How to study for Step 1 with a systems based curriculum?

[BeTheBallDanny]

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So I did a search but there didn't seem to be a lot of recent relevant info on this question. I am an incoming M1 and am trying to understand how to approach my general strategy for classes/boards. Correct me if I am wrong but traditionally, the curriculum would be all the normal anatomy/physiology/histology etc... in M1 and then the pathology M2. My school (this is the first year of the new curriculum so I won't really be able to ask upperclassmen) starts with a short intro unit then moves into systems including their anatomy/physiology/histology and pathology right away. So I could potentially not have seen the pathology for say Cardio for over a year before Step 1. I want to emphasize that I do not profess to fully understand what is tested on Step 1 but the impression I have gotten from my research is that it has a heavy emphasis on pathology so it is a bit concerning I won't have seen this for multiple systems for a year. Any advice or explanation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

 

[LyMed]

I always recommend students to just buy the latest First Aid and link it with their lectures. Find whatever pages of FA is taught that day. There may be something in FA that lectures don't cover - in that case just google/wiki/youtube that subject and fill it in.

 

[UGA Non Trad]

Currently in a system based curriculum, 1 week away from taking Step 1. Below is my opinion, but remember you need to do whatever works for you.

The answer you are looking for is this: Anki

Seriously, do it. I wish I had discovered it sooner. What worked best for me 2nd year was to take the first day of a block and watch all of the B&B for said subject. I would follow that with reading/ppts for the block. Finally, during the last few weeks I would do all of the Bros Anki deck, keeping up with reviews. B&B helped me get the "big picture", followed by the foundation of coursework, and then drove home the "high yield" points with Anki.

That being said Anki is a lot of work. I have over 120K reviews and put in around 2-2.5 hrs a day. This works for me as I have the long term memory of a goldfish and all of my practice NBMEs have been strong scores.

 

[BeTheBallDanny]

Currently in a system based curriculum, 1 week away from taking Step 1. Below is my opinion, but remember you need to do whatever works for you.

The answer you are looking for is this: Anki

Seriously, do it. I wish I had discovered it sooner. What worked best for me 2nd year was to take the first day of a block and watch all of the B&B for said subject. I would follow that with reading/ppts for the block. Finally, during the last few weeks I would do all of the Bros Anki deck, keeping up with reviews. B&B helped me get the "big picture", followed by the foundation of coursework, and then drove home the "high yield" points with Anki.

That being said Anki is a lot of work. I have over 120K reviews and put in around 2-2.5 hrs a day. This works for me as I have the long term memory of a goldfish and all of my practice NBMEs have been strong scores.

So how did you keep all that work from atrophying over time? Do you just learn it well enough the first time that during your dedicated study time you could review it and it came back to you quickly?

 

[68PGunner]

So how did you keep all that work from atrophying over time? Do you just learn it well enough the first time that during your dedicated study time you could review it and it came back to you quickly?

It's called adjusting the settings to reviewing 10% of your total learned flashcards per day. This 10% will eventually go down as the learned cards begin to have 1-3 months for spaced rep.

 

[OnePunchBiopsy]

Review the corresponding organ systems in FA and Pathoma along with your coursework, while at the same time doing a question bank to keep track of your weakest topics.

For weak topics, supplement then with something like pharmcards (if weak in pharm) or sketchy micro (if you're missing lots of micro questions). Save UWORLD as your final question bank. Good beginner qbanks include Kaplan or USMLE Rx.

 

[UGA Non Trad]

So how did you keep all that work from atrophying over time? Do you just learn it well enough the first time that during your dedicated study time you could review it and it came back to you quickly?

It's called adjusting the settings to reviewing 10% of your total learned flashcards per day. This 10% will eventually go down as the learned cards begin to have 1-3 months for spaced rep.

The core concept of Anki is spaced repetition. You'll see the cards you are not as familiar with more frequently, and cards you are familiar with you will not see as often. So in theory, and as long as you keep up with your reviews, your knowledge will not "atrophy".

