For those who did well on Step 1...

[Anitsirhc]

---

Members don't see this ad.

How early did you begin thinking about the USMLE? Did you buy any review books during first year (specifically First Aid) to supplement your courses or did you just wait until 2nd year?

 

[dukeblue01]

Wait until 2nd year. For now concentrate on actually learning the material, so that it will stick with you. In 2nd year go ahead and buy FA and BRS Path and flip through them as you study for tests. The advice given at my school is to work on getting A's in all 2nd year classes, as that is the best preparation for Step 1.

 

[AlexRusso]

Wait until 2nd year. For now concentrate on actually learning the material, so that it will stick with you. In 2nd year go ahead and buy FA and BRS Path and flip through them as you study for tests. The advice given at my school is to work on getting A's in all 2nd year classes, as that is the best preparation for Step 1.

Very good advice.

Do well second year. Consider buyin FA and BRS path in the beginning and following along, make notes in FA as you go along. Do not really start to worry abou the exam until about spring break of second year. And really kick it into high gear studying when its time to prepare for your second year shelves/finals and keep going after you finish those all the way to your test date. Good luck

 

[Stinger86]

The key, I think, is to not only do well in your second year courses, but to try and remember most of what you learn in them. Living from one exam to the next, and flushing as you go, is a bad idea. Basically, whenever I had a day or few hours where I had absolutely nothing to do and I didn't need to study any more current info, I would either review old second year material or I would crack a review text like HY Neuroanatomy or BRS Biochemistry and run through it to keep that fresh. Doing things this way allowed me to have a final 2 week study schedule and let me take the exam in May so I could actually have a month off before I sold my soul and free time to the clerkship directors.

 

[Mossjoh]

BRS Physiology and BRS Path are very helpful. They do not supplement for main texts though, you will not learn enough detail or understand mechanisms or etiologies of disease. READ ROBBINS

They do help for review though. Also, read first aid and make notes in it. I also recommend Kaplan Q-Bank, it is similar to the exam format. Very helpful

Mossjoh

 

[bigfrank]

READ FIRST AID DURING THE FIRST YEAR.

This book has a tremendous amt. of info. in it and will serve you VERY well during both the Step I and the 2nd year. Buy/Learn the HY versions of every subject and do LOTS of questions (Robbins, QBank, A&L, etc.). I'm not a smart guy but I got a 267 with the above basic method. It takes hard work but it'll pay off.

You'll be surprised how many residents/attendings will ask you, "Hey, what is your board score?" And you'll be able to show them up and earn respect, though, I must stress that they will respect you more if you patronize them.

 

[Mossjoh]

I don't necessarily agree with Bigfrank...(sorry), I don't think reading first aid your first year will do you any good. You don't know enough pathology yet. Its a better read with 2nd year.

 

[omarsaleh66]

I don't necessarily agree with Bigfrank...(sorry), I don't think reading first aid your first year will do you any good. You don't know enough pathology yet. Its a better read with 2nd year.

I used First Aid to study for the shelf exams during my first year, and it helped me alot cuz pretty much eveything in those subjects showed up on those NBME's so First Aid is good atleast fot the NBME if your school offers them.

As far as using FA during first year for Step 1, will let u know in June...

Peace

 

[bigfrank]

I don't necessarily agree with Bigfrank...(sorry), I don't think reading first aid your first year will do you any good. You don't know enough pathology yet. Its a better read with 2nd year.

Most of the microbiology, anatomy, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, and behavioral questions on the Step I don't have a lot of "pathology" imbedded in them.

I know everyone touts the Step I's "clinical focus," which is true, but there is also a tremendous amount of basic science that you have the opportunity to LEARN during the first year.

First Aid has a tremendous amount of good, high-yield basic science in it. All the people in my class who scored a 260+ read First Aid during the first year, still made it to parties, and had a relatively normal life during the 2nd year when everyone else was still attempting to learn the laboratory identification of all the bugs (for ex.).

Believe me. If you can prioritize and make a dent in memorizing the "non-pathology focused" aspects of FA during the 1st year, you'll be happy come late-second year and when you receive your score report for the Step I.

