Canadian med student confused about USMLE step I

[Abcdefghijkl]

Hi,

So I'm in meds in Canada so we don't really get any guidance regarding writing USMLE step I at all.

So far, I know I should write it between years 2 and 3 (which would be next summer for me) ...I'm planning on doing just that.

I've been to the usmle.org website and read what's there. I've also registered with the NBME site and have logged on but this is where I've stopped.

I have some questions...
it seems as though I wont have a choice as to where to write and when to write---is this true? Should I just go through the process and see what happens? It seems a bit less straightforward than the MCAT process was.

Second..I'm looking to take a course (because our school doesn't focus on quite as much detail as is required for the USMLE). Princeton Review's online course is 1/3 the cost of Kaplan's. However, I only ever hear of people taking Kaplan. Why is that? Is the Princeton course not good?

I've taught for Kaplan's MCAT course and I took Princeton's MCAT course and I must say I like Princeton's method better....plus the 1/3 the cost thing is really appealing.....

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

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[Pollicis]

Hi,

First off, nice name.

Yes, the best time to write it is between 2nd and 3rd year. As a student training outside of the USA, I think you'll have to apply through ECFMG.org - this is where IMG's register, but I'm not 100% sure about canadian students. You pick the date and location, based on where your local prometric testing center is. Unlike MCAT, you can write pretty much any day of the week as long as the center is open.

Think twice about paying for the courses. I go to a foreign school and I can tell you that our med school is trying extremely hard to teach us as little medicine as possible. The curriculum is geared towards babysitting 19 year olds just out of high school (not to say that my classmates aren't intelligent, it's just a different system). I ended up teaching myself a pile of stuff this past summer, and I ended up with a pretty decent mark (99). I would spend the money on getting the right books, and the rest on a flight to mexico, or whatever beach you prefer, for the day after the exam. Work hard during the summer, and take your reward.

Good luck,
Pol

 

[Abcdefghijkl]

Ok..so I've looked into it and I know that for sure I'm applying through the right place (NBME)--canadians are grouped with americans for that purpose from what i can tell

Fair enough...good books instead of a course...but ....what books? and what about practise questions??
What I was impressed with re: princeton review was that it was $500 for a bunch of books + online course (including a ton of questions for specific subjects) + a bunch of USMLE step I type tests to practise with (this is in comparison to kaplan who's course is stupidly expensive--in the thousands--i wouldn't even think about it, to be honest).

although, i've heard that investing in kaplan's qbank is a good idea...why kaplan's specifically??

 

[Abcdefghijkl]

So I've looked through the past forums and there are TONS of people saying lots of different things....

The books i've seen being recommended are

First Aid
Robbins path review
BRS path
BRS physiology
BRS behavioural science
High yield anat, neuro, embryology, histology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology
Clinical microbiology made ridiculously simple

+ QBank

Is this right? I'm looking at spending more money preping this way than if i were to take the Princeton course. The price I found for the books (on Indigo.ca) were $540 and change before taxes. That's WITHOUT QBank. Princeton if $500something before taxes but it includes lots.

BUT....I haven't heard anything about Princeton Review's USMLE Step I course so it's a little scary

In any case, I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts!