effective way to do UWorld questions

[MAK86]

I feel like it's taking me a lot of time just to do 48questions (about 6-7hrs). Should I read everything for each question or should I only read about the questions that I am getting wrong?
Tell me guys whats the best way to do these questions?

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[jmayer]

That is way too long. Do you know the material pretty well already?

If so, you should be doing the questions timed and then reading through the explanations afterward. (And if you really don't understand something - then write down some parts of the explanations). This certainly shouldn't take more than 2-2.5 hours (1 hour to do the block + 1 to review).

If you are still learning the material (as in you're just guessing on a lot of questions blindly), then you should do less questions and spend more time reading FA + other sources.

 

[greg1184]

I do USMLE World in subject based, tutor mode. I do it for various reasons. First, it forces me to use my first choice answer and to think the question through. If I make a careless mistake, I pay the price. Second, USMLE World is a TEACHING TOOL more than anything else. I do this qbank to learn in the context of a USMLE-like environment (Fred V2, question format, etc). What I do is that I read a section, then I do questions while I am doing another section. In other words, I let questions lag behind my reading.

I do blocks of 30-35 questions. It takes me 1.5-2 hours usually, depending on how difficult the questions are. After I answer each question I read the explanation, and annotate accordingly into FA. FA usually has the general concepts (except for biochem where FA sucks in), but Uworld elaborates some other important points. Sometimes UWorld introduces some new stuff, I write that in the bigger spaces in FA.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Yeah, that's an unbelievable amount of time to spend on one block. Doing 48-question block in tutor mode (without taking notes) and reading every explanation takes me about 80 minutes or so, most of the time. I know I go way faster than most people, but you really shouldn't be spending more than about 2.5 hours per block, even if you take notes.

You really need to figure out what's going wrong with your study methods before any suggestions are going to help you. Do you just space out like crazy? Are you the world's slowest reader? Do you agonize over every question and spend an eternity choosing an answer? Is it a combo of any or all of the above? Something big is amiss.

 

[kryptik]

if you have enough time to complete uw at that pace and still have extra days to go over FA then stick with it if its helping you learn.

 

[ZagDoc]

I know I go way faster than most people, but you really shouldn't be spending more than about 2.5 hours per block, even if you take notes.

Agreed, that's a good pace to shoot for.

 

[coldweatherblue]

I'm doing tutor-mode, systems based, 25 questions at a time, and it usually takes me about 40 minutes to do the questions and read the explanations. I don't take any notes.

I'm doing systems coinciding with what I'm studying in RR/FA.. like I'll do all cardio for a few days, then move on to GI.. etc. I do quite a few random blocks too but mostly systems based.

 

[MAK86]

Every time i do questions, I read through everything regardless of whether I get it right or wrong. I read the explanation of wrong choices as well. Is this a bad idea?

 

[metalrex]

Every time i do questions, I read through everything regardless of whether I get it right or wrong. I read the explanation of wrong choices as well. Is this a bad idea?

It sure is NOT, but if you are short handed for time , then you would have to optimize your UW learning.

What I noticed is that reading the whole explanation can actually fetch you some right answers later on, cuz they get repeated eventually.So this is a good way to study.

but like I said, if you have lil time ahead ,then it's best to optimize and see if the educational objectives alone work best.

 

[ScubaStarved]

I'm doing tutor-mode, systems based, 25 questions at a time, and it usually takes me about 40 minutes to do the questions and read the explanations. I don't take any notes.

I'm doing systems coinciding with what I'm studying in RR/FA.. like I'll do all cardio for a few days, then move on to GI.. etc. I do quite a few random blocks too but mostly systems based.

This 👍. As another poster mentioned, annotate into FA only what is not already in FA.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Every time i do questions, I read through everything regardless of whether I get it right or wrong. I read the explanation of wrong choices as well. Is this a bad idea?

It's an excellent idea, but like I said, you need to figure out what's taking you so long. There's no reason a block should require 6+ hours even if you read every explanation twice.

 

[RunningKing]

I think 2.5 hours for 48 questions+reading explanations is reasonable. Also, I fail to see the reasoning behind doing questions untimed. You are not simulating real testing conditions, and you are allowing yourself to think in ways that are not like the real test. If the questions are too difficult, then you should do usmlerx first. It is a teaching tool, but it is teaching you how to take timed question's. If you just want to read, you should use First Aid.

 

[Rabbit Hole]

I think 2.5 hours for 48 questions+reading explanations is reasonable. Also, I fail to see the reasoning behind doing questions untimed. You are not simulating real testing conditions, and you are allowing yourself to think in ways that are not like the real test. If the questions are too difficult, then you should do usmlerx first. It is a teaching tool, but it is teaching you how to take timed question's. If you just want to read, you should use First Aid.

The reason behind doing questions untimed+tutor mode is so you can get immediate feedback on how you're solving questions. It's easier to figure out where you went wrong right after you do a question rather than 48Qs later. The timing thing is important as well - maybe a gradual transition into more timed sets of Qs later in the study period. Untimed helps a lot when you're using UW as a study tool for focused review.

 

[greg1184]

I think 2.5 hours for 48 questions+reading explanations is reasonable. Also, I fail to see the reasoning behind doing questions untimed. You are not simulating real testing conditions, and you are allowing yourself to think in ways that are not like the real test. If the questions are too difficult, then you should do usmlerx first. It is a teaching tool, but it is teaching you how to take timed question's. If you just want to read, you should use First Aid.

Oh the reasoning is there. If I want to simulate the testing conditions, I use actual practice tests! I use the UWSA's and NBME practice exams to assess my progress and timing.

Tutor mode is offered for a reason in Uworld.

 

[ddr1212]

Oh the reasoning is there. If I want to simulate the testing conditions, I use actual practice tests! I use the UWSA's and NBME practice exams to assess my progress and timing.

Tutor mode is offered for a reason in Uworld.

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