concerned MSI looking for perspective

[javandane]

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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?

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

so, how do i know if i'm being adequately prepared for boards?

If you're doing well in class and not cramming everytime, you've probably got a good grasp of the important concepts and then just memorized minutiae to be above average. You can always start doing practice questions to see if you really understand the material. I wouldn't jump into something like Kaplan's Qbank during 1st year but you can always buy one of the question books from an upperclassman (NMS, Qbook, Board Sim. Series) and test yourself periodically. Keep up the good work!