Is Kaplan & Goljan Videos & Lectures A waste of time?

[coreytayloris]

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Just started my USMLE Prep (in conjunction with finishing out second year)

I've basically just been watching the Kaplan Videos so far and listening to some Goljan audio

anyways another guy in my class who is also studying for the exam told me the videos and tapes are a waste of time, that I should just start into the question banks, and that I would learn more from doing questions and studying the answers to them?

I guess I can see his point in some regards, I spent yesterday doing cardiac physiology videos, he spent it doing qbank questions, I guess by the end of the day he probably had learnt more information that I did?!

😕

 

[Phlame217]

First Aid + Question Banks should be your foundation.

Kaplan is a waste of time in my opinion. Goljan should be used to supplement and cement things.

 

[sineapse]

Depends what you are going for and how much time you have. I couldn't spare the time to do the whole Kaplan set and went with UWorld, FA, a few BRS and HY and was pleased with that.

 

[Robot Skeleton]

depends...how much time do you have left? certain topic areas are definitely helpful from kaplan, but it only makes sense if you've got a few months left.

 

[ArcGurren]

Some of the Kaplan videos are really good (esp pharm) and some are not.

Goljan... again, I personally have a minority view but I do NOT think they're an absolute necessity. The audios are somewhat dated now and while he does teach some things well, very few of the things he said would "definitely" come up on my exam actually did. And this seems to be a reasonably common experience.

 

[Bernoull]

Some of the Kaplan videos are really good (esp pharm) and some are not.

Goljan... again, I personally have a minority view but I do NOT think they're an absolute necessity. The audios are somewhat dated now and while he does teach some things well, very few of the things he said would "definitely" come up on my exam actually did. And this seems to be a reasonably common experience.

Not to threadjack, what's the general opinion on the best Kaplan video lectures..

Pharm obviously, Dr. Raymond's awesome!!
I've heard Neuro too (haven't watched it).. I also thought Dr. Sanchez's path lectures were great!

How would u rank them: Pharm > ...

 

[amaprez]

Not to threadjack, what's the general opinion on the best Kaplan video lectures..

Pharm obviously, Dr. Raymond's awesome!!
I've heard Neuro too (haven't watched it).. I also thought Dr. Sanchez's path lectures were great!

How would u rank them: Pharm > ...

I'd say Physiology because of Dr. Fischer. Though when he starts quoting poetry I get annoyed

 

[coreytayloris]

I have a wide time span before I have to take the exam.

Because i'm an IMG the way our rotations are organised means I could probably study for the exam right up until December. (I've still twelve weeks left in MS2 and am just trying to ease myself into the USMLE study and corroborate it with my MS2 final exams study)

I go on General Practice (Family Medicine in the states) rotation for four months from august till december. Apparently it's meant to be a real laid back rotation and a lot of the students in the years ahead have used that time rotation to do some extra USMLE prep and have then taken the exam in December.

 

[islandCrazy]

Not to threadjack, what's the general opinion on the best Kaplan video lectures..

Pharm obviously, Dr. Raymond's awesome!!
I've heard Neuro too (haven't watched it).. I also thought Dr. Sanchez's path lectures were great!

How would u rank them: Pharm > ...

For me it has been

Biochemistry and Genetics>Pharm> Mirco and Immunology> Physiology>>>>>>>>>>>PATH

The pathology videos are so disappointing even more so after you do Pathoma and Goljan. Its the main reason why I'm opting out of the 7 week live lecture that Kaplan has through my school. Not worth my 3,990. I rather pay 100$ for Pathoma and 40$ for the Rapid Review book.