Finished UWorld...What Next?!

[medstudent1287]

I finished UWorld with 54%...about 8 weeks out from test...should I just keep focusing on FA and doing UWorld questions or purchase Kaplan and try to get through it one time? What do y'all think?

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[AnclyT]

you have a lot of time. i'd do it again, especially because you will forget a lot in 8 weeks

 

[sylvanthus]

Do not do Kaplan, do UW a second time with FA.

 

[lrkoehle]

8 weeks out and you already finished Uworld? That's like the gold standard of qbanks...you did it way too early. I would focus on some other things for a few weeks, like maybe running through the Kaplan qbank. Then when you're 2-3 weeks out from your exam, run through all of UWorld again. That way hopefully you will have forgotten a lot of the answers and it will serve you well again. I can't believe people are telling you to just do UWorld again now when you're 8 weeks out. If you do that, then you'll have completed a second pass of Uworld with 5-6 still to go, which wouldn't make any sense either.

Another option to consider is if you are starting to get burnt out, then maybe move your exam date up a couple of weeks. At a certain point of studying 12-16 hours a day, you hit a point of diminishing returns.

 

[JackShephard MD]

8 weeks out and you already finished Uworld? That's like the gold standard of qbanks...you did it way too early. I would focus on some other things for a few weeks, like maybe running through the Kaplan qbank. Then when you're 2-3 weeks out from your exam, run through all of UWorld again. That way hopefully you will have forgotten a lot of the answers and it will serve you well again. I can't believe people are telling you to just do UWorld again now when you're 8 weeks out. If you do that, then you'll have completed a second pass of Uworld with 5-6 still to go, which wouldn't make any sense either.

Another option to consider is if you are starting to get burnt out, then maybe move your exam date up a couple of weeks. At a certain point of studying 12-16 hours a day, you hit a point of diminishing returns.

I've never understood this line of reasoning, that doing something multiple times will somehow make it less beneficial. It can if you abuse your familiarity but that's up to the user.

I believe a resource can be used multiple times if it's used properly. If I go through questions and recognize that the answer is C, answer C and move on then you lost the benefit of the question. BUT if I go through a question, recognize all the major concepts, think through all the things that would be pointed out on a tutor mode, and then answer C, I find it hard to see how this would be a disadvantage.

Repetition is the best way to learn, and if you think through each question you can benefit from each question. Regardless of doing in once, twice or five times.

 

[SteinUmStein]

I've never understood this line of reasoning, that doing something multiple times will somehow make it less beneficial. It can if you abuse your familiarity but that's up to the user.

I believe a resource can be used multiple times if it's used properly. If I go through questions and recognize that the answer is C, answer C and move on then you lost the benefit of the question. BUT if I go through a question, recognize all the major concepts, think through all the things that would be pointed out on a tutor mode, and then answer C, I find it hard to see how this would be a disadvantage.

Repetition is the best way to learn, and if you think through each question you can benefit from each question. Regardless of doing in once, twice or five times.

I really wish a super-dedicated person gunning for a really high score who would typically do every major QBank at least once, ending with UWorld, would try this and report back - do UWorld literally as many times as possible, reading everything including all answer choices. If that means 6 or 7 times through the entire QBank, great. I would love to see if their score would be similar or better than someone who does all of Kaplan, USMLERx, and UWorld, since it's generally agreed that UWorld has the best questions and covers almost everything.

My personal hypothesis is that they would do awesome, but then again this type of person would probably do awesome with almost any reasonable study plan...

 

[CatFactorial]

Conversely, is it possible to finish uworld too close to an exam? Is there a best time to do it?

I left it for last, have a little less than four weeks to go.

 

[JackShephard MD]

I really wish a super-dedicated person gunning for a really high score who would typically do every major QBank at least once, ending with UWorld, would try this and report back - do UWorld literally as many times as possible, reading everything including all answer choices. If that means 6 or 7 times through the entire QBank, great. I would love to see if their score would be similar or better than someone who does all of Kaplan, USMLERx, and UWorld, since it's generally agreed that UWorld has the best questions and covers almost everything.

My personal hypothesis is that they would do awesome, but then again this type of person would probably do awesome with almost any reasonable study plan...

Agreed.

I think they would perform very well in each case. I just don't understand the idea that, if someone went through UWorld 5 times and knew it cold (thought process, content, reasoning, etc. Not just knee-jerk answer recognition), I don't see how they are at a disadvantage to a person who has seen UWorld once. I'm not advocating anything because I still haven't taken the exam, I just don't understand the thought process.

