AMBOSS resource

[tejas514]

Hey guys,
This is my first post since like pre-med. Wow things really do change (Im in rotations now!). Anyways I am on my psych rotation and i came across this resource called AMBOSS that I really like! I wanted to ask for those who are using it, is it possible to forego other textbooks for each rotation and just use AMBOSS, UWORLD, and something like MTB step 2 or FA Step 2 CK (for annotating). I really like their interactive library and honestly, their question bank is really challenging and quite comparable to UWORLD although I have only had psych questions to compare it to. They are sort of in a start up phase right now so I'm really keen to hear about the most recent updates. Apparently, its grown quite a bit in a few respectable schools (UCSF, harvard, etc.). So yeah, is AMBOSS along with UWORLD enough for each rotation....I really don't want to be jumping from resource to resource and that's what I like about theirs. It's all (allegedly) in one place. I am also definitely interested in people's experience in family med (since apparently, UWORLD doesn't have a section on it but AMBOSS does!).

Thank you so much and to anyone that's premed/M1/M2 best of luck with MCAT, Step 1- its a grind but you got this!

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[Redpancreas]

Hey guys,
This is my first post since like pre-med. Wow things really do change (Im in rotations now!). Anyways I am on my psych rotation and i came across this resource called AMBOSS that I really like! I wanted to ask for those who are using it, is it possible to forego other textbooks for each rotation and just use AMBOSS, UWORLD, and something like MTB step 2 or FA Step 2 CK (for annotating). I really like their interactive library and honestly, their question bank is really challenging and quite comparable to UWORLD although I have only had psych questions to compare it to. They are sort of in a start up phase right now so I'm really keen to hear about the most recent updates. Apparently, its grown quite a bit in a few respectable schools (UCSF, harvard, etc.). So yeah, is AMBOSS along with UWORLD enough for each rotation....I really don't want to be jumping from resource to resource and that's what I like about theirs. It's all (allegedly) in one place. I am also definitely interested in people's experience in family med (since apparently, UWORLD doesn't have a section on it but AMBOSS does!).

Thank you so much and to anyone that's premed/M1/M2 best of luck with MCAT, Step 1- its a grind but you got this!

This is seriously an epidemic. This isn’t even how people stateside talk when they’re excited.

 

[tejas514]

This is seriously an epidemic. This isn’t even how people stateside talk when they’re excited.

What the hell are you talking about?

 

[Redpancreas]

What the hell are you talking about?

1. Your post sounds like a badly written commercial script.

2. AMBOSS advertisers have sleazy practices to get attention. Curious for why they have to sock puppet their way around SDN/Reddit to get attention. No one likes you guys, go away.

 

[tejas514]

1. Your post sounds like a badly written commercial script.

2. AMBOSS advertisers have sleazy practices to get attention. Curious for why they have to sock puppet their way around SDN/Reddit to get attention. No one likes you guys, go away.

I am actually a med student at the moment and you're a resident apparently? why do you even care about a USMLE resource. don't you have actual patients you need to tend to? And also how the hell is this a commercial ad, my post is just like anyone curious to hear other people's input on step 1/2/3 resources? I am asking people who used AMBOSS in the past their experience (good AND bad). Currently on my trial.

Also, if you don't like a post, just don't comment on it.Seriously, I just re-read my post and I said I like it for psychiatry but how would anyone characterize that as an AD? get a life, bro

 

[DO???]

I am actually a med student at the moment and you're a resident apparently? why do you even care about a USMLE resource. don't you have actual patients you need to tend to? And also how the hell is this a commercial ad, my post is just like anyone curious to hear other people's input on step 1/2/3 resources? I am asking people who used AMBOSS in the past their experience (good AND bad). Currently on my trial.

Also, if you don't like a post, just don't comment on it.Seriously, I just re-read my post and I said I like it for psychiatry but how would anyone characterize that as an AD? get a life, bro

I am curious myself about using amboss for fourth year, interested in what others who used this think.