 

[HiddenTruth]

Most of the microbiology, anatomy, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, and behavioral questions on the Step I don't have a lot of "pathology" imbedded in them.

I know everyone touts the Step I's "clinical focus," which is true, but there is also a tremendous amount of basic science that you have the opportunity to LEARN during the first year.

First Aid has a tremendous amount of good, high-yield basic science in it. All the people in my class who scored a 260+ read First Aid during the first year, still made it to parties, and had a relatively normal life during the 2nd year when everyone else was still attempting to learn the laboratory identification of all the bugs (for ex.).

Believe me. If you can prioritize and make a dent in memorizing the "non-pathology focused" aspects of FA during the 1st year, you'll be happy come late-second year and when you receive your score report for the Step I.

did you brush up on it quite frequently, as it seems as if you would forget such things as easily as you would the material you learn in first year (mostly specifics is what i am referring to, which is a lot of first year)?

 

[ginger_flower]

If you're anything like me (super slacker extraordinaire and not too bright 😉 ), then I would consider doing Kaplan for Step 1.

All these suggestions are good IF you have the self-motivation to do all of this early, and yes, ideally that would be the best course of action to review and constantly keep the information fresh. I think the advice to keep the info in the brain and not flush it after tests if so key, if you're smart like that. In the end, I think step 1 is a measure of your baseline smartness + your ability to truly understand the material. IMHO, there is no single book/books that can totally prepare you for step 1.

Questions are key, although. I only wish that I had finished Qbank..... 🙁 Some of my more motivated classmates bought qbank early in 2nd year and started using the questions.... I dunno if that helped cuz I never asked their score, but they are still here.....so they must have passed.

 

[Non-Trad DO]

😉 I couldn't agree with anyone more than I agree with ginger flower on this topic. I wish I had started questions sooner... anyway, I didn't. I believed this helped me more in understanding where the test givers would be coming from on the exam.
I read first aid once and studied it three times all the way through until two months before step I from that point on I only did questions anywhere I could find them. I started by doing 50 q's before grading the test and READING and STUDYING the explanations. At this point if I had a question about one of the answers I would spend some time reviewing but if I never really found a satisfactory explaination elsewhere I would just move on and take the review guide at face value. DO NOT OBSESS!!! TIME YOURSELF ALSO. I worked my way up to 200q's at one sitting and I did about 200 q's per day until 2 weeks before the exam then I proceded as realistically as possible. ALWAYS READ THE EXPLAINATIONS AND UNDERSTAND THEM AFTER YOU TAKE THE EXAM!!!!!!!

 

[tangents]

How early did you begin thinking about the USMLE? Did you buy any review books during first year (specifically First Aid) to supplement your courses or did you just wait until 2nd year?

i did well on step one, above average, and did not study for it until may after finals. i am far from a superstar student. i studied full time (strict schedule, AM til early eve, with a long break for a walk outside with friends and eating) for 28 days and took the test. contrary to my earlier beliefs, step one is really all about being somewhat calm and trying to do your best second year. you don't need all honors, or even to be above average in class to score well. people, including myself, get so worked up. it is a hard test because you need to study hard for a certain amount of time, and be speedy, but it is not a big mystery. chances are if you pay attention in class for your first two years and do okay, meaning having a decent understanding of most topics generally, then you should be okay. put the time during the year into your classes, it will pay off. you will surprise yourself at how much more easily a lot of topics come to you the second time around. if you want to study / refresh yourself earlier, bugs and drugs are good to keep fresh during the year. i really lilked the ucv series for easy, short buzz word type vignettes that you can do in a few minutes and learn something.

 

[carrigallen]

I did fairly poorly in first year, mostly aiming only to pass, especially anatomy and molecular biology. Big Frank's post reminded me of my deficiency. I have stepped it up considerably now in second year, but I am worried that this will bite me when it comes to studying for Step 1.

Does anyone have suggestions on reviewing first year material, especially molecular biology? I have heard it is helpful to review the mechanisms as you are studying micro, path etc.