Goljan RR...yes or no?

[mke520]

Been looking around on old threads and haven't found much helpful "up to date" information so thought I'd ask those who have recently taken step 1 their opinion on Goljan RR and whether or not they thought it was worth spending the time to go through it. I have RR and think its a great book since I've read a few chapters but it takes forever to get through and you get bogged down by lots of details not necessarily pertinent to step 1. Just wondering if doing Pathoma (also FA + Uworld) instead would be a more efficient use of time to spend 8 weeks of studying (since I can get through Pathoma multiple times) where I could get through RR probably 2 times efficiently while also trying to juggle FA + Uworld in there. Just wanting to know other peoples thoughts who have been through this process...and yes I am wanting to score well (240+) so any advice would be great

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[malin]

If you have 8 weeks, just do FA UW and Pathoma. Goljan is a great resource to use throughout a more extended period of studying, or to use as a reference if you aren't sure about a topic covered in Pathoma. Pathoma has about 80-85% of pathology you need to know for Step 1. It does not include every testable pathology detail (it is only 200 pages, and you can't fit all of pathology in 200 pages). You will get a few pathology questions on your Step 1 that you won't find in Pathoma but you will find in more detailed textbooks like Goljan or Robbins (but not that many to necessitate using Goljan at this stage of your studying). Some of these questions you can reason out with good critical thinking skills, or just some luck. It really depends on a lot of things..

 

[rdk322]

Hey I have a similar question except I'm sitting for my exam in late June. I only read about 2-3 chapters in RR. Do you think with that length of time it's worth it to go through it once (and I guess wrap it up a month before my exam or so)? My alternative is to do just Pathoma + Goljan audio. I have classes going on until the end of April so it's been hard to keep up with reading RR. My school's required text is the big Robbins but I realized that takes too long. I liked RR a lot for its pictures and pathophgy when I used it.

I have Rx and Uworld Q banks that I'd ideally like to finish by time I write the exam as well but with RR taking some time, I don't know if I should stop reading RR.. Thanks!

 

[Phloston]

Goljan RR. No.

 

[Jabbed]

If anything just stick to the blue text and tables

 

[Nabin]

I wished someone had told me to not use Goljan for step 1. I wasted 2 months on an extensive preparation on it (I'm an IMG), and could barely remember less than a quarter of it. Pathoma is enough, concise, to the point and easy to retain. With UW supplementation, that's all you need for step 1 to score high.

 

[plasmodium]

RapidReview by Goljan is an incredible book.

 

[allojay]

Goljan RR. No.

Can you please elaborate?

 

[nds86]

The simple answer here is to use Goljan RR during M1&M2 along with in-class lecture materials (PPTs, Robbins, etc.) and using Pathoma during the dedicated period (last 6-8 weeks). I'm in M2 and I usually watch a chapter from Pathoma before a lecture and follow it up by going over the class materials and Goljan RR.

 

[plasmodium]

In my experience, I found that the best way to determine whether a resource is worth using is to try it for yourself and see if it works for you. Everyone works differently.

The general consensus is that a routine First Aid + UWorld + a pathology resource (many recommend Pathoma, some recommend RR, some, like Phloston, recommend BRS Pathology) are nearly fool-proof for, at the very least, passing the exam. However, I imagine that success on this exam is not merely be based on which resources you use; success on this exam will probably have much more to do with your foundation in the basic sciences prior to dedicated, and with how you use the resources that you choose to commit to.

My advice would be to try RR, and if you don't like it, stop using it and try something else. Just make sure you commit to whatever resources you are going to use before you are a few months out from the exam.

 

[Phloston]

Can you please elaborate?

Decent for foundation in MS1 or early MS2, but if you want a big USMLE score focus on doing as many questions as you can and memorizing FA. If you peruse Goljan RR you're wasting your time.

 

[allojay]

Decent for foundation in MS1 or early MS2, but if you want a big USMLE score focus on doing as many questions as you can and memorizing FA. If you peruse Goljan RR you're wasting your time.

Thanks for the response Pholston! I'm working towards the 2nd half of M2 year right now, so I guess I'll ditch RR and just stick to FA & Qbanks.

 

[Phloston]

Thanks for the response Pholston! I'm working towards the 2nd half of M2 year right now, so I guess I'll ditch RR and just stick to FA & Qbanks.

That sounds like a wise idea.

