Kaplan High Yield Course

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For anyone who has used the kaplan high yield videos and followed up with an NBME, did you see much of a score improvement? Just curious as I'm finishing up the videos now and feel like I've gotten a lot out of them but am not sure how much my score will have really gone up. A lot of people see nice score improvements with DIT, but I didn't know if this could be seen with kaplan HY's too.

Originally Posted by rocdoc38

For anyone who has used the kaplan high yield videos and followed up with an NBME, did you see much of a score improvement? Just curious as I'm finishing up the videos now and feel like I've gotten a lot out of them but am not sure how much my score will have really gone up. A lot of people see nice score improvements with DIT, but I didn't know if this could be seen with kaplan HY's too.

I didn't go through all the videos. But, from using the Micro/Biochem/Cardio/Immuno videos (which I thought were excellent) + First Aid reviewing I went up about 15 points in 7 days. Not sure how much you can equate this to High Yield, as I also spent a lot of time trying to grill in all the ridiculous amounts of pharm I was clueless about..... But, to be honest, I think HY was definitely helpful.

Some of the sections are not very useful (i.e. Behavioral Science and Neuro). Others I think do add a lot to the learning. And, just make it easier to get through each page in First Aid and actually make sure you've understood and retained what you just read.

Did you find that the high yield added anything extra that was not in First Aid?

Originally Posted by docjohn101

Did you find that the high yield added anything extra that was not in First Aid?

Not necessarily. I think it was good in having someone go through each section and highlight what was actually important to know, how it would likely be asked on Step 1, etc. For example, I had no idea how to study biochem using First Aid, and it was helpful for me to have someone take me through the section and give me the highlights, typical presentations, etc. They'll stress it's not important to know every single enzyme and intermediate, but to know the heavily regulated ones and anyone that if altered would cause a physical disease state with a clinical presentation. There's only so much time and capacity you have to learn certain things, so it's nice to not waste your time on concepts that aren't likely to be tested.

Like DIT, I also think HY is better done on your second pass of First Aid as they do go fast. Also, like DIT, they probably more often than not will just go through things like Tables/Drugs fairly quickly. Even on specific facts though, they will point out things not to learn or spend too much time on. For instance, hem/onc drugs. Don't spend anytime trying to memorize which drugs are given for which types of cancer, etc. This is listed in First Aid, yet it's mainly irrelevant. Outside of a few which may target CNS tumors, Step 1 will never ask you a question framed about knowing specific chemotherapy drug regimens for most cancers (minus if a drug, aka rituximab, is targeted against a specific protein marker that defines a particular cancer...i.e. B cell lymphoma). They're much more likely to ask you about drug mechanisms, side effects, etc. In other words, it's incredibly low yield to waste your time on memorizing that etoposide is used for testicular carcinoma or that vincristine/vinblastine can be used for Wilm's tumor.

I haven't seen much of DIT, but it seemed to long for me when considering getting it. And, way way overpriced. HY is only $200 or so with an AMA subscription right now and I feel like it's been helpful enough for the sections I was having trouble with.

Originally Posted by mdeast

Not necessarily. I think it was good in having someone go through each section and highlight what was actually important to know, how it would likely be asked on Step 1, etc. For example, I had no idea how to study biochem using First Aid, and it was helpful for me to have someone take me through the section and give me the highlights, typical presentations, etc. They'll stress it's not important to know every single enzyme and intermediate, but to know the heavily regulated ones and anyone that if altered would cause a physical disease state with a clinical presentation. There's only so much time and capacity you have to learn certain things, so it's nice to not waste your time on concepts that aren't likely to be tested.

Like DIT, I also think HY is better done on your second pass of First Aid as they do go fast. Also, like DIT, they probably more often than not will just go through things like Tables/Drugs fairly quickly. Even on specific facts though, they will point out things not to learn or spend too much time on. For instance, hem/onc drugs. Don't spend anytime trying to memorize which drugs are given for which types of cancer, etc. This is listed in First Aid, yet it's mainly irrelevant. Outside of a few which may target CNS tumors, Step 1 will never ask you a question framed about knowing specific chemotherapy drug regimens for most cancers (minus if a drug, aka rituximab, is targeted against a specific protein marker that defines a particular cancer...i.e. B cell lymphoma). They're much more likely to ask you about drug mechanisms, side effects, etc. In other words, it's incredibly low yield to waste your time on memorizing that etoposide is used for testicular carcinoma or that vincristine/vinblastine can be used for Wilm's tumor.

