Failing the 1st attempt on Step 1

[tryn2BNMD]

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I was wondering if any of you had any advice on preparing for Step 1.

In my first attempt I did Kaplan and First Aid and still failed.

I am so distraught and feel like I don't know how to tackle this exam and yet the majority of my classmates have done so well.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Jalby]

Have you tried the books recommended in first aid?? I would recommend those.

 

[anapaula]

I also failed my first attempt to Step 1. I was devastated. I decided to prepare for step 2 this time and I find myself going back to a lot of physio and pharma. I would like to join a group or find a study partner to exchange with, but I have not had any luck. I am in NYC.
ap

 

[PimplePopperMD]

There's really no secret to Step One. It is a really difficult exam because there's so much nonsense that one needs to memorize. My suggestions:

1. Use First Aid. That is the bare bones. Use it as such, and when you're using other sources, take notes into your First Aid to make it your own personal study guide.

2. Do lots of questions. These are best found (my own opinion) on QBank, Kaplan. I don't work for them (in fact, i was a princeton review teacher for mcat), but they are really great. In fact, I thought it was so useful, I'm now using it for step two (even though i really don't need a great score anymore, just to pass). Also, NMS has some questions, and tons of other sources. Doing questions helps to
a) define weaknesses
b) learn material -- make sure you spend a lot of time going over the ANSWERS/EXPLANATIONS.

3. Set up a system of study. Have a schedule which is reasonable, and reward yourself for keeping up with it. Don't beat yourself up for falling behind.

4. A study partner can really help, depending on your own situation... Even if that someone is your wife who isn't taking the test, but someone to whom you report your progress... to make sure you keep up. of course, not everyone needs this.

5. Lots of luck. Realize that it's okay that you have a hard time with exams, and that your clinical abilities will likely far surpass your memorization capabilities, and that actually makes for a fine physician.

Best of luck!

 

[endo]

I think a key part of preparation for me was to have an hour-by hour schedule with _plenty_ of breaks in between. I needed to give myself plenty of breaktime o/w I don't think I could have adhered to such a rigid schedule. But forcing yourself to a schedule seems to be the best way -- I didn't get nervous towards the day of the test because everything had been planned out... I didn't suddenly realize that I was out of time and hadn't covered topic x/y/z.

-endo

 

[ApacheIndian]

I'm with endo. I used a stopwatch to time my studying. I would do 7 hours/day, 6 days/week. I'd set the stopwatch to count down from 7 hours every morning when I'd start studying. I'd only let it count down when I was actually studying... i.e. if I got up to use the phone, or the bathroom, or to eat, or to answer the door, whatever... I'd stop the clock. When I'd finish the 7 hours, I was done for the day, regardless of what time it was. This really motivated me to study hard early on, and allowed me time in the evening to workout or watch a movie or just relax. I found this technique very effective. good luck

 

[BellKicker]

Yeah, and keep track of your progress. Make little charts (and hope for a step-ladder development . At 4 am when you first break 80% in qBank make obscene body motions and scream "can you feel it?!?".

I think it's all about peaking. That last week, you just gotta go nuts with high yield stuff and questions. The down side is that 2 weeks later you forget most of that stuff anyway.

Don't try to understand everything. That's what med school is for. WHen you review...... If there's something you don't get, chances are there might me ONE question on it. Big deal. Cram, cram, cram all those weird high yield facts. Those are the ones that count (bridgepainter in New York develops a cough..... It's which fungus? I forgot, of course, but I knew before the test).

ANd of course: questions, questions, questions. Don't dwell on lenghty explanations. Every questions has a point to tell you. If you get it, move on. NExt time you do that question (and you should do each question at least 3 times) you should have retained that one point.

Good luck

 

[12R34Y]

I always hear people say they study for many hours everyday for 6 days a week or whatever! How can you do this when you are in the middle of your second year? path, pharm, micro etc....is that even possible?

do you just not go to school and not study regular medical school coursework?

 

[ApacheIndian]

Originally posted by 12R34Y
I always hear people say they study for many hours everyday for 6 days a week or whatever! How can you do this when you are in the middle of your second year? path, pharm, micro etc....is that even possible?

do you just not go to school and not study regular medical school coursework?

