Gunner Training?

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

GT/FC has been my crutch for all of 2nd year. Whether I actually learned/understood material or not (i.e. if I only answer questions correctly because facts are just engraved into my mind after seeing it over and over and over), it's allowed me to score well in classes this whole time. So I grew fond of it.

But I don't want to rely on it moving into the future. I would like to learn in other ways than looking at 300 flashcards each day from here on out. I really don't know... plus the Step 2 material on FC is relatively new. I'm not sure how high-yield it is or whatever.

Has anyone used GT as a way of getting through First Aid in dedicated study time?

I've been using it for classes, am probably at 70-80% completed, however, I've neglected the review schedule aspect (just wasn't manageable time-wise for me) - I've been going through it by subject as we were taught the respective material in class, probably seeing each card for 1-3 weeks.

With dedicated studying time on the horizon, I'm wondering if doing a given section on GT is a good way of getting through it in First Aid. I don't plan on using the review schedule component during dedicated time, but I'm thinking to review all the GT questions for the topic I'm studying that day as a way of actively learning/reviewing that section in First Aid.

Any input on this approach? And if not, what are some alternative effective ways of getting through a particular section on the day you are studying it, prior to attacking the UWorld questions for the day? (DIT? just reading? note taking?)

I've just become so used to GT/FC that I don't know how else to attack reviewing First Aid during the dedicated time, but I also can agree and see how this may not be the most efficient way ... --- I'm open to suggestions.

Thank you!

That's exactly how I do it. Don't use the review component / do use the content aspect...

Anyone know if FC MCAT is any good? Giving MCAT study advice to folks...don't know what's good these days.

Just generally throughout the year, or specifically dedicated time?

both. Do like 3 passes through a given subject for any given subject test, and now, come step1 time, doing like 1 pass through every subject in addition to UW/RX and some other resources.

Lately I've gone as far as only activating one card at a time in order to really bunch the same Qs/concepts together on FC and in my mind...completely opposite the idea of the spaced learning algorithm...but, I think the tradeoff is worth it (I will "trick" myself with the qbank Qs, not FC, which I use for content prep/review)

Originally Posted by Shadowmoses

rather than start a new thread i'll just ask here..

i'm interested in trying out GT as I'm going to start 2nd semester of MS1 soon, and I'm not sure how to get the free 2 week trial.

I click on the 'sign-up risk free' box and pick USMLE on the following screen, and then the sign-up page appears where you enter personal and billing info.

My question is do you have to submit billing info before you can get the 2 week free trial? I dont want to go straight to paying for a subscription without giving it a free whirl to play with it first.

pay to play bud ... gunner worth every penny, however.

I haven't posted in a long while but I'll give my 2 cents. I was 100 complete in gunner at the end of march (and still lingering around 82% mastery). I started gt the summer between ms1 and 2 and initially focused on banking all my strengths (anatomy, immuno, etc). I was literally in gunner mode for 6 months. It was my primary resource 80% of the time since I wasnt planning to use first aid anytime soon. Then I started banking organ systems at least three weeks to a month before the module exam so that I'd have enough exposure. Some were banked 2 months in advance and I hardly needed to study before the module exams. I added pathoma, DIT, goljan audio and Robbins questions along the way, and it was beautiful. They made gunner stick better. My exam is in mid July. I feel like I don't really understand biochemistry or pharm so I'm trying to focus on getting thru Kaplan videos in the meantime. Nowadays, I only do about 150 gunner questions a day and then I just clear everything else. If its module week, I focus on only questions related to that module and clear everything else. Some of you are probably saying wtf, but i just Dont have time to get thru 350-500 Questions a day when i could be doing Higher yield things. I've noticed that my mastery of gt gets better the more I do q banks and use other resources. There are so many facts we blindly memorize without actually understanding why. It's usually when I get the question wrong in Kaplan that I realize it's importance (even though I had memorized it cold in gt). So I'm flying through Kaplan and hoping to start uworld in the next few weeks. I'll be done Kaplan by then or at least over 90% done. I'd say gunner helped me overall but I'll post results in a couple of months. Thanks.

Originally Posted by GTP

I haven't posted in a long while but I'll give my 2 cents. I was 100 complete in gunner at the end of march (and still lingering around 82% mastery). I started gt the summer between ms1 and 2 and initially focused on banking all my strengths (anatomy, immuno, etc). I was literally in gunner mode for 6 months. It was my primary resource 80% of the time since I wasnt planning to use first aid anytime soon. Then I started banking organ systems at least three weeks to a month before the module exam so that I'd have enough exposure. Some were banked 2 months in advance and I hardly needed to study before the module exams. I added pathoma, DIT, goljan audio and Robbins questions along the way, and it was beautiful. They made gunner stick better. My exam is in mid July. I feel like I don't really understand biochemistry or pharm so I'm trying to focus on getting thru Kaplan videos in the meantime. Nowadays, I only do about 150 gunner questions a day and then I just clear everything else. If its module week, I focus on only questions related to that module and clear everything else. Some of you are probably saying wtf, but i just Dont have time to get thru 350-500 Questions a day when i could be doing Higher yield things. I've noticed that my mastery of gt gets better the more I do q banks and use other resources. There are so many facts we blindly memorize without actually understanding why. It's usually when I get the question wrong in Kaplan that I realize it's importance (even though I had memorized it cold in gt). So I'm flying through Kaplan and hoping to start uworld in the next few weeks. I'll be done Kaplan by then or at least over 90% done. I'd say gunner helped me overall but I'll post results in a couple of months. Thanks.

