BIGGEST Misconception about USMLE Step 1

[Tedebear]

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People that have taken Step 1.

After you took your test and saw it from the "other" side of the fence. What was the biggest misconception you had about the exam that was changed after you took the exam?

 

[12R34Y]

#1. You can never know or prepare too much. You have to understand that you WILL NOT know things that are on the exam no matter how sweet you are (or think you are).

#2. Most pass without problems.

#3. There are many gimme questions which are cake. (some will disagree).

#4. Everyone's test is different. Some people on these boards will say "I had all embryo, anatomy and biochem!!" others will say "I had all phys, path and micro and NO pharm hardly!" you get my drift. There are like a bajillion questions they can choose to ask on your version of the exam. So don't worry what other people say. It's a scaled exam with varying difficulties in versions.

later

 

[kedhegard]

I foolishly believed that Qbank was worth a crap. It is much easier than the actual test.

 

[bigfrank]

Biggest misconceptions:

1. Anatomy is a big part.
2. HLA-B27, DR-3/4, AA, etc. are a huge part -- I had ZERO questions.
3. "Buzzwords" will be on there (they won't be).

Truest hype:

1. Molecular Biology is a HUGE part of most people's exam.
2. TONS of reasoning-type questions -- very little rote memorization.

 

[Su4n2]

bigfrank,
were there any resources that u used that prepared u for the reasoning q's? other than intellect 🙂

 

[Idiopathic]

1. Molecular Biology is a HUGE part of most people's exam.

But I didnt have a single question about it. Some things are different.

 

[IlianaSedai]

My biggest misconception: That you have to read A LOT to study for it. I had maybe 8 or 9 different review books, one for each subject, to read the month before the test.

In retrospect, I didn't need a review book for every subject. Pharm, biochem, anatomy, behavioral science and biostatistics were not worth it.

First Aid, BRS Pathology, and BRS Physiology were worth it.

And, my last two "sort of worth it" books were a Microbiology and a Neuroanatomy review book. I was very strong in micro so reviewing BRS was good for me; and I was weak in Neuroanatomy so High Yield sorted me out.

Lesson: THE FEWER BOOKS THE BETTER!

 

[bigfrank]

bigfrank,
were there any resources that u used that prepared u for the reasoning q's? other than intellect 🙂

I think the best way to prepare for the TYPES of questions you'll be asked is to do many, many questions. I prefer QBank, Appleton & Lange's question book, and Robbins Review of Pathology book.

Also, I think the best way to prepare is to try and UNDERSTAND the material. There is generally quite a bit of pathophysiology on people's exams that cannot be answered with rote memorization. I would do my best to truly understand the acute inflammatory process, for example, and have an idea of the cells that are involved, the cytokines produced, the general time course, the production of free radicals, etc. This way, you will review immunology, basic pathology, physiology, and even biochemistry. Integration, as I've tried to briefly illustrate, is key.

 

[bigfrank]

But I didnt have a single question about it. Some things are different.

This is fascinating, idio. I didn't know that. You certainly were in the minority! Do I recall that yours was heavy in anatomy???

 

[p53]

Biggest Misconception is that one person has a huge insight on Step 1. The test bank has thousands of questions. One person's view on Step 1 is like a still frame of a 3 hour movie.

 

[scootad.]

Thats a good analogy. I do wonder how different everyone's versions are; and what the nbme people do to try to make them as similar as possible. It would be a neat experiment to have people take different versions and measure their score correlations.

 

[Chandler]

Biggest Misconception is that one person has a huge insight on Step 1. The test bank has thousands of questions. One person's view on Step 1 is like a still frame of a 3 hour movie.

Good point. That is why I highly recommend reading as many Step 1 experiences on SDN as possible to increase sample size.

 

[bigfrank]

Thats a good analogy. I do wonder how different everyone's versions are; and what the nbme people do to try to make them as similar as possible. It would be a neat experiment to have people take different versions and measure their score correlations.

Bad idea. Mine would probably drop 30+ points! A little luck never hurt anyone!!! 🙂

 

[Pox in a box]

Good point. That is why I highly recommend reading as many Step 1 experiences on SDN as possible to increase sample size.

"I got the power."

 

[tom_jones]

People that have taken Step 1.

After you took your test and saw it from the "other" side of the fence. What was the biggest misconception you had about the exam that was changed after you took the exam?

That it was hours of drunken fun