Step I just took step 1

[tomplatz]

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Here's my humble bit of advice:

1. Start early. I know it's a bit late now, but if you started studying months ago it'll help a LOT with retention of minutae towards the end.

2. First Aid is good. Underground Clinical Vignettes was AWESOME as a finishing tool to use the final 2 weeks. The presentations on my test were almost identical to those in the UCV's. Definitely get.

3. Qbank was very similar, though the difficulty was of a narrower range than the actual exam. The real exam had more easy and more difficult questions, with some that were average as well.

4. Know the clinical presentation of your biochemical and genetic diseases. ie. the lysosomal and glycogen storage diseases. It's not enough to know the defect and the inheritance, you have to know how these patients look.

5. Day before prep: Drive to your test center at the exact time you plan to leave on test day. It removes one more element of surprise, ie. construction, detours, etc.. Then prepare your lunch the night before. For me, I worked out for almost 3 hours the night before to deplete the catecholamines and allow me to sleep - it worked like a charm. I woke rested and ready.

Hope this helps. Good luck all. It's not as bad as you think, as long as you're prepared. The test time flies by, so it doesn't seem like 8 hours at all.

Cheers!

 

[tomplatz]

UCV biochem and behavioral science were most useful to me. pathophys 1-3 are good for reviewing presentation of stuff you should already know. but the biochem and bh had some really unique stuff that I saw on the test, but didn't see in any other texts I used to prepare.

Good luck!!

 

[hj2005]

thanks for the advice! i have the 3rd edition set but haven't used it much so far. i'll definitely take another look since i could use a change of pace from FA....

 

[irlandesa]

good advice, I too took step 1 today and had many of the same observations. The only things I would add is that the behavioral science vignettes on Q-bank are very similar to the actual test, so be sure to do all the behavioral science questions! I found that I managed time better on the real test than on the Kaplan tests; hope that's a good sign! Pharmacology and Physiology questions seemed a bit more straightforward than on Q-bank, cell and molecular biology were also straightforward, only 3 or 4 embryology questions.. I would say that Pathology/Pathophysiology is a high-yeild subject, Neuroscience/Neuroanatomy also showed up a lot, Physiology much less than expected. Some of the Neuro questions were very picky as were some of the Heme/Lymph questions, but overall a fair test.

 

[theodore]

The only thing I have to add is that if you don't have access to a gym, your bed could do the trick😉 Releases the catecholamines, and makes you feel "lighter", you know what I mean? Just don't overdo it😛