minimal studying for the non-keeners

[ewon2004]

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Hi there,

Over the years I've noticed people are going crazy studying step 1 with over 10 review books hoping to get above 240.

What if this is not your goal?

What if all you need is 220 and above?

Here's what I did - which is minimal studying to get above 220. Note: I am barely average or slightly below average in my class (with mostly P's, 1 H in the entire 2 years).

First Aid - read 2x
USMLE Word - did all the questions 1x (average 60-63%)

Total amount of studying 2-3 hrs per day for a few weeks, lots of break days in between, plus a vacation trip.

Score 226.

Hope this is helpful for some of you.

 

[MX health]

...

 

[commander]

Great post!!
I also know others who did the same.

But quick question, what are you going to loose if you study a little harder?
one extra fact you learn may safe a patient.

 

[Lovenox]

Thank you! Great post.
Congratulations!😎

 

[december07]

Hi there,


First Aid - read 2x
USMLE Word - did all the questions 1x (average 60-63%)


Hope this is helpful for some of you.

Do you think USMLE World was a BIG factor in your success? I'm pretty much employing your same strategy 🙂 but only using kaplan Qbank.

 

[MX health]

...

 

[SupremeSurgeon]

With all due respect to the OP, I think approaching Step 1 in this manner is disastrous. I spent several months studying for Step 1 and I am really happy with my 240+ score. I don't really see a point in studying for only several weeks and spend the rest of your life wondering if you had only studied for a bit longer, you might have landed a better residency spot. I don't see how spending a few more weeks or months studying for the exam would mean you are "losing" out on life. By the way, it's "lose" and not "loose." Also, while I was studying, I just could not bear the thought of performing poorly on Step1 and then starting clinics. If you do poorly on Step 1, a lot of doors will be closed on you, and no matter how well you do or how hard you work during your clinical years, that score will always follow you. If you are willing to work hard during your clinical years, why not just exert a little more effort to get the score that you desire? So, my advice for everyone out there is to set your goal really high and you will get there. Don't just say to yourself that you will only shoot for a 220 because by doing that, you are mentally setting a limit for yourself and you may not be able to escape that way of thinking. Always shoot for the moon and do not let anyone tell you that average is good enough. There are enough naysayers in the world, so don't let your own attitude be your enemy.

 

[commander]

lose NOT Moose,Thanks!!!

"I am definitely losing it"

 

[mudphudwannabe]

I think you have to find some happy medium that works for you. If you hate studying, just try to be as efficient about it as possible. If you go in thinking, "I'm not going to learn anything that isn't directly relevant to patient care," you are just setting yourself up for failure. Very little of what is learned during the first 2 years is practical knowledge. You may learn some basic pharmacology, but we don't really know how to treat disease. You do learn the basics of how those diseases work - this is most of what Step 1 tests, and what will form the foundation of what you'll learn in the clinical years. And who knows, you might have a patient with one of those rare diseases that you deemed "useless memorization." Yes, there are nitpicky details, but it's just silly to avoid them when glancing over them a few times could mean a higher score.

Like it or not, this test will be used to compare you to other students. Your best strategy for Step 1 is simply to give it the best effort you can. If not for your own knowledge, then let the pursuit of a great score and hopefully more choice over your future residency motivate you.

I'm not saying the OP's plan was "bad" (obviously it worked out just fine!), or that you need to drive yourself nuts studying 24/7 for months on end. I'm just saying you don't want to limit yourself. If you are capable of achieving a 250, why do the bare minimum and end up with a 220? I think it's worth a little extra work so that you can look back and say you did the best you could, without any regrets. What exactly that means is going to be different for everyone, but I think that most people would benefit from a little more review than just FA+questions.

 

[ewon2004]

Do you think USMLE World was a BIG factor in your success? I'm pretty much employing your same strategy 🙂 but only using kaplan Qbank.

No USMLE World was not a big factor. It was useful to get used to the pattern of questions and practice thinking through the physiology / pathology etc, but on the exam, I pretty much relied on facts I learned in school and FA.

