Good resources for step prep

[Piglet2020]

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So I already bought first aid, uworld, pathoma, and sketchy. I also downloaded Zanki.

Has anyone heard of usmle rx? What about other resources?

 

[Chibucks15]

Do a search on here

 

[TakotsuboOkazaki]

A running theme from all of the third and fourth years i’ve talked to is that the best resource is your consistent discipline and motivation to utilize the resources you have.

UFAP at 100% relative effort >>> UFAP, Sketchy, Rx, Kaplan, Amboss, B&B at 65%

 

[efle]

So I already bought first aid, uworld, pathoma, and sketchy. I also downloaded Zanki.

Has anyone heard of usmle rx? What about other resources?

For learning material the first time from a lecturer: Pathoma (the basics) and Boards and Beyond (comprehensive)

For practicing questions: USMLERx/Qmax is basically First Aid in question format. It's by the same company. Good for memorizing First aid.

Kaplan is generally considered garbage. It just tests extremely minute details you generally won't see in Step 1 or Uworld.

Uworld is the gold standard by far. I'd save it for dedicated. It's basically an invaluable, interactive textbook.

For beating rote recall into your head: Anki (your choice of deck, whether it's Zanki or Brosencephalon or Lightyear). I never used this, because I like many people hate doing flashcards. But, the people who do use it tend to love it.

Sketchy: This gets its own section because it's extremely unique. It's a visual memory palace that helps you memorize facts about bugs and drugs using a picture. SketchyMicro is the most beloved by far, I'd use this for sure during your micro unit. SketchyPharm gets mixed reviews, personally I enjoyed it because I refused to do flashcards. The other offerings (SketchyPath, the new Sketchy IM) are generally not well liked.

First aid: This is a review book to use as a reference, especially during dedicated. Wouldn't really spend much time with it prior to then unless you're just looking something up quickly.

 

[FindersFee5]

For learning material the first time from a lecturer: Pathoma (the basics) and Boards and Beyond (comprehensive)

For practicing questions: USMLERx/Qmax is basically First Aid in question format. It's by the same company. Good for memorizing First aid.

Kaplan is generally considered garbage. It just tests extremely minute details you generally won't see in Step 1 or Uworld.

Uworld is the gold standard by far. I'd save it for dedicated. It's basically an invaluable, interactive textbook.

For beating rote recall into your head: Anki (your choice of deck, whether it's Zanki or Brosencephalon or Lightyear). I never used this, because I like many people hate doing flashcards. But, the people who do use it tend to love it.

Sketchy: This gets its own section because it's extremely unique. It's a visual memory palace that helps you memorize facts about bugs and drugs using a picture. SketchyMicro is the most beloved by far, I'd use this for sure during your micro unit. SketchyPharm gets mixed reviews, personally I enjoyed it because I refused to do flashcards. The other offerings (SketchyPath, the new Sketchy IM) are generally not well liked.

First aid: This is a review book to use as a reference, especially during dedicated. Wouldn't really spend much time with it prior to then unless you're just looking something up quickly.

Disagree about Kaplan, I'd actually say it's better than Rx at a good number of things. Anki is definitely a love/hate kinda thing, but I believe it is the number 1 thing responsible for my own score.

I have a more thorough review of all the resources I used in the guide in my sig!

 

[efle]

Disagree about Kaplan, I'd actually say it's better than Rx at a good number of things. Anki is definitely a love/hate kinda thing, but I believe it is the number 1 thing responsible for my own score.

I have a more thorough review of all the resources I used in the guide in my sig!

I find the people who love Kaplan are usually the 260+ folks who enjoy it for the occasional extraordinarily rare factoid.

People like myself that enter dedicated in the 210s and have to bust ass to reach the ~255 mark have to focus more on the higher yield material in UFAPS.

 

[FindersFee5]

I find the people who love Kaplan are usually the 260+ folks who enjoy it for the occasional extraordinarily rare factoid.

People like myself that enter dedicated in the 210s and have to bust ass to reach the ~255 mark have to focus more on the higher yield material in UFAPS.