To use a sports analogy, I can't imagine Peyton Manning saying he over-practiced the most important skills.

 

[lrkoehle]

I've never understood this line of reasoning, that doing something multiple times will somehow make it less beneficial. It can if you abuse your familiarity but that's up to the user.

I believe a resource can be used multiple times if it's used properly. If I go through questions and recognize that the answer is C, answer C and move on then you lost the benefit of the question. BUT if I go through a question, recognize all the major concepts, think through all the things that would be pointed out on a tutor mode, and then answer C, I find it hard to see how this would be a disadvantage.

Repetition is the best way to learn, and if you think through each question you can benefit from each question. Regardless of doing in once, twice or five times.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with that. However, the OP has 8 weeks left, so why not do a new qbank with new questions presenting things in a different manner? This is still a method of repetition as a means to beat all this information into his/her head, but just does so without having to try to ignore the fact that you recognize the question before getting half way through the clinical vignette. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying that multiple passes through UW aren't beneficial (I plan on making 2 passes through it), but with 8 weeks left doing another solid qbank (like Kaplan) seems like a good idea. This is not in lieu of a second or third pass through UW, just in addition to it.

 

[JackShephard MD]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with that. However, the OP has 8 weeks left, so why not do a new qbank with new questions presenting things in a different manner? This is still a method of repetition as a means to beat all this information into his/her head, but just does so without having to try to ignore the fact that you recognize the question before getting half way through the clinical vignette. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying that multiple passes through UW aren't beneficial (I plan on making 2 passes through it), but with 8 weeks left doing another solid qbank (like Kaplan) seems like a good idea. This is not in lieu of a second or third pass through UW, just in addition to it.

Good point.

 

[SteinUmStein]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with that. However, the OP has 8 weeks left, so why not do a new qbank with new questions presenting things in a different manner? This is still a method of repetition as a means to beat all this information into his/her head, but just does so without having to try to ignore the fact that you recognize the question before getting half way through the clinical vignette. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying that multiple passes through UW aren't beneficial (I plan on making 2 passes through it), but with 8 weeks left doing another solid qbank (like Kaplan) seems like a good idea. This is not in lieu of a second or third pass through UW, just in addition to it.

If they keep hammering QBanks for 8 weeks and are consistently engaged and learning and reading about the questions they get wrong and right, they're going to do great. Which QBanks they use are up to them, I think. I think 8 weeks is way too long of a time to stay focused and not burn out, but that's just me.

 

[lrkoehle]

Agreed.

I think they would perform very well in each case. I just don't understand the idea that, if someone went through UWorld 5 times and knew it cold (thought process, content, reasoning, etc. Not just knee-jerk answer recognition), I don't see how they are at a disadvantage to a person who has seen UWorld once. I'm not advocating anything because I still haven't taken the exam, I just don't understand the thought process.

To use a sports analogy, I can't imagine Peyton Manning saying he over-practiced the most important skills.

I'm mixed on the sports analogy here. The base knowledge we need to have is like the play book (i.e. FA, RR, BRS, etc.). I agree that Manning ought to know that backwards and forwards and repeatedly go over it, just like us. The qbanks are like going up the defense in practice. If you're opponent runs a base 3-4 with predominantly man 2 coverage schemes, then that may be the "best" to practice against. However, Manning does not want to show up on game day unprepared for say 4-3 Tampa 2 defense that they may switch into. In our case, that would be like doing a different qbank to see things presented in a slightly different manner. It's the same basic principles that we're being tested on, but being presented in a slightly different manner. Again, just like Manning only needs to pick out the open receiver to throw it to, we just have to pick the right answer too, but the "defense" (i.e. people at the NMBE) is going to disguise that in different ways and if you've only seen it presented in one way, even multiple times, you may make a mistake, pick a distractor, and the defense is off for a pick 6 with your $535 and dreams of great residency. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but they will keep your money.

Perhaps we just have a different philosophy on the purpose of the qbanks. I see them as a tool to evaluate your knowledge and application of that knowledge and identify weak spots, so why not use another qbank when the OP has this much time. I may be wrong, but you seem to view the qbanks as more of a reviewing tool to help you go over everything repeatedly, in which case going over UW 5 or 6 times would really help you learn the information presented there without a doubt. It just seems to me that I have read a few reviews in the Step-I 2012 thread that said it wasn't just the knowledge that threw people off on some questions, but rather the application of that knowledge to answering the questions being asked. Basically, I take that to me they're asking things in ways that you maybe haven't thought of questions being asked before. That's where I think seeing different approaches to testing the same concept may be beneficial for the OP.

