Neuroscience

[Pinner Doc]

For all those who have taken Step 1 (and all those who are preparing for it)...

I'm currently studying neuroscience from Lange's Road Map: Neuroscience. It was highly recommended in FA 2005. It's highly detailed, though. As I sit here memorizing cerebellar and hippocampus pathways, I seriously wonder if it's worth it. There is barely ANY mention of either of these pathways (let alone structures!!) in First Aid... or even QBank. Most of the neuro I've seen in either of these highly-touted sources has been either pathology, or very basic pathways (spinothalamic, corticospinal, etc).

Should I continue memorizing "the entorrhinal cortex projects to the dentate gyrus, which projects to CA3 neurons" like an automaton, or should I concentrate elsewhere?

Thanks!!

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[Idiopathic]

You will get one question that truly tests your knowledge of cerebellar pathways, and you will kick yourself for not studying it more, but is it high yield? Not as much as straight neuro-pathology.

 

[DrPharaohX]

If you can get your hands on High Yield Neuro, do it! That book is so awesome that the author even breaks down the highlights for each chapter in the preface of the book, which I referred to constantly to make sure I hit the high yield material and not waste my time on other stuff.

 

[mikedc813]

If you can get your hands on High Yield Neuro, do it! That book is so awesome that the author even breaks down the highlights for each chapter in the preface of the book, which I referred to constantly to make sure I hit the high yield material and not waste my time on other stuff.

I agree. HY is great for neuro

 

[MDFACC]

idiopathic...

who are you man?

you speak wisely and are knowledgeable about all things medicine + usmle..you are a fascinating mystery genius. what kind of doc u want to be? are you ivy league?


explain yourself!

 

[osar92]

I'm not sure if my background in Neuro is that strong, but am planning on just using HY Neuro and studying it for a whole day.

Do you think HY Neuro will suffice even if my background isn't the greatest?

 

[Megalofyia]

idiopathic...

who are you man?

you speak wisely and are knowledgeable about all things medicine + usmle..you are a fascinating mystery genius. what kind of doc u want to be? are you ivy league?


explain yourself!

He is a genius. It's best to just bow down in front of him.

 

[Idiopathic]

He is a genius. It's best to just bow down in front of him.

Somewhere between brilliant and genius. Seriously, though, I just put a lot of time into studying for Step 1, and I feel like I learned a lot along the way about what is important and what isnt. I wish I had spent more time on pharm and less time on micro, for instance. But those things dont always hold true for everyone. However, just playing odds, if you have a limited study window (as most do) you have to decide whether to attempt to remember facts about cell biology and genetics or about side effects of antihypertensive therapies. Sometimes you will honestly have to decide between the two.

I just call it like it is. The OP asks, essentially, if neuroscience is worth killing yourself over, and will you get some arcane question re: knowledge of entorhinal pathways. I say no, but if you do, just suck it up, its one of those risk/reward things. You can waste hours, literally, memorizing minutia that is not important to know and generally not tested on boards, or you can make sure you have all the soft-toss pitches nailes (i.e. basic path, pharm, everything you can know about kidney, heart and lung physiology).

And then, if you get that ridiculous question asking you what happens to rotational nystagmus in a left sided hemiparetic when he strokes out his dentate gyrus, just chalk it up and move on.

 

[Idiopathic]

I'm not sure if my background in Neuro is that strong, but am planning on just using HY Neuro and studying it for a whole day.

Do you think HY Neuro will suffice even if my background isn't the greatest?

Now to this question I say yes.

Some important concepts in neuroanatomy are (there are obviously more than can be studied):

1. Spinal pathways for lesions (Brown-Sequard, etc.)
2. Cortice mapping for major areas (motor, sensory, brocas vs. wernickes, etc.) and the vascular insults that damage which areas (ACA infarct can lead to inability to control urination...stupid, but a great test question).
3. Distal neuro control. Be able to map brachial plexus and know what an injury where can do.
4. Cranial nerves/injuries to
5. Anatomical considerations: foramena, herniation syndromes, subdural vs. epidural vs. subarachnoid.


I think the rest of neuro is best understood through pathology (parkinsons, alzheimers, glycogen storage diseases, developmental problems, CA, viruses, etc.) but they all have their own neurologic effect.

Anyway, HY is fine for neuro. Be able to recite the important parts.

 

[felicia2001uk]

any one studying neuroscience from rapid review series?how is the book and Cd?