i make my own notes for each robbins chapter - would these be helpful to use?

[crys20]

---

Members don't see this ad.

2nd year, my mode of studying is to read Robbins and then note-take the entire chapter...It usually comes out to be 10-20 pages front and back, handwritten. It doesn't make it too much more concise than re-reading Robbins, but just reading does nothing for me, I need that active process and it helps me to organize the info to write it out, draw tables, arrows, etc. After I make my notes, I go through them again and again, highlighting and annotating them with stuff from class notes/lecture. This method has worked GREAT for 2nd year path tests. I was planning on using these notes to annotate review books. Do you guys think thats the best way to go, or would it be worthwhile to study off the notes themselves for the boards - they cover basically all of Robbins (I don't think I ever lost a point due to re-reading my notes and essentially only reading each Robbins chapter twice - once initially and once again while writing the notes out).

Thanks for any insight!! 🙂

 

[Law2Doc]

2nd year, my mode of studying is to read Robbins and then note-take the entire chapter...It usually comes out to be 10-20 pages front and back, handwritten. It doesn't make it too much more concise than re-reading Robbins, but just reading does nothing for me, I need that active process and it helps me to organize the info to write it out, draw tables, arrows, etc. After I make my notes, I go through them again and again, highlighting and annotating them with stuff from class notes/lecture. This method has worked GREAT for 2nd year path tests. I was planning on using these notes to annotate review books. Do you guys think thats the best way to go, or would it be worthwhile to study off the notes themselves for the boards - they cover basically all of Robbins (I don't think I ever lost a point due to re-reading my notes and essentially only reading each Robbins chapter twice - once initially and once again while writing the notes out).

Thanks for any insight!! 🙂

While your med school learning will serve you well on the boards, the textbooks, and notes derived from those usually don't. The point of board review is to focus on high yield stuff. Robbins covers all yields, and so too do notes derived from that resource. So lose it. Take notes from a smaller, more targeted board review resource.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

While your med school learning will serve you well on the boards, the textbooks, and notes derived from those usually don't. The point of board review is to focus on high yield stuff. Robbins covers all yields, and so too do notes derived from that resource. So lose it. Take notes from a smaller, more targeted board review resource.

I second this.

 

[AlbertConstable]

I took notes on Robbins in a similar fashion during 2nd year and it was a great way to learn pathology. It will prepare you well for when it comes time to review for boards studying but I wouldn't use the notes themselves when you are actually studying for the boards because it is not as high yield. Instead, focus on the review sources as everyone else has mentioned and refer back to Robbins for clarification if necessary.

 

[crys20]

many thanks - i figured that but wanted to be sure!

 

[lord_jeebus]

Yeah, I loved Big Robbins but I didn't have any questions on the material that was only in it and not in a review book.

I did have one question about a very rare disease that I could only find in Big Robbins, but it tested a fact too obscure for even the big book to mention.

 

[mm3781]

Learning your pathology very well during second year will serve you very well on Step 1. I made my own notes from each Robbins chapter just as you are doing, but I would recommend perhaps annotating a BRS path book from your notes on some important things that BRS leaves out. That said, I also used big Robbins a few times while studying for Step1. I am not saying this is the way for everyone, but the more depth of knowledge and understanding you have (understanding is key), the better you will do. So, in short I'd say know Robbins as best you can through 2nd year and make your own notes, but when it is Step1 study time I would use BRS and robbins question book but keep big robbins nearby just for reference when the review books don't give a good enough explanation.