 

[APA 32]

I used AMBOSS during my surgery rotation along with Firecracker, Kaplan Qbank, and Uworld. Nothing to write home about in my opinion. In a few cases AMBOSS conflicted with uworld explanations so I stopped using it.

 

[tejas514]

I used AMBOSS during my surgery rotation along with Firecracker, Kaplan Qbank, and Uworld. Nothing to write home about in my opinion. In a few cases AMBOSS conflicted with uworld explanations so I stopped using it.

Hey, thanks! wow thats quite a few resources. I think firecracker is defiantly a good get. any thoughts on kaplan?

 

[APA 32]

Not a must have but I used kaplan for every rotation except internal medicine. I hated using it but it forced me to know bits of minutia that helped me do well on my shelfs.

 

[tejas514]

Not a must have but I used kaplan for every rotation except internal medicine. I hated using it but it forced me to know bits of minutia that helped me do well on my shelfs.

For sure, i think AMBOSS qbank could be better but Idk, i was thinking about just using their library and master the boards for every rotations. you think that can work or is it better to get a different book for every rotation. i.e. I'm in psych and I'm using FA for psych. that's my biggest worry cause I have UWORLD so i feel i don't need the amboss question bank as much as their library.

 

[APA 32]

For sure, i think AMBOSS qbank could be better but Idk, i was thinking about just using their library and master the boards for every rotations. you think that can work or is it better to get a different book for every rotation. i.e. I'm in psych and I'm using FA for psych. that's my biggest worry cause I have UWORLD so i feel i don't need the amboss question bank as much as their library.

I would lean more towards using a proven resource for each rotation. I think the jury is still out on AMBOSS.

 

[Redpancreas]

For sure, i think AMBOSS qbank could be better but Idk, i was thinking about just using their library and master the boards for every rotations. you think that can work or is it better to get a different book for every rotation. i.e. I'm in psych and I'm using FA for psych. that's my biggest worry cause I have UWORLD so i feel i don't need the amboss question bank as much as their library.

I admit XYZ resource could be better, but I'm just going to go ahead and use it for every rotation...said no medical student ever. If you're worried about the Psychiatry NBME, that's troubling.

 

[tejas514]

I admit XYZ resource could be better, but I'm just going to go ahead and use it for every rotation...said no medical student ever. If you're worried about the Psychiatry NBME, that's troubling.

Hey man, you seem like a nice guy that genuinely wants to help people and I am glad for that. We need more people like you. Especially with how bad medical education is but seriously, you have some kind of a delusion. I hate salesmen just as much as you and believe me, we have all been annoyingly solicited before. However, I am literally just asking the other dude his thoughts on the library cause he said earlier the AMBOSS question bank wasn't very helpful. I am trying to find a central resource so I don't have 12 books by the time Step 2 studying comes around. I also mentioned MTB so apparently, I also work Kaplan??

I promise, I do not work for anybody. Now either be a good guy and help me (and future students) or get the heck out of this post.

 

[tejas514]

I would lean more towards using a proven resource for each rotation. I think the jury is still out on AMBOSS.

thank you sir!

 

[Redpancreas]

Hey man, you seem like a nice guy that genuinely wants to help people and I am glad for that. We need more people like you. Especially with how bad medical education is but seriously, you have some kind of a delusion. I hate salesmen just as much as you and believe me, we have all been annoyingly solicited before. However, I am literally just asking the other dude his thoughts on the library cause he said earlier the AMBOSS question bank wasn't very helpful. I am trying to find a central resource so I don't have 12 books by the time Step 2 studying comes around. I also mentioned MTB so apparently, I also work Kaplan??

I promise, I do not work for anybody. Now either be a good guy and help me (and future students) or get the heck out of this post.

UWorld/OME. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. AMBOSS is an irrelevant resource to Step 2CK.

 

[pbrocks15]

UWorld/OME. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. AMBOSS is an irrelevant resource to Step 2CK.

