Best Step 1 Books

[318038]

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Hey guys, I know this has probably been beaten to death but I was just wondering which books you guys would recommend buying for certain subjects. I am slowly purchasing step 1 materials so I am ready to go next year, thanks!

Physiology:
Pharmacology:
Microbiology:
Pathology:
Embryology:
Anatomy:
Practice Questions:
Clinical Correlates:

 

[psipsina]

First AID + Goljan Path + Uworld

References:
BRS physio
Lippincott's biochem

 

[coldweatherblue]

I don't know what is "best" so I'll just fill out what I'm using...

Physiology: BRS
Pharmacology: pharm recall + pharm cards
Microbiology: micro cards + MMRS
Pathology: BRS path + robbins review + notes (not a goljan fan)
Embryology: FA
Anatomy: FA, maybe read BRS a little, I feel solid on anatomy and it's like 1% of the exam so I'm not spending a lot of time here.
Practice Questions: USMLE world
Clinical Correlates: our school kills us with clinical stuff so I'm just reading FA for boards along with studying hard in-house.
Biochem: well I hate biochem so I'm just learning what's in FA/USMLEW.. talked to a bunch of people who did this as well and it worked out okay for them.

 

[starkcrazy]

look at the list in the back of 1st aid. good starting point.

 

[Stark]

I agree with the above recommendations, and want to add "Underground Clinical Vignettes."

I thought these books were so useful because every page was a case presentation (just like the Step 1 questions are case based). UCV Anatomy had 100 anatomy related cases, Path the same, Biochem the same. . . You couldn't pay me to come up with 20 Biochem clinical vignettes, but UCV has them, presented in a way that will be useful for Step 1.

Plus, the cases are more interesting than reading about abstract disease processes.

Anyone else think UCV is useful, or just me?

 

[kryptik]

this is what i am using

Physiology: Kaplan Notes/FA
Pharmacology: Kaplan Notes/FA
Microbiology: CMMRS/FA
Pathology: Rapid Review/FA
Biochem: Kaplan Notes/FA
Embryology:FA
Anatomy:HY Anatomy/FA
Practice Questions: Webpath,wikitestprep(both free), Rapid Review question bank(comes free with the 3rd Ed), Kaplan Qbook, USMLERx, USMLEWorld
Clinical Correlates: above question bank should provide enough correlates

 

[Pirlo]

There are some areas where there is almost unanimous consensus that a "perfect" book does exist, and there are other area where it is up in the air. The certain areas are as follows:

Overall: FA
Physiology: BRS Phys
Pathology: Rapid Review OR BRS Path (RR has the edge, though, I think)
Biochemistry: Rapid Review Biochem (Lippincotts is incredibly overwhelming)
Embryo: Some say FA is enough, others use HY Embryo. I plan to use HY Embryo in addition to FA
Question Banks: USMLEWorld. Robbins Review of Path is something I also intend to do as a source of high quality questions

Does anyone have any advice for Micro, Immuno, and Pharm? I have books lined up for basically all areas, but I can't find anything suitable for those three. Some say FA is enough, while others use either CMMRS or MicroCards. Can someone chime in on whether CMMRS or MicroCards is better? Thanks.

 

[1nycdoc8]

There are some areas where there is almost unanimous consensus that a "perfect" book does exist, and there are other area where it is up in the air. The certain areas are as follows:

Overall: FA
Physiology: BRS Phys
Pathology: Rapid Review OR BRS Path (RR has the edge, though, I think)
Biochemistry: Rapid Review Biochem (Lippincotts is incredibly overwhelming)
Embryo: Some say FA is enough, others use HY Embryo. I plan to use HY Embryo in addition to FA
Question Banks: USMLEWorld. Robbins Review of Path is something I also intend to do as a source of high quality questions

Does anyone have any advice for Micro, Immuno, and Pharm? I have books lined up for basically all areas, but I can't find anything suitable for those three. Some say FA is enough, while others use either CMMRS or MicroCards. Can someone chime in on whether CMMRS or MicroCards is better? Thanks.

I was a really big fan of micro made ridic simple when I was actually taking microbiology. I feel really comfortable with it but I'm not sure how high yield it is for step 1. I've gone through FA micro and definitely think it's pretty good

 

[1nycdoc8]

I agree with the above recommendations, and want to add "Underground Clinical Vignettes."

I thought these books were so useful because every page was a case presentation (just like the Step 1 questions are case based). UCV Anatomy had 100 anatomy related cases, Path the same, Biochem the same. . . You couldn't pay me to come up with 20 Biochem clinical vignettes, but UCV has them, presented in a way that will be useful for Step 1.

Plus, the cases are more interesting than reading about abstract disease processes.

Anyone else think UCV is useful, or just me?

Man, I've never even heard of UCV before but it sounds exactly like what I need! I feel somewhat confident when it comes down to questions about etiology, pathophys, treatment etc., but I find that one of my biggest problems is getting the dx right when they give you vague set of signs and symptoms. Hopefully if I just see enough ways to present X disease it'll be alright.

