Firecracker or USMLE Rx?

[smarts1]

My school is on a 1.5 year condensed pre-clinical curriculum, so I'm pretty much entering M2 next semester. I want to try to retain some of the stuff I learned first semester (like anatomy and some of the path that I learned) and continue to build on the new stuff I'm going to be learning.

Which one would you guys recommend-- Firecracker or USMLE Rx? Has anyone tried both and have opinions on both? I tried the free month subscription of Firecracker, but it is a big time sink and I'm not sure I would be able to do it along with classes next semester since almost everyone says M2 is more work than M1.

Thanks everyone!

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[Espadaleader]

Firecracker is solid. They revamped their system so you can pick and choose specific quizzes/topics to work through and removed their calendar system to prioritized goal algorithm so you don't feel like you have to do 200+ questions a day. I use a OBank too but not as primary resource

 

[mamasgonnapass]

I love firecracker when the beta loads and I can do subject area questions before my daily review.

 

[PL198]

I feel like firecracker is something you need to use from week 1 of school for it to not be too time costly. Not to mention being in an accelerated curriculum you'll have less time to go over stuff

 

[Mountaineer12]

I got Rx at the start of MS2 and admittedly I haven't used it too much, but what I have used is pretty good. It helps with block exams and goes along nicely with First Aid.

 

[mcloaf]

They're very different products with different uses. If I could only choose one I'd go with Rx. It's probably too late to try and bank all of FC but you could still use it focally for things like micro/pharm.

 

[notbobtrustme]

I tried both, but gave up on FC after about 3-4 months. It got too cumbersome and tons of cards were extremely low yield.

Rx, OTOH, is a great qbank. It's FA in question form, so it really helps hammer in a bunch of concepts/facts in a way you can remember. I think it's much to do than going through Uworld another time. It helps to see questions in a different wording style, different style of answer choices and different concepts emphasized.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

Barely used Firecracker. Would rather go through USMLERx at least once. More questions = better Step 1 score. That's the bottom line.

 

[PL198]

yeah you can select by subject and organ system, so regardless of if your school does system or subject base you can find questions to answer

 

[MadRadLad]

Anyone have a discount code for Rx? I see them float around quit a bit but not many new ones of late.

 

[smarts1]

Thanks for the insight everyone! This is why I'm so torn...

I noticed the biggest time sink for FC (at least when I was using it, though I obviously didn’t go through the systems stuff) was from anatomy, and I’ve read on the firecracker thread that a lot of people just unflag a lot of their anatomy topics to lessen their daily review load. But FC seems like a great resource and a lot of people have reported great Step 1 scores by using it.

I guess I’ll be buying USMLE Rx then and use Firecracker on and off for a couple topics.

 

[smarts1]

Anyone have a discount code for Rx? I see them float around quit a bit but not many new ones of late.

That's what I was wondering too... I saw a couple floating around but I have seen any in about a month.

 

[PL198]

just google for codes. they'll be out there somewhere.

on and off for FC isn't a good idea. you have to either buy into it or not.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

How many of the questions are applicable though prior to learning that material in M2? Is there a way to see only the questions you've covered in your coursework thus far?

You can customize your question blocks by subject or organ system. Even though it is tailored toward Step 1, I still think it can be useful for learning and retaining material throughout M2.

 

[moto_za]

Bump for more opinions would be appreciated. M1 still trying to decide what to pick. TIA.

 

[MadRadLad]

Bump for more opinions would be appreciated. M1 still trying to decide what to pick. TIA.

I'm an M1 as well, and I think i'm going to avoid Firecracker. It just seems too time intensive for me, and I feel like I could use that time elsewhere more efficiently, personally. Also it's a bit pricy for sure.

I do plan to get USMLE Rx though, because I think getting used to doing practice questions is a great way to really hammer in knowledge. I'm gonna be waiting for a discount code to float around though.

 

[ewax]

Rx all day erryday

 

[razor]

Tossin' in a vote for FC. I don't know how many Rx/UW questions i've picked up because I really engrained the facts in my mind through repetition. I feel like there are two ways you answer board Qs, eliminate answers and educated guess, or you just know the right answer. When I "just know the right answer" it's usually because I drilled that info in my noggin' over time. Practice Q's are good for practicing test-taking strategy, in my opinion, although there is a lot of learning potential from the content in tutor modes.