I've also spoken to other classmates who did the same for a variety of reasons (family, going for IM / FP / gas) - the best one got somewhere around 235 - with just FA and a question bank.

I think the experience highlights a few lessons:

(1) It's more useful / high yield to focus on a select few resources than going overboard such as 1 review book per subject. That way, you'll retain more, able to digest what you read better, an ultimately perform better on the exam.

On the other hand, I've read sad stories of people failing exam after reading all those review books - I believed they read too much, too fast, and under too much stress. It's like drinking from a fire hose - you just can't digest most of it.

If you must read all those books, start early in 1st / 2nd year, so that you'll have time to learn and digest all the information.

(2) Tackle the big 3 subjects first: pharm, path, and micro - and make sure you learn it well. I feel if you have good grasp of these 3 areas, you are guaranteed to get >220.

I practically did not review any molecular bio, biochem, neuro, histo and immunology - as these are minimally covered in FA, and these were not big areas on my exam.

(3) Life is short - have some fun in this long road of medicine. 3rd/4th year & residency will only get harder and more stressful. An unfortunate soul in my school just died from cancer that developed during med school.

Step 1 knowledge base will not help you much clinically, and is in no reflection of the kind of doctor you'll become. If you must read something useful, I'll suggest Washington Manual or Pocket Medicine (which, incidentally, may just help you do better on Step 1 as it is getting more and more clinically-oriented).

Good luck.

 

[Knicks]

........... Step 1 ...... is in no reflection of the kind of doctor you'll become.......

True but, unfortunately Step 1 DOES/WILL play a role in opening/limiting the number and types of residency programs to you.

Right?

 

[MSdoc2be]

i thought i read USMLE world was not for Step i?

 

[Instatewaiter]

Hi there,

Over the years I've noticed people are going crazy studying step 1 with over 10 review books hoping to get above 240.

What if this is not your goal?

What if all you need is 220 and above?

Here's what I did - which is minimal studying to get above 220. Note: I am barely average or slightly below average in my class (with mostly P's, 1 H in the entire 2 years).

First Aid - read 2x
USMLE Word - did all the questions 1x (average 60-63%)

Total amount of studying 2-3 hrs per day for a few weeks, lots of break days in between, plus a vacation trip.

Score 226.

Hope this is helpful for some of you.

Glad it worked out for you doing the minimalist approach but there are a lot of people out there that just wont be able to pull that 220 without 4 weeks of 8-10 hours/day.

Personally I feel that you should try and keep as many doors open as possible. How can you know that 3rd year wont make you fall in love with a competitive specialty?

I really limited my options for medical school and had to basically claw my way into med school simply b/c I screwed around too much in college. I can tell you that it is not a good feeling to realize that you have created a glass ceiling for yourself.

Spending a month studying hard really wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be. Plus I can look back and know that I went balls to the wall and did my best.

i thought i read USMLE world was not for Step i?

fail

 

[Murcielo]

.

 

[Slide]

Why not try your best and do as well as you can? One month of 110% effort for lots of open doors for your medical career path sounds like a good trade.

Though I do admit, I am glad there are some people that will settle for average to help out the curve for those that do want to do well 😀

 

[Darksmurf]

Why not try your best and do as well as you can? One month of 110% effort for lots of open doors for your medical career path sounds like a good trade.

100% is the maximal effort that you can give (unless you're an athlete).

 

[perilou]

...
I've also spoken to other classmates who did the same for a variety of reasons (family, going for IM / FP / gas) ...

Anesthesiology is now in the realm of FM & IM in terms of competitiveness?

 

[Captopril]

Anesthesiology is now in the realm of FM & IM in terms of competitiveness?

Hellz no

 

[pseudoknot]

Anesthesiology is now in the realm of FM & IM in terms of competitiveness?

IM and anesthesiology are roughly equal (i.e., average) but more competitive than FM.