1 year before Step 1-best things to study that you will remember

[Ramoray]

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I just finished year one and i am spending the summer studying for step 1. I have initially decided to relearn and go over year 1 material to really dig deep and learn things i simply didnt have time to the first time around. Other than that what are some things i can do to prep well and study efficiently so it sticks for boards. I am using all BRS, first aid and all my text books. Anything specific or ideas from previous takers would be much appreciated thanks!

 

[AlexRusso]

I think its a waste of time..most of what's tested on the USMLE comes from material covered in 2nd year of med school. Stuff that diodnt make sence to you in first year will come together when you see it presented in the context of pathology or pharmacology in the 2nd year. You're also not likely to retain much of what you learn this summer over the course of the next year as it will be hard enough to retain all the new stuff you'll be learning.

 

[babinski bob]

I just finished year one and i am spending the summer studying for step 1. I have initially decided to relearn and go over year 1 material to really dig deep and learn things i simply didnt have time to the first time around. Other than that what are some things i can do to prep well and study efficiently so it sticks for boards. I am using all BRS, first aid and all my text books. Anything specific or ideas from previous takers would be much appreciated thanks!

The best thing you can do is enjoy your summer off... Seriously...

And then when second year rolls around, pay attention, and study hard... Start incorporating/reviewing old 1st year material with 2nd year material. For example, review up on your cardiovascular physio when doing cardiovascular pathology, review behavioral science when going thru neuro stuff.... Just rest up and enjoy your summer... And as other people have mentioned in other threads, it would be helpful to annotate first aid as you go thru your second year courses.

 

[Mossjoh]

😱

No no no!! You're getting it all wrong!!!

Do not study in advance. Instead..wait until 3 weeks before the exam like everyone else around here...cram.....cry.....and do lots of praying!

Mossjoh

 

[modemduck]

I just finished year one and i am spending the summer studying for step 1. I have initially decided to relearn and go over year 1 material to really dig deep and learn things i simply didnt have time to the first time around. Other than that what are some things i can do to prep well and study efficiently so it sticks for boards. I am using all BRS, first aid and all my text books. Anything specific or ideas from previous takers would be much appreciated thanks!

I think you can actually do quite a few things that will help you smash step I; what it will let you do is "cram" all the material from 1st yr into 3 or 4 days... and not waste too much of your precious time on these topix.

1. crush a biochem text: probably BRS (not hy... too small/not lippincott... too big)

2. crush a physiology text BRS phys

3. crush HY gross anat, embryo, neuroanat, and

the stuff people say about "all the material is from 2nd year..." well it is kinda true... but it is all based on 1st year material; and the 1st year stuff mentioned above cuts at least 25% of the exam that you can be VERY familiar w/while everyone else is scrambling at the last second.

I personally did NOT do this.... I can tell you right now I am in a bind for a few topix... biochem & anat & embryo.

At the end of the day make sure you have fun over your summer break and enjoy yourself; 2nd year is tough but worth it.... you don't want to walk in and be burnt out. So definitely have a great summer, and congrats on finishing the 1st yr!

g/l bro

 

[Jalby]

Biochem, Biochem, Biochem. Read Lippencotts Biochem once or twice, and highlight the most important thing. That way you can only spend one day reviewing it a year later.

I'd also recommend BRS Behavioral Sciences. Read it and do all the questions twice. Those are two things you should have learned which you can never go over enough time.

 

[optiplex]

summer first year...okay, here is what you can do...

buy first Aid, get review books covering courses that you have already had...then start studying...

read review books, put notes in FA and try to get your hands on a usmle q book and do some questions.

2nd year come around, get robbins path q book with a proper pathology book, be deligent in reading and doing questions from path q book. Make sure every month you take 1 day to read over what you wrote in FA during this summer. oh, also memorize everything in brs path and put notes in FA.

finally, when you study for the boards, read your compiled FA and do questions =) now, your FA should be a bible, filled with info from cover to cover...literally...

that is what I wish I had done before these next 4 wks, I am covering my FA book with...anything that I think is important...in the end I am putting a week just to read FA over and over and over...

oh, when you are prepping for the boards next year...8-10 hour days, do all 2100 Q from Qbank, review all 1100 Q's from Robbins, then if you still have time do web-path 1000 q's. if you don't get 250 or above...I will pay for the rest of your medical school.

 

[Ramoray]

thanks guys! hope all your studying is goign well for those of you taking monster numero 2 in our paths. i consider mcat number 1 as that was quite the b**tch. Thanks again

 

[bella_dottoressa]

i don't know, i'm gonna have to agree with the previous posters who advised having fun this summer 🙂 don't you have better to do than studying for step 1 a year early 😉

 

[Stinger86]

If you hardly study biochem, anatomy, and physiology you will get bludgeoned to death on the step 1. those topics are getting more and more playing time lately and can be easy points if you just use their respectable HY and BRS review texts (textbooks for these topics are, honestly, way too detailed).

 

[doc05]

studying for step 1 a year early? bad idea. bad bad bad bad...bad idea.