 

[SKaminski]

Decent for foundation in MS1 or early MS2, but if you want a big USMLE score focus on doing as many questions as you can and memorizing FA. If you peruse Goljan RR you're wasting your time.

You mention FA, and i'm wondering if i'm starting it too late.
I'll have 5.5 weeks of study time. Currently, as we go through new sections I do pathoma, and start doing the associated bro-encephalon anki decks.
I stay on top of all due cards, and starting a few weeks back i began reviewing older pathoma chapters, one per week. I should be have completed two passes of Pathoma by the time my dedicates starts.

Unfortunantly i haven't done much in the way of FA. Is focusing on it and UW heavily during dedicated okay, or am i handicapping myself?

 

[Daitong]

Decent for foundation in MS1 or early MS2, but if you want a big USMLE score focus on doing as many questions as you can and memorizing FA. If you peruse Goljan RR you're wasting your time.

Could you expand on why you like BRS Path? I havn't really heard it being used, but you're the guru.

@Phloston

 

[badasshairday]

Goljan was the bomb in my day.

 

[plasmodium]

Goljan was the bomb in my day.

Still is

 

[Phloston]

You mention FA, and i'm wondering if i'm starting it too late.
I'll have 5.5 weeks of study time. Currently, as we go through new sections I do pathoma, and start doing the associated bro-encephalon anki decks.
I stay on top of all due cards, and starting a few weeks back i began reviewing older pathoma chapters, one per week. I should be have completed two passes of Pathoma by the time my dedicates starts.

Unfortunantly i haven't done much in the way of FA. Is focusing on it and UW heavily during dedicated okay, or am i handicapping myself?

If you want a big score focus on FA. It's where your points are per unit time of study.

 

[Phloston]

Could you expand on why you like BRS Path? I havn't really heard it being used, but you're the guru.

@Phloston

It's very short and very concise and very high-yield. It's not mandatory however because path prep can be variable. But I strongly recommend it as the single path text. Then I would use practice questions to reinforce the path. University of Utah Webpath exam questions are also good if you've finished Qmax, Kaplan and UWorld.

My path method is a wooden tennis racquet in the sense that it works very very well but could be argued to be atavistic because it was pre-Pathoma. Bottom line though is that you need to do a surfeit of questions for a big score. I think spending countless hours on Pathoma or Goljan RR is the wrong direction. But that's just me.

 

[Dr.serotonin]

I like Goljan because it is another FA for me.

 

[Daitong]

It's very short and very concise and very high-yield. It's not mandatory however because path prep can be variable. But I strongly recommend it as the single path text. Then I would use practice questions to reinforce the path. University of Utah Webpath exam questions are also good if you've finished Qmax, Kaplan and UWorld.

My path method is a wooden tennis racquet in the sense that it works very very well but could be argued to be atavistic because it was pre-Pathoma. Bottom line though is that you need to do a surfeit of questions for a big score. I think spending countless hours on Pathoma or Goljan RR is the wrong direction. But that's just me.

Thanks so much! Would you recommend using it only during dedicated, or best alongside classes?

 

[stop2stop]

It's very short and very concise and very high-yield. It's not mandatory however because path prep can be variable. But I strongly recommend it as the single path text. Then I would use practice questions to reinforce the path. University of Utah Webpath exam questions are also good if you've finished Qmax, Kaplan and UWorld.

My path method is a wooden tennis racquet in the sense that it works very very well but could be argued to be atavistic because it was pre-Pathoma. Bottom line though is that you need to do a surfeit of questions for a big score. I think spending countless hours on Pathoma or Goljan RR is the wrong direction. But that's just me.

Thanks so much for your valuable input here, I know many of us appreciate it. Could I ask one more question as to what you would do during the last couple weeks of dedicated time? I'm sure you've mentioned it before, but is there any place for Qbanks during this time or just FA/NBMEs? I've heard of many people going over the questions they got wrong in UWorld during this time, and was wondering if that was a good use of time.

 

[plasmodium]

I like Goljan because it is another FA for me.

Goljan and FA is a fantastic combination.

 

[Phloston]

Thanks so much! Would you recommend using it only during dedicated, or best alongside classes?

If you're in your dedicated period then don't touch BRS unless your path scores are egregious. In the dedicated period you should only be on questions and FA.

 

[Phloston]

Thanks so much for your valuable input here, I know many of us appreciate it. Could I ask one more question as to what you would do during the last couple weeks of dedicated time? I'm sure you've mentioned it before, but is there any place for Qbanks during this time or just FA/NBMEs? I've heard of many people going over the questions they got wrong in UWorld during this time, and was wondering if that was a good use of time.