Completely agree with doing firecracker along with question banks. Many times on UW I would get a question wrong, even though I had all of the necessary facts memorized. FC puts the facts in my head, then question banks help me apply them. I think that's why FC is trying to add their "usmle style" questions. I haven't done them so I don't know if they're any good.

Originally Posted by bbaggins

Completely agree with doing firecracker along with question banks. Many times on UW I would get a question wrong, even though I had all of the necessary facts memorized. FC puts the facts in my head, then question banks help me apply them. I think that's why FC is trying to add their "usmle style" questions. I haven't done them so I don't know if they're any good.

They're horrible. Check out a few for yourself, but you'll quickly see that they don't hold a candle to the dedicated banks.

So I've started using it. I was wondering, do you guys take notes along with GT/FC or do you just try and bank as many items as possible so that you can see them over and over?

Sooooo... how's that new algorithm working for you adaptive spacing people?

New algorithm is great.

So has Firecracker addressed the issues with the algorithm that have been highlighted on the forum? Have the techs addressed the issues with errors being non- reportable? Is the spaced-learning more manageable now? I feel finally ready to try it out this summer (after M1), but I am unsure about going all-in on a program amidst such criticism.

If you are interested, just go for it. There is no magic study formula, and you must weigh the pros and the cons as they have been laid out in this thread. If you do enough research into how people study for step 1, you will find out that everyone has their own opinion, and they believe that their way is the right way. For them, it probably is, but everyone has their own preferences and learning style. The key to figuring out what will work and what won't is knowing yourself. That's why I suggest that you just go for it if you think it will work.

I will definitely form my own opinion, but I was hoping for you to be subjective about the aforementioned issues.

You guys use the "add your own topic" or "add your own card" functions?

I feel like they are great options and features but I think adding on too much makes it less and less high-yield than they already are. All I do is add notes to the topics already there.

But still, great idea to have!

Originally Posted by bluv1212

So has Firecracker addressed the issues with the algorithm that have been highlighted on the forum? Have the techs addressed the issues with errors being non- reportable? Is the spaced-learning more manageable now? I feel finally ready to try it out this summer (after M1), but I am unsure about going all-in on a program amidst such criticism.

I prefer anki by a huge margin.

But I think if you can go 100% on GT and do a pass of Uworld during M2 and during your dedicated, you will dominate.

It's just preference

Thanks for the reply

How much does FC cost these days? The site doesn't seem to say.

Originally Posted by Blais

How much does FC cost these days? The site doesn't seem to say.

http://www.gunnertraining.com/programs/medical/plans

Unless, they've changed their pricing based on a name change...

Finding doing a pass through FC, one flagged card at a time, referencing FA along the way, SO clutch as I approach Step1......

Has anyone studied the step 2 material in firecracker? I'm about to start M3 in a month and i would really like to know what you guys think about the new material...

Originally Posted by whatdidigetinto

Has anyone studied the step 2 material in firecracker? I'm about to start M3 in a month and i would really like to know what you guys think about the new material...

Looks very first-draft-y with many typos...doesn't look ready for prime time imo

Originally Posted by Doctopus

Looks very first-draft-y with many typos...doesn't look ready for prime time imo

Well i just spent two hours going over the step 2 firecracker surgery material and the pestana notes and skimmed through Pestana's kaplan videos. Firecracker covered almost ALL of the material presented in the video and pdf. Now i don't know about the rest of the step 2 material but as far as surgery goes firecracker is EXCELLENT! Can't wait to start my surgery clerkship in 2 weeks.

Are any of you unflagging topics as you approach higher totaly banked % in order to decrease daily load a bit?

Originally Posted by WarriorMD

Are any of you unflagging topics as you approach higher totaly banked % in order to decrease daily load a bit?

I'm about 70 days from my test date. Every daily review I have now I am making sure I know the card, and if I know I won't forget it (really simple ones so far), I'll 5 it and move it out to the maximum 120 days. The rest I will let cycle from here to test date since I want to see them again and they will be useful when I enter dedicated review (next week).

Doesn't unflagging it lower the %completions and all that? I want to try to go for 100%
I could also perfect recall it, but either way I guess I'm essentially doing the same thing.

Originally Posted by whatdidigetinto

Well i just spent two hours going over the step 2 firecracker surgery material and the pestana notes and skimmed through Pestana's kaplan videos. Firecracker covered almost ALL of the material presented in the video and pdf. Now i don't know about the rest of the step 2 material but as far as surgery goes firecracker is EXCELLENT! Can't wait to start my surgery clerkship in 2 weeks.

Good call; surgery looks pretty good.

quick question--is there any sort of demo video or something for FC? If not, would anyone be willing to make a short video just sort of giving a tour of FC? I know it's a bit of a stretch but figured it'd be worth asking! Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by withrye

I think FC is pretty low yield as it is; it almost certainly isn't worth it to look at any Step 2 material.

Are you kidding me? I just compared the pestana surgery notes to the step 2 surgery material. Firecracker covered more than 90% of Pestana's notes!

Originally Posted by whatdidigetinto

Are you kidding me? I just compared the pestana surgery notes to the step 2 surgery material. Firecracker covered more than 90% of Pestana's notes!

That was me talking about using step 2 material on FC to study for step 1.

Originally Posted by withrye

That was me talking about using step 2 material on FC to study for step 1.

Ah my bad then.

Originally Posted by Daodejing

http://www.gunnertraining.com/programs/medical/plans

Unless, they've changed their pricing based on a name change...

1 month $39
3 months $79 $26 / month
6 months $149 $25 / month
12 months $229 $19 / month
18 months $285 $16 / month
24 months $335 $14 / month
36 months $445 $12 / month