Looking for advice for Step 1/schedule critiques

[sloop]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey everyone,

I've stopped by here every once in a while to look at threads but I just never made an account until now. I'm sorry if this is full of questions that get asked a lot but I have a few things I'm wondering about regarding prepping for Step 1.

My first question has to do with setting realistic goals for the step. How much improvement can I realistically expect to make in 6 weeks of studying. I'm now a week into studying (5 wks left), but before I started dedicated studying I took NBME 11 and got a 241. Before that I thought I'd aim for about 240 but since I still have a ton of time and broke that on the NBME (totally not complaining, obviously a good problem to have) I feel like I need to reevaluate my goals. Goal specialty is psychiatry but I want to do as well as I can and not have regrets. Does anyone have any ideas on what I could realistically shoot for?

Secondly, I'm not sure whether or not my study strategy is poised to net me significant improvement. I've been basically doing an 8-10 or 11 schedule 6 days a week/1 day off. Days are usually:

8-10 or so section-specific block of uworld and review
10-12 or 12:30 (if I incidentally slept in an extra half hour) pathoma vids on 1.4 or 1.7x while annotating the book.
12 or 12:30 to 1 or 1:30 lunch/break
1:30 to 5 or 6 First Aid with occasional 10-15 min breaks
5 or 6 to 7 or 8 Dinner and break
7 to 11 or so section specific uworld block and review/miscellaneous resources (pharm flash cards, relevant tutorials from my school, etc.)

Basically I think I have an organization but I feel a little lost in the sense that I have no way of knowing if what I'm doing is going to work and I have no idea what to expect. I will be taking either a UWSA or another NBME in a week to see if I've made progress. As a side note: how many NBMEs should I be trying to fit in and how reliable is my past NBME 11?

Sorry if this was scatterbrained. I really appreciate any advice.

 

[sloop]

I think pathoma is a must. Good choice. I followed a very similar schedule and was getting around 250s on all my practice exams. Also, just like pathoma, there is another resource out here called usmle simple. They specialize in microbiology. I took my exam last week and I used them for microbiology. It is pretty cheap, but solid stuff. When I bought it, they had a special 25% discount, not sure if it is still good, but give it a try, microff25. Check it out, I really seemed to like it, www.usmlesimple.com

I appreciate the reply, but I'm pretty sure you're just an advertiser since all of your posts plug the same product.

In any case, as an update, I've found that I scheduled way too much time in for just reading First Aid. I'm trying to fill this time with some other resources, especially for anatomy (my weak point). Does anyone have any good tips for Anatomy? First Aid seems scarce on this topic. Is it really enough?

 

[McNCheese]

I would say that your goals for the week are more important than the daily breakdown. If you know you have a plan for getting through uworld and FA and such, you can feel confident with what you complete each day (even when it feels like so little sometimes).

My other recommendation is to switch to random timed question blocks instead of subject specific. You seem to be in a good place, and you can challenge yourself with random timed.

And you're right - you won't really know if it is working, and you don't want to rely on the results of one nbme. So keep working and when you take the next nbme, use that to evaluate if what you are doing is working.

 

[sloop]

I would say that your goals for the week are more important than the daily breakdown. If you know you have a plan for getting through uworld and FA and such, you can feel confident with what you complete each day (even when it feels like so little sometimes).

My other recommendation is to switch to random timed question blocks instead of subject specific. You seem to be in a good place, and you can challenge yourself with random timed.

And you're right - you won't really know if it is working, and you don't want to rely on the results of one nbme. So keep working and when you take the next nbme, use that to evaluate if what you are doing is working.

Thanks! Yeah, I forgot to mention that I've already switched to doing the questions random. I took screenshots of all of my performance breakdowns, individual test grades, performance graphs, etc. from the first pass through UWorld and then used the reset. Evidently UWorld updated to be more in line with the new USMLE format! I can only to 44 question blocks now, so that's what I've been doing for a week and half. Timed, random, unused.

I'm planning on taking another self-assessment next Tuesday (after my day off so I'm not groggy). I bought the UWSAs when I got the QBank. I'm now wondering if I should have just bought more NBMEs, but in any case I have them and I should use them. I'm thinking I'll take UWSA1. I know it's not as good as an NBME and I will take more NBMEs. I still have one NBME voucher from my school and I'll probably buy another one or two NBMEs, but I'd rather do those closer to my test when I think it'll be more important to me to have absolute accuracy.

I'm still not sure what I should be aiming for! Any suggestions? Would 250s be unrealistic?

If it helps at all, I started my first pass of UWorld right after spring break when we still had a substantial amount of material to cover and finished it a couple days after second year finals. My cumulative average was 64% but my last 19 blocks (the blocks done while studying for finals and right after) averaged to 71% and was made up of fairly consistent 70s scores with one 83 and a couple of scores in the 60s.

