Did anybody use RR Pathology and NOT get > 230?

[AK_MD2BE]

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Seriously, it seems like all of the posts in the 2007 Experiencs thread praise Goljan's RR Pathology book and have scores > 230. Is there anybody out there that tried to use the RR Pathology for Step 1 and did not score better than 230 b/c they got bogged down by all the minutiae? For example, what do you do with all of the blue boxes that are just loaded with detail? (e.g. page 115 with all environmental chemicals...I mean c'mon, the bites of four different types of snakes/insects are listed). I just find myself trying to remember everything, and feel like I end up retaining nothing. What do you guys think? Or, how do you know what is really important in the RR book? I agree that he does explain things well, but it just seems to detailed. Thanks for your advice. 🙂

 

[lumbering]

I used RR and got a 270, but retrospectively, it was a little bit too much detail. I like RR's style because it provides some explanations (other review books just cram facts together). Besides, it was interesting to learn some minutiae like the clinical characteristics of salivary gland cancers and renal tubular acidoses. Heh...not that I actually retained much of it for the test.

 

[blz]

I got >260 and used RR religiously. Although it was a bit excessive, I felt it was a good book to read and really understand. Don't approach the book with the aims to memorize everything. I would read it once very thoroughly then read it again focusing more on the high yield material.

I recommended the book to some my of friends who decided to use it for the boards and all of us were over 250. Whether or not RR contributed to that is up to debate - we all did pretty well in school.

 

[AK_MD2BE]

What is the best way to not get bogged down by all of the detail found in RR Path? What do you with all of the blue boxes?

 

[InternationlDoc]

I don't know man, but those blue boxes have some pretty unique/"exception" type of stuff.
All thorough last year and this year, I feel that what seperates the men from the boys is knowing almost all the details and the exceptions. Thats what the examinations try to hit (funny they never emphasize that in class...on purpose to screw you? dunno)

I read the blue boxes religiously and i dunno, they somehow stick in my head. I think after reading all RR i'll go through just the blue comments for time's sake.

gluck.

 

[viostorm]

What is the best way to not get bogged down by all of the detail found in RR Path? What do you with all of the blue boxes?

If you want the truly great scores, you have to memorize the detail. That is what separates a 240 from a 260 in my opinion. A 240 knows all the high yield stuff cold, a 260 knows the random details that USMLE throws out there that only exist in robins and/or a large medicine textbook like harrisons or the other one I can't think of name right now.

 

[avishkar1984]

getting back to the original question:

is there any 1 who used goljan rr and did not score >230??

 

[MaxMoonMD]

Frankly speaking I have serious doubts that the mere usage of ANY book guarantees a certain score, though the right books (i.e. books with a good layout, high yield info and a style that compels to you) can make the probability much higher. 😛

That said, though I like working with RR Pathology and think it´s a great book, BRS Pathology seems to be a good alternative.

By the way, the highest score I saw on this forum was from a luck dragon who worked with BRS Pathology.

 

[avishkar1984]

its not abt whether a book guarantees a score or not
i am just keen on knowing if there is a trend
because from reading all the posts abt scores and materials used i strongly feel there is.
in fact i think we shd start a poll regarding this

 

[Terpskins99]

Got through RR Path once thoroughly and scored 235. I'm certain I would have done better with a second pass.

But Goljan alone isn't enough, I don't think anybody is suggesting that. Goljan, FA, MMRS and a question bank would be the minimum I would be comfortable with (admittedly, I ended up with way too many sources).

Work those as diligently as possible and only add books if you know you're weak in a particular subject. For me, biochem/molecular bio weren't very strong due to our school's clinically-oriented curriculum.

 

[ginger60]

If you want the truly great scores, you have to memorize the detail. That is what separates a 240 from a 260 in my opinion. A 240 knows all the high yield stuff cold, a 260 knows the random details that USMLE throws out there that only exist in robins and/or a large medicine textbook like harrisons or the other one I can't think of name right now.

Agree and disagree here. The random details are important--Goljan supplies many of them. However, I think you can get them from a variety of sources. I never cracked open robbins or harrisons but tried to learn as much as possible during my 1st 2 years--its partially because I did that (and read goljan) that I scored >260. No one book is guaranteed to help you get all those details, you just have to find what works for you.

 

[hucm2009]

I know quite a few people at my school used RR Path and did not score over a 230. That being said, I had both but ended up using BRS path because I like the format better. I thought it was more than enough for Step 1 and scored a 234

 

[predodoc]

Its more about tying info together than it is just reading a book. Many of my Questions on usmle were very very mixed as far as subjects go and If I had only read RR then I would not have done great. I think you must read his book while constantly thinking about any way they could tie in another subject. For example, if you are studying causes of diarrhea in RR, you need to also think about all the gut hormones(Phys), while thinking about bugs that can cause it(micro), and drugs that treat it/cause it(pharm) , while remembering the anatomy/histology/embryology of the gut, while thinking of the genetics behind chromosomal disorders that can cause gut problems(ex. downs syn), while also thinking of the carb breakdown in gut(biochem).. and on and on and on.....This is how to master USMLE.

 

[blz]

Its more about tying info together than it is just reading a book. Many of my Questions on usmle were very very mixed as far as subjects go and If I had only read RR then I would not have done great. I think you must read his book while constantly thinking about any way they could tie in another subject. For example, if you are studying causes of diarrhea in RR, you need to also think about all the gut hormones(Phys), while thinking about bugs that can cause it(micro), and drugs that treat it/cause it(pharm) , while remembering the anatomy/histology/embryology of the gut, while thinking of the genetics behind chromosomal disorders that can cause gut problems(ex. downs syn), while also thinking of the carb breakdown in gut(biochem).. and on and on and on.....This is how to master USMLE.

thanks for your words of wisdom but he never said to ONLY use goljan RR.

 

[predodoc]

thanks for your words of wisdom but he never said to ONLY use goljan RR.

I know he never said he would use only RR but he is having a hard time trying to remember the little details. Unless you have a photographic memory, then even reading every recommended review book out there wont get you above avg. You got to study the right books in the right ways if you want to be prepared. Or at least thats my experience, maybe others dont have to do what I did to get ready for this test.