A very good point. I would say that most of the students who devoted so much time to Step 1 studying (myself included) are IMGs... either from the Caribbean or elsewhere. IMHO we do this for any combination of the following reasons:
1) We're not as smart as y'all and we need more time
2) Our Basic Science curriculum and the way it was taught was very different from Step 1/U.S. format, so we have to "relearn" the info from a different angle
3) We have the option of taking [a lot of] time off to study full-time
4) Our lives depend on high Step scores

I remember once reading something on this board that someone posted... "Step 1 scores are a good gauge to compare IMGs among other IMGs, but are worthless to compare IMGs to AMGs" or something like that. I think that about sums it up.

I for one am far more impressed by an AMG that scores 240+ having studied 3 weeks vs. an IMG who scores the same having studied 3 months.

 

[fourthyear]

I think the point of FOCUSING ON YOUR WEAKNESSES is very high-yeild. I did 2 full-length Kaplan simulated tests (cost about $199 if I remember correctly) at the testing center. They come out with stats divided by subject and body system. After the first test, I took my 3 weakest body systems and focused on learning those. The second test about 10 days later, I had turned those weakenesses into my strengths and they were my highest areas. I again pulled my 3 weakest and tried to focus on those. In this way, I feel I hit the most material where I needed it most and was able to pass on the first try. You have no idea what will be on your test, so it is best to to a broad-based approach to knowing the highly tested points in all areas rather than studying details in just a few. You could do this on your own with any book that has full length tests (which I did with NMS book for Step2)

I don't know if I agree with doing the same questions multiple times - I certainly did not have time for that.
I DO agree with taking some time each day for breaks - workout, eat with friends, whatever - you will be more productive when you study if you budget breaks into your schedule.

 

[BellKicker]

Originally posted by Dr. Cuts
I remember once reading something on this board that someone posted... "Step 1 scores are a good gauge to compare IMGs among other IMGs, but are worthless to compare IMGs to AMGs" or something like that. I think that about sums it up.

I for one am far more impressed by an AMG that scores 240+ having studied 3 weeks vs. an IMG who scores the same having studied 3 months.

Cuts, my man, I totally disagree.

US students don't study for 3 weeks. They study for 2 years and then review for 3 weeks. Foreign schools have different curriculums so there's no ideal time to take the test.

I think if you took a guy from, say, India, who scored a 215 and matched him with a US student with a 215, the Indian would beat The American in most medical subjects (except the "US" subjects that were tested on the USMLE).

I'm trying to imagine an American walking in and beating the mean in a big test at my school. He would be considered far above the mean intellectually because he came from a different system - and still beat the mean.

Just look at the scores. IMGs score worse than US students. And these IMGs aren't just average med students; in third world countries only the best take the USMLE. Ergo we're dealing with a pool of foreigners with (statistically) higher IQs who still score less than US grads.

I rest my case.

 

[southerndoc]

Originally posted by BellKicker
Ergo we're dealing with a pool of foreigners with (statistically) higher IQs who still score less than US grads.

How do you reason that we're dealing with a pool of foreigners with statistically higher IQ's? Even if one country has an average IQ lower than another, one should keep in mind that it's hardly representative of medical school students. I would venture to say that the vast majority of medical students are in the top 10% -- if not top 5% -- of IQ's in the world.

If an American national IQ is 100, and an Indian average IQ is 105, one cannot say with certainty that Indian medical students have higher IQ's. If one samples medical students, he/she might find that the IQ's are the same. You can't take data from a national average and apply it to a specific population... Or did I miss the average medical student IQ across various nations research that was published? (If so, I'd really love to read that.)

Lastly, what exactly is covered in international medical schools that isn't specifically tested on the USMLE? You mention if you take out the "American subjects" that the foreign medical student would know it better. The USMLE is a very comprehensive exam, and it covers the majority of disciplines one must know to practice medicine. Please elaborate.

 

[BellKicker]

Hi Geek Medic.

I agree with you that the average IQ of med students is roughly the same in different countries. In fact, I think it's probably higher in the US than in my own country. I will, however, uphold that in some countries only the best out of a class take the USMLE. Therefore, statistically, they should have a higher IQ than the average US or Danish or whatever med student.

Regarding which topics are NOT included in the test....... I wouldn't even know where to start. But even with zero imagination (and I know you're a smart guy) you can imagine that medicine isn't taught the same all over the world. In 2 weeks I'm taking a test in "social medicine" on how to evaluate a person's ability to work and which class of government pension to put him/her on. It's a bitch to decide how many times a day the nurse should come by to help an elderly patient (excuse me, client) or when a child should be assigned an extra kindergarten teacher because of learning disabilities.

I don't think I'll be saving my notes for step 2.

