Is FA biochemistry section enough?

Your USMLE Scores Increased, Guaranteed!
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Sort by date Sort by votes
jdmd1student said:
I was wondering, can I do well in the biochemistry section studying only from FA?
Click to expand...

I feel like it would be based on Rx / UW questions. One, raw biochem isn't terribly high yield as far as I understand it. Two, the biggies that are likely to appear on Step -- lysosomal storage diseases, glycogen storage diseases, I-cell, organ system-specific bits of biochem -- are covered in FA pretty adequately.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
exi said:
I feel like it would be based on Rx / UW questions. One, raw biochem isn't terribly high yield as far as I understand it. Two, the biggies that are likely to appear on Step -- lysosomal storage diseases, glycogen storage diseases, I-cell, organ system-specific bits of biochem -- are covered in FA pretty adequately.
Click to expand...

Thank you, exi. Then I will go with FA for the basic sciences, FA, Rx and UW.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
jdmd1student said:
Thank you, exi. Then I will go with FA for the basic sciences, FA, Rx and UW.
Click to expand...

Anytime. Full disclaimer: I take Step next month, so others who are further along than us may have a different opinion. But even though I'm pretty weak in anything beyond the usual biochem-related diseases, I wasn't planning on supplementing with anything. 🙂
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I feel like I've learned a ton of biochem from doing Uworld questions, much more so than what I got out of FA.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Azadre said:
Fun fact - You will never see a single UWorld question on your actual exam. Both a blessing and a curse.
Click to expand...

True, but they ask very similar topics and if the NBMEs (especially the acclaimed ones) are any indication, I actually think UW is harder on an average. I agree about the blessing and curse thing though.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I used the Kaplan vids for biochem (Turco or something) and I thought that was helpful. Otherwise I also actually thought UW was very helpful.

Some of the Kaplan qbank questions are also pretty good for biochem, but some of them are also off the wall, though I guess that could be said about anything biochem (or Kaplan) related.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Azadre said:
Fun fact - You will never see a single UWorld question on your actual exam. Both a blessing and a curse.
Click to expand...

Fun fact - that isn't the point. I'm picking up on details about things that I've either overlooked or never really learned in the first place. Its about getting ideas about why things happen and how **** is put together, seeing different ways to word various topics, and getting challenged. The questions are intelligently written and make you think through what you've learned; they aren't a direct repeat of FA like USMLERx, and they aren't full of needless garbage like kalpan.

No I don't believe that I bought 2000 actual USMLE questions, otherwise I probably would have been charged more for it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I can't stand some of the Biochem questions in UWorld. I had a Gibbs standard free energy problem followed by some crazy question of tRNA. Very discouraging, but hopeful I don't run into this on the real deal!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
silverpaw54 said:
I can't stand some of the Biochem questions in UWorld. I had a Gibbs standard free energy problem followed by some crazy question of tRNA. Very discouraging, but hopeful I don't run into this on the real deal!
Click to expand...

I had a question talking about pKas at different pHs a little earlier. Who cares?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
engineeredout said:
Fun fact - that isn't the point. I'm picking up on details about things that I've either overlooked or never really learned in the first place. Its about getting ideas about why things happen and how **** is put together, seeing different ways to word various topics, and getting challenged. The questions are intelligently written and make you think through what you've learned; they aren't a direct repeat of FA like USMLERx, and they aren't full of needless garbage like kalpan.

No I don't believe that I bought 2000 actual USMLE questions, otherwise I probably would have been charged more for it.
Click to expand...

Fun fact - Penguins have a supraorbital gland that allows them to drink salt water because it helps them filter the excess salt from their blood!

(I don't think you guys know what "fun" means! 😛 )

That is the accepted wisdom about practice questions. (at least anyone I talk to) It obviously isn't about knowing answers to specific questions. It is about having a reward/punishment system to smack you on the nose or give you a treat. (thus enforcing the correct connections and taking down bad ones) It works for training dogs and it works for training medical students!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
silverpaw54 said:
I can't stand some of the Biochem questions in UWorld. I had a Gibbs standard free energy problem followed by some crazy question of tRNA. Very discouraging, but hopeful I don't run into this on the real deal!
Click to expand...

I've heard of people getting Gibbs free energy questions on the real deal. It's basic chemistry though, as long as you remember negative = spontaneous, positive = nonspontaneous, you should be fine.

The tRNA questions and the ones about the titration of amino acids were a little bizarre to ask but in theory they could expect you to know (for purposes of understanding buffering etc). Yes it's a dick question though. Otherwise though I actually thought the majority of UW questions are fairly good for biochem.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I read in another thread that the molecular section from FA is not enough. Should I supplement this sections w/ HY or kaplan?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I used Vijay's Underground Guide to Biochemistry as the main text for my medical school biochemistry course as well as preparation for the step 1. I highly recommend this book as a primary source for learning biochemistry and metabolic diseases. The information is logically laid out and contains all the information you'll need (or want) to know. After reading this book, you'll feel as though you have mastered biochemistry, and be very well prepared for your course and board exams!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Haha - no. I'm a third year at Yale who just took my boards. It was a really useful book, so I thought I would pass it along. Hope you guys find it useful too!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
silverpaw54 said:
I can't stand some of the Biochem questions in UWorld. I had a Gibbs standard free energy problem followed by some crazy question of tRNA. Very discouraging, but hopeful I don't run into this on the real deal!
Click to expand...

GFE has showed up on the real deal. It's a really easy concept, just learn it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
97% chance according to CBSSA, good enough buffer?
Replies
1
Views
5K
Premier Review
Premier Review
Anti_Markovnikov
USMLE Exam is in 6 days, should I push back?
Replies
5
Views
14K
LIFS7
LIFS7
F
  • Locked
Looking Up in FA When Reviewing Block
Replies
0
Views
1K
Freddy1
F
F
Is my Uworld reviewing OK?
Replies
0
Views
2K
Freddy1
F
Dr.Dees
USMLE Starting Medical School in the Fall
Replies
0
Views
852
Dr.Dees
Dr.Dees
Top