Is there time to do a 'brain dump' on Step 1?

[FunnyDocMan1234]

On the MCAT a lot of people use the 15 minute "tutorial" section to dump a lot of equations and convoluted mnemonics onto paper so that they wouldn't have to spend time retrieving them during the exam. Is there a similar section in step 1 where this can be done?

On a related note, is time more or less of an issue for step 1 vs. the MCAT. Are convoluted mnemonics that take 30 seconds - a minute to retrieve the info from going to be useless?

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[Stellar Clouds]

On the MCAT a lot of people use the 15 minute "tutorial" section to dump a lot of equations and convoluted mnemonics onto paper so that they wouldn't have to spend time retrieving them during the exam. Is there a similar section in step 1 where this can be done?

On a related note, is time more or less of an issue for step 1 vs. the MCAT. Are convoluted mnemonics that take 30 seconds - a minute to retrieve the info from going to be useless?

There is a 10 minute tutorial at the beginning which most people skip to bank more break time. I suppose you could write stuff down during this time.

Timing is completely dependent of the test taker. Some people run out of time on every section, some people finish with 5+ minutes to spare on every section.

 

[235009]

quite sure the tutorial is 15 minutes. you can write down stuff during that time if you want but it'll likely be pretty worthless since the volume of testable information is so big and it's possible that none of the stuff you write down won't show up.

there are no convoluted mnemonics commonly used for step 1 that i know of.

timing can vary widely from person to person depending on testing strategy (reading last line first, not reading the whole question, etc) and your reading speed

 

[Pills Of Soap]

There's time, but I don't think it matters. By then the equations you need to know, you will know by heart.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

There's time, but it's not worth it. There's so much more info and it's clinically related most of the time, so it isn't completely binge and purge style.

 

[p30doc]

I used the brain dump time for stat equations which I used extensively. I also laid out developmental milestones which was a waste of time.

 

[FunnyCurrent]

quite sure the tutorial is 15 minutes. you can write down stuff during that time if you want but it'll likely be pretty worthless since the volume of testable information is so big and it's possible that none of the stuff you write down won't show up.

there are no convoluted mnemonics commonly used for step 1 that i know of.

timing can vary widely from person to person depending on testing strategy (reading last line first, not reading the whole question, etc) and your reading speed

????? look into that lol

On another note, can you start the brain dump without signing in so that you don't eat up the tutorial time. A few people on another forum mentioned that they were doing this.

 

[FSU2013]

????? look into that lol

On another note, can you start the brain dump without signing in so that you don't eat up the tutorial time. A few people on another forum mentioned that they were doing this.

Yea, but you don't want to get flagged for "suspicious activity."


Timing is like all tests. I was usually one of the first 5 out of any given test (fast reader) and I was out of step one with cumulatively probably over an hour and a half left, maybe more.

I think it is highly unlikely that any brain dump would be effective. First, the material is massive. What would you write out? Biochem pathways? Brachial plexus? Stats equations? Every rest is different. Heck I had 6 questions of one random genetic childhood disease on step 1. I had 4 on another specific rare pulm disease on step 2. There's just too much material to be effective with that.

Plus, if you can remember it until you enter the test room, you'll probably still have it when the question comes.

Relax. Good luck. This too shall pass. Lol.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I don't think it would be effective. Who knows if what you write will be tested. There is just too much.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

????? look into that lol

On another note, can you start the brain dump without signing in so that you don't eat up the tutorial time. A few people on another forum mentioned that they were doing this.

No the prometric people start the software before they let you sit down. Your time is running as soon as your butt is on the seat (at least thats what I remember).

I'll say that not a single mnemonic or equation helped me on my exam. I think that would be a complete waste of break time. Only 45 min of break time for the entire exam would be rough.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

I used the brain dump time for stat equations which I used extensively. I also laid out developmental milestones which was a waste of time.

??? What stat equations? Draw out a 2x2 table, write Sens, Spec, PPV and NPV on the right ends and TP, FP, TN, and FN in the right boxes and you're basically set. I'd recommend doing that at most if you have trouble remembering that stuff.

