Anybody NOT use First Aid and still do OK?

[Lemont]

I know this may sound like blasphemy as far as studying for Step 1, but did any of you not use FA when studying for Step 1?

I would like to know because I am finding that as I read FA, I am just rereading the stuff I have already read in my other review books. But for some reason I find FA hard to digest and memorize, and I want to limit my reading material so I have more time to do questions.

So is it wise to ditch FA since I hear so many people saying if you "memorize" it and do lots of practice questions then you will pass comfortably?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dcpark74]

I know this may sound like blasphemy as far as studying for Step 1, but did any of you not use FA when studying for Step 1?

I would like to know because I am finding that as I read FA, I am just rereading the stuff I have already read in my other review books. But for some reason I find FA hard to digest and memorize, and I want to limit my reading material so I have more time to do questions.

So is it wise to ditch FA since I hear so many people saying if you "memorize" it and do lots of practice questions then you will pass comfortably?

i used about 1/2 of FA but did not rely on it at all for my exam review. the only time i used FA was to study for my end of the year shelf exams (2 months before my step1) in Path, Pharm, and Micro. Those sections were very good and concise, especially micro. I got a 770, 640, and 88% for path, pharm, and micro (didn't have 3 digit conversion) shelf, respectively, so those FA sections are VERY HIGH YIELD. BUT BRS for Pathology is much better because it is more comprehensive and works synergistically with FA.

my suggestion would be to see what topics FA covers and see if you have already covered that topic in the other review books. if you have then don't scrutinize over FA just because people here told you to. (everyone learns differently) if it helps you puts things in perspective, my score for step 1 was a 253/99. so if you want a higher score then maybe you can talk to bigfrank, saco, etc.

i hope this helps.

 

[ttumed]

Got a two digit 99 and didn't use 1st aid, thought it was trash. All depends on how you like being fed.

 

[wook]

Got a two digit 99 and didn't use 1st aid, thought it was trash. All depends on how you like being fed.

I didn't use it last year. I agree with previous poster that you have to go with what works for you.

Wook

 

[SilverAngel1110]

didn't use it either. i tried, but i hated it, and i thought for sure i would fail for choosing not to use it. but that didn't happen. so in summary, yes, you can pass and do well without using it.

 

[VincentAdultman]

99 two digit score, did not use FA.

One of the Kaplan intense prep preofessors I remember said that the Step One writers know what's in FA, and they know that every med student uses it to review from. So they're starting to make their questions that much harder. Basically "weeding out" the ones who primarily use FA.

So basically, I say use it, but supplement it with discipline-specific books that you're most comfortable with.

 

[kcumbDO]

I only used First Aid for pharmacology, some path (mostly I used BRS path and completed all the Robins Review of Path Questions, microbioloby, and behavioral science. The outcome.....USMLE step 1 = 246/99