My second pass, which I know means nothing, has me at an 87% right now.

I know NBMEs are the best tools and I need to take another one, but I'm just trying to figure out a goal that is ambitious enough that will push me to do better but is not nearly impossible and will not just inevitably disappoint me.

Sorry if this all sounds super neurotic. Thanks for any help.

 

[McNCheese]

Thanks! Yeah, I forgot to mention that I've already switched to doing the questions random. I took screenshots of all of my performance breakdowns, individual test grades, performance graphs, etc. from the first pass through UWorld and then used the reset. Evidently UWorld updated to be more in line with the new USMLE format! I can only to 44 question blocks now, so that's what I've been doing for a week and half. Timed, random, unused.

I'm planning on taking another self-assessment next Tuesday (after my day off so I'm not groggy). I bought the UWSAs when I got the QBank. I'm now wondering if I should have just bought more NBMEs, but in any case I have them and I should use them. I'm thinking I'll take UWSA1. I know it's not as good as an NBME and I will take more NBMEs. I still have one NBME voucher from my school and I'll probably buy another one or two NBMEs, but I'd rather do those closer to my test when I think it'll be more important to me to have absolute accuracy.

I'm still not sure what I should be aiming for! Any suggestions? Would 250s be unrealistic?

If it helps at all, I started my first pass of UWorld right after spring break when we still had a substantial amount of material to cover and finished it a couple days after second year finals. My cumulative average was 64% but my last 19 blocks (the blocks done while studying for finals and right after) averaged to 71% and was made up of fairly consistent 70s scores with one 83 and a couple of scores in the 60s.

My second pass, which I know means nothing, has me at an 87% right now.

I know NBMEs are the best tools and I need to take another one, but I'm just trying to figure out a goal that is ambitious enough that will push me to do better but is not nearly impossible and will not just inevitably disappoint me.

Sorry if this all sounds super neurotic. Thanks for any help.

Aiming for 250s does not sound unrealistic. If you need to have a number in mind, it helps, but as long as you keep trying to learn the things you're bad at, the number goal doesn't matter much in my mind. Don't spend much time thinking about it - you need to study and it is a distractor. Does shooting for a 260 or a 240 make a difference in how you read a page of FA? Probably not, so don't waste time and energy on it.

I think taking a uwsa at this point makes sense because you will be able to use the questions to learn from the feedback.

Good luck!

 

[anon3338]

I can't tell you how many people, including myself, got caught up in planning a detailed study plan that we didn't stick to or wasn't a good fit. Someone told me not to make a super detailed plan, and I didn't listen. I wish I would have. Consider just making a broad set of weekly goals vs. such a specific plan. And good luck! 🙂

 

[sloop]

Aiming for 250s does not sound unrealkstic. If you need to have a number in mind, it helps, but as long as you keep trying to learn the things you're bad at, the number goal doesn't matter much in my mind. Don't spend much time thinking about it - you need to study and it is a distractor. Does shooting for a 260 or a 240 make a difference in how you read a page of FA? Probably not, so don't waste time and energy on it.

I think taking a uwsa at this poimt makes sense because you will be able to use the questions to learn from the feedback.

Good luck!

Thanks! Yeah, it probably doesn't change how I study but it would help motivate me to have a number. But you're right, I just have to keep chugging along. Thanks for the advice!

I can't tell you how many people, including myself, got caught up in planning a detailed study plan that we didn't stick to or wasn't a good fit. Someone told me not to make a super detailed plan, and I didn't listen. I wish I would have. Consider just making a broad set of weekly goals vs. such a specific plan. And good luck! 🙂

Yeah, my plan is deteriorating every day. I'm still trying to stay on my schedule allotment for covering various topics (i.e. this week had three days dedicated to cardio and two to respiratory) and I'm trying to do 2-3 blocks of questions a day to keep me sharp, but other than that the entire schedule thing is in shambles at this point. 'Tis but a skeleton of what it once was. It's probably for the better. Thanks so much for your advice! I really do appreciate it.

 

[sloop]

Hey. So I don't really want to seem like I keep bumping this thread for no reason, but I figured I'd just post this question here rather than make new threads every time I want advice on study strategies.

I'll start out with an update on where I'm at before asking some questions. My study plan has disintegrated even further from the last time I posted. I found that for some topics, I really devoted too many days to them. As a result, what my days have become is: 2-3 blocks of 44Q UWorld and review (2nd pass, timed unused) + however far I can get in FA and Pathoma while following the general sequence of topics I had initially set out. This has so far accelerated me a little less than half a week ahead of schedule.