 

[FunnyCurrent]

I encoded all the "pathology confuseables" into mnemonics. You know all those diseases that, within a category, have features that overlap and quickly become confusing? I algorithmically encoded all of them into mnemonics so that I can consider every possibility when answering a multiple choice question asking me to differentiate diseases within a pathophysiologic or clinical presentation group

For example, recently I nearly forgot that Wilson's disease is associated with hemolytic anemia. I would not have remembered if I did not quickly scan over my mnemonic on wilson's disease associations.

Another question I have is how much space will I have to write? I could easily fill both sides of an 8 x 11 with my mnemonics

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

lol bro you are way overthinking it. If they ask you about wilson's disease for instance it's gonna be way more obvious than just hemolytic anemia.

Anyway you get two pieces of regular sized laminated paper and fine tipped dry erase markers. It's pretty easy to smudge whatever you're writing though.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I encoded all the "pathology confuseables" into mnemonics. You know all those diseases that, within a category, have features that overlap and quickly become confusing? I algorithmically encoded all of them into mnemonics so that I can consider every possibility when answering a multiple choice question asking me to differentiate diseases within a pathophysiologic or clinical presentation group

For example, recently I nearly forgot that Wilson's disease is associated with hemolytic anemia. I would not have remembered if I did not quickly scan over my mnemonic on wilson's disease associations.

Another question I have is how much space will I have to write? I could easily fill both sides of an 8 x 11 with my mnemonics

 

[FunnyCurrent]

lol bro you are way overthinking it. If they ask you about wilson's disease for instance it's gonna be way more obvious than just hemolytic anemia.

Anyway you get two pieces of regular sized laminated paper and fine tipped dry erase markers. It's pretty easy to smudge whatever you're writing though.

UWorld questions sure aren't!!! However I only have UWorld to go on. I had surgery during the start my dedicated study period. I spent another 2 weeks feeling kinda tired/unfocused and have been cramming now for the last 2 weeks. I got a 3 day extension from my school to take step1 everything considered and will be able to start 3rd year on time but I only have until Monday to study left. I do not plan to take a NBME b/c it does not provide me fast enough feedback to allow for efficient learning. Also my UWorld average is over 70% so hopefully I'll be fine.

Also, even if I took an NBME and found out I wasn't passing I can get no additional extension so the knowledge seems pointless.

ANY SUGGESTIONS? I'm really down to the wire and did not intend to only have 2 weeks to study.

 

[tco]

I wrote down the childhood development table, the virus family table, pharm equations, and epi/biostats equations. Got quite a few correct because of it, and who knows how many I got correct because I didn't have to try to remember those things and force something else out. Pick something that is tested frequently, but is reusable.

Remember, everyone, there's not going to be a question that says, "List the signs and symptoms of ____." They're going to give you a disease and have you figure out what it is based on identifying signs and symptoms that are present. This is why I find pimp questions that ask you to list out bs like that annoying.

 

[FunnyCurrent]

I wrote down the childhood development table, the virus family table, pharm equations, and epi/biostats equations. Got quite a few correct because of it, and who knows how many I got correct because I didn't have to try to remember those things and force something else out. Pick something that is tested frequently, but is reusable.

Remember, everyone, there's not going to be a question that says, "List the signs and symptoms of ____." They're going to give you a disease and have you figure out what it is based on identifying signs and symptoms that are present. This is why I find pimp questions that ask you to list out bs like that annoying.

Thanks. I'll definitely get that virus table on my dump list since it is something I have a hard time forcing out. Intellectual constipation if you will.

 

[Neuroguy887]

Can you use both sides of the laminated paper or just one (will one side smudge if you try to write on the other?)

 

[Neuroguy887]

anyone?

 

[ulikedaggers]

My understanding is that the pens don't smear/smudge.. in fact you just get a new sheet (instead of trying to erase it) when you run out of space. So it's very much like normal paper/pen and I don't understand why USMLE has to be fancier than AAMC.

 

[jakeislove]

I wrote down the main biostats equations. Wasn't a waste

 

[Neuroguy887]

My understanding is that the pens don't smear/smudge.. in fact you just get a new sheet (instead of trying to erase it) when you run out of space.

Wait so you can have an unlimited amount of sheets if they just keep giving you new ones when you fill one?

 

[ulikedaggers]

Wait so you can have an unlimited amount of sheets if they just keep giving you new ones when you fill one?

No, you give them your old one and they give you a new one. Just like the MCAT. I should have made my first post more clear.