 

[mdeast]

I'd do another First Aid pass through and do Kaplan QBank or USMLERx with it. Will help you engrain all the small details...should only take 3-4 weeks or so. Then last 4-5 weeks...another round of First Aid back with UWorld.

Doing UWorld multiple times is important. But, it's better to do it again once you have forgotten the questions. I've been doing random blocks of 10 questions interdispered with my block studying... when I get old questions I know the answers because I remember the questions/answer combo moreso than remembering the concept it is testing. In 3 weeks you'll have time enough to forget the questions so you can test whether the concepts really stuck.

Also, despite the fact that Kaplan QBank isn't as good as UWorld...it is a good complement to UWorld. I find it sometimes tests certain concepts more in-depth than UWorld does, or at least different information stressed from the same organ systems. For instance, there's only 100 questions on USMLE World for Renal and relatively few covering all the different nephrotic/nephritic syndromes. 112 more on QBank. The more repetition of these concepts from multiple sources, the better likelihood you're going to know it cold.

 

[medstudent1287]

8 weeks out and you already finished Uworld? That's like the gold standard of qbanks...you did it way too early. I would focus on some other things for a few weeks, like maybe running through the Kaplan qbank. Then when you're 2-3 weeks out from your exam, run through all of UWorld again. That way hopefully you will have forgotten a lot of the answers and it will serve you well again. I can't believe people are telling you to just do UWorld again now when you're 8 weeks out. If you do that, then you'll have completed a second pass of Uworld with 5-6 still to go, which wouldn't make any sense either.

Another option to consider is if you are starting to get burnt out, then maybe move your exam date up a couple of weeks. At a certain point of studying 12-16 hours a day, you hit a point of diminishing returns.

I have three weeks of school left with the last two weeks being tests/boards so I probably won't get much USMLE studying in anyways. Thinking about letting the Qbank rest for a little while. I may just focus on FA/pathoma/class stuff. After the dust settles from the test block I am doing DIT and I'm thinking will just get back into UWorld then for the last 4 weeks.

 

[JackShephard MD]

I'm mixed on the sports analogy here. The base knowledge we need to have is like the play book (i.e. FA, RR, BRS, etc.). I agree that Manning ought to know that backwards and forwards and repeatedly go over it, just like us. The qbanks are like going up the defense in practice. If you're opponent runs a base 3-4 with predominantly man 2 coverage schemes, then that may be the "best" to practice against. However, Manning does not want to show up on game day unprepared for say 4-3 Tampa 2 defense that they may switch into. In our case, that would be like doing a different qbank to see things presented in a slightly different manner. It's the same basic principles that we're being tested on, but being presented in a slightly different manner. Again, just like Manning only needs to pick out the open receiver to throw it to, we just have to pick the right answer too, but the "defense" (i.e. people at the NMBE) is going to disguise that in different ways and if you've only seen it presented in one way, even multiple times, you may make a mistake, pick a distractor, and the defense is off for a pick 6 with your $535 and dreams of great residency. OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but they will keep your money.

Perhaps we just have a different philosophy on the purpose of the qbanks. I see them as a tool to evaluate your knowledge and application of that knowledge and identify weak spots, so why not use another qbank when the OP has this much time. I may be wrong, but you seem to view the qbanks as more of a reviewing tool to help you go over everything repeatedly, in which case going over UW 5 or 6 times would really help you learn the information presented there without a doubt. It just seems to me that I have read a few reviews in the Step-I 2012 thread that said it wasn't just the knowledge that threw people off on some questions, but rather the application of that knowledge to answering the questions being asked. Basically, I take that to me they're asking things in ways that you maybe haven't thought of questions being asked before. That's where I think seeing different approaches to testing the same concept may be beneficial for the OP.

You make good points. I will admit, I'm still learning from anyone I can each day and developing my philosophy. I definitely don't pretend to have everything figured out.

 

[lrkoehle]

I have three weeks of school left with the last two weeks being tests/boards so I probably won't get much USMLE studying in anyways. Thinking about letting the Qbank rest for a little while. I may just focus on FA/pathoma/class stuff. After the dust settles from the test block I am doing DIT and I'm thinking will just get back into UWorld then for the last 4 weeks.

