how helpful is kaplan

[sustentaculum]

how helpful are the kaplan step 1 course and course materials. i want to get the lecture notes (set of 8 books) on ebay and am wondering if anyone who did really well on the step 1 would recommend them. if not, what books/materials should i stick with? also, i just finished ms1 and think i want to start studying this summer so that i can take the test early so that i can go on a vacation overseas. is it a good idea to start this early? i figure i would have a load of other stuff to learn during ms2.

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[kryptik]

kaplan lecture notes are awesome and a very good supplemental for course work if you can find the time, i used them extensively during 1st and 2nd year, but not so much during my dedicated board study.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

I think Kaplan is great. I actually preferred MedEssentials (got it free with my QBank subscription) to FA, but there was no way that I wasn't going to use FA. However, I would suggest using both in a complementary way, if you can swing it. I thought the Kaplan QBank was also good and I learned a lot from it (I did it before UW.)

I don't know about the more expensive lecture note series.

Kaplan gets bashed a lot around here, and I'm not completely sure why. It might not be the BEST prep material, but it's definitely useful, IMHO.

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

how helpful are the kaplan step 1 course and course materials. i want to get the lecture notes (set of 8 books) on ebay and am wondering if anyone who did really well on the step 1 would recommend them. if not, what books/materials should i stick with? also, i just finished ms1 and think i want to start studying this summer so that i can take the test early so that i can go on a vacation overseas. is it a good idea to start this early? i figure i would have a load of other stuff to learn during ms2.

I used the Kaplan lecture notes and videos. I actually bought them a year ago and used them along with my coursework because they take so long to get through if you want to watch all the videos. Frankly, there is no way you can get through all the Kaplan lecture notes (6 big books) in the week before your exam, so what I did was annotate anything notable or high yield into first aid. I found the Kaplan videos very useful for the most part. I would definitely recommend it but only IF you have the time to watch them.
In my opinion, and I'm sure many others would agree, these 2 books are much more essential for the USMLE Step 1:
1. First Aid http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071633405?...BHRK844KFN8XJ&&
2. Rapid Review Pathology http://www.amazon.com/dp/0323068626?...CC06J2E10AANQ2&

Check out the thread started yesterday about the books you need to score really high:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=9813361&postcount=12

 

[Captopril]

In my opinion, and I'm sure many others would agree, these 2 books are much more essential for the USMLE Step 1:
1. First Aid http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071633405?...BHRK844KFN8XJ&&
2. Rapid Review Pathology http://www.amazon.com/dp/0323068626?...CC06J2E10AANQ2&
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=9813361&postcount=12

Couldn't agree more. I took the Kaplan course (I think it was 8 weeks) last year. Cost me an arm and a leg, and quite honestly it didn't provide me with much. I ended up relying on the books IMGUSMLEStep1 has listed moreso than the Kaplan series/lectures. The only Kaplan materials I think were helpful were the diagrams in the Biochemistry book, the Neuroanatomy section of the Anatomy book, and the Introduction chapters of Bacteriology in the Microbiology book. Even these could be covered with FA and RR though, but I figured since I had the Kaplan series I might as well use them a bit.

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

Couldn't agree more. I took the Kaplan course (I think it was 8 weeks) last year. Cost me an arm and a leg, and quite honestly it didn't provide me with much. I ended up relying on the books IMGUSMLEStep1 has listed moreso than the Kaplan series/lectures. The only Kaplan materials I think were helpful were the diagrams in the Biochemistry book, the Neuroanatomy section of the Anatomy book, and the Introduction chapters of Bacteriology in the Microbiology book. Even these could be covered with FA and RR though, but I figured since I had the Kaplan series I might as well use them a bit.

Yea, I agree for me the best part about Kaplan was some of the biochem diagrams.

 

[greg1184]

Books I used are the Immunology, Biochemistry and Pharm Book. By far the best book is the Biochemistry book, including the Medical Genetics section.

 

[bbydoc]

Books I used are the Immunology, Biochemistry and Pharm Book. By far the best book is the Biochemistry book, including the Medical Genetics section.

I second that...physiology wasnt that good but the above mentioned are great and very complete for the boards as in you can be sure you wont miss anything.

 

[radiodoc99]

Very helpful. Not only do you get excellent notes and questions, you stay on track and completing it will help in some way