MS2 - thinking of overhauling my study habits.

[DrizzyDrake]

Hey guys,

So I am an MS2 and my school gives tests based off of retired NBME exams. We have lectures, but in all honesty, they do nothing to really prepare me for board prep or even these NBME exams.

In my situation, do you guys think I should really just make First Aid, a Q bank and Pathoma a priority in studying from day one and use that to prepare for these NBME exams? Or do these resources not cover NBME material that often?

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[Oxygen206]

Current M2 here. Although I can't speak for the effectiveness of your plan, it's what I am planning to do as well. Lectures AND lecture notes at my school are worthless - most slides are just pictures with no labels as though to corner you into attending lecture, very annoying. Feel free to pm me if you want to compare/discuss strategies. Seems like most people in my class are more resistant to change and still attempting lectures...

 

[Kaustikos]

Hey guys,

So I am an MS2 and my school gives tests based off of retired NBME exams. We have lectures, but in all honesty, they do nothing to really prepare me for board prep or even these NBME exams.

In my situation, do you guys think I should really just make First Aid, a Q bank and Pathoma a priority in studying from day one and use that to prepare for these NBME exams? Or do these resources not cover NBME material that often?

Clinical Medicine Shelf = NONE of those work. This is an exam where you have to rely on something else entirely. I used Step-Up and that was essentially what this exam is based off of. There's no path on this shelf. No physiology. No biochem/etc.

With saying that...Step Up also helps for Step 1. So, it's a win-win to read this book, imo.

 

[Trogghunter]

If you feel like you're not getting what you need from lecture, then spit that nipple out and suckle on the qbank FA pathoma goljan teet. How do you think Caribbean students get by?

 

[startswithb]

I didn't go to ANY lectures in M2, studied FA, goljan, pathoma, and UsmleRx and Uworld qbanks and did significantly better than I did in M1 and very well on boards. Even though I was focusing on high-yield board material, I still managed to do above average on class exams. I believe that was because my new study methods were much more effective and I learned the material better.

I would review the class slides a few days before the exams, maybe, but did not at all on my last exam before boards and still beat the class average. Unless your school teaches way outside the scope of what's deemed important nationally, you should be fine. More than fine. Just stay motivated and disciplined.