Also as mentioned above, you should adjust the number of new and reviewed cards to whatever works for you. I have mine setup for a max of 100 new and 1000 review cards a day and I get done as much as I can. There's definitely a learning curve to it, but if you can swallow doing 4-800 flashcards a day its a great way to retain material.

 

[Low Flow]

Our curriculum is the same format. I really liked it, because we got a taste of medicine/pathology early, rather than having to suffer through a full year of exclusively anatomy and physiology. Don't worry about having cardio early though (our first system was MSK, then cardio). The important tie-ins will continually be emphasized throughout the rest of the systems, and the rest will come back quickly if you learn it well the first time (key words: learn it well the first time).

I focused exclusively on the system I was in at the time. Watched Pathoma before looking at school path lectures to get a bird's eye view of the material (and have it explained to you in a phenomenal manner). Watched Sketchy if there were pharm/micro lectures. (I always loved doing Sketchy/Pathoma before school lectures; it allowed me to pick out the important details much easier). Then studied school stuff. Then read Robbins if I wanted more details. Made Anki cards as I needed them. Studied them daily. Took the exams and did well, then didn't touch the Anki cards for that system/exam again. I think it would be excessive to continue doing cards for a system you're not in, but that's just me. Towards the end of a system I would do the relevant board questions out of the Kaplan qbank. Rinse/repeat for each system until about December-February of 2nd year, which is when you can start worrying about boards (starting a 2nd qbank like USMLE Rx).

Focus on doing well in classes and completing the board questions from Kaplan for the system you're in. Beyond that, don't worry about boards until 4th semester. It will all be fine (source: someone a few days away from step 1).

 

[aprilfools]

B&B helped me get the "big picture"

Incoming M1 as well so still familiarizing myself with everything. What actually is B&B?

 

[Low Flow]

Incoming M1 as well so still familiarizing myself with everything. What actually is B&B?

Boards and beyond

 

[Blob229]

Our curriculum is the same format. I really liked it, because we got a taste of medicine/pathology early, rather than having to suffer through a full year of exclusively anatomy and physiology. Don't worry about having cardio early though (our first system was MSK, then cardio). The important tie-ins will continually be emphasized throughout the rest of the systems, and the rest will come back quickly if you learn it well the first time (key words: learn it well the first time).

I focused exclusively on the system I was in at the time. Watched Pathoma before looking at school path lectures to get a bird's eye view of the material (and have it explained to you in a phenomenal manner). Watched Sketchy if there were pharm/micro lectures. (I always loved doing Sketchy/Pathoma before school lectures; it allowed me to pick out the important details much easier). Then studied school stuff. Then read Robbins if I wanted more details. Made Anki cards as I needed them. Studied them daily. Took the exams and did well, then didn't touch the Anki cards for that system/exam again. I think it would be excessive to continue doing cards for a system you're not in, but that's just me. Towards the end of a system I would do the relevant board questions out of the Kaplan qbank. Rinse/repeat for each system until about December-February of 2nd year, which is when you can start worrying about boards (starting a 2nd qbank like USMLE Rx).

Focus on doing well in classes and completing the board questions from Kaplan for the system you're in. Beyond that, don't worry about boards until 4th semester. It will all be fine (source: someone a few days away from step 1).

I agree with learning material well the first time. That's the best thing you can do. But one of anki's greatest strengths is the spaced repetition component. The work to keep up with old cards decreases the longer you keep up with their reviews. If you keep doing cards for old systems, you'll have less to truly relearn come step 1 prep.

Just my two cents.

 

[BeTheBallDanny]

So would something like this potentially work or would it kill me and my wallet?

First day or two of a system watch the B&B videos, then during the block study using lectures and class PP and follow along in FA. For a pathology lecture preview with Pathoma and follow up by reading Goljan's, for a micro or pharm lecture watch sketchy first for an introduction, then the last two weeks or so before an assessment week do Anki and a question bank like Kaplan or USMLE-Rx. Each system is about 7-8 weeks long.