USMLE Look Ma' no hands!-STEP 1 GUIDE

[Auvelity]

Okay so after doing some research and reading from my favorites like Indomethacin, mrknowitall, Phloston, Ina2990 and many others IMG with good scores. I decided to make a guide that mixed their study plans and worked for me and may even work for others, who knows, but we are all on this together and maybe this could help other people. So my guide its how to get and retain the best for step one and get at least 250.

BACKGROUNG: Recently graduated Non-US IMG, from a latin american medschool, that need desperately a great USMLE STEP 1 grade in order to apply to EM (my true passion) but a queen in procrastination.
Paid step 1 once, lost the money since I couldn't get pass 205 with less than a month from my final extension.(procrastinated much, when I was trying to fix it was too late).
Took CS already pending grade.

Materials needed:
FIRST AID 2016: Or the version you have but 2016 rocks, as Mrknowitall guide says memorizing first aid and mastering all the concepts gets you to a PASS on NBMES.
PATHOMA: best resource for pathology and it integrates some physio and biochem... so perfect resource (with the videos).
UWorld: Use it the harder way timed+random... tutor is really easy to trick yourself (after seeing you were about to go for the right answer and decided another last min) or at least I did. and I thought I had great Uworld scores when I really wasn't. you would really get your true results and know where you really stand and USE IT as another STUDY MATERIAL. so always review them maybe that day or the next one. if there's something there isn't on first aid write it down there so FA could be your bible.
NBMES: Always ONLINE and pay the extra more so you can see the ones you have wrong. Phloston made PPT slides with them, made explanations on them and maybe few days before your test you can go through them. you need to dissect those NBMEs, and treat them like they are the real exam, taking its breaks, don't open a book, write down your white board material before you start, don't pause in the middle of a set unless you really, really have to. Go for the newer ones closer to your exam date. Use them as a guide of the subjects that need more reinforcement.

Other resources:
Kaplan lecture notes (not a fan, filled of low yield stuff, but, people who got 260 cant be wrong, its a must. but im gonna use it a bit different as you'll see.
DIT: shorter, easier to do, for me works fine but It may lack some info (but im gonna explain how we will fill those gaps) I use it on 1.3x or 1.4x so I go through it faster
Sketchy micro: LOVED IT, try on YouTube, if it works for you get it, buy it and use it.
MICRO flash cards: great alternative foe sketchy micro. what works best for you.
USMLE SECRETS: some loved it, some not. It explains physiology and organ systems pretty well, and since I'm kind of weak on the foundation then that's why I'm going to support organ systems with this.
GOLJAN AUDIOS: yes they are old, but pathology hasn't changed that much, they are super good and when you feel like you are tired of studying (God knows I feel like that 40% of my day) just lay comfortable, some headsets and passively learn pathology (just don't get too comfortable to fall asleep)

other recommended books:
HY embrio and HY neuroscience are good (but I used them along my classes, and they are not a must for studying or this guide unless you are seriously needing them).
I'm also using the First Aid RX flash cards. they came 2 month for free with my FA 2016, helps me to memorize FA

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[Auvelity]

Now the actual guide:

we are going to be memorizing FA, the original guide its right here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-my-guide-to-score-220-230-on-step-1.1160828/


we are going to follow 3 steps with every subject:
1.Read FA, trying to understand.
2.Reinforce if needed(DIT or Kaplan, what works best for you)
3.Memorize FA (you can hand pick the most troublesome/HY pages, or memorize the chapter to its entirety.)
My way of memorizing since I felt saturated with all the repetition and found out I can get it after 15 reads its to:
1. read one page slowly, make sense of it on my head if I can
2. read the same page 15 times
3. put the page away, in my white board I would write down everything I remember, and try to explain it to myself.
4. repeat the process with other troublesome/HY pages.
5. Done, understood and mastered(because you learned, reinforced, and sealed what you learned)
We are going to seal the gaps with UWorld by making at least one set of timed-random 40Qs (since im taking it after may 5th) and its review per day.
Im also using the First Aid RX flash cards.

