- Joined
- Sep 10, 2006
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- 20
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Greetings. I was curious what your schools' Step 1 policies are, as I have noticed that several top-tier schools (Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Yale, Baylor, UTSW, the list can go on....) allow their students to take Step 1 during or after 3rd year, while several state schools across the country require sitting for it prior to beginning the 3rd year.
Since the higher-ranked medical schools generally possess superior averages, I have pondered as to whether the reinforcement of basic science concepts as they relate to actual clinical experience during rotations promotes higher performance on standardized exams and perhaps a greater appreciation of the curriculum due to its functional application above and beyond what can be taught in a classroom or read in a book. Needless to say, however, that a confounding variable might exist in that top-tier schools generally accept students with proven standardized test-taking skills that have a direct bearing on MCAT scores, but I have read about and seen students from my school and elsewhere obtain higher USMLE scores than students with better MCAT scores.
Much of this has evolved out of studying both Steps 1 and 2 material simultaneously out of the necessity of my current circumstance. I have not taken Step 1 yet, and I attend a state school with a policy requiring us to take Step 1 before MS3.
Out of curiosity, I have studied Kaplan Gastroenterology as part of Internal Medicine for Step 2 after going over Gastrointestinal system material for Step 1 in various review books (Gross, some Devo, Histo, some Biochem, Phy, Path, Pharm, Neuro, Micro, and Immuno) , only to realize that the only differences have generally been the addition of treatment and management issues. Otherwise, I have encountered more than 40% (conservative estimate) of the exact same material for Step 2 in Rheumatology, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, Endocrinology, etc, and I'd venture to estimate that I have read up to 80% of the same material as Step 1.
Any thoughts about:
1. your schools' policies and whether or not their rules are working to achieve, what should be, the overall BOTTOM LINE: HIGHER AVERAGES?
2. whether you have noticed overlap in material b/w steps 1 and 2?
3. whether you have read or observed a positive correlation between the top-tier schools' liberal USMLE policies and higher historical scores?
Since the higher-ranked medical schools generally possess superior averages, I have pondered as to whether the reinforcement of basic science concepts as they relate to actual clinical experience during rotations promotes higher performance on standardized exams and perhaps a greater appreciation of the curriculum due to its functional application above and beyond what can be taught in a classroom or read in a book. Needless to say, however, that a confounding variable might exist in that top-tier schools generally accept students with proven standardized test-taking skills that have a direct bearing on MCAT scores, but I have read about and seen students from my school and elsewhere obtain higher USMLE scores than students with better MCAT scores.
Much of this has evolved out of studying both Steps 1 and 2 material simultaneously out of the necessity of my current circumstance. I have not taken Step 1 yet, and I attend a state school with a policy requiring us to take Step 1 before MS3.
Out of curiosity, I have studied Kaplan Gastroenterology as part of Internal Medicine for Step 2 after going over Gastrointestinal system material for Step 1 in various review books (Gross, some Devo, Histo, some Biochem, Phy, Path, Pharm, Neuro, Micro, and Immuno) , only to realize that the only differences have generally been the addition of treatment and management issues. Otherwise, I have encountered more than 40% (conservative estimate) of the exact same material for Step 2 in Rheumatology, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, Endocrinology, etc, and I'd venture to estimate that I have read up to 80% of the same material as Step 1.
Any thoughts about:
1. your schools' policies and whether or not their rules are working to achieve, what should be, the overall BOTTOM LINE: HIGHER AVERAGES?
2. whether you have noticed overlap in material b/w steps 1 and 2?
3. whether you have read or observed a positive correlation between the top-tier schools' liberal USMLE policies and higher historical scores?
