Anyone have experience using RX to get your initial pass through First Aid?

[fahimaz7]

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I have both Uworld and USMLErx subscriptions, and after 200 pages of first aid annotations, etc.. I decided to start doing RX and then annotating the pages that were referenced for each question. For each question, I end up going to the pages that were linked for the answers and then reading the page, annotating in anything that was left out (in my opinion), as well as looking up anything that I'm not familiar with. I'm completing 1/2 pages of FA for each question that is asked. It's slow going, but I seem to be going through FA quicker than I would be otherwise, and it is being put into a more clinical context if that makes sense? I do random 25 or 48 question blocks that are timed, unused, and random.

I'm thinking that I can clear a good chunk of FA this way (as well as ~1000 questions from RX), then switch over to Uworld when I get ready for the 6-8 week dedicated studying time?

Anyone tried this?

 

[Day man]

I'm sort of doing that now. Going through the basic sciences and reviewing stuff, usually from a kaplan text, then doing subject specific blocks. I was doing random but I just wanted more focus on the specific thing I was reviewing. I've done micro and will finish biochem this week. I also throw in some path or specific system for whatever were doing in path (skin/mm. now). I have GT but I really like this method. I think using RX as a first pass really helps move the process along, especially since I can't just sit and read facts in list format for more than 3-5 minutes. Hoping to get through micro, biochem, and physio before our "spring break" at the end of march so I can start the three P's then.

 

[sp226]

Have either of you completed a simulation on Rx? I wanted to know how accurate or if it is similar to the NBME's or UW assessments. I posted a couple days ago but didn't get a proper response.

 

[Day man]

I haven't yet, test isnt until June so I'm still on a first pass. The questions are not as good as UW but I think they're pretty decent. You can tell they try to do the 2nd level thing, but there's alot of "hints" and less integrating. Of course I'm really just speculating since I have zero actual test experience.

 

[fahimaz7]

I'm sort of doing that now. Going through the basic sciences and reviewing stuff, usually from a kaplan text, then doing subject specific blocks. I was doing random but I just wanted more focus on the specific thing I was reviewing. I've done micro and will finish biochem this week. I also throw in some path or specific system for whatever were doing in path (skin/mm. now). I have GT but I really like this method. I think using RX as a first pass really helps move the process along, especially since I can't just sit and read facts in list format for more than 3-5 minutes. Hoping to get through micro, biochem, and physio before our "spring break" at the end of march so I can start the three P's then.

Interesting approach there. I'm taking random block cold turkey, then taking 2-3 hours to annotate and look up each question that was asked. I debated doing what you're doing, which is studying a subject and then taking a test, but I figured that would inflate my baseline scores for the subjects...

 

[physics junkie]

I did that. I was well in to the 250s by the end of RX and deep in the 260s at the end of uworld. I did RX sectionally and uworld on random.

Uworld is so much info that without a foundation in First Aid it would be impossible to use effectively IMHO. I really loved RX. You're on your way to success 🙂.

 

[physics junkie]

Interesting approach there. I'm taking random block cold turkey, then taking 2-3 hours to annotate and look up each question that was asked. I debated doing what you're doing, which is studying a subject and then taking a test, but I figured that would inflate my baseline scores for the subjects...

It will inflate your scores(who cares?) but it's the better way to learn too. Do your questions on tutor mode too!

 

[pullandbear]

I'm sort of doing that now. Going through the basic sciences and reviewing stuff, usually from a kaplan text, then doing subject specific blocks. I was doing random but I just wanted more focus on the specific thing I was reviewing. I've done micro and will finish biochem this week. I also throw in some path or specific system for whatever were doing in path (skin/mm. now). I have GT but I really like this method. I think using RX as a first pass really helps move the process along, especially since I can't just sit and read facts in list format for more than 3-5 minutes. Hoping to get through micro, biochem, and physio before our "spring break" at the end of march so I can start the three P's then.

I'm doing it this way as well. I started off doing random questions. But I tried doing my questions from only one subject and it REALLY is much better. I went straight to organ modules instead of biochem/micro first though. Either way, RX makes the first run through First-Aid MUCH easier. (not to mention the flash cards they also have). How many questions are you guys doing a day?

EDIT: I agree with the guy above me. Tutor mode + questions from one subject at a time= best

 

[fahimaz7]

I'm doing it this way as well. I started off doing random questions. But I tried doing my questions from only one subject and it REALLY is much better. I went straight to organ modules instead of biochem/micro first though. Either way, RX makes the first run through First-Aid MUCH easier. (not to mention the flash cards they also have). How many questions are you guys doing a day?

EDIT: I agree with the guy above me. Tutor mode + questions from one subject at a time= best

I'm not doing tutor mode, since I'm going back and doing that anyways and I don't want to get distracted by breaking it up. Either way, i'm doing about 150-200 a week, it's slow as crap, but i'm learning/remembering stuff.

 

[Mace1370]

I'll throw in a vote for timed mode. If I use tutor mode I find that I can easily get distracted (i.e. popping open facebook). When I used timed mode I treat it more like a real exam.

 

[IMnotgivingup!!]

i am also doing that right now (or did that earlier). I am taking my exam in a couple of weeks. but earlier i would read a section in FA and do corresponding questions in Rx. I felt like that helped me a lot. it really reinforced a lot of the stuff in FA. I did UWorld on the side to do random questions and used Rx to learn the material in FA. Even though the questions are "easier" than the actual exam or UWorld, I felt like doing Rx questions really helped me understand and memorize the concepts. And there a lot of questions for each section. So doing them you'll get a feel for the clinical scenarios that you might see fofr each topic (which I've found very helpful)

 

[21CentSouldier]

I'm doing RX first and going by organ system, timed. As soon as I reach approximately the last 500q's for rx, i'll start moving into kaplan (random, timed) while redoing rx (random, timed). Come the end of the semester, i'll overlap kaplan with world (random, timed). We'll see how this works out.

 

[fahimaz7]

I'm doing RX first and going by organ system, timed. As soon as I reach approximately the last 500q's for rx, i'll start moving into kaplan (random, timed) while redoing rx (random, timed). Come the end of the semester, i'll overlap kaplan with world (random, timed). We'll see how this works out.

You're planning to do 5000 questions in the next 60 days?

 

[21CentSouldier]

You're planning to do 5000 questions in the next 60 days?

It'll be till the end of late june. I should mention that i'm partially through rx also.