Thank youuuuuuuuu

 

[haanman]

Not sure why tempers are running so high on this thread. I have no stake in AMBOSS at all, but I used it off and on throughout third year and liked it. I used it if I ran out of UWorld questions and wanted another resource. For that purpose, it did the job a lot better than some of the more off-brand Pretest volumes, for example. Many of my classmates used it even more and had great results.

It has some pretty excellent features—the coverage of imaging, for example, is some of the best I've seen in medical school. In my experience, the questions have been high-quality with good explanations. Some of them were tricky or detailed, but usually in a way that I appreciated later. And yeah, there are a few silly questions—every resource has them, including UWorld.

Bottom line, I think it's worth a try if you're looking for extra questions or if you have easy access through your school. If I had to do third year again (ha!), I'd use it again.

 

[tejas514]

Not sure why tempers are running so high on this thread. I have no stake in AMBOSS at all, but I used it off and on throughout third year and liked it. I used it if I ran out of UWorld questions and wanted another resource. For that purpose, it did the job a lot better than some of the more off-brand Pretest volumes, for example. Many of my classmates used it even more and had great results.

It has some pretty excellent features—the coverage of imaging, for example, is some of the best I've seen in medical school. In my experience, the questions have been high-quality with good explanations. Some of them were tricky or detailed, but usually in a way that I appreciated later. And yeah, there are a few silly questions—every resource has them, including UWorld.

Bottom line, I think it's worth a try if you're looking for extra questions or if you have easy access through your school. If I had to do third year again (ha!), I'd use it again.

Thanks dude. Yeah I am not sure why some people responded the way they did. one of them thought I worked for AMBOSS and hence the outcry. Thank you for your response!

 

[tomorrowDoc]

hey op, i have the same question that you do. I've searched around a lot and found conflicting reviews regarding the AMBOSS qbank, esp since they just got it up and running for the US version since last Oct. there is a consensus that their library is pretty good (with the exception of some of the prevention guidelines, with some people arguing UW is more correct while others arguing that AMBOSS is more updated than UW). My plan is similar to what you mentioned earlier: use the AMBOSS library for reading and then UW for the qbank. I just finished my internal medicine rotation (and did not know much about AMBOSS back then so didn't use it), and I barely had enough time to finish all the UW q's, so I doubt I'll have time to finish both UW and AMBOSS qbanks during my other rotations. So I'm going to stick with just UW q's for now. I know this isn't a review of AMBOSS since I haven't really used it, but I thought I'd share with what I've read from SDN and meddit about the resource. G'luck!

 

[Black Coffee 24/7]

OME and UW along with reading up on your pts at work

If you have time for Amboss in addition to OME and UW, chances are that you need to get a refund from your school for your crappy clinical education.

 

[tejas514]

OME and UW along with reading up on your pts at work

If you have time for Amboss in addition to OME and UW, chances are that you need to get a refund from your school for your crappy clinical education.

Believe me, I deserve a full refund. My school is a joke. Funny how education is more independent oriented as you go up the education ladder. Wonder why boards/beyond, pathoma, sketchy do so well? as well as OME?

 

[segdoc]

wow, some strong opinions. I prefer Amboss over Kaplan, but that's just my opinion. I like putting all the info in context and moving around the different articles to put pieces together. UWorld is obviously gold standard for questions, but I'm two rotations into third year and havent bought it yet becuase I'm liking Amboss. I'm sure that will change when I get to Med or Surg... but for now, it's working really for me.

They came to our school and gave us codes for two week trials: AMBOSS-YRWJ-C801-RA79

Good luck!

 

[BabyDaddy]

I used AMBOSS for the neuro shelf along with UW, and I really liked it (stay calm, I also like UW, but don't work for them). I could buy every book under the sun (it seems like there is a different favorite for every single rotation) but I just don't have that much time to read. I think I'll stick with AMBOSS and UW from here on out and see how it goes.
As far as "trusting an unproven resource", that's definitely a risk, but so far so good. If it burns me on the next rotation maybe I'll dump it for something else.

