Best combination of resources for STEP1/2 + preclinical

[2023applicantxd]

Hey y'all I'm an incoming MS1 and I just wanted some advice on the best way to study/give myself the best foundation for the STEPs early on.
In undergrad, I would usually procrastinate, cram, etc. and did decent. Same for the MCAT, crammed for it in about a month and a half and also did pretty good on it.

I know the STEPs/medical school probably won't be like this and probably won't cut it, although I have heard a couple of the places that I am on WLs at that preclinical is a joke and they worked harder in undergrad, and also that it is very cram-able and that's what everyone does. But, my chances of getting off the WL at either of these schools is very very low. Anyways, if I were to get off these WL, I know that alone probably won't give me a good foundation for the STEPs, specifically 2 because I want to go into a competitive surgery field.

So, I have access to B&B/Pathoma/Sketchy/Osmosis and Anking. There is so much material there and I don't know what to supplement with the class material/study on my own during preclinicals. Some people are saying use the relevant B&B videos + Anking while learning that (for example cardio or something). I guess it will be different for everyone, but where do y'all think is the best place to start?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Cornfed101]

That’s a good place to start. Use sketchy where it is relevant (micro and pharm), pathoma will become more relevant when you go through pathology. All of it will be good for step 1

 

[jhmmd]

There are a ton of threads on this but most of the best ones are 20+ years old.

For MCAT I annotated EK with Kaplan.
For Step 1 I annotated FA with Kaplan and Robbins, using Robbins when I was unsure (Kaplan can be a bit obtuse at times).
Blueprints books are good for Pharm and Micro only; use at your discretion.
For extra credit you can listen to Goljan mp3s while working out (wouldn't recommend while driving), in order to brush up on pharm and such.
UWorld of course is good for question bank. Best question bank around.

The correct answer is usually C if you have to guess.
Be sure to choose the most correct answer, not just the correct answer. That's kind of the crux of this exam. 😉

In order to establish where you stand, be sure to do several NBME exams as you go through the materials. DON'T take the exam if you're not scoring within your target range.

Source: Top scorer + know several others in this category

Be sure to prepare properly for test day. Scope out the test center; be sure that you know where it is and if there's a bathroom, etc. Eat the same snack when you take NBME exams. BYO earplugs, if allowed. Wear comfortable clothing. Dress in layers. Go over the list of things that are allowed and what's not allowed; make a checklist.

Good luck!!

 

[2023applicantxd]

There are a ton of threads on this but most of the best ones are 20+ years old.

For MCAT I annotated EK with Kaplan.
For Step 1 I annotated FA with Kaplan and Robbins, using Robbins when I was unsure (Kaplan can be a bit obtuse at times).
Blueprints books are good for Pharm and Micro only; use at your discretion.
For extra credit you can listen to Goljan mp3s while working out (wouldn't recommend while driving), in order to brush up on pharm and such.
UWorld of course is good for question bank. Best question bank around.

The correct answer is usually C if you have to guess.
Be sure to choose the most correct answer, not just the correct answer. That's kind of the crux of this exam. 😉

In order to establish where you stand, be sure to do several NBME exams as you go through the materials. DON'T take the exam if you're not scoring within your target range.

Source: Top scorer + know several others in this category

Be sure to prepare properly for test day. Scope out the test center; be sure that you know where it is and if there's a bathroom, etc. Eat the same snack when you take NBME exams. BYO earplugs, if allowed. Wear comfortable clothing. Dress in layers. Go over the list of things that are allowed and what's not allowed; make a checklist.

Good luck!!

Thank you ! ! : D

 

[jhmmd]

Of course! Come back here after you've taken the test and let us know if this worked for you. 🙂

 

[hp35]

Let me know what insight you gain on this big bro!

 

[2023applicantxd]

Let me know what insight you gain on this big bro!

Hey there

 

[Hollow Knight]

So you should be doing AnKing. It's First Aid in flashcard form.

Pathoma for path, sketchy for micro and pharm, boards and beyond for everything else. This'll only leave you hanging on anatomy and histology, hopefully those aren't terrible at your school.

The people in my class who did the anki cards are, with a couple of exceptions, the highest performing students. It's just hard to remember that drug or bug 6 months after you take the test.... unless you did the anki cards.

 

[jhmmd]

So you should be doing AnKing. It's First Aid in flashcard form.

Pathoma for path, sketchy for micro and pharm, boards and beyond for everything else. This'll only leave you hanging on anatomy and histology, hopefully those aren't terrible at your school.

The people in my class who did the anki cards are, with a couple of exceptions, the highest performing students. It's just hard to remember that drug or bug 6 months after you take the test.... unless you did the anki cards.

I read this as, "It's first in the Flashcard Forum."