Do you know of any sources that can help me out with this? Thanks!!!

 

[Stark]

Man, I've never even heard of UCV before but it sounds exactly like what I need! I feel somewhat confident when it comes down to questions about etiology, pathophys, treatment etc., but I find that one of my biggest problems is getting the dx right when they give you vague set of signs and symptoms. Hopefully if I just see enough ways to present X disease it'll be alright.

Do you know of any sources that can help me out with this? Thanks!!!

UCV sounds like it would be great for you. Every case starts with a quick history, physical findings, lab findings & x-rays (if applicable), then tells you the treatment - - - But the Diagnosis is on the Next Page!

They start with the vague complaints and get more specific. - You'll see real patient's like this on the wards too. Useful. The last edition is 2007.

 

[Arjun Balaji]

I am doing FA for embryo and anat with neuroanat from Kaplan,
Physio - Kaplan n BRS
Biochem - FA
Immuno - FA
Micro - MMRS
Patho - Goljian
Pharm - FA and Kaplan
Behaviour Science - Kaplan

 

[emcee1109]

Hey guys,
Is it worth using other books besides FA for Neuroscience and Behavioral Science?

If so, what books do you recommend?

 

[illixir]

I am using FA/DIT as main resource to go through everything. Additional stuff for specific discipline is as follows.
Physiology: Nothing else.
Pharmacology: Pharm Recall, breeze through Golan, Kaplan videos
Microbiology:CMMRS(read it once for school already), Kaplan videos
Pathology:Robbins(all chapters), Robbins review of path questions, Robbins flashcards questions, Kaplan videos, Rapid Review
Embryology: Nothing else.
Anatomy: Nothing else.
Biochem:Rapid Review
Practice Questions: USMLEWorld, Kaplan QBank plus(not sure if I'll get to all of it yet, dont like some questions), BSS
Clinical Correlates: UCV set, also step 1 secrets

We ended the year doing neuro/psych so that stuff is fresh for me. Used kaplan videos for behavioral.

 

[wondrousnich]

any1 know where I can download a copy of the 1999 HY Cell and Molecular Bio book?

 

[starkcrazy]

any1 know where I can download a copy of the 1999 HY Cell and Molecular Bio book?

1999 copies should be mad cheap if you look on half.com or something.

 

[RapidReview]

1999 copies should be mad cheap if you look on half.com or something.

actually, the 1999 version is redic expensive.

 

[1nycdoc8]

Merck Manual!!! I just discovered this the other day, and must say, I'm a pretty big fan.

 

[DoctorCR]

There are other, better, cheaper options to Kaplan Qbank and USMLEWorld.

 

[318038]

So these are the materials I am thinking of going with:

Comprehensive: First Aid 2011
USMLE World Q Bank

Anatomy: High Yield Neuroanatomy, BRS Gross Anatomy
Embryology: High Yield Embryology
Behavioral Science: High Yield Behavioral Science
Biochemistry: Rapid Review Biochemistry
Cell Biology & Histology:
Microbiology: Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple
Immunology: High Yield Immunology
Pathology: Goljan’s Rapid Review Pathology
Pharmacology: Lange Pharmacology Flash Cards
Physiology: BRS Physiology


Consider:
UCV Patho-physiology
UCV Biochemistry


A Few more questions though... is this too much material to attempt to cover and would FA be sufficient for some of these topics? Are the books I have chosen the best in each category? Also, which company makes the best micro cards? Thanks again for everything 🙂

 

[318038]

Bump!

 

[turkeyjerky]

I thought HY immuno was a waste of time. I also think hy embryo is too much unless you got a ton of time to kill.

 

[killinsound]

So these are the materials I am thinking of going with:

Comprehensive: First Aid 2011
USMLE World Q Bank

Anatomy: High Yield Neuroanatomy, BRS Gross Anatomy
Embryology: High Yield Embryology
Behavioral Science: High Yield Behavioral Science
Biochemistry: Rapid Review Biochemistry
Cell Biology & Histology:
Microbiology: Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple
Immunology: High Yield Immunology
Pathology: Goljan's Rapid Review Pathology
Pharmacology: Lange Pharmacology Flash Cards
Physiology: BRS Physiology


Consider:
UCV Patho-physiology
UCV Biochemistry


A Few more questions though... is this too much material to attempt to cover and would FA be sufficient for some of these topics? Are the books I have chosen the best in each category? Also, which company makes the best micro cards? Thanks again for everything 🙂

That will be fine if all you're using those books to do is to reference. I don't think you'll be able to read them all given the average 6 weeks. Even those HY books claim to be HY, they're still very detailed and it's pretty easy to get caught up in all the mess.

I think it's generally agreed that anatomy is low yield, so you might want to not do brs anatomy though i have no experience with it.

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

These are the books I used:
http://imgusmlestep1.blogspot.com/p/book-list.html