Advice on where to even start?

[johncarter]

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Where does everyone even start reviewing ? Do you start with Renal? do you start with GI? Cardiac? Neuro?

How does one develop a "study plan" that they can enter into Google Calendars or iCal for example?


Would really appreciate the advice guys!


Thanks!

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

If you're studying by organ systems, it probably doesn't really matter. I say just follow the order in First Aid.

 

[DrDrToBe]

I second following the order in FA. I don't think it matters what order you do stuff in, but it helps if you have a good grasp of some subjects before you do the others, such as biochem before nutrition, physiology before pathology, etc.
I don't know when you're planning to take your test or how much time you have, but there are a number of ways to develop a scedule that you can put into a google calendar. Here are some examples:
1) If FA is your primary study guide, you can just make a schedule by the number of pages in FA. So for instance, if there are 600 pages in FA and you have 60 days to study, you would cover 10 pages per day. This would of course mean going through those pages in detail, annotating FA, doing related questions, etc.
2) You can make a schedule by topic/ system. So depending on the number of days you have to study, you can allot yourself a number of days to cover topics, such as 3 days biochem, 3 days anatomy, etc.
3) You can also structure your study plan hourly, buliding in the time you'll review, take lunch, do questions etc.
Good luck!

ps When I make it I'll post my study schedule on my blog 🙂

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

also make sure to leave the last few days for a final pass through FA.

 

[johncarter]

so even though first aid starts with behavioral science and progresses to Biochemistry, then jumps from Biochemistry to embryology, then from embryology to microbiology, then from Micro to Path, then Path to Pharm, then organ systems....


Really? I thought people divided their time into week blocks or 2 week blocks based on organ systems etc Renal/GI/Resp/Cardiovascular etc?


My eligibility period runs from Oct 1,2010 - December 31st 2010 or something like that whole 3 month eligibility period stuff, what is that about??


Ultimately First Aid, I mean, how does progressing from GI to Hematology/Onc to MSK to Neuro to Psych make sense?

We are a PBL based program here, but it's not structured according to organ systems, it's just not tailored to a north american style (passing USMLEs) the content is good, but it's not helping me establishing a study plan for this blasted exam........


Someone PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[zmzmzm]

if you really put your thinking cap on, you'll realize that First Aid isn't just putting those subjects in random order. Its in a special code called alphabetical order.

I don't know what kind of answer you are expecting out of people. You could go in order of First Aid..or in any order you would find more comfortable. It doesn't really make a difference.

 

[H2DO]

Its hard to tell someone how to start studying, going in the order of first aid can be helpful if you need some place to start and can't randomly pick up in one place. Most people suggest start with what your weakest subjects are first and leave the easy/crammable subjects for last. Biochem and Micro were my weakest so I spent the most time on those and then did all the systems I was weaker in or hadn't covered in the spring. It doesn't matter how or where you start as long as you get it done. Everything in FA is high yield and worth memorizing.

 

[1nycdoc8]

i posted this elsewhere, maybe it'll help you as well

I did behavioral first because I was weak in it and behavioral questions are "easy" points if you studied it well enough. I wanted to make a master list of equations and such early on so that's why I did it first. I posted this on the wall (odds ratio, relative risk etc.) so I'd look at it once a day and it was pretty set in my head early on. (you'd be surprised how many people mess this up on test day just because they looked over which equation is which)

I did biochem next because I was also weak in this and wanted to see it early on so I can review it as many times as possible.

I did Micro next because I was also weak in this and wanted to see it early on so I can review it as many times as possible. (that should be the general theme while you're studying. if you're weak in some area do it sooner rather than later) I did micro pharm after micro

I then started systems

Cardio then respiratory because they're intertwined and there's a lot of physio here... (I was also most weak in these subjects in my diagnostic)

then heme/vessels/cancer etc.

Then do endo + gastro because there will be some overlap here as well in terms of hormone regulation/dz's.

Then do Renal + male and female repro together

Then Neuro and psych together

"together" meaning one subject after another.

I did embryo, anatomy, physio at the beginning of every major section for each respective organ system. I did pharm at the end of each system like it's presented in FA.

Then I reviewed ALL pharm after my first pass of the systems

Likewise I reviewed all embryo and anatomy once over after my first pass... to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

I always did FA before doing Goljan for each section because Goljan has treatment and other goodies spread throughout the reading which will help you form associations.

then i just kept on repeating this over and over till you know the material, and trust me you will if you work hard at it and keep cool.

and how can I forget... Uworld...

I did 48 UW questions a day during my first pass, which was always related to the thing I was studying that day. after my first passs I did 96 q's a day random.

GOODLUCK!!! and keep cool. It's so daunting at first but all you have to do is chip away at it. you have enough time it seems like so after your first pass, you'll see how manageable this material is. I don't wanna speak too soon... I find out my score enxt week so we'll see how well my plan worked out

also keep a mental note or what would be better is a REAL NOTE of what subjects/specific topics you are weak on. then in your 2nd pass pay attention to these subjects. when you've mastered something strike it off your list. Then you'll boil down a bunch of stuff that you still suck at for your next pass or your final week/2 weeks to really focus hard on. for example, for me I always had a problem w/ COLLAGEN synthesis, pelvic anatomy, all the different porphyrias and the different names for each porphyria, genetic terms, muscle lines (z line, a line etc.) and the list goes on. almost all of them showed up and I think I was able to get them right because I always kept track of what i was weak on. do the same and do it early on

 

[rem6775]

Honestly, why do people post this stuff? You were smart enough to get into medical school, so you should, presumably, be smart enough to come up with some sort of study plan. Or at least use the search function. Use FA. Memorize it. Do it however you want.