 

[Billiam95]

For step 1 - Uworld, First Aid, Anking deck, Pathoma, sketchy (micro and pharm) and Pathoma [aka, UFAPS B&B]. For step 1, questions are king - do as many questions on uWorld as possible. Amboss also has an excellent question bank.

Edit - best place to start for content review is watching videos (B&B, pathoma, sketchy), then unlocking the associated cards on Anking.

 

[oceantree]

Step 1 (took this in February and wasn't too stressed in dedicated) - study from Day 1 like the test is scored. Not only for a board foundation but for your future patients. I think our understanding of pathophys and mechanisms is what sets us apart from midlevels, so I took this seriously and it helped me a lot when I faced novel situations.

Resource overload is real, so learn well and don't use too many things per topic. Note, we had a systems based curriculum except first two blocks. I did content and then jumped into questions. For the systems blocks I covered content anatomy/embryo→ physiology→ path→ bugs/drugs

I had favorites based on specific subjects:
Anki - don't go crazy unsuspending everything. Markers, genes, drugs, and bugs and then based on incorrect questions
Anatomy/Embryology: 100 concepts (search reddit), blue clinical boxes from Grey's anatomy for students book, in house lecture bc we were tested on certain things
Biochem/genetic: pixorize and dirty medicine on YT
immunology: pathoma locked in by pixorize
Physiology: physeo videos + costanzo (much faster and easier to read if you've see the physeo videos first)
Pathology: pathoma, bootcamp only if needed there are gaps, sketchy path only for gaps
Bugs/drugs: Sketchy and pixorize if exclusive to pixorize or I needed better hook (not many)

High quality question banks
Over the course of preclinical, I spent most of my time in question banks in the second half / two-thirds of a given block.

before step 1
- Rx
- Bootcamp step 1 style, not the bites. close in style to NBME

step 1 dedicated
- uworld
- NBME practice tests do as many as possible
- Amboss QI/Ethics

Step 2/Shelves about to start, so I can't comment but my plan is UW + anki + amboss + nbme

Hope this helps! 🙂

 

[eatfresh]

a good resource is mehlmanmedical.com

 

[LikeableDolphin]

I have heard a couple of the places that I am on WLs at that preclinical is a joke and they worked harder in undergrad

What schools have such a preclinical curriculum? I want to be where they are lol

 

[Wamuu]

So you should be doing AnKing. It's First Aid in flashcard form.

Pathoma for path, sketchy for micro and pharm, boards and beyond for everything else. This'll only leave you hanging on anatomy and histology, hopefully those aren't terrible at your school.

The people in my class who did the anki cards are, with a couple of exceptions, the highest performing students. It's just hard to remember that drug or bug 6 months after you take the test.... unless you did the anki cards.

Is there a specific deck or is it literally called that? Is there a most up-to-date form of it floating around or do I have to dig through Reddit? Either way, thank you for a good summary 😎

 

[Hollow Knight]

Is there a specific deck or is it literally called that? Is there a most up-to-date form of it floating around or do I have to dig through Reddit? Either way, thank you for a good summary 😎

You can find version 11 on Reddit. I'd recommend getting version 12; it costs $5 a month, or a one-time fee of $100 or something like that. I paid the one time fee. Version 12 is cool because it is constantly updated to stay up to date as journal articles are released. $100 is chump change compared to what med schol costs for something more useful than most of what your school will provide you (no offense to your school, it's just that helpful).

To be clear, the AnKing people don't make money on it. It costs money so they can pay programmers/etc to keep the software that lets us all collaborate working. If I notice a mistake in these flashcards, I submit a correction, it goes to the AnKing ethersphere or whatever, and someone verifies it and corrects it for everyone worldwide.

 

[Wamuu]

You can find version 11 on Reddit. I'd recommend getting version 12; it costs $5 a month, or a one-time fee of $100 or something like that. I paid the one time fee. Version 12 is cool because it is constantly updated to stay up to date as journal articles are released. $100 is chump change compared to what med schol costs for something more useful than most of what your school will provide you (no offense to your school, it's just that helpful).

To be clear, the AnKing people don't make money on it. It costs money so they can pay programmers/etc to keep the software that lets us all collaborate working. If I notice a mistake in these flashcards, I submit a correction, it goes to the AnKing ethersphere or whatever, and someone verifies it and corrects it for everyone worldwide.

I'm assuming you purchase version 12 in the app itself? Or do you need to download the deck and then pay to have the service?

 

[Cornfed101]

I'm assuming you purchase version 12 in the app itself? Or do you need to download the deck and then pay to have the service?

It’s separate. AnkiHub — Collaborative Anki Decks!

 

[Wamuu]

It’s separate. AnkiHub — Collaborative Anki Decks!

Much appreciated my man!