Is USMLE World essential to do wel on shelf exams?

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Or would you be okay with First Aid, Case Files, etc? I'm trying to decide whether to get a 12 mo subscription or just 2 mo until I write my Step 1 in August.

 

[Momentum70]

Maybe not essential to do USMLE world, but I think you definitely need some sort of huge question bank service that you can set up like the test. In anything from army to professional sports, they teach to practice like you are going to play to get better. It just makes sense to use as many practice tests as possible

 

[Brain]

I used World throughout 3rd year and it was the best resource I had for most of my rotations. I went through it twice, once during the year and again just before Step 2. I rocked the shelf exams (scored in the 90s for all of them) and Step 2.

 

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Isn't Uworld Step 1 mostly basic science? So would it be helpful for clinical rotations? Unless you mean you used Uworld Step 2 for third year and Uworld Step 1 for the actual USMLE Step 1?

 

[Brain]

Isn't Uworld Step 1 mostly basic science? So would it be helpful for clinical rotations? Unless you mean you used Uworld Step 2 for third year and Uworld Step 1 for the actual USMLE Step 1?

Sorry, I didn't notice you were asking about Step 1. My brain processed it as Step 2 because this was posted in the clinical rotations forum.

I did Kaplan throughout my second year before Step 1. I think it did help for the basic science shelf exams we took at the end of year, but I wouldn't call it "essential" as long as you have another source of questions that are similar to the exam format. I did World before Step 1. If you have to choose between Kaplan and World, I recommend World.

 

[DrVanNostran]

I used World throughout 3rd year and it was the best resource I had for most of my rotations. I went through it twice, once during the year and again just before Step 2. I rocked the shelf exams (scored in the 90s for all of them) and Step 2.

Did you use any books during 3rd year? Some of my friends only did Case files + World and said that was more than enough.

I might use the kaplan books throughout the year...

 

[Instatewaiter]

I personally didn't like case files but many people swear by it.


For neuro- pretest and blueprints (would recommend both)

For OB- blueprints and UWISE question bank (would recommend both)

For psych- used first aid but it is an easy shelf and you could use whatever and do fine

For Peds- used NMS + pretest- not crazy about either

For Surgery- used FA for surgery and pretest and Appleton and lange questions (would highly recommend NOT using FA) I hear the NMS case book is good.

For Medicine is used step up to medicine (best book of the year by far) and USMLE world and MKSAP 3 & 4. I would recommend all of these sources if you want to knock the shelf out of the water.

 

[Brain]

Did you use any books during 3rd year? Some of my friends only did Case files + World and said that was more than enough.

I might use the kaplan books throughout the year...

I used both World and books. Here was my list:

Medicine: Step up to Medicine. I highly recommend this one.

OB/Gyn: Case files, first aid

Psych: Case files, first aid

Neuro: The neuro chapter from Step to Medicine. I could not find a neuro book that was both decent and readable in a month

Family: re-read Step up to Medicine, Case files

Peds: first aid

Surgery: Surgical Secrets - very helpful. I wish I had discovered this series earlier in the year.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[alphaholic06]

Did you use any books during 3rd year? Some of my friends only did Case files + World and said that was more than enough.

I might use the kaplan books throughout the year...

I've used Kaplan throughout the year and I've done extremely well on my shelf exams.

 

[DrVanNostran]

Thanks for the responses! I think I am going to stick with Kaplan books/DVD, keep a case files in my pocket, and do world throughout the year.

In anyone is wondering, the new step 2 secrets comes out next week.

 

[radiodoc99]

Nope. You can use books like Blueprints, Casefiles and textbooks. UWorld does help but it's certainly not necessary.

 

[Ambrosha]

This is probably an idiotic question, but when people say first aid-what does this mean? Step 1 or 2?

Thanks!

I used both World and books. Here was my list:

Medicine: Step up to Medicine. I highly recommend this one.

OB/Gyn: Case files, first aid

Psych: Case files, first aid

Neuro: The neuro chapter from Step to Medicine. I could not find a neuro book that was both decent and readable in a month

Family: re-read Step up to Medicine, Case files

Peds: first aid

Surgery: Surgical Secrets - very helpful. I wish I had discovered this series earlier in the year.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[Ookluh]

This is probably an idiotic question, but when people say first aid-what does this mean? Step 1 or 2?

Thanks!

I think most of the time post-Step 1 "First Aid" is actually referring to the specialty specific FAs, unless you're in a conversation talking specifically about Step 2 prep.. First Aid for the Psychiatry Clerkship, First Aid for the Pediatrics Clerkship, etc etc

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

So, I definitely plan to try to go through UWorld before my Medicine shelf, but I have OB (and my school DOES have a UWise account) and Psych before that. I was trying to time things to save some $$$, so for those of you that DID think that UWorld was useful, did you think that it was useful for OB/GYN and Psych?

 

[Depakote]

So, I definitely plan to try to go through UWorld before my Medicine shelf, but I have OB (and my school DOES have a UWise account) and Psych before that. I was trying to time things to save some $$$, so for those of you that DID think that UWorld was useful, did you think that it was useful for OB/GYN and Psych?

Absolutely. I'd do all the Psych and OB/GYN questions during your clerkships.

Fewer questions, but those tests tend to be over a more narrow subject range. I found it very helpful.

 

[nogolfinsnow]

I haven't used UWorld this year; if I could do it all over again I would likely bite the bullet and get a years subscription. I've done very well on shelf exams in the rotations that interested me most, but in the ones that didn't (I'm looking at you OB) I just couldn't get myself into my study materials enough and I think World would have been the resource to bump those shelf scores up. With only 1 shelf to go I'm going to wait until my step II studying to buy it, but I loved it for step 1 and am hoping for similar results with #2.

 

[BoxingTheStars]

are there any other question banks besides UWorld that would be good to use during 3rd year? my 2 concerns are 1) a 12-mo subscription is $400 (!) and 2) i kinda wanted to save those questions for step 2 studying.

are pretest questions any good? i am interested in a pretty competitive specialty so i do need to do well 3rd year, so i guess i'll suck it up and pay for it if there's not a better option.... but this is our first week of M3 and honestly i have no idea what kinds of things people do to perform well on these shelf exams.

basically, wondering if there's anything cheaper than a 12-mo UW subscription that is still pretty helpful?