Hey 2007s, you're almost done with 2nd year! Then you finish out the summer and go off to the wards, where you will be kicking butt.
I'm getting a lot of emails (which is great, keep 'em coming) about COMLEX and USMLE STEP I. Here's just my .02.
For COMLEX:
make sure that you KNOW the chapter 2 in the Simmons book on innervations. Know it cold. That is huge high yield for Steps I and 2.
My test had a bunch of sacrum. Practice using your id card as a scarum an how to diagnose based on description.
My test also had a bunch of cranial. Most was just diagnosis (i.e., vertical strain patttern).
I thought the pharm over all was real easy. It asks mostly about drugs by class, not by drug. Make sure that you understand what the CLASS of drugs does and some of its contraindications (for example, no quinolones in children). Also, read up on the weird reactions, like red man syndrome, photosensitivity, Stevens-Johnson.
And remember....always....common things are common. Think "the most likely." Don;t get yourself all wound up in thinking, "Well, I think it's meningitis and you would an antibiotic, but what if it were viral or fungal??AGGH!" Go back and re-read the question and ask yourself, most likely. Is this a 27 year old AIDs patient or a six year old previously healthy child?
KNOW the adrenergic/cholinergic drugs. Those are ON THE TEST.
Dr. El-Sawi's notes are high yield for micro. You absolutely should review those. I also liked the Micro made simple. Copy the graphs and go over them, make notes on the back about the important pathogens. Again, common things are common, think most likely. Study your STDs.
electra
