Goljan RR Pathology

[iA-MD2013]

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This has been asked before, and I'm sorry to do this again, but I couldn't make a decision based on old threads...

Is RR path necessary? I'm aiming for a 250 (but haven't taken a practice NBME yet so I'm not even sure this is attainable 😛) and have 4 weeks till my test. I've gone through RR path quickly once before during classes but not in depth. Is the time spent going through RR path really necessary to get a really high score? Wouldn't it be better to spend that time memorizing FA or doing practice questions? I feel like I have enough of an understanding of this material to read through FA comfortably so if I do use RR path, it is not to understand the material but rather to memorize more in depth.

Thank you!

 

[da8s0859q]

This has been asked before, and I'm sorry to do this again, but I couldn't make a decision based on old threads...

Is RR path necessary? I'm aiming for a 250 (but haven't taken a practice NBME yet so I'm not even sure this is attainable 😛) and have 4 weeks till my test. I've gone through RR path quickly once before during classes but not in depth. Is the time spent going through RR path really necessary to get a really high score? Wouldn't it be better to spend that time memorizing FA or doing practice questions? I feel like I have enough of an understanding of this material to read through FA comfortably so if I do use RR path, it is not to understand the material but rather to memorize more in depth.

Thank you!

Also interested.

And if you don't mind a piggyback question: would it be more time-efficient to read the blue margin notes only, assuming you're decent on path?

 

[iA-MD2013]

Love the piggy-back question! Wanted to ask the same thing but forgot.

 

[pullandbear]

I had/have the same question. I spent a long time reading through old posts. And I found that a lot of people said that RR was too time intensive for what you get out of it and it has way too much detail. Granted I haven't take the actual Step 1 yet. But my plan is to listen to his audio lectures and just read the blue HY points twice. I really dont think it is possible to truly retain the rest of the book besides the HY points. Any Step 1 veterans have any input?

 

[pilottodoctor]

g'day folks, from my experience RR Path+Audio were GOLD, it helped me alot in patho and pathophysio part of real exam. I had no problem answering questions in step1. I would also recommend adding RR path to FA section where necessary.

GOOD LUCK

 

[pilottodoctor]

oh and blue margins are great if you don't have that much time, and also make sure you guys go over blue boxes as well 😀

 

[da8s0859q]

I was just trying to read through RR and it's pretty tough... good, but tough.

 

[Mace1370]

I firmly believe that RR is a beast you deal with during the year. If you master it during then year, then you should be able to quickly review it once more during your board prep. By master, I mean have read multiple times and have studied thoroughly once or twice. If you don't master it during the year, then I wouldn't bother with it during board prep.

 

[da8s0859q]

I firmly believe that RR is a beast you deal with during the year. If you master it during then year, then you should be able to quickly review it once more during your board prep. By master, I mean have read multiple times and have studied thoroughly once or twice. If you don't master it during the year, then I wouldn't bother with it during board prep.

So, in other words, you'd either take the blue notes/boxes or the audio and run with it?

I used RR on and off through M2 -- mostly off though, deferring to FA with class notes.

 

[pullandbear]

So, in other words, you'd either take the blue notes/boxes or the audio and run with it?

I used RR on and off through M2 -- mostly off though, deferring to FA with class notes.

same. wish I had used it a lot more in the first two years.

 

[Vulcan]

same. wish I had used it a lot more in the first two years.

Me too. I've been trying to read it and it's so dense. I'm hoping I can do alright with FA/UW as the primary resources.

 

[Mace1370]

So, in other words, you'd either take the blue notes/boxes or the audio and run with it?

I used RR on and off through M2 -- mostly off though, deferring to FA with class notes.

If you haven't read it at all, then I guess you can just do the blue notes. I'm not really sure how helpful some of them will be, though, since they are often just a quick summary of what he was talking about in the text.

I guess what I am saying, is that if you're in your final push (4 to 5 weeks of studying or whatever) I wouldn't waste my time with it. Just memorize FA and do questions.

I haven't taken step 1, yet, though so take what I say with a grain of salt. I'm just basing my opinions by how much I used RR during the year and how long it took me to learn parts of it. I know I certainly wouldn't be capable of incorporating it into my final 4-5 week review unless I already knew it well.

 

[tco]

If you haven't read it at all, then I guess you can just do the blue notes. I'm not really sure how helpful some of them will be, though, since they are often just a quick summary of what he was talking about in the text.

I guess what I am saying, is that if you're in your final push (4 to 5 weeks of studying or whatever) I wouldn't waste my time with it. Just memorize FA and do questions.

I haven't taken step 1, yet, though so take what I say with a grain of salt. I'm just basing my opinions by how much I used RR during the year and how long it took me to learn parts of it. I know I certainly wouldn't be capable of incorporating it into my final 4-5 week review unless I already knew it well.