The low yield stuff was actually annoying for me too. Where I feel like Kaplan shines are the physiology sections - Kaplan cardio, renal, and pulmonary physiology are actually on par with UWorld in question quality (although many of the explanations are not as good). A lot of kaplan questions teach critical thinking skills.

 

[libertyyne]

I find the people who love Kaplan are usually the 260+ folks who enjoy it for the occasional extraordinarily rare factoid.

People like myself that enter dedicated in the 210s and have to bust ass to reach the ~255 mark have to focus more on the higher yield material in UFAPS.

In the same vein rx should not be a consideration for high yield. The questions are poorly written. Better off focusing on ufaps at that point. And going through u world the right way is better than adding an additional qbank.

 

[efle]

The low yield stuff was actually annoying for me too. Where I feel like Kaplan shines are the physiology sections - Kaplan cardio, renal, and pulmonary physiology are actually on par with UWorld in question quality (although many of the explanations are not as good). A lot of kaplan questions teach critical thinking skills.

You know I actually felt the critical thinking skills was over-emphasized in Uworld though. The new NBMEs and the real thing were all straightforward you-know-it-or-you-don't questions, with rare exception.

In the same vein rx should not be a consideration for high yield. The questions are poorly written. Better off focusing on ufaps at that point. And going through u world the right way is better than adding an additional qbank.

Rx is just First Aid put into mediocre question format, it's the same company. All the studies have shown question volume is the best way to study, unfortunately for future students. Myself and a couple of my friends were able to get away with no anki and no additional question banks, but I think we're among the last cohorts that can comfortably break into 250s without any serious preparation before dedicated. Give it 2-3 more years and it's going to be mandatory to do all of either Brosen/Zanki and all of either Kaplan/Qmax during preclinical if you want a reliable 250+.

 

[Gilakend]

@efle
@libertyyne
Opinion on good q bank for M1? I'm at a 1 year preclinical school (2nd year is rotations) so I plan on doing a qbank along with my classes.

Currently between AMBOSS and Rx. Then doing the other during M2 to stay fresh.

 

[efle]

Amboss is trash imho. NBME questions will never hinge on the level of detail they write questions around.

Rx/Qmax would be my pick since it's basically First Aid in question format. If you're already doing First Aid via another tool (like a Zanki/Brosencephalon deck) then some people like Kaplan for being less overlap

 

[Lawpy]

Amboss is trash imho. NBME questions will never hinge on the level of detail they write questions around.

Rx/Qmax would be my pick since it's basically First Aid in question format. If you're already doing First Aid via another tool (like a Zanki/Brosencephalon deck) then some people like Kaplan for being less overlap

wait how is amboss for rotations?

 

[efle]

wait how is amboss for rotations?

Dunno I only checked it out briefly during a free trial promo they gave us of the step1 material.

 

[FindersFee5]

@efle
@libertyyne
Opinion on good q bank for M1? I'm at a 1 year preclinical school (2nd year is rotations) so I plan on doing a qbank along with my classes.

Currently between AMBOSS and Rx. Then doing the other during M2 to stay fresh.

I'd agree with efle that amboss is a terrible first question bank. Go kaplan or Rx.

 

[Gilakend]

I'd agree with efle that amboss is a terrible first question bank. Go kaplan or Rx.

I was mainly only considering AMBOSS due to the library and how easy it seemed to be to look things up.

Since I'm using Zanki, would you recommend Kaplan?

I've heard Rx > Kaplan, but seeing as Kaplan focuses more on small facts that might be better for M1 while saving the broader and better Rx for M2 when I'll probably use first aid much more to reference.

Thoughts?

 

[FindersFee5]

I was mainly only considering AMBOSS due to the library and how easy it seemed to be to look things up.

Since I'm using Zanki, would you recommend Kaplan?

I've heard Rx > Kaplan, but seeing as Kaplan focuses more on small facts that might be better for M1 while saving the broader and better Rx for M2 when I'll probably use first aid much more to reference.