 

[smarts1]

So I ended up buying Rx and I tried a couple of the questions (in block form) for anatomy and some of the other blocks, and I scored miserably. There were a bunch of questions I couldn't answer because I don't know that many clinical disease presentations yet...

 

[midweststudent1]

Do most people use USMLE RX during their board prep time or while taking their classes or a combination of both?

 

[notbobtrustme]

So I ended up buying Rx and I tried a couple of the questions (in block form) for anatomy and some of the other blocks, and I scored miserably. There were a bunch of questions I couldn't answer because I don't know that many clinical disease presentations yet...

sounds about right for just about every med student at your stage. Keep plugging away at it.

 

[alpinism]

Get Rx but wait till M2 or 2nd semester M1 for 1.5 year year peeps.

Do the questions along with studying for classes.

 

[CsHead]

What is the best way to buy USMLERx? I'm a little confused on this one, there are a lot of options (Coming from a 2nd semester M1 with 1.5 year curriculum)

Should be able to workout a discount for your school by contacting them. That was never my job so I don't know who contacted who, but ya...

 

[CsHead]

Thanks for the reply. I've seen those and correct me if I'm wrong, but they generally seem to be for shorter timespans. I was hoping to get a year long subscription to work on throughout systems until getting UWorld just prior to the exam.

Whoever did that was probably a poor negotiator. We had a general discount on every length.

 

[T4llezwayzcute]

Anyone have a discount code for Rx? I see them float around quit a bit but not many new ones of late.

My school got a discount code.

The promo code: CMCQMAX1

There is a special area on the invoice that will ask about any promotional codes available. Be sure to enter the code exactly as above.

This code is active until 1/12/15, no exceptions. As long as this code is active it can be used by anyone, anywhere. So I encourage you to send it out to friends at other schools as well!

It's a 6-month Step 1 Qmax subscription* for only $99! That’s 50% off the regular subscription price of $199

 

[asdf123g]

Do most people use USMLE RX during their board prep time or while taking their classes or a combination of both?

bump

 

[Derivations]

Do Rx along with classes as an M2. Good way to get through some of FA, but I don't think you can use it as a substitute for a good thorough pass through FA because the questions tend to cover a lot of the same concepts over and over again while leaving out some topics that you will see when you start UWorld. However it has been helpful for me so far.

 

[Rekt]

FC is a giant low-yield time sink. Make your own cards if that's your thing.
Also, it blows my mind people are wasting Rx/UWorld as an M1. I've seen classmates do this. Save it for M2.

M2: FA passes -> annotate with pathoma -> Sketchy -> Rx/Kaplan if you have time --> Dedicated --> UWorld/NBMEs

 

[beethousand]

FC is a giant low-yield time sink. Make your own cards if that's your thing.
Also, it blows my mind people are wasting Rx/UWorld as an M1. I've seen classmates do this. Save it for M2.

M2: FA passes -> annotate with pathoma -> Sketchy -> Rx/Kaplan if you have time --> Dedicated --> UWorld/NBMEs

I think this person was referring to 1.5 yr curriculum where you take Step 1 around February of year 2 (at least our school does).


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[sliceofbread136]

Firecracker is trash imo, such a low yield for the amount of time you have to commit. Read first aid and do USMLERX

 

[patriot6]

My school is on a 1.5 year condensed pre-clinical curriculum, so I'm pretty much entering M2 next semester. I want to try to retain some of the stuff I learned first semester (like anatomy and some of the path that I learned) and continue to build on the new stuff I'm going to be learning.

Which one would you guys recommend-- Firecracker or USMLE Rx? Has anyone tried both and have opinions on both? I tried the free month subscription of Firecracker, but it is a big time sink and I'm not sure I would be able to do it along with classes next semester since almost everyone says M2 is more work than M1.

Thanks everyone!

I used firecracker in the fall of MS2, then switched to USMLE Rx in the spring of MS2. USMLE Rx >> Firecracker, but please recognize the following:

Uworld >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Rx >>> Firecracker