How to balance Basic science vs Step 1 Study

[Qester]

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Hello everyone!

I hope everyone's studying is going well for the step. I decided to post here rather than in the Allopathic forum as I felt that my subject pertains more to what people who have insight to the step/studying for the step would recommend rather than others without this experience.

As I am going through the basic science curriculum I am performing very well in all my courses. I feel like I am understanding the major concepts and retaining much of it. However the one thing I find lacking in my study schedule is time to fit in to prep/study for the step. Although I am only in semester two I have had many recommendations about starting a qbank/annotating first aid etc as I go through my courses.

I feel however that as I am tight on time it is near impossible to do everything. What did you guys find effective? Did you learn less form lecture notes in favour of learning more from other sources? Did you annotate along with all your classes? Classes in second year on? How did you guys balance the need to perform well in the curriculum but also ensure that you are doing the necessary legwork so that when it comes time to buckle down and study for the step you are not being exposed to resources for the first time?

Thanks!

 

[mcloaf]

What kind of schedule are your preclinical years? If you're a 2nd semester M1 in a full 2 year preclinical curriculum there's zero need for you to be doing qbanks at this point. You could read FA along with classes but it's mostly second year stuff so it's unlikely to help much. Certainly don't annotate stuff from M1 year into anything.

 

[BDUS]

I didn't pick up Step 1 studying really until few months before the exam but I guess looking back it wouldn't hurt to pick up a First Aid book to familiarize myself with it. If I recall a lot of the step 1 was pathology/pathophys and if you haven't gone through the basic science courses it is difficult to tackle the pathology if you don't know the normal physiology.

 

[Qester]

Ah thanks guys for your replies!

@mcloaf
I am in a full 2 year preclinical curriculum. Some have mentioned that it would not be a bad idea to be annotating things from lectures currently (biochem/physio/epi etc..) into our first aid. Others have suggested to start a Qbank now, and to do questions related to the topics we are currently covering so that we are both studying for class and the step.

@BDUS
Right, obviously I am not look at reading ahead and trying to tackle courses and subjects I have not been instructed in yet, rather I wasn't sure if I should be devoting some of my time to say annotate Cardio notes, into the cardio physio section, or do say Rx now to learn some, but save UW for later.

 

[BDUS]

If you have time go ahead and do it. Doing a little is better than not doing it I guess if it doesn't get in the way of your current course work or life.

 

[mcloaf]

Ah thanks guys for your replies!

@mcloaf
I am in a full 2 year preclinical curriculum. Some have mentioned that it would not be a bad idea to be annotating things from lectures currently (biochem/physio/epi etc..) into our first aid. Others have suggested to start a Qbank now, and to do questions related to the topics we are currently covering so that we are both studying for class and the step.

I guess my question wasn't exactly what I meant, which is are you guys covering pharm/path during M1 or just physio and anatomy etc? If the answer is just the classical M1 phys type stuff, then there's really not anything you should be annotating. Most of what you cover during M1 is relatively low yield in the long run and the important stuff will get covered again as you need it to understand pathophysiology and pharmacology during M2. Another thing to keep in mind is that class materials aren't where you should be getting annotations from, instead these should come from boards-focused resources like qbanks and pathoma---which you'll be using as an M2. Furthermore you don't really stand to get much out of doing qbanks during M1 since most of the material in them is pharm and path.

I take boards in a couple of months so obviously none of what I say is set in stone, I'm just passing along general SDN consensus and what my experience has been during the first two years. As an M1 it's really hard to get a sense of what's important and what's not.

 

[Qester]

I guess my question wasn't exactly what I meant, which is are you guys covering pharm/path during M1 or just physio and anatomy etc? If the answer is just the classical M1 phys type stuff, then there's really not anything you should be annotating. Most of what you cover during M1 is relatively low yield in the long run and the important stuff will get covered again as you need it to understand pathophysiology and pharmacology during M2. Another thing to keep in mind is that class materials aren't where you should be getting annotations from, instead these should come from boards-focused resources like qbanks and pathoma---which you'll be using as an M2. Furthermore you don't really stand to get much out of doing qbanks during M1 since most of the material in them is pharm and path.

I take boards in a couple of months so obviously none of what I say is set in stone, I'm just passing along general SDN consensus and what my experience has been during the first two years. As an M1 it's really hard to get a sense of what's important and what's not.

Ah very insightful!

To answer your question more specifically we do a fairly classic approach with anatomy/histology/biochem etc... As well as we are doing physiology, genetics, epidemiology in M1

 

[PL198]

annotating anything from classes into FA is a complete joke. that's the easiest way to clutter up your FA and add low-yield stuff. maybe if you wanted to buy 2 copies, and use 1 for an outline of class stuff and another for actual boards?

I just LOL though when I see classmates annotating lectures into FA. that defeats the entire purpose of having a barebones HY resource. only thing that goes in my FA is pictures and uworld and maybe a concept if I really struggle with understanding it.

 

[Qester]

annotating anything from classes into FA is a complete joke. that's the easiest way to clutter up your FA and add low-yield stuff. maybe if you wanted to buy 2 copies, and use 1 for an outline of class stuff and another for actual boards?

I just LOL though when I see classmates annotating lectures into FA. that defeats the entire purpose of having a barebones HY resource. only thing that goes in my FA is pictures and uworld and maybe a concept if I really struggle with understanding it.

Thanks for the insight, I didn't think it would be too efficient trying to annotate everything. I'm using FA2013, right now and will buy the newest one in my final semester for the updates. Thanks for the insight