FA enough for pharm?

[sparklingpink]

Hello all:
Just wondering if FA is an adequate enough source for pharm. My plan thus far: FA + Lipincott's ANS chapter.
I'm not just trying to skim by, I just have the impression that most of the pharm questions (correct me if I'm wrong) on step 1 are 'classic' MOAs and side effects, etc.
Thanks!

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[Halaljello]

Hello all:
Just wondering if FA is an adequate enough source for pharm. My plan thus far: FA + Lipincott's ANS chapter.
I'm not just trying to skim by, I just have the impression that most of the pharm questions (correct me if I'm wrong) on step 1 are 'classic' MOAs and side effects, etc.
Thanks!

fa is more than enough....don't be fooled though. you'll be surprised how much info is jam packed in those pages. I wouldnt even bother messing with lipincott unless pharm was a really difficult subject for you.

 

[zedpol]

fa is more than enough....don't be fooled though. you'll be surprised how much info is jam packed in those pages. I wouldnt even bother messing with lipincott unless pharm was a really difficult subject for you.

couldn't agree more
Z

 

[killadoc]

how complete is FA pharm in covering board material? should we refer to another source? Thanks.

 

[Blade28]

I read Lippincott's once during first year, again in second year, but made sure to know every single drug in First Aid.

 

[bigfrank]

I read Lippincott's once during first year, again in second year, but made sure to know every single drug in First Aid.

FA was, literally, my only pharmacology resource while I was studying for the Step I. Consequently, my highest component of the Step I was pharmacology, so I definitely think that FA is enough, but you'll need to truly memorize it.

 

[sparklingpink]

You guys are really super!
Thanks for confirming what I had been thinking.

What I'm doing currently is transcribing the pharm FA info from the book to index cards -- just another texture for study.
I tend to keep a small stack of index cards in my coat pocket as a rule...you never know when you get 5 minutes here, 20 minutes there to study.

A-memorizing I will go.....


thanks again

-sparkle.

 

[12R34Y]

yes!! FA is definately enough for pharm on boards. I used it solely for step 1 studying and scored well.

later

 

[killadoc]

Did you guys, who did well in the Step 1 pharm using only FA, recall alot from when you had pharm during school? Or did you recall what you learned from FA? Thanks.

 

[the_equalizer]

That's a good question, because I really didn't learn any pharm this year (I'm not exaggerating, we've got a weird grading deal so....) Will FA be enough even if it's the only thing I would have done for pharm. I didn't go to lectures either so please keep that in mind.

 

[14022]

I remembered most of my pharm from medical school. However, I would still say that FA is sufficient. The pharm questions are pretty straight forward...no tricks or very analytical questions. Simply mechanism, major side effects, etc. And if you memorize the pharmacokinetics equations in FA, you will know the majority of pharm on step 1.

THE HIGHEST YIELD PAGE IN FIRST AID IS THE "DRUG REACTIONS" TABLE IN "PHARMACOLOGY-TOXICOLOGY"

It lists 27 common side effects, and all of the drugs that cause them. For example... "photosensitivity- sulfonamides, tetracycline, amiodarone."

I memorized this page cold. If you spend like 20 minutes a night two to three times a week, you will know it easily for the step. Keep in mind, they may not tell you the side effect, but may describe it. For example, describe the rash of Stevens-Johnson rather than telling you it is SJS or by relating headache/tinnitus/thrombocytopenia rather than telling you cinchonism. Also, keep in mind that FA may list a class of drugs associated with a side effect. For example, my example above lists "tetracyclines" as a cause of photosensitivty. A question testing this concept on the boards may be..."14 year old girl presents with pain from a sunburn to the face after being outside for only 20 minutes. She indicates that she has never had problems with sunburn in the past. Which drug is she taking?" Tetracycline may not be an answer choice but minocycline or doxycycline may be. So when you memorize this chart, keep in mind that you should know a few drugs within each class. This is easy for the tetracyclines or sulfonamides and beta blockers, but may be more difficult for the barbiturates, calcium channel blockers, NSAIDs, etc.

If you make up easy mnemonics for the drugs, it will serve you well for the shelf and for quick recall on the wards during your clinical years.

One more piece of advice about phram (actually for all step 1 questions). Read the question and answer choices before the vignette. I would have a long vignette describing a guy with heart failure and tell you all the crap like JVD, S3, dyspnea, yada yada yada. It would tell you that the doctor prescribed some ace inhibitor and then the question be, what is a common side effect of the drug. You do not need the vignette to answer this question so you will save time if you read question and answers before vignette.

Ok, I probably gave you too much advice here. Sorry for rambling.

Seacrest...out.

