Tips for "memorizing" FA Biochem

[username456789]

So even though I did a run through of most of the biochem during classes (granted it was back in Feb), it's still taking me longer than I'd like to go through and "memorize" this stuff. I'm trying to focus mostly on what's high yield (rate limiting enzymes, genetic diseases, storage diseases, vitamins) . . . it's still taking a while. I wanted to spend no more than 3 days, and ideally 2 days on it before moving on (and perhaps coming back to it later at some point for a quicker read-through/refresher).

Any good tips? I was thinking of getting FlashFacts from the USMLERx people to do for a lot of chapters anyway . . . do you think this would be useful in reinforcing the stuff I just read?

As you can probably tell, Biochem is easily my least favorite subject.

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[DoctorBob]

You could try Anki. Download/install then when it prompts you, select download deck and type in USMLE in the search criteria box. Once you have done that select "Full Biochem" from the list of decks and get workin.

I have FA flashfacts and I think they eat dartos.

 

[badasshairday]

Read it. Do questions. Read Nutrition in Rapid Review. Do more questions.

And then just memorize the glycogen storage disease bs page the day before the test. I hate that freakin page. Glucocerbroside, aryl suflatase, don'tKnowWTFtheseR enzymes, and stfu enzyme... blah!

 

[rem6775]

Your best bet is repetition. But how long you spend on it is entirely up to you. Some people don't have a whole lot of biochem on their exam, so if it's taking a disproportionate amount of time, you need to reassess your goals with it. Go through it and try to revisit it, if only a page here and page there for a couple minutes to get repeated exposure. As you get more comfortable with where you are everywhere else, maybe you'll be able to spend more time, but don't sacrifice everything else for biochem.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Read it. Do questions. Read Nutrition in Rapid Review. Do more questions.

And then just memorize the glycogen storage disease bs page the day before the test. I hate that freakin page. Glucocerbroside, aryl suflatase, don'tKnowWTFtheseR enzymes, and stfu enzyme... blah!

This is my strategy minus the day before the test stuff. I'll be watching the World Cup all day.

 

[kryptik]

anki is perfect for biochem but if you are less than a month away from your exam i dont think it will be beneficial.

On a side note Milkman since you are a mod why not create a thread where folks can share and exchange flashcard sets for the various flashcard programs out there, or does one already exist?

 

[username456789]

Thanks for the input, guys. I have Kaplan Biochem and I've been doing a little reading out of there (sidenote: Kaplan Biochem >>>> RR Biochem, at least as far as getting the big picture down, which is a huge part of biochem). That's slowing me down a little, but also really helping me make connections.

I guess maybe I'll avoid the Flashfacts. I didn't really wanna use UW for Biochem specific practice, but I used up a lot of the Kaplan biochem questions back in February (I could always redo them).

And yeah, the worst part is that I go back and forth between "man, this stuff is pretty important" to "goddamn, this is all useless stuff and I'll likely have 3 questions on all this stuff put together."

Oh well, just gotta keep on plowing through.

 

[username456789]

anki is perfect for biochem but if you are less than a month away from your exam i dont think it will be beneficial.

Damn, I wish I knew about Anki a few months ago.

 

[MilkmanAl]

On a side note Milkman since you are a mod why not create a thread where folks can share and exchange flashcard sets for the various flashcard programs out there, or does one already exist?

You can always make your own thread and edit the original post with additions. As long as these programs aren't copyrighted and we aren't getting into account sharing on pay-for-service programs, I don't see an issue with it. I'm not familiar with any of them, so I don't think I'd be the best person to run such a thread.

I go back and forth between "man, this stuff is pretty important" to "goddamn, this is all useless stuff and I'll likely have 3 questions on all this stuff put together."

Amen to that. I was really surprised to see that UW had 182 biochem questions. I figured the representation would be way smaller than that, but I guess I'll give it the time UW feels it's due.

 

[turkeyjerky]

You can always make your own thread and edit the original post with additions. As long as these programs aren't copyrighted and we aren't getting into account sharing on pay-for-service programs, I don't see an issue with it. I'm not familiar with any of them, so I don't think I'd be the best person to run such a thread.

Amen to that. I was really surprised to see that UW had 182 biochem questions. I figured the representation would be way smaller than that, but I guess I'll give it the time UW feels it's due.

yeah, but keep in mind that 174 of those 182 questions are on B12/folate

 

[MilkmanAl]

Hey, some of them are only indirectly about B12 and folate. Homocysteine what? There are also about 5 lac operon questions.

 

[username456789]

There are also about 5 lac operon questions.

I got one of them this morning. I'll be damned if I remembered how it worked (but the explanation in the answer discussion was pretty great).

 

[Rabbit Hole]

I'm focusing on the vitamins, diseases and key enzymes. I wouldn't start running off to different resources at this point. Stick with FA and keep doing questions.

 

[badasshairday]

Read chapter 5 in RRpath also. All the metabolism biochem stuff you need. You won't need to read anything else.

Chapter 5 and Chapter 7 of RRpath plus FA biochem and Uworld questions should have you more than ready for Step 1 biochem.

 

[MilkmanAl]

In other news, I still suck at UW biochem questions.