GT or FA or both for COMLEX (Step 1)

[premedmind]

I am still debating on whether or not to take the USMLE for Step 1. I feel like I would do relatively better on the COMLEX so I might just stick with only taking the COMLEX.

My original study plan had incorporated FA (with at least making two passes through it spread out over several months) but this past summer I've been doing GT up till now and am only a little over 20% banked. I really like GT and feel like I'm learning a lot. The repetitive style of it is the way I learn the best, whereas in FA you read something and it could be forgotten when you move onto the next section.

My question is how would I intelligently go about using both GT and FA as using both would obviously be a bit repetitive, but I don't really see me completely neglecting either resource at the same time.

One idea I'm considering is using U-world to annotate FA when I do those questions, while using GT as my primary study method. I could then drop GT completely when I'm fully or close to 100% banked and do a pass or two through FA as I get closer to boards in the last couple of months to really cement it. I'd be using Pathoma, DIT, Goljan, and Kaplan to supplement weak areas, although that may be pushing it terms of too many resources.

Any advice/suggestions? I know some people are in this same situation...

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[cage92]

really i have the same question but i think its good combination gt+first aid

 

[MrBeauregard]

My suggestions.

1. Take the USMLE. This is essentially non-negotiable.

2. UWorld
3. FA
4. Goljan/Pathoma
5. Whatever other sources you need for clarification

In the end, it really doesn't matter how you do it. Every person has a different approach. People say to do UWorld random, timed in order to simulate exam day and use your first-pass percentage as a predictor. I did UWorld by systems and untimed so that it was primarily a learning tool (and less of an assessment tool). Definitely take a few NBMEs and UWSAs closer to exam time, but not within a week of your date.

If you feel like GT works for you, then do it as the year progresses. I would recommend buying a question bank (Kaplan or USMLERx) for use throughout the year. Again, you can use this to test yourself before a school exam, or, like me, you can use it to keep prior concepts fresh in your mind instead of using it for school exams.

Set a goal for yourself. Figure out which sources you mesh with. Use those. Study harder than you've ever studied before because a solid score is so worth the effort.

 

[premedmind]

My suggestions.

1. Take the USMLE. This is essentially non-negotiable.

2. UWorld
3. FA
4. Goljan/Pathoma
5. Whatever other sources you need for clarification

In the end, it really doesn't matter how you do it. Every person has a different approach. People say to do UWorld random, timed in order to simulate exam day and use your first-pass percentage as a predictor. I did UWorld by systems and untimed so that it was primarily a learning tool (and less of an assessment tool). Definitely take a few NBMEs and UWSAs closer to exam time, but not within a week of your date.

If you feel like GT works for you, then do it as the year progresses. I would recommend buying a question bank (Kaplan or USMLERx) for use throughout the year. Again, you can use this to test yourself before a school exam, or, like me, you can use it to keep prior concepts fresh in your mind instead of using it for school exams.

Set a goal for yourself. Figure out which sources you mesh with. Use those. Study harder than you've ever studied before because a solid score is so worth the effort.

Thank you for the advice. I am definitely looking to buy a q-bank now, to go along with GT and my coursework on a day to day basis. The question is between Kaplan and Rx, I've heard Kaplan is more minutiae oriented but Rx is more 1st order like but takes things straight from FA.

I feel like Rx MIGHT be better since I'm pretty far out from right now (6-7mos) and a 1st order style bank would hammer basic facts down better than a more detailed q-bank. Also since Rx parallels FA it would make going through and annotating FA that much easier. Any opinions on which goes better with coursework and GT? Also what about COMLEX q-banks? I'm looking to buy COMQUEST but should I hold out on that q-bank till much later on?

 

[MrBeauregard]

I can't really comment on USMLERx, as I didn't do it. I did Kaplan throughout the year (but again, I used it to review prior systems, not to help me learn whatever system we were currently studying). Kaplan is definitely detailed, and I'm not sure how much it really helped me on exam day aside from giving me ~2,800 (adding in doing my incorrects again) fresh questions to practice with. I honestly feel that doing USMLERx vs. Kaplan won't make that large of a difference. I think the prime utility of those two banks is to gain experience answering USMLE-style questions. UWorld is where the money's at.

I also didn't do any COMLEX specific question banks and did quite well. Others have said they are necessary in order to practice with the COMLEX-style questions, so I'm not the best to comment here. I felt that, for myself, if I knew the material well enough it didn't matter how the question was asked; I should be able to answer it.