If you studied well in the class during the year, it doesn't take nearly as long to learn from it as if you try to learn from it during the year. I hope that makes sense.

For instance, I covered it over and over for cardio. It took me forever to understand it. I did not, however, use it for many other sections. Now that I'm covering those sections for the first time, I can safely say that it is not taking me as long to learn them as it did to learn the sections that I covered during the course.

 

[deleted387928]

I personally love the book and it's helped me crush path on UW & mock boards.

I feel like the necessity of the book hinges entirely on the difficulty of the questions you get on your exam. If they stay below a certain level of detail & difficulty, then FA should be enough.


If you understand the path in goljan, you can pretty much skip the majority of FA.

 

[MossPoh]

I almost view RR path as a first aid that teaches concepts and is just deficient in certain areas. He integrates SO much stuff.

That being said, I can get through chapters fairly fast because I already used it once or twice for each unit before. I actually used it instead of my class notes much of the time.

I wouldn't try to pick it up fresh for step 1. The outline format, quantity, flow...it is all a bit much to be truly high yield the first time. The high yield points in the side are good, but you can also find almost the exact same ones from his old notes online and they are all crammed into a few pages. The major problem I have with them is that some of them lack context or he just abbreviates everything, so I have to refresh my memory on what the friggin abbreviation means.

 

[kl323]

Having just finished pathology, I can only say that it's very hard to finish/read the book. I just didn't like the flow of the outlines. Some people may like it though.

Also the time that you have is also a big variable. It was a pain to read through the book from cover to cover. I stopped doing that and then switched over to audio lectures and used the book for pics and SOME of the blue margins. So far, I think I've retained a lot more than if I were to go through the book.

 

[Poiu86]

I'm in the same situation as a lot of people. I used it a bit during the year, but not much. I don't feel like I have the time to go through the whole thing (hate the outline format, and it takes me forever).

I AM listening to lectures for ~1.5hrs/day right now, and knowing the first 4 chapters of the book cold. I figure that having done well in class + doing FA and answering UW questions should be sufficient for the systems based stuff. I think those first 4 chapters are probably the highest yield things I've ran into yet. Integrated a ton of things for me.

 

[Step1Hash]

I'm in the same situation as a lot of people. I used it a bit during the year, but not much. I don't feel like I have the time to go through the whole thing (hate the outline format, and it takes me forever).

I AM listening to lectures for ~1.5hrs/day right now, and knowing the first 4 chapters of the book cold. I figure that having done well in class + doing FA and answering UW questions should be sufficient for the systems based stuff. I think those first 4 chapters are probably the highest yield things I've ran into yet. Integrated a ton of things for me.

Earlier, I was planning on doing everything BUT the first few chapters..haha. But I think your definitely right...how long did it take you to get them down cold?

 

[pullandbear]

So it's worth reading the first 4 chapters? What's so good about them.

 

[SlaveOfTCMC]

just remember, use it as a supplement (albeit a very good one) and learn actively from it.

DOn't be like my classmates, who carry aroudn the boook like their lunch money, then never really learn anything from it, and only prepare for "USMLE Pathology" and skip out on every other section.

 

[gpac123]

Has anyone tried using his 500pg notes that accompanied the Kaplan course the audio is from? They seem less time consuming.

 

[Poiu86]

Earlier, I was planning on doing everything BUT the first few chapters..haha. But I think your definitely right...how long did it take you to get them down cold?

They're pretty dense (as is everything in that book IMO), but I've gone through each of them twice. I have ~5 weeks till my exam, and I'm probably going to go through once again.

Its a very manageable amount of material, and from doing questions/exams, I feel like its really high yield. As I said before, I think first aid + questions + stuff I somewhat remember from class is sufficient for the subject based stuff. The first four chapters hit some big principle things that you will run into in all the systems based stuff. I meant that for me, personally, it integrated a lot. The other chapters are great too, but its just a lot of detail, and I'm focusing my efforts on memorizing as much first aid and doing as many questions as possible. Skim through a chapter and see what you think

 

[Green Grass]

I took Step 1 last year. I used RR Path throughout my M2 year and I loved this book. If you haven't used it throughout the year, it is going to be difficult to finish in a month and retain that information though. If you have a longer time period (say 6-8 weeks), then give it a go. Otherwise, just focus on FA and UWorld.

I think the three best resources for Step 1 include: RR Path + UWorld + FA. If you know these three resources well, there is no reason that you can't get 240+. The same concepts that UWorld drills home time and time again (think Folate, B12) will be on the exam, guaranteed. Goljan brings so many different aspects of each topic into his book and this makes his book so helpful. And FA, well it's FA. It has tons of high yield topics and is a must.

Good luck with your studying and on Step 1!