Biostatistics:
FA (read/reinforce/memorize) specially those formulas. You are welcome to use DIT(can be done in one day) or Kaplan lecture notes.
Biochemistry:
FA (read/reinforce/memorize) I was going to use kaplan but DIT was awesome, got it all with it(can be done in 2 days), if you need an extra hand Kaplan Lecture notes its also good.
Microbiology:
FA (read/Sketchymicro/memorize) Sketchy micro is A MUST, to be honest micro for me its all memorization so if you do memorize everything in FA those points from those questions will be ALWAYS yours
Immunology:
FA (read/reinforce/memorize) Reinforce with DIT or/and kaplan lecture notes if needed, as micro, if you memorize the full chapter immuno points will be yours as well, its a short chapter and everything there is HY.
Pharmacology:
FA (read/reinforce/memorize) in this subject kaplan lectures notes> DIT, so if you must reinforce do kaplan lecture notes.
Pathology
FA (read/PATHOMA/memorize) we MUST do PATHOMA. and goljan audios would be a nice plus to master this subject.

Organ systems:
Same process
1.READ
2.Reinforce(in my case I'll use Usmle Secrets, but you could also use DIT organ systems, they are good also)
3. Memorize troublesome/HY pages. or the full chapters.

 

[Auvelity]

Other advices:

• Try to take an NBME or UW self assesment at least 1 every week, since they are 6 NBMES and 2 UW you should start doing those 2 months prior your test date. (start with the Uworld self assesments then NBMEs and REVIEW THEM. its very important you know the real answers to the question you've got wrong, and to know which subjects needs attention from you and the reason behind your answer was wrong. Did you knew the concept? where you lead by distractors?
• Take one day semi-off or off per week. Wake up late, see the new TWD episode, then run 2 QS sets on the afternoon/night.
• You could do videos in a faster speed. it gives the impression you are getting them done faster
• Exercise at least 2 times per week, yea it helps to keep your mind fresh.
• Always have snacks when studying (your brain need that glucose)
• Do questions everyday, even a 20 question set in those days you feel saturated.
• NEVER take more than 4 days of rest. BIG NO NO, you'll start forgetting stuff, your study plan look more messy and most of all it crates the "I didn't study anxiety"
• Create a plan that works for you, just like I did, if you like mine follow it, if you don't make one THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU. and STICK TO IT.
• Try to study at least 7 hours per day, if you can. I'm not a morning person, so I wake up at 10AM and start and dont stop till Im done with my daily tasks.
• Go somewhere you can get the max of those hours you are investing. (I used to study at home and I didn't used to do much since I could get easily distracted, so now I go to the library everyday).
• and dont give up, don't let this exam overwhelm you. You can do this, is a slow and exhausting process that will take us exactly where we want to. and you are closer to your goal everyday.

I'm going to update this thread with my NBME grades and with my test grade. this is my roadtrip to at least 250.

 

[Paeon]

Hey, this sounds like a strong plan! I see you mentioned that Phloston made ppts w/ NBME explanations, is this true? If so, where can I find them? I've been searching high and low for organized explanations to all the NBMEs.

 

[Auvelity]

Hey, this sounds like a strong plan! I see you mentioned that Phloston made ppts w/ NBME explanations, is this true? If so, where can I find them? I've searching high and low for organized explanations to all the NBMEs.

well yea on @Phloston step 1 thoughts and experience about his prep and test he used to review his wrong answers on the NBME by doing ppt out of them. since he took the test years ago in case he even has these PPT, I suppose there are only for the retired forms.
to be honest I think you should do it yourself with the wrong answers you get on your online forms (since you might not have the same weaknesses) and when you analize the question and have to look/analize for the answer something might stick. remember your Usmle question won't be the same as the NBMES, memorizing Nbmes won't take you anywhere. but thinking through them, figuring out the right answers and explaining why the other wrong answers are wrong, why did you failed the question, is more important than the NBME itself.