 

[BabyDaddy]

I just looked up online med ed. How did I not know about this!!!!!

 

[BabyDaddy]

@Tootie&Val You got a question? Or do you just get on here to mock people?

 

[BabyDaddy]

What you said was particularly thick, so no, I have no questions for you

You should check out UWorld, their good too

Thanks! Sounds familiar. I'll look into it!

 

[tejas514]

Thanks! Sounds familiar. I'll look into it!

tootie is mocking you. don't let these guys get you down. they just want to make themselves feel better

 

[Redpancreas]

Are these AMBOSS people all bots?

 

[BabyDaddy]

tootie is mocking you. don't let these guys get you down. they just want to make themselves feel better

I'm aware

 

[BabyDaddy]

I'm aware

Edit: The thing about resources for Step 2/clerkships is not everybody uses the same thing. Not everybody at my school uses OME as a primary resource, and many don't use it at all. That's why I just now heard about it (although I'm only at the beginning of year 3 anyway).
For Step 1 virtually everybody uses UW, FA, Pathoma as a core. I haven't found any such formula for Step 2. Many people think there is one but everybody thinks its something different. Sorry if OME is your Bible @Tootie&Val, not everybody uses it. I was excited about it at first, but I think it's just one too many resources for me right now. That might change but so far I'm only using AMBOSS and UW and loving it.

 

[JooceMan137]

I’ll chime in here I guess. I tried the AMBOSS q bank in the middle of my M2 year and I really liked it. Curious to see how it is during my M3 year I’m starting next week.

Do they have videos too or just a qbank?

 

[JooceMan137]

I’ve heard some
Amazing things about AMBOSS especially with helping with ruling out other answers for step1. Wish I used it

Yeah, that’s what I loved about it. They had really good explanations and they compare answer choices to each other to teach you how to rule out. Also, I loved having the index available.

It certainly beats not being being able to copy and paste with UWorld open (however, all hail UWorld!)

 

[BabyDaddy]

I find it interesting that there are so many "AMBOSS people are bots" comments on this thread. I've never seen that said when people endorse any other resource. If you really want to know if someone is a bot, just look at other postings by people giving AMBOSS positive comments. In my case, there is plenty of history on SDN. I'll let it speak for itself.

I used AMBOSS all of 3rd year and found it was decent for most rotations, although it gets into the weeds at times. Overall, it was money well spent. I don't think I'll renew it for STEP 2 study this summer, as UWORLD seems to be plenty (and better) for CK. I might buy it for a month again in November to study for CS. We'll see...

-BabyDaddy

 

[BabyDaddy]

Thanks for being a watchdog on all these threads @Syncrhonize - I guess it's not just MCAT companies that play the sockpupetteering game.

I don't think that's what's happening here. See my comment above.

 

[popopopop]

I find it interesting that there are so many "AMBOSS people are bots" comments on this thread. I've never seen that said when people endorse any other resource. If you really want to know if someone is a bot, just look at other postings by people giving AMBOSS positive comments. In my case, there is plenty of history on SDN. I'll let it speak for itself.

I used AMBOSS all of 3rd year and found it was decent for most rotations, although it gets into the weeds at times. Overall, it was money well spent. I don't think I'll renew it for STEP 2 study this summer, as UWORLD seems to be plenty (and better) for CK. I might buy it for a month again in November to study for CS. We'll see...

-BabyDaddy

Did you find it more useful for the shelf vs UW? That's some of the opinions I'm reading about it. I'm 50/50 on adding AMBOSS for a second question bank at the moment.

 

[BabyDaddy]

Did you find it more useful for the shelf vs UW? That's some of the opinions I'm reading about it. I'm 50/50 on adding AMBOSS for a second question bank at the moment.

Yeah, simply because it has specific shelfs like family med, EM that UW doesn't have.