How to use First Aid, EXACTLY

[ugm12]

Hello. I am a doctor in the UK, currently studying for USMLE step 1, and would like to know how people on this forum use the First Aid book??

I am learning the step 1 material from sources like pathoma, costanzo phys, sketchymedical and kaplan, but I have not figured out EXACTLY how to use the First Aid book. My test is not until next year.

I am aware the book is essentially a syllabus. A list of facts/concepts that have appeared on students' tests over the years.
The First Aid authors have recommended using the book as an "annotation hub", but simply writing information from other resources into this book doesn't strike me as an efficient way of learning.

So, how do you use first aid, exactly, when studying step 1 material for the first time?

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[Nephronlearner]

Judging by what people on this forum say, everyone uses it differently. Personally I never read the entire book.
I first used it to get through Usmle Rx -> basically doing questions and then looking them up in FA. In hindsight, I am not sure how helpful that was.
After that and once my NBME was well above the passing range, I got UW. From then on I just did random UW blocks (1-2 blocks a day) and for each question I would open the appropriate page in FA, read and annotate.
During my second half of UW, I already had a pretty good idea of my weakest areas and then I would occasionally go to those pages and just use them to memorise something (eg, antibodies, nerves, neurocutaneous syndromes, etc).
I never actually read the entire chapters. I think UW is far more relevant for the exam than FA and I only used FA as a reference.

 

[ugm12]

Thank you for your helpful reply. I have also heard people recommend using it as a reference book, which is how I have used it so far. I suppose making some notes from U-world in there is a good way of keeping that information for revision.
I am currently trying to figure out a good, efficient way to use FA whilst doing my "first pass" of the material. Particularly considering I'm expected to know the entire contents of FA come exam day.

Any other comments hugely appreciated.

 

[sunshinefl]

Thank you for your helpful reply. I have also heard people recommend using it as a reference book, which is how I have used it so far. I suppose making some notes from U-world in there is a good way of keeping that information for revision.
I am currently trying to figure out a good, efficient way to use FA whilst doing my "first pass" of the material. Particularly considering I'm expected to know the entire contents of FA come exam day.

Any other comments hugely appreciated.

One month into M2 and I also currently use it as a reference during first pass. While going through class material I check the associated topics to 1-figure out the high yield facts/what differentiates it and 2-cover information absent from my class.

Not sure how else I will use it in the future during dedicated studying.

 

[alprazoslam]

Pretty much it’s just a book of facts to memorize and answer questions with the info in it. Covers most of what’s in usmle. Not sure that there was a way to use it besides either memorizing it or using as a reference while doing questions

 

[ASGD1983]

Hello. I am a doctor in the UK, currently studying for USMLE step 1, and would like to know how people on this forum use the First Aid book??

I am learning the step 1 material from sources like pathoma, costanzo phys, sketchymedical and kaplan, but I have not figured out EXACTLY how to use the First Aid book. My test is not until next year.

I am aware the book is essentially a syllabus. A list of facts/concepts that have appeared on students' tests over the years.
The First Aid authors have recommended using the book as an "annotation hub", but simply writing information from other resources into this book doesn't strike me as an efficient way of learning.

So, how do you use first aid, exactly, when studying step 1 material for the first time?

I have to agree with poster above. FA is just a book with 620 pages of material. Don't over-complicate it. Just read it bit by bit and once you are done - read it again. Second pass will go much faster and you'll start to memorize details a lot better. In your case, since you have 1 year - you can easily read it 3 times and basically be done with it. Most of students only read it twice.
Just start reading it from the first chapter - Biochem. You don't have to memorize details on the first pass, but more like get to know what it is about. You'll know that there are several pathways in Biochem related to diseases that you will see on step1 exam. You'll get to know concepts. On the second pass you can memorize details - like which enzyme is exactly deficient in each disease and such. 3rd pass will give you even more details - that should be enough to score high (given that you also use other materials UW, Pathoma...). There is no special way to use FA - just read it several times and be done.