 

[southerndoc]

Originally posted by BellKicker
Regarding which topics are NOT included in the test....... I wouldn't even know where to start. But even with zero imagination (and I know you're a smart guy) you can imagine that medicine isn't taught the same all over the world.

No, it's definitely not taught the same all over the world, but if a student is taking the USMLE, then he/she should know how to practice American medicine (whether our way is better or worse) if he/she intended to practice in the US (which I assume he/she does since they are taking the USMLE -- although I've heard some foreign schools require it).

In 2 weeks I'm taking a test in "social medicine" on how to evaluate a person's ability to work and which class of government pension to put him/her on. It's a bitch to decide how many times a day the nurse should come by to help an elderly patient (excuse me, client) or when a child should be assigned an extra kindergarten teacher because of learning disabilities.

We also have social medicine courses... Behavioral medicine is usually the area that covers this at most schools, although some schools have dedicated courses for such matter. We also have to take bioethics (how can you teach a person to be ethical?).

 

[BellKicker]

Originally posted by Geek Medic
No, it's definitely not taught the same all over the world, but if a student is taking the USMLE, then he/she should know how to practice American medicine (whether our way is better or worse) if he/she intended to practice in the US (which I assume he/she does since they are taking the

Yes, but obviously it's harder to take a test on "the American way of medicine" if you not American. All the more reason to be impressed if a foreigner kicks @ss on the boards.

I know social medicine is probably taught all over the world. I only brought it up because it was the class I could think of that was the most specific for our system.

I'll let it go now. Talk about two guys caught in the boredom of Christmas aftermath....

Later.

 

[jambola]

I thought the indian avg IQ was 75??? Anyway..

Best bet for Step 1..
YOUEL'S PREP!

Originally posted by BellKicker
Cuts, my man, I totally disagree.

US students don't study for 3 weeks. They study for 2 years and then review for 3 weeks. Foreign schools have different curriculums so there's no ideal time to take the test.

I think if you took a guy from, say, India, who scored a 215 and matched him with a US student with a 215, the Indian would beat The American in most medical subjects (except the "US" subjects that were tested on the USMLE).

I'm trying to imagine an American walking in and beating the mean in a big test at my school. He would be considered far above the mean intellectually because he came from a different system - and still beat the mean.

Just look at the scores. IMGs score worse than US students. And these IMGs aren't just average med students; in third world countries only the best take the USMLE. Ergo we're dealing with a pool of foreigners with (statistically) higher IQs who still score less than US grads.

I rest my case.

 

[shag]

I thought the indian avg IQ was 75??? Anyway..

hmm...

Piss a bunch of people off... Greay way to sell your product

 

[ApacheIndian]

Originally posted by jambola
I thought the indian avg IQ was 75???

LOL So the average Indian is just slightly smarter than a mentally ******ed person huh?

 

[shahroseamir]

hi,
I am glad to read that even the educated and people of high IQs in USA also think the same way as an ignorant, junky bastard lying on the side of the road thinks. For those with superior IQs, i have to say that right now the winds are in your direction. Wait for the times when they are against you and then we will see how high you can fly.
shahrose

 

[trkd]

shahroseamir,
I am not sure what you mean by this comment but I would just like to say that this guy is an dingus because he is dingus, NOT because he is an American. He is an dingus on other threads as well.

 

[Celiac Plexus]

FMGs are not necessarily the "best of the best" from their home countries. FMGs in America are the ones with the most money. It costs a lot to come here, study for months on end, and then take all of the step exams, and the CSA... I'd venture to say that there a LOT of FMGs who would love to come to the US but cannot afford it.

When I was studying for Step I a couple of years ago, I met an FMG from S. America who had been studying for 5 months for Step I. No job, just living here on a Kaplan sponsored visa to study. She was planning on spending about 1.5 years studying to take all 3 steps, and the CSA. I thought that was ridiculous, but there are a lot of FMGs that study here for months and months. Not to mention that FMGs often do unpaid clinical "observerships" that also entail a huge expense...

In a country like India where the average income is probably around US$500/month (maybe less), the "best and brightest" may be stuck there while the rich kids get to come here to the US and spend 1 to 2 years studying.

 

[BellKicker]

Celiac, you've got a very good point there.

I'll still maintain that the third world graduates that make it into residencies in the west are the most resourceful, with regards to hard work, smarts and - like you said - money.

The rich kid who takes a 6-month Kaplan course is probably an exception to the rule.