Step I Kaplan HY vs DIT

[tripwm]

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Hey guys, I'm trying to figure out my resources for my Step study schedule that begins next week. I plan to shoot for a 240+ (make fun of me if you wish, but my NBME subject exams/grades show that I am capable of doing so) with ~8 weeks of studying.

On my first run through of FA, I would like to be having some assistance with videos (either through Kaplan HY or DIT).

Which do I choose? I've heard DIT is essentially someone reading FA word for word (not a fan of this), but I haven't really heard anything about Kaplan HY.

 

[COXblocker]

Hey guys, I'm trying to figure out my resources for my Step study schedule that begins next week. I plan to shoot for a 240+ (make fun of me if you wish, but my NBME subject exams/grades show that I am capable of doing so) with ~8 weeks of studying.

On my first run through of FA, I would like to be having some assistance with videos (either through Kaplan HY or DIT).

Which do I choose? I've heard DIT is essentially someone reading FA word for word (not a fan of this), but I haven't really heard anything about Kaplan HY.

I did HY throughout the year and just did DIT over Spring Break. Kaplan is better for subjects and going through slowly if you have a lot of time, but DIT is a better dedicated time test prep program. They EXPLAIN the concepts that FA just lists. They also jump around and review high yield tough topics multiple times.

My first NBME was 230, after DIT only, I did 250. There were a ton of questions on NMBE 12 that were really hard but the concepts were drilled in and explained thoroughly by DIT, where if I only knew what FA had, I would have struggled more.

That said. You REALLY need to focus on a Q bank. Do both at the same time if you can. Don't just do DIT.

 

[whatdidigetinto]

I have never done DIT but I have done the Kaplan high yield videos. To be honest the step 1 HY videos aren't that good because they only read out loud to you what's already written in first aid with very little explanation. The step 2 Kaplan HY videos are great though. I would advise you instead to do the Kaplan subject videos for step 1.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SDN Mobile

 

[suji0]

I did HY throughout the year and just did DIT over Spring Break. Kaplan is better for subjects and going through slowly if you have a lot of time, but DIT is a better dedicated time test prep program. They EXPLAIN the concepts that FA just lists. They also jump around and review high yield tough topics multiple times.

My first NBME was 230, after DIT only, I did 250. There were a ton of questions on NMBE 12 that were really hard but the concepts were drilled in and explained thoroughly by DIT, where if I only knew what FA had, I would have struggled more.

That said. You REALLY need to focus on a Q bank. Do both at the same time if you can. Don't just do DIT.

was this DIT 2012 or 2013? just wondering caus I have access to 2012 videos but didn't know if 2013 was alot better or not

 

[COXblocker]

was this DIT 2012 or 2013? just wondering caus I have access to 2012 videos but didn't know if 2013 was alot better or not

This was the 2012 videos. ~12hrs/day at 1.3 speed for 10 days with breaks and some q bank at night. Intense sprint.

 

[suji0]

This was the 2012 videos. ~12hrs/day at 1.3 speed for 10 days with breaks and some q bank at night. Intense sprint.

haha well 20 points up in 10 days of hard work, looks like your sprint paid off

 

[COXblocker]

haha well 20 points up in 10 days of hard work, looks like your sprint paid off

Well since both scores are within a standard deviation of their average, I could have gone nowhere and been unlucky then lucky.

For what it's worth (and surely there has been heated debate as to whether it's worth anything) I am an N learning type. I say this because I felt like I "knew" maybe 25% of NBME 12. Almost all the material was familiar, and I was usually able to cross out at least half the choices, but I didn't feel very confident on most of it. I say this because I am this way in class. When we have a pharm test, I literally can't name more than 5 of the 100 drugs on a test, yet come out with good scores. I felt DIT taught processes and synthesized many topics. Therefore, on questions that I did not know the answers, I was able to think my way through. I have classmates who are S type learners and can ramble off lists and mnemonics, yet when there is a multistep question, they struggle to connect the dots.

DIT was great for solidifying mechanisms, processes, and synthesizing information. I feel like my score reflected that increased ability. The questions I missed were mostly due to lack of bullet-point knowledge (like what's in FA). DIT pointed out the times I should have focused on HY lists, and frankly I didn't. To do better, I need to diligently memorize the facts and lean on my ability to synthesize.

All in all, do DIT if you like being spoon-fed, but don't let it be your everything. Q banks and FA are the bread and butter for a reason.

 

[suji0]

Well since both scores are within a standard deviation of their average, I could have gone nowhere and been unlucky then lucky.

For what it's worth (and surely there has been heated debate as to whether it's worth anything) I am an N learning type. I say this because I felt like I "knew" maybe 25% of NBME 12. Almost all the material was familiar, and I was usually able to cross out at least half the choices, but I didn't feel very confident on most of it. I say this because I am this way in class. When we have a pharm test, I literally can't name more than 5 of the 100 drugs on a test, yet come out with good scores. I felt DIT taught processes and synthesized many topics. Therefore, on questions that I did not know the answers, I was able to think my way through. I have classmates who are S type learners and can ramble off lists and mnemonics, yet when there is a multistep question, they struggle to connect the dots.

DIT was great for solidifying mechanisms, processes, and synthesizing information. I feel like my score reflected that increased ability. The questions I missed were mostly due to lack of bullet-point knowledge (like what's in FA). DIT pointed out the times I should have focused on HY lists, and frankly I didn't. To do better, I need to diligently memorize the facts and lean on my ability to synthesize.

All in all, do DIT if you like being spoon-fed, but don't let it be your everything. Q banks and FA are the bread and butter for a reason.

i def am more like you, i can't memorize worth a **** and rely on figuring stuff out (a little too much) so I feel more compelled to do DIT now

 

[tripwm]

I did HY throughout the year and just did DIT over Spring Break. Kaplan is better for subjects and going through slowly if you have a lot of time, but DIT is a better dedicated time test prep program. They EXPLAIN the concepts that FA just lists. They also jump around and review high yield tough topics multiple times.

My first NBME was 230, after DIT only, I did 250. There were a ton of questions on NMBE 12 that were really hard but the concepts were drilled in and explained thoroughly by DIT, where if I only knew what FA had, I would have struggled more.

That said. You REALLY need to focus on a Q bank. Do both at the same time if you can. Don't just do DIT.

I will focus on Qbank without a doubt. My plan involves FA, Qbank and DIT now. I've already read through BRS Phys during the last block of classes, and I'll probably throw in hour of pathoma in a night as I eat dinner.

Anyways thanks so much for your input! I truly appreciate it!

And reading your posts later on in the thread makes me sound exactly like you. If I walk away from a test or NBME subject exam, I'm shaky because I rely on the answer choices to guide my selection.