Can one be successful with 5 or less?

[tomorrowgirl99]

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Is it possible to get a good score with just 5 or less resources. I have been looking around a lot of threads and reading people's past experiences and it seems like everyone lists on average 10 resources. I know a lot of people annotate these resources into first aid but when I was doing that with one subject, I felt as if I was being rather redudant and these sources weren't really adding anything. I feel like if I use FA, BRS phys, RR pathology, and a lot of questions I should be fine. What do you guys think? Has anyone done this?

 

[VFib911]

I personally think the number of resources used is less important than how much you get out of each resource. If something is redundant for you, move on. Now there may redundancy when you are re-reviewing FA over and over, but it is full of high-yield info and it is to your advantage to be very familiar with those topics. I also am a believer that FA and UW are excellent foundations to base your studying on, but not sufficient in-and-of themselves. Just my $0.02.

Bottom-line: use the number of resources that is necessary to fill in any gaps in your knowledge base - whether that be 2 or 20 - and be sure to spend sufficient time on the known high-yield topics.

 

[Noeljan]

people talk about this annotating of first aid. I guess I don't know what/why they are doing it? what are they putting in there? thanks

 

[lord_jeebus]

It depends on your definition of success, and how well you know the material to begin with.

 

[Saladin MD]

If people are using 10 resources minimum, I might be screwed.

people talk about this annotating of first aid. I guess I don't know what/why they are doing it? what are they putting in there? thanks

For example, FA says "Cre-Lox", and I have no idea what that is, so I look it up, then jot it down right next to where it is mentioned in FA.

 

[78222]

I think the reason you are seeing people using 10+ resources right now is that so many people who are taking the test right now are IMGs who have a lot of time to prepare for the exam. I used 5 or less resources and did quite well.

 

[oreosandsake]

Is it possible to get a good score with just 5 or less resources. I have been looking around a lot of threads and reading people's past experiences and it seems like everyone lists on average 10 resources. I know a lot of people annotate these resources into first aid but when I was doing that with one subject, I felt as if I was being rather redudant and these sources weren't really adding anything. I feel like if I use FA, BRS phys, RR pathology, and a lot of questions I should be fine. What do you guys think? Has anyone done this?

having a lot of resources and not taking the time to know them well is the setup for failure.

it'd be more important to pick any random pathology book, random physiology book, etc and know them well to do well. most books say the same thing, but just present them differently.

yes, stick with 5 resources.

FA, BRS phys, RR path, lippincott pharm, lots of Q's and you will be golden.

of course, I also added HY neuro and RR biochem to that lot. I'de recommend doing that only if you know the first 5 very very well.

 

[ZagDoc]

Know a guy who did very well on Step 1 using just FA and USMLE world. He'd annotate info from question explanations into FA as he did them.

Agreed that it's not about how many resources you have but how you use them. Seen too many people wasit deep in a stack of 10 review books when you know they aren't going to get through half of them.

A lot of it is self awareness. If you were a biochem major in undergrad and killed biochem during MS1, you probably don't need to annotate Lippencott's into your first aid. FA + Q's would be fine for you. Supplement in areas you are deficient.

That being said, pretty much everyone I've talked to said the holy trinity of FA + BRS Phys + BRS/Goljan Path is essential.