LAB values to memorize

[BombayBombshell]

hey guys

the big day is approaching fast ( ) and i wanted to make a list of lab values/reference ranges to memorize...obviously dont want to bulk up on trivial data but also dont want to waste time scrolling for NL lab ranges etc...what are the super HY stuff to know cold?

thanks!!!
~brin

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[Stinger86]

Most people will tell you not to memorize any lab values at all, because the program you use to take the step makes attaining the lab values a breeze. I would agree for the most part, but I think it's really helpful to know your heme labs (especially for anemia and myeloproliferative disorders), and any other really common, important lab value like BUN, glucose, ALT/AST, etc. Of course, you could always just access the labs chart during your exam, but knowing these values just helps you be that much faster on the exam. Plus, you're going to need to learn these values eventually anyway, so why not start now? 🙂

 

[lf777]

You should know normal CBC values (roughly) and standard electrolyte panels. Essentially recognize what is grossly abnormal. Just by doing tests you will get confortable with the values. Everything else just look it up (it will be uncommon anyway).

good luck
lf

 

[BombayBombshell]

thanks!

 

[AlexRusso]

I didn't bother memorizing any for Step 1 and it didnt hurt me much. My reasons:

1) I didn't wanna take up valuble brain real estate with stuff that I'd have available to me.

2) Didn't wanna be remembering it on the exam and wondering if I remembered it correctly (I'd wind up looking it up to double check anyway)

3) Not too many questions required it.

4) If you're familiar with the list of values looking them up takes about 5 seconds.

Just some advice -- sometimes the stem will list tons of lab values but the question itself has nothing to do with any of them. Read the question before you go looking things up.

Also -- after the very 1st question I came to that required you to look up values I wrote down the few big ones (Na, K, Cl, Diff counts) on my dry erase sheet and just had them right in front of me for the rest of the exam. Even faster to look it up this way.

 

[Stinger86]

Also -- after the very 1st question I came to that required you to look up values I wrote down the few big ones (Na, K, Cl, Diff counts) on my dry erase sheet and just had them right in front of me for the rest of the exam. Even faster to look it up this way.

Nice plan. Now that's putting what little you're allowed to bring with you to good use 😉

 

[lowbudget]

When you download the USMLE Step 1 sample questions from NBME, they use the same lab values as the one that you'll see on the test. So memorize those if you really wanted to (I didn't for my Step 1, but I started to for my Shelves and will probably do so for my Step 2 later this month)... the thing is, you really do lose time flipping back and forth, especially towards the end when your time is crunching down.

The other thing to make SURE you do is to flip through the lab values they give you on that downloadable program and see what they DON'T HAVE. I can't think of any off the top of my head but stuff like FENa, FEV1, FVC, I don't think are on that.

But some good ones to know for Step 1 would be:
WBC, Hgb, Plt (remember, Hct is usually Hgb x 3)
Don't bother with WBC diff, but know MCV and RDW (easy numbers for your anemias)
Na, K, HCO, BUN, Cr, Ca
AST, ALT, Alk Phos (the upper limits are really close and easy to remember)
Bilirubin (just the upper limit, eyeball the Direct)
TSH

Memorizing helps because they jack up the way they list the values. The values may not be grouped the way you're used to seeing them (like CBC, Chem, Iron Studies, LFT, TFT). Some are listed together while others are listed alphabetically, and others are listed by the SECOND word (I mean, what the f&ck?)

For example, Phosphorus is not listed with Na and K, but as a separate value and when you're going fast, it looks like "Phosphatase, Alkaline" which is listed right above it. And they spell out AST and ALT ("Aspartate..." "Alanine"...) which sucks when your brain is going, "Where's AST, where'S ALT?" or worse, "WHERE the F&CK is ALK PHOS?... 10 seconds left..." when in fact, alk phos is listed under Phos, Alk.

Same with Fe. If you look at Fe, you'll find Ferritin, but Fe is under Iron... so you gotta scroll that b*tch up and down.

You get the point. It's not crucial, but it can help. It's probably too late to memorize the numbers the DAY before the exam because that's just added stress. Best thing to do is to memorize them while you're going through QBank or whatever... but if the numbers are too hard to remember, then f&ck it. Just remember the values to the nearest whole number or reasonable number like "5, 10, 15".