 

[johncarter]

Honestly, why do people post this stuff? You were smart enough to get into medical school, so you should, presumably, be smart enough to come up with some sort of study plan. Or at least use the search function. Use FA. Memorize it. Do it however you want.

I'm sorry you have this attitude. I wasn't trying to post this to be antagonistic.

I noticed a guy asking advice about pants, got more replies than I have.

Everyone's circumstances are different, just so you know, my uncle (my last family member on that side of the family, and one I am close to, is dying, my parents have significant chronic illness to the point where my own father may not be able to attend my own graduation, and I am coping with health problems myself)


why is all that relevant? because I'm finding it challenging and difficult to get organized at the moment with everything going on, and I came here asking for some advice about my exams..

My understanding of this student doctor website was, it is a place for people to seek advice, discuss things etc.

- with a reply like that, you must be headed for surgery or radiology huh?

 

[johncarter]

i posted this elsewhere, maybe it'll help you as well

I did behavioral first because I was weak in it and behavioral questions are "easy" points if you studied it well enough. I wanted to make a master list of equations and such early on so that's why I did it first. I posted this on the wall (odds ratio, relative risk etc.) so I'd look at it once a day and it was pretty set in my head early on. (you'd be surprised how many people mess this up on test day just because they looked over which equation is which)

I did biochem next because I was also weak in this and wanted to see it early on so I can review it as many times as possible.

I did Micro next because I was also weak in this and wanted to see it early on so I can review it as many times as possible. (that should be the general theme while you're studying. if you're weak in some area do it sooner rather than later) I did micro pharm after micro

I then started systems

Cardio then respiratory because they're intertwined and there's a lot of physio here... (I was also most weak in these subjects in my diagnostic)

then heme/vessels/cancer etc.

Then do endo + gastro because there will be some overlap here as well in terms of hormone regulation/dz's.

Then do Renal + male and female repro together

Then Neuro and psych together

"together" meaning one subject after another.

I did embryo, anatomy, physio at the beginning of every major section for each respective organ system. I did pharm at the end of each system like it's presented in FA.

Then I reviewed ALL pharm after my first pass of the systems

Likewise I reviewed all embryo and anatomy once over after my first pass... to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

I always did FA before doing Goljan for each section because Goljan has treatment and other goodies spread throughout the reading which will help you form associations.

then i just kept on repeating this over and over till you know the material, and trust me you will if you work hard at it and keep cool.

and how can I forget... Uworld...

I did 48 UW questions a day during my first pass, which was always related to the thing I was studying that day. after my first passs I did 96 q's a day random.

GOODLUCK!!! and keep cool. It's so daunting at first but all you have to do is chip away at it. you have enough time it seems like so after your first pass, you'll see how manageable this material is. I don't wanna speak too soon... I find out my score enxt week so we'll see how well my plan worked out

also keep a mental note or what would be better is a REAL NOTE of what subjects/specific topics you are weak on. then in your 2nd pass pay attention to these subjects. when you've mastered something strike it off your list. Then you'll boil down a bunch of stuff that you still suck at for your next pass or your final week/2 weeks to really focus hard on. for example, for me I always had a problem w/ COLLAGEN synthesis, pelvic anatomy, all the different porphyrias and the different names for each porphyria, genetic terms, muscle lines (z line, a line etc.) and the list goes on. almost all of them showed up and I think I was able to get them right because I always kept track of what i was weak on. do the same and do it early on

Finally some decent advice - Sincerely - Thank you!!

 

[rem6775]

I'm sorry you have this attitude. I wasn't trying to post this to be antagonistic.

I noticed a guy asking advice about pants, got more replies than I have.

Everyone's circumstances are different, just so you know, my uncle (my last family member on that side of the family, and one I am close to, is dying, my parents have significant chronic illness to the point where my own father may not be able to attend my own graduation, and I am coping with health problems myself)


why is all that relevant? because I'm finding it challenging and difficult to get organized at the moment with everything going on, and I came here asking for some advice about my exams..

My understanding of this student doctor website was, it is a place for people to seek advice, discuss things etc.

- with a reply like that, you must be headed for surgery or radiology huh?

It is a place to get advice, but it's annoying when people spend time writing out advice, and then people just post random duplicate threads instead of taking the time to read the advice people have already given. There are a million posts, including mine, in the scores thread about how we studied, what we thought worked, what advice we had and so on. But you didn't read any of that. People do this all the time, and it just does not make any sense, and makes the advice we gave a waste.

 

[1nycdoc8]

It is a place to get advice, but it's annoying when people spend time writing out advice, and then people just post random duplicate threads instead of taking the time to read the advice people have already given. There are a million posts, including mine, in the scores thread about how we studied, what we thought worked, what advice we had and so on. But you didn't read any of that. People do this all the time, and it just does not make any sense, and makes the advice we gave a waste.

some people are just new to forums on the whole... it took me at least 50 posts till I realized the amazingness of the "search" function. I think the op has around 20 posts right now...

to the OP please sift through the posts in the link posted below when you have time. there are some VERY long ones that have more than enough info to get you going.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=697943&page=10