I took UWSA1 this past Tuesday: 252. I have no idea what it means. I see some people say it overestimates, I've seen some people reporting decent concordance and the people saying it overestimates are all over the place on how much it overestimates. I was happy with the score but I'm kind of annoyed I didn't just do an NBME. I've wasted too much time trying to figure out what it means and that aspect has sort of stressed me out. Should I be satisfied with this result so far? If anyone has any suggestions on how I should look at this result, I'd be happy to hear it. I also plan to take an NBME next Tuesday. Any suggestions on which I should take?

Finally, the heart of my questions:

Before I started study period, my school had comprehensive exams. I had studies for a little over a week for those, largely using class materials. Since starting dedicated, I feel like I've been really focusing on First Aid and Pathoma. I've also been using Brenner's flashcards in evenings for pharm but haven't devoted very substantial time to it (maybe an hour or 2 every night/every other night).

Unfortunately, I'm starting to feel like I've wound up spending a ton of time on Path and possibly neglecting/forgetting some of the stuff I had learned before dedicated. Should I be especially concerned about this? I was considering spending a day or two to quickly run through class notes from this year just for these subjects to brush up on them. Is this a good idea, or do you all think I should just keep plowing through First Aid and Pathoma and brush up later?

I've also been just using the 2014 FA that I bought early this year. How much is this going to bite me?

Exam is slightly more than 3 weeks away.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[seminoma]

Don't touch class notes. Don't you do it.

UW, FA, and Pathoma probably don't contain everything we need to know for Step 1, but unless you already know everything in UW, FA, and Pathoma there is no reason to venture out to other sources (especially not low yield class notes).

 

[maniacmath13]

Stick with review materials found online. Everything is orgaized well in them. Class notes suck and aren't organjzed at all.

 

[sloop]

Stick with review materials found online. Everything is orgaized well in them. Class notes suck and aren't organjzed at all.

What about sheets of important facts about organisms (transmission, epidemiology, clinical presentation, virulence factors, etc.) that I composed throughout the year for micro? Would those be worth taking a morning to go over/should I wait to do that or not do it at all?

 

[maniacmath13]

What about sheets of important facts about organisms (transmission, epidemiology, clinical presentation, virulence factors, etc.) that I composed throughout the year for micro? Would those be worth taking a morning to go over/should I wait to do that or not do it at all?

That may not be such a bad idea, but don't spend too much time.

 

[pd1112]

If you're weak in micro, no. Stick to FA & UW. If you're crushing micro, no, because you're crushing micro. If you're neurotic, crushing every topic & have extra time, no, use the extra time to relax & avoid peaking.

Stop worrying about your UWSA score correlation; it's too erratic i.e. too much anecdotal evidence at all ends of the spectrum to say if it's accurate at all.

It doesn't matter what NBME you take. Most people advise that the order of priority goes from most recent to least recent. So if you're taking only two, take 16-17, etc.

It's too late to make switching to FA 2015 beneficial. Stick with what you know at this point.

It's primarily a path test, so it's pretty hard to spend too much time on path. If you're scoring where you want to score, keep doing what you're doing. Finish everything at least once then get another pass of your weak areas and missed questions. If you have time after that, repeat other areas & maybe add other resources if you think you have to.

 

[sloop]

That may not be such a bad idea, but don't spend too much time.

Thanks for the advice! I'll think about going over them once I finish my pass of FA/Pathoma. Until then I won't worry about it.

If you're weak in micro, no. Stick to FA & UW. If you're crushing micro, no, because you're crushing micro. If you're neurotic, crushing every topic & have extra time, no, use the extra time to relax & avoid peaking.

Stop worrying about your UWSA score correlation; it's too erratic i.e. too much anecdotal evidence at all ends of the spectrum to say if it's accurate at all.

It doesn't matter what NBME you take. Most people advise that the order of priority goes from most recent to least recent. So if you're taking only two, take 16-17, etc.

It's too late to make switching to FA 2015 beneficial. Stick with what you know at this point.

It's primarily a path test, so it's pretty hard to spend too much time on path. If you're scoring where you want to score, keep doing what you're doing. Finish everything at least once then get another pass of your weak areas and missed questions. If you have time after that, repeat other areas & maybe add other resources if you think you have to.

Thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it. You're right. I spent too much time worrying about the stupid UWorld Assessment. I'll just keep on chugging.

I took your advice and today I opted for a newer NBME. I took NBME 15. My thought was that I will definitely be buying another NBME to take closer to the test and I may (probably will) even do another on top of that. So I still have 16 and 17 left. If for some reason I don't have time to do two, I'll just take 17.

As an update, my score on NBME 15 was a 256! I'm feeling really good about that right now. I know it's only one piece of data and it could be a total outlier, but I'm glad to have seen so much improvement. It really validates what I've been doing until now. It makes me feel like I don't necessarily need to completely reinvent my study strategy. Honestly, before starting this study period I never would have guessed I had a chance of pushing 260.

I still have 3 weeks. Any suggestions on anything I should try adding to my study routine? I know score improvement is only going to get harder from here on out.