I haven't seen much of DIT, but it seemed to long for me when considering getting it. And, way way overpriced. HY is only $200 or so with an AMA subscription right now and I feel like it's been helpful enough for the sections I was having trouble with.

Why Kaplan hy over usmle express videos or even GT?

Originally Posted by RedSoxSuck

Why Kaplan hy over usmle express videos or even GT?

Because I didn't buy those and don't know much about them?

GT seems like something you need to start early. I.e. it's not something you can do during dedicated boards studying.

USMLE Express don't know much about.

High Yield is only about 50 hours of video. They can be watched at 1.5x speed so can be done in maybe 35 hours. So, it's a pretty quick run through of First Aid if you need it. By no means is it as complete as DIT. The Neuro/Psych sections are particularly awful.

Originally Posted by mdeast

Because I didn't buy those and don't know much about them?

GT seems like something you need to start early. I.e. it's not something you can do during dedicated boards studying.

USMLE Express don't know much about.

High Yield is only about 50 hours of video. They can be watched at 1.5x speed so can be done in maybe 35 hours. So, it's a pretty quick run through of First Aid if you need it. By no means is it as complete as DIT. The Neuro/Psych sections are particularly awful.

I am trying to learn and understand fa and pathoma cold. Then I might look into Kaplan instead of usmlerx because I borrowed my friends account and usmler videos seemed regurgitated. Plus they are over 100 hours.

Originally Posted by RedSoxSuck

I am trying to learn and understand fa and pathoma cold. Then I might look into Kaplan instead of usmlerx because I borrowed my friends account and usmler videos seemed regurgitated. Plus they are over 100 hours.

Good plan. I mainly use HY for all the non-path stuff. So I mainly didn't even watch those videos. If you know Pathoma cold, HY won't really add enough new to you- Dr. S is just too awesome.

For topics like Cardio Phys, Biochem, Molecular Bio, etc. that aren't cover well by Pathoma obviously, I think HY has been helpful. If you already have it for free, it's not a very big time commitment and will again, just help you go through First Aid again.

I'm doing Biochem right now again (second time on HY), and still surprised about how much I missed even though I read this myself.

Originally Posted by RedSoxSuck

I am trying to learn and understand fa and pathoma cold. Then I might look into Kaplan instead of usmlerx because I borrowed my friends account and usmler videos seemed regurgitated. Plus they are over 100 hours.

It's not clear on their website but the 100 hours they advertise is for the 2011 and 2012 videos combined.

Originally Posted by dr seuss

It's not clear on their website but the 100 hours they advertise is for the 2011 and 2012 videos combined.

Are you sure? If yes, then thats just stupid. I guess its a way to "offer" more comprehensive review. Shan, another poster here, did 2011 version of Usmlerx and he said it was around 30ish hours.

I am starting my dedicated study time in about one week and I have been trying to decide for a while whether to go with Kaplan High Yield with Qbank, or the USMLE FA express videos with usmlerx qbank. Anyone by chance tried both of them? Which one is better for a first pass of First Aid?

I am drawn towards the FA express videos simply because they use the exact page from FA, but I had a good experience with Kaplan material from the MCAT days.

Any input is appreciated

Originally Posted by RedSoxSuck

Are you sure? If yes, then thats just stupid. I guess its a way to "offer" more comprehensive review. Shan, another poster here, did 2011 version of Usmlerx and he said it was around 30ish hours.

Based on what I read on their website, I gathered that the "100 hours" included the 2011 videos.

Originally Posted by shan564

Based on what I read on their website, I gathered that the "100 hours" included the 2011 videos.

So wouldnt that be just waste. I would assume material covered by 2011 and 2012 is the same. Only advantage will be that people with 2011 FA can utilize the express videos.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just an advertising tool. From watching some of the sample videos, it seems like the 2012 videos are much more than just reading the book to you. In the 2011 videos, some of the sections have really nice elaborate explanations, but a lot of them don't.