The final two weeks should definitely just be FA and NBMEs (and the UWSAs if you haven't finished them yet). You need to calibrate to the NBME question style so only do NBME exams this close to the real deal. UWorld should be finished by two weeks out. If you're still working on UWorld during the final two weeks, just be aware that the questions train you to over-think on the real deal. So the final two weeks should ideally be just NBMEs (which are the USMLE).

 

[mke520]

How many NBMEs are available to take and how early from the test date should you start taking them? Also, how many NBMEs should you go through before taking the real thing?

 

[Transposony]

How many NBMEs are available

http://www.nbme.org/Students/sas/faq.html
https://nsas.nbme.org/home

 

[tasar1898]

My 2 cents about these books: I liked Goljan because it was very thorough but I recommend it only to people who have lots of time , I did one read through just to get a hang of it along with its Lectures , and annotated HY stuff on FA , then I just used it as reference , never doing a 2nd read-through , its not a book you memorize , but it helps crystallize lots of concepts

BRS path was like someone took a crap , smeared it on a scanner , made 1000's of copies and then published it... Very vague on pathophysiology , redundant super low-yield info and impossible to read through , was like going through a phonebook... Probably worst 40$ I ever spent on a book , couldnt get past pg 100 .
EDIT: Possibly great for people that can memorize phonebooks..

 

[rdk322]

Sorry, I was just lurking but read all the replies here! With 5 months to go, I'll focus heavily on FA + Pathoma and if time permitting, I'll take a look at the blue boxes and figures in Goljan along with audio. Thanks for the input everyone . Goljan does clarify a lot of stuff for me that Sattar glosses over so I really like Goljan for that (but sounds like Goljan is more for reference and Sattar targets all HY)...

 

[Jabbed]

My 2 cents about these books: I liked Goljan because it was very thorough but I recommend it only to people who have lots of time , I did one read through just to get a hang of it along with its Lectures , and annotated HY stuff on FA , then I just used it as reference , never doing a 2nd read-through , its not a book you memorize , but it helps crystallize lots of concepts

BRS path was like someone took a crap , smeared it on a scanner , made 1000's of copies and then published it... Very vague on pathophysiology , redundant super low-yield info and impossible to read through , was like going through a phonebook... Probably worst 40$ I ever spent on a book , couldnt get past pg 100 .
EDIT: Possibly great for people that can memorize phonebooks..

 

[Vexare]

Agree with Phloston. Although I had read parts of Goljan RR Path during M2 (cursory, after repetitions of Pathoma) and it did get me 2-3 questions on Step 1 that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise, reading that book is at best supplementary if you have time during M2 and by no means a resource you should be using during dedicated time. The chances that you'll remember a random line or two from RR Path from reading it during M2 even if those points get tested on Step 1 is slim (i.e. the fact that I remembered those lines was mostly luck) and more importantly, the topics I had remembered from RR Path were subsequently added to FA in later editions. There is more than enough high-yield information in FA and the Qbanks to keep you busy so focus on that and practice with as many questions as possible - that really is the key to doing well on these exams. You must be able to pick up on patterns, common presentations, treatments, side-effects etc. This stuff will be repeated over and over in every question you do and that reinforcement (active learning) is invaluable.

FA + QBanks >> passively reading walls of text from RR Path in the hopes that something there is high-yield

 

[DrPicard]

My 2 cents about these books: I liked Goljan because it was very thorough but I recommend it only to people who have lots of time , I did one read through just to get a hang of it along with its Lectures , and annotated HY stuff on FA , then I just used it as reference , never doing a 2nd read-through , its not a book you memorize , but it helps crystallize lots of concepts

BRS path was like someone took a crap , smeared it on a scanner , made 1000's of copies and then published it... Very vague on pathophysiology , redundant super low-yield info and impossible to read through , was like going through a phonebook... Probably worst 40$ I ever spent on a book , couldnt get past pg 100 .
EDIT: Possibly great for people that can memorize phonebooks..

How'd you decide what was HY in goljan? I've skimmed through a few chapters (after reading pathoma and FA), and I just mark any pathophysiology explanations I wasn't already aware of. Thats the only thing I'm treating as HY from Goljan. I'm not sure how else to decide whats HY and worth marking. Any tips? Also, did the information you annotated from Goljan end up helping you in the exam?

Congrats on the score btw!