concerned MSI looking for perspective

hey all,

just finished up first semester at DMU. my overall impression of the courses/exams is that they test memory, not comprehension. i've done well, but i have no way of knowing whether my success has been because of a solid memory or rather solid comprehension of the material. many people argue that the pre-clinical curriculum in most schools consists of mostly memorization, yet boards seem to test whether you really understand the science. board pass rates are very good for DMU, but these are COMLEX stats and i'm more interested in USMLE, and more directly, doing well on the USMLE. so, how do i know if i'm being adequately prepared for boards?