Gotcha. I was thinking you might be a Caribbean student or FMG who just had a boatload of time to study for Step. Sounds like you've got a pretty busy schedule coming up anyways. Good luck!

You make good points. I will admit, I'm still learning from anyone I can each day and developing my philosophy. I definitely don't pretend to have everything figured out.

I'm in the same boat. There's no formula or "secret" method for killing step-I or we'd all be following it, so it's good to come at things from different view points.

 

[sylvanthus]

Gotcha. I was thinking you might be a Caribbean student or FMG who just had a boatload of time to study for Step. Sounds like you've got a pretty busy schedule coming up anyways. Good luck!



I'm in the same boat. There's no formula or "secret" method for killing step-I or we'd all be following it, so it's good to come at things from different view points.

Then maybe it is foolish of you to assume that those suggesting a person redo
UW with 8 weeks remaining dont know what they are talking about?

 

[lrkoehle]

Then maybe it is foolish of you to assume that those suggesting a person redo
UW with 8 weeks remaining dont know what they are talking about?

Perhaps, but no more foolish than someone blindly saying the OP should not do Kaplan and should instead just do UW a second time through. Frankly, we did not have enough information from the OP at the time to provide a well-informed suggestion.

It came across to me that the OP was on exclusive step-I study time and had 8 weeks left, so just doing UW a second time would've put the OP in this same position in 2-3 weeks. Then what was the OP to do? Repeat UW for a third time? As I said previously, that wouldn't be a horrible thing, but it seemed like the OP came here looking for a suggestion of something else to try with the 8 weeks of exclusive study time he/she had left.

Now we know have more information about the OP's situation. It seems as though he/she will be busy for the next couple weeks with class and then has to get through DIT. If I understood the second post by the OP, that would leave about 4 weeks left, at which point a second pass through UW would be quite reasonable and would leave time for one more pass through to re-do the questions the OP had missed the previous times through UW.

Anyways, I wasn't trying to imply you didn't know what you were talking about, but your original post was vague and left a lot up to interpretation. If you were simply trying to say to do UW again at some point, then I'd agree; however, you started by saying to not do Kaplan, which led me to believe you were saying to jump right back into UW. As I said above, this wouldn't have made sense, since UW does not take 8 weeks to complete.

 

[sylvanthus]

Suggesting an opinion based upon experience is not foolish, bashing someone elses suggestion IS foolish unless you have real reason to do so. I have done both Kaplan and UW and did quite well on step 1. Have you done both and taken the real step 1 and can say the same?

 

[Phloston]

Do USMLE Rx!!! Especially if you are still eight weeks out.

I agree with everyone on here that ending on a second-pass of UWorld is key, which should be ~2wks before the exam date. The final two weeks should be all FA (your annotated version [from the QBanks], of course). But, honestly, I would spend the next three weeks doing USMLE Rx, because it will really test your strengths from FA, considering the QBank is literally a regurgitation of the book (~65-70% of the question-answers come right from there [with a little bit more detail).

So I would say (and this is just me; everyone's opinion differs obviously):

8-5 wks out: USMLE Rx (timed; fast review of correct questions; slow review of incorrect questions [or correct questions that you marked]). Make annotations into FA.

5-2 wks out: UWorld; continue to make succinct, high-quality annotations into FA.

Final 2 wks: hardcore memorize your annotated FA, AND do some of the NBMEs if you can. But get through FA cover to cover and memorize the HY facts.

 

[lrkoehle]

Suggesting an opinion based upon experience is not foolish, bashing someone elses suggestion IS foolish unless you have real reason to do so. I have done both Kaplan and UW and did quite well on step 1. Have you done both and taken the real step 1 and can say the same?

Alright, you got me, I have not personally taken step-I myself, so I cannot speak out of personal experience. I have, however, listened to the suggestions of many people both on here and at my school, and I have always seen Kaplan recommended as a strong secondary qbank to UW. I've also seen it recommended to try to use multiple qbanks to get a well rounded evaluation of where you stand. That comes from multiple people's experiences. That's why I said what I did. It is not as though I was just pulling crap out of thin air without any evidence behind it.

Anyways, I don't think my original post came out the right way, and I wasn't meaning to attack your post. I'd love to know more about about your experience and why you don't think Kaplan is worth it, because my plan is to bust out Kaplan followed UW closer to my exam date. I have just under 10 weeks left, so I have sometime to play with and I'm still formulating my attack plan. I appreciate any advice you have for step-I, but I understand if I pissed you off too much earlier.