Assess my plan for the USMLE (I don’t study in USA)

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RN1

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Hi,
My med school is 5.5 years long and I'm just about to start. Here is the basic sciences curriculum:
Year 1
Cell biology
Anatomy and organ histology
Nervous system

Year 2
Physiology
Microbiology and Immunology
Pathology

Year 3
Pharmacology
Behavioural sciences

On the USMLE homepage it says:
Each examination covers content related to the traditionally defined disciplines of anatomy, behavioral sciences, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology, as well as to interdisciplinary areas including genetics, aging, immunology, nutrition, and molecular and cell biology.

According to this list I won’t have knowledge in these areas:
Biochemistry
Genetics
Aging
Molecular biology

Am I missing any subjects from this list (maybe embryology)?

Obviously, I must study these subjects on my own. When do you recommend that I study each subject based on my curriculum (ex. Pharmacology and biochemistry simultaneously)

Here are the books that I plan to use:
Year 1
HY Molecular & Cellular Biology
HY Anatomy
HY Neuroanatomy

Year 2
BRS Physiology
Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple
HY Micro
BRS Path

Year 3
First Aid (for pharm)
HY BS

Do I need any more books (for the subjects I will miss) and do I need to change anything? Is it possible to learn from these review books if you have never studied the subject before? (Review book sounds like a book that helps you refresh something you have learned before) If this is the case, what textbooks do you recommend? If you have any other suggestions feel free to post them.

Thanks

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Hi,
My med school is 5.5 years long and I'm just about to start. Here is the basic sciences curriculum:
Year 1
Cell biology
Anatomy and organ histology
Nervous system

Year 2
Physiology
Microbiology and Immunology
Pathology

Year 3
Pharmacology
Behavioural sciences

On the USMLE homepage it says:
Each examination covers content related to the traditionally defined disciplines of anatomy, behavioral sciences, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology, as well as to interdisciplinary areas including genetics, aging, immunology, nutrition, and molecular and cell biology.

According to this list I won't have knowledge in these areas:
Biochemistry
Genetics
Aging
Molecular biology

Am I missing any subjects from this list (maybe embryology)?

Obviously, I must study these subjects on my own. When do you recommend that I study each subject based on my curriculum (ex. Pharmacology and biochemistry simultaneously)

Here are the books that I plan to use:
Year 1
HY Molecular & Cellular Biology
HY Anatomy
HY Neuroanatomy

Year 2
BRS Physiology
Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple
HY Micro
BRS Path

Year 3
First Aid (for pharm)
HY BS

Do I need any more books (for the subjects I will miss) and do I need to change anything? Is it possible to learn from these review books if you have never studied the subject before? (Review book sounds like a book that helps you refresh something you have learned before) If this is the case, what textbooks do you recommend? If you have any other suggestions feel free to post them.

Thanks


For Biochemistry I recommend getting the Lippincott textbook: http://www.amazon.com/Lippincotts-Illustrated-Reviews-Biochemistry/dp/0397510918

Also try to get your hands on Kaplan Step 1 lecture videos. They cover all the subjects that are covered on Step 1 and are very easy to follow and very well explained. The ones for Biochemistry and Physiology are especially good.

To really see if you have the knowledge required, try doing questions from Kaplan qbank or any other Step 1 question bank/NBME practice tests.
 
Is it possible to learn from these review books if you have never studied the subject before? (Review book sounds like a book that helps you refresh something you have learned before) If this is the case, what textbooks do you recommend? If you have any other suggestions feel free to post them.

Thanks

You said it yourself. Review books are great for boards i.e. for passing a test. But since you are just beginning I really recommend you get textbooks. The bottom line is you need to understand this information. You will use it one day when you practice. Review books are more for cramming every last bit of knowledge in that head of yours to get a great score. As far as rec's for texts I would go with the norms;

Harrison's internal medicine
Robbins pathology
Moore for anatomy (or baby moore)

These three are a good start!
 
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