Thoughts?

Amboss has a really good library, a nice system, and an alright interface, which they advertise very well. The problem is that their questions are trash.

So let me make sure I have this right - you're going to do your full preclinical curriculum in 1 year and 1 qbank along with it, then a second step 1 qbank in your second year while you're doing clinical rotations? When do you take step 1?

 

[Gilakend]

Amboss has a really good library, a nice system, and an alright interface, which they advertise very well. The problem is that their questions are trash.

So let me make sure I have this right - you're going to do your full preclinical curriculum in 1 year and 1 qbank along with it, then a second step 1 qbank in your second year while you're doing clinical rotations? When do you take step 1?

Your timeline is correct. I take step 1 after my second year (core clinical rotations). I'll either do the second one along with my rotations or back-load it leading up to dedicated just for more reps of questions (I learn best from practice questions so trying to get a lot in).

 

[Iz_FtB]

Currently doing uworld after having done 1000 or so amboss questions. At their best, the two are indistinguishable. Amboss tends to be more nitpicky and uneven, however. It is also noticeably more difficult. Still the best qbank next to uworld.

 

[FindersFee5]

Your timeline is correct. I take step 1 after my second year (core clinical rotations). I'll either do the second one along with my rotations or back-load it leading up to dedicated just for more reps of questions (I learn best from practice questions so trying to get a lot in).

I wouldn't worry about two Qbanks then. Do whichever out of kaplan/Rx you like more this year, do UWorld step 2 next year along with rotations, then do UWorld step 1 during dedicated period. Trying to do an extra qbank during your clinical rotations is a recipe for burnout

 

[Gilakend]

I wouldn't worry about two Qbanks then. Do whichever out of kaplan/Rx you like more this year, do UWorld step 2 next year along with rotations, then do UWorld step 1 during dedicated period. Trying to do an extra qbank during your clinical rotations is a recipe for burnout

Should I do UW step 2 even though I won't be taking step 2 for some time after my rotations? Do you think it would still be somewhat applicable to step 1? (sorry if this is a very M1 question to ask)

 

[FindersFee5]

Should I do UW step 2 even though I won't be taking step 2 for some time after my rotations? Do you think it would still be somewhat applicable to step 1? (sorry if this is a very M1 question to ask)

Do you not have to take shelf exams at the end of each of your clinical rotations? UWorld is 100% the best way to study for shelfs and I don't see how you could go without it. It will also definitely help you with step 1 studying.

 

[Gilakend]

Do you not have to take shelf exams at the end of each of your clinical rotations? UWorld is 100% the best way to study for shelfs and I don't see how you could go without it. It will also definitely help you with step 1 studying.

We do take shelf exams. So UWorld Step 2 while studying for the shelf exams would essentially be a pseudo step 1 qbank studying as well?

That's definitely good to hear! Thank you for the help, I really appreciate it.

Given that info: I'm assuming you'd still recommend Kaplan over Rx in general (I read your write up)?

 

[FindersFee5]

We do take shelf exams. So UWorld Step 2 while studying for the shelf exams would essentially be a pseudo step 1 qbank studying as well?

That's definitely good to hear! Thank you for the help, I really appreciate it.

Given that info: I'm assuming you'd still recommend Kaplan over Rx in general (I read your write up)?

Yes, probably. Try both (it's pretty easy to get free trials) and see what works better for you.

 

[sargon2123]

What do you all think of FC? I know it gets flak on here but I’ve already bought it. So far (in my M1 year), it seems decent as another resource to help make sense of harder topics (embryo, anatomy). I’m planning to use it secondarily to zanki.

 

[jurassicpark]

Step 1 made simple :

Memorize EVERY SINGLE WORD in First Aid. Burn those tables and graphs into your brain until you see them when you close your eyes!! Hell, just for good measure memorize the introduction.

UWORLD UWORLD UWORLD UWORLD. Swear to God, I thought Uworld was illegal at first since some of the questions were almost verbatim.