How much study time after the end of Year 2 for Step 1?

[Dodge This]

I have to schedule Step 1 for the summertime and I'm not sure when exactly I should do it. I've heard that people usually do a month of dedicated studying after the end of Year 2. However, my school has 7 weeks of "integrated cases" which is supposed to be review and preparation for the boards, and we will have a week of comprehensive exams covering the first two years. This is the first time my school is doing this, so upperclassmen don't have much advice on the subject.

Can people please share their approaches to planning for Step 1?

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[doepug]

If you can put off Step 1, do it.

I'm lucky that my school doesn't require the USMLE. I took 7 months of rotations before Step 1, and this was a big help. As everyone knows, the USMLE has more and more clinical scenarios, and these questions will be much easier for you if you have a few major rotations (e.g. medicine, peds) under your belt.

That being said, I'm a third year student, and I just took Step 1 on 12/31.

doepug

 

[southerndoc]

Originally posted by doepug
I'm lucky that my school doesn't require the USMLE.

I envy you guys. My school required us to pass Step I before we could be advanced to our third year. We're required to pass Step II before we can graduate.

 

[Dodge This]

Originally posted by doepug
If you can put off Step 1, do it.

Not an option. Passing is required before we can start clerkships.

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by Dodge This
Not an option. Passing is required before we can start clerkships.

Either way, I would NOT put step 1 off much after second year, as that is when you are must full of useless facts.

I took just shy under a month after classes ended to study for step 1, allowing myself some true vacation time before clerkships actually started (about 2 weeks). I scored in the 240s.

My studying consisted of memorizing first aid ad naseum and also going over BRS path heavily. I also read BRS physiology and annotated First Aid with notes from it. I did all of the QBank practice questions (or close to it). Secondarily, I skimmed high yield neuro (all) and high yield embryo (heart/GI chapters).

I consider myself a run of the mill med student, so unless you're two SDs gifted or two SDs slow, a similar set up would probably do you well.

mike