Fing micro

[willen101383]

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I am about a month out at this point. I have about 50%(usually +3-6 pts over the mean) of my UW done at this point and just finished micro today in FA. This micro is just barely sticking. Any advice? How HY is the micro section on the actual exam? I feel like im stuffing all this micro crap in...and all the other stuff ive studied up to this point is just leaving my brain or becoming muddled. Ive been fine up to this point but damn that micro section just stressed the living sht out of me for some reason!

 

[Phlame217]

Micro is tuff. My school didn't teach it well up until path. Since path, we hit micro pertinent to each system as we covered that system and then we had a whole unit of infectious disease as our last lecture block (which we just finished).

Its tough to say what to know and what not.

I have hit many UWorld questions where knowing SS+ vs SS- on a particular virus was the key in the differential. I found for myself that it just requires memorization.

What I did that made a big difference for me is develop my own flow chart. I drew it out and memorized it, and I draw it out once a day. After about 3-4 days of this, I was solid.

Ontop of that, I memorized mnemonics that either I made or FA made for the higher yield such as the live vs killed vaccines, coated vs uncoated virii, etc.

 

[willen101383]

Micro is tuff. My school didn't teach it well up until path. Since path, we hit micro pertinent to each system as we covered that system and then we had a whole unit of infectious disease as our last lecture block (which we just finished).

Its tough to say what to know and what not.

I have hit many UWorld questions where knowing SS+ vs SS- on a particular virus was the key in the differential. I found for myself that it just requires memorization.

What I did that made a big difference for me is develop my own flow chart. I drew it out and memorized it, and I draw it out once a day. After about 3-4 days of this, I was solid.

Ontop of that, I memorized mnemonics that either I made or FA made for the higher yield such as the live vs killed vaccines, coated vs uncoated virii, etc.

Yeah I am memorizing all their little mnemonics and such but ugh what a PITA. My school didnt teach it well either. It was a clusterfck all over the place. Just trying to hang in there...its been a tough day for me haha. Every 5 minutes Ive been finding an excuse to get up and check X. ahhhh

 

[Kaputt]

Micro is high yield on the exam. What World emphasizes is pretty comprehensive in general. As far as importance goes, bacteria > viruses and fungi > parasites. Drugs are super important, and World is excellent on teasing out the important stuff on the drugs. Specifically, TB and HIV drugs are heavily tested, as well as virtually all of the antibacterials and antifungals.

Realize that most questions will require you to diagnose the organism and you'll find a characteristic of the organism in the answer choices. So learn the material in two directions: from clinical syndrome to organism, and from organism to its characteristics.

Make flow charts and maps that allow you to see the differences between the organisms based on laboratory diagnosis, morphology, etc. Anything where an organism overlaps with another is often high yield (eg, reoviruses and orthomyxoviruses are both segmented; question on influenza can require you knowing that rotavirus has similar morphology).

Next make charts that clump organisms into clinical syndromes...knowing the top culprits for each clinical picture in FA is high yield.

It is high yield to know "classic" treatments, like ceftriaxone for Neisseria, azithromycin or doxycyline for Chlamydia, metronidazole for Giardia/Trichomonas/Entameoba/C diff, macrolides or tetracyclines for atypical pneumonias, anti-Pseudomonas drugs, etc

I suggest using Microcards, they have good algorithms and are comprehensive. They are pretty in depth and may be intimidating though.

 

[VisionaryTics]

Micro is tuff. My school didn't teach it well up until path. Since path, we hit micro pertinent to each system as we covered that system and then we had a whole unit of infectious disease as our last lecture block (which we just finished).

Is Poppie your path professor?

 

[newdoc2013]

Micro is pretty high yield... Make some mnemonics for yourself to remember - ie helical house for RNA viruses etc., target for DNA viruses, etc etc

 

[Boysforlife]

Micro is pretty high yield... Make some mnemonics for yourself to remember - ie helical house for RNA viruses etc., target for DNA viruses, etc etc

Definitely would make mnemonics, just like newdoc2013 said. The crazier the mnemonic the better it will stick in your mind.