 

[omarsaleh66]

I remembered most of my pharm from medical school. However, I would still say that FA is sufficient. The pharm questions are pretty straight forward...no tricks or very analytical questions. Simply mechanism, major side effects, etc. And if you memorize the pharmacokinetics equations in FA, you will know the majority of pharm on step 1.

THE HIGHEST YIELD PAGE IN FIRST AID IS THE "DRUG REACTIONS" TABLE IN "PHARMACOLOGY-TOXICOLOGY"

It lists 27 common side effects, and all of the drugs that cause them. For example... "photosensitivity- sulfonamides, tetracycline, amiodarone."

I memorized this page cold. If you spend like 20 minutes a night two to three times a week, you will know it easily for the step. Keep in mind, they may not tell you the side effect, but may describe it. For example, describe the rash of Stevens-Johnson rather than telling you it is SJS or by relating headache/tinnitus/thrombocytopenia rather than telling you cinchonism. Also, keep in mind that FA may list a class of drugs associated with a side effect. For example, my example above lists "tetracyclines" as a cause of photosensitivty. A question testing this concept on the boards may be..."14 year old girl presents with pain from a sunburn to the face after being outside for only 20 minutes. She indicates that she has never had problems with sunburn in the past. Which drug is she taking?" Tetracycline may not be an answer choice but minocycline or doxycycline may be. So when you memorize this chart, keep in mind that you should know a few drugs within each class. This is easy for the tetracyclines or sulfonamides and beta blockers, but may be more difficult for the barbiturates, calcium channel blockers, NSAIDs, etc.

If you make up easy mnemonics for the drugs, it will serve you well for the shelf and for quick recall on the wards during your clinical years.

One more piece of advice about phram (actually for all step 1 questions). Read the question and answer choices before the vignette. I would have a long vignette describing a guy with heart failure and tell you all the crap like JVD, S3, dyspnea, yada yada yada. It would tell you that the doctor prescribed some ace inhibitor and then the question be, what is a common side effect of the drug. You do not need the vignette to answer this question so you will save time if you read question and answers before vignette.

Ok, I probably gave you too much advice here. Sorry for rambling.

Seacrest...out.

I had a dream about you coming to save us. Thank you so much

 

[killadoc]

It seems like everyone thinks FA is enough for pharm...is there anyone that disagrees and why?

 

[12R34Y]

I remembered a bunch of pharm from class because we just finished pharm right before I took boards. So, naturally a lot was fresh in my head, but I can't emphasize enough that you should be annotating FA as you go in all of your classes. i did it for 2 years and it paid off huge. My FA looked like a complete synopsis of high points for first two years. Every last spot in the margins was filled with drawing and notes. This helps a ton for finals reviews and of course for step 1. I essentially used FA, BRS path, Qbank and did very well on step 1. I wouldn't recommend just using FA without being familiar with it and not having annotated it. You should be very very very familiar with first aid by the time boards rolls around.

later

 

[RLMD]

For what other subjects is first aid sufficient? micro, biochem?

 

[14022]

For what other subjects is first aid sufficient? micro, biochem?

I used FA exclusively for the following sections. (To clarify, FA was the only narrative style review book I used for these sections. I supplemented all aspects of my review with QBank and other question books.)

-anatomy- cell type, embryo, histology (including color photos in path section)
-behavioral sciences- all sections
-microbiology- all sections
-pharmacology- all sections

FA was the primary source for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy, although I skimmed through High-Yield gross and neuroanatomy to supplement my review.

For biochem I learned all of FA, but found that it was not sufficient, so I read High-Yield Biochem as well. I still felt as if I was not that prepared for biochem. However, some of the questions on the shelf were so specific that I do not feel I could ever be adequately prepared for those questions without spending more time than necessary to studying biochem. I felt other topics, such as path and phys, were higher yield and received more of my focus.

To give you an idea of how I did and my background. I go to an average medical school. I honored 2/3 of my classes first two years (i.e., I had a good basic knowledge of the basic sciences going into my review for step I). I scored 245/99.

I highly recommend getting advice from several others because each individual has a unique learning style. Do not adopt a new method of studying for the shelf just because some anonymous SDNer insisted that it is the way to do well. There are hundreds of SDNers that scored 230+ and no two took the same exact approach to the shelf. Try to limit your stress. Exercise, have fun when you can, eat well, and try to enjoy your studying (key word = try). In four months you guys will be the smartest you have ever been in your entire life. You will do well if you put in the effort. Good luck!

 

[12R34Y]

i thought FA was adequate for biochem, micro, pharm.

path and physiology definately need supplementing with BRS in my opinion. HY behavioral is really good for a quick go through. you can read it in a day easily and pretty high yield (duh).

later