is the REAL DEAL! There are no gimmicks, and you will NOT sit for the exam until it's shown and proven that you are ready. I fully trusted the process, without hesitation, did what I was instructed to do and success followed! I would 100% not be where I am today as a successful physician without Dr. Le Pava and Ocean Ink."

"I had never had test anxiety before med school-I always believed that if I prepared as best as I knew how, I would be fine. I think most of us who go into the medical field probably felt this way at some point along the way. The USMLE Step exams were a different kettle of fish, and when I failed Step 2, there was this sudden overwhelming fear and sense of inadequacy that just washed over me. It was paralyzing in many senses because not only do you feel the disappointment that comes with failure, you feel this doubt that seeps in wondering if you have been a fraud all along and whether or not you will be capable of overcoming this hurdle.<br> I’m so glad that God sent Dr. Le Pava my way-I’m not sure where I'd be today without her. She believes in her students so much that you wonder why you can't see what she sees in you. She helped rebuild and restore confidence, trust the process, maintain focus amid all the doubt and soldier on through the tears and despair that come with the preparation. She was there through every part of the journey-laughed with me when I needed to find joy, cried with me because she had been there and understood the pain, and prayed over me daily as I fought through it.<br> Thanks to all this, I managed to pass Step 2, and when I needed to take Step 3, I knew she was the only way I was going to get through it. It is a tough journey that had me knocked down several times, but through it all, my two constants were God and Dr. Le Pava. I can’t express fully how grateful I am that she came my way, that she was patient with me through this all and stuck with me in spite of my various shortcomings. I can only say "<strong>THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART</strong>” to her and Ocean Ink for all that they did for me."

"I just wanted to take the time to thank you for all you do for us students. I’m a student who struggles with confidence when answering questions. I always second guess myself and just think I don’t know anything. Your morning question sessions have given me self-confidence and the rest of the sessions have solidified my knowledge. The name “ocean courage” really is true to its name. Thank you!"

"I came to know Dr. Le Pava over a long and grueling three months. I was told I would be kicked out of medical school if I didn't pass my boards. I had already been a non-traditional student in terms of timeline, and I was frightened, hopeless, broken, and everything I shouldn't be when attempting to study. I was so embarrassed that I didn't even tell my parents, friends, or family that I was embarking on this journey in the middle of the country where I knew no one. For three months, I didn't see a single familiar face--I was alone. Initially, I didn't believe that another prep program would help me, because really, how are they any different? Little did I know, I was wrong. Not only did Dr. Le Pava teach me the knowledge I needed, she taught me how to approach questions in a way I never knew, how to study the material, developed personalized plans for me, drilled me, and scheduled me to take practice tests strategically that would prepare and desensitize me to the fear and pressure that loomed around test day for me. My immense fear, self-doubt, and feelings of inadequacy were eating at me every day, and throughout it all she believed in me and pushed me. She cared for me as her own daughter, and told me I could persevere through this from day one. Dr. Le Pava knew when I was ready to take the exam because she recognized when my confidence was built, when my thinking process was clear, and when I was able to concentrate fully on myself. I was able to succeed with her help. I went from a 381 to a 613, a 232 point increase--something that I thought was IMPOSSIBLE. Every time I talk about these dark times, I can't speak of them without my heart being overcome in appreciation for Dr. Le Pava. She was and is like a mother to me. She revived me and taught me how to prove myself through COMLEX, and I have the opportunity to become a doctor today because of her."

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