Step I calculations on STEP 1

[westernmed007]

It seems alot of people have talked about not having to do any real calculations on their STEP 1's. I am doing some resp and renal phys and alot of calculations are coming up, while I often times get the general idea behind each one, I have trouble with logs (renal) and other obscure resp/etc. calculations. Should I be worried about this? What should I do about calculations on the real thing?

 

[Terpskins99]

It seems alot of people have talked about not having to do any real calculations on their STEP 1's. I am doing some resp and renal phys and alot of calculations are coming up, while I often times get the general idea behind each one, I have trouble with logs (renal) and other obscure resp/etc. calculations. Should I be worried about this? What should I do about calculations on the real thing?

There are very few questions requiring calculations, and they all involve simple math. You usually need to use the marker/laminated paper to keep things in order, but they always provide numbers that are easy to work with (just remember to round off as much as possible).

I don't recall any logarithmic/exponential calculations, but I have come across practice questions where I needed to interpret a logarithmic graph (usually with regard to pH and H+ concentrations). They were pretty straight forward, assuming you understand the concept of pH.

Your best bet is to keep doing what you're doing and hitting up lots of practice questions. The hardest part of the physiology questions on the USMLE are the concepts they are testing, not the actual numbers crunching.

 

[westernmed007]

thanks, is that a cat with a scout sniper?

Nice.

 

[fakin' the funk]

It seems alot of people have talked about not having to do any real calculations on their STEP 1's...

..."but I'm just gonna ask again anyway even though I know the answer to my question"