Step I Official 2015 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

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KushWeedNuggetsStankyLeg

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M2 here. Starting today, I am just going to be reviewing for Step 1 which I am taking next May, and nothing else. Here is my plan:

Oct 23-Dec 31: Memorize FA2014, Watch all of Pathoma
Jan 1-Jan 31: FA2015, Pathoma (pass 2), Kaplan QBank
Feb 1-Feb 28: FA2015 (pass 2), Pathoma (pass 3), USMLERX
March 1- March 31: FA2015 (pass 3), Pathoma (pass 4): UWorld
April 1- Mid May: FA2015 (pass 4), Pathoma (selective topics), UWorld (pass 2), all practice tests

Goal: High number
 
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I watched a few of the kaplan videos for that stuff and actually started to understand them, granted I forgot them now already haha

Yea, having the same problem of forgeting. I memorized and understood as needed to get through class exams. It's just not clicking but I know it's low hanging fruit🙁
 
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@seminoma is AR only horizontal transmission too? You know where you only see affected individuals in one generation. I don't know if I'm using horizontal transmission correctly.
 
No I don't think you are lol
Hahaha! Yes. I'm using it completely wrong. I did figure it out. AR shows an inheritance pattern with multiple individuals affected in one generation both male and females. It's due to an enzyme deficiency where AD is due to structural gene defect. Lol. It appears horizontal and not vertical. That's what I was getting at.
 
Hahaha! Yes. I'm using it completely wrong. I did figure it out. AR shows an inheritance pattern with multiple individuals affected in one generation both male and females. It's due to an enzyme deficiency where AD is due to structural gene defect. Lol. It appears horizontal and not vertical. That's what I was getting at.

I got what you were trying to say. On a family tree it does look "horizontal" but that's just a matter of pedigree construction.
 
Hahaha! Yes. I'm using it completely wrong. I did figure it out. AR shows an inheritance pattern with multiple individuals affected in one generation both male and females. It's due to an enzyme deficiency where AD is due to structural gene defect. Lol. It appears horizontal and not vertical. That's what I was getting at.

Not sure if AR shows multiple individuals in one generation. Typically if the pedigree shows only one generation affected and you rule out XR (females>males and/or male-male transmission) then it's AR.
 
Not sure if AR shows multiple individuals in one generation. Typically if the pedigree shows only one generation affected and you rule out XR (females>males and/or male-male transmission) then it's AR.

You can see multiple siblings affected by an AR disease. If two carrier parents have children, each child has a 25% of inheriting both abnormal copies, 50% chance of being an unaffected carrier, and 25% chance of inheriting both normal copies.
 
Been reading Goljan's Rapid Review Path during break, and it is freaking amazing, but it takes forever. For those of you who will be using it during dedicated study, how are you going to fit it in to your schedule? I wanted to do the classic First Aid, UWorld, Pathoma, but it seems I would not have time to also use Rapid Review.
 
Been reading Goljan's Rapid Review Path during break, and it is freaking amazing, but it takes forever. For those of you who will be using it during dedicated study, how are you going to fit it in to your schedule? I wanted to do the classic First Aid, UWorld, Pathoma, but it seems I would not have time to also use Rapid Review.

Wouldn't recommend Goljan RR during designated prep. Be done with it. Focus on questions and FA. Seriously. That's where your points are.

Not once during your exam will you say "oh wow, Goljan RR really saved me here." You'll be saying "I know the page in FA this is on" or "this question is just like Uworld."
 
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@Phloston :
Having done with Steps, what are your revised recommendations for Step 1 prep?
Do you still recommend all three QBanks?

Still do all three.

The only thing that's changed for me having taken 2CK two days ago is that I can't completely dismiss Kaplan QBank anymore. I had done 2-300 questions from the 2CK QBank and stopped because of stupid minutiae they were assessing, however on my real deal there were two questions straight from Kaplan QBank (i.e., not in UWorld or Rx). Although I still feel the minutiae in Kaplan is a waste of time, it was two "normalish" questions from Kaplan that had showed up on my exam. One I probably would have gotten anyway, but the second I know I would have gotten wrong had it not been for Kaplan QBank, and I actually caught myself mid-exam saying "wow, this was in Kaplan QBank and I wouldn't have known this otherwise."

For Step 1, I'd say UWorld > Rx ≈ Kaplan (however I'd recommend Rx over Kaplan if it had to be one or the other).

For Step 2CK, I'd say UWorld > Rx ≈ Kaplan (however I'd recommend Kaplan over Rx if it had to be one or the other; at no point during my 2CK was I like "oh wow, Rx really saved me here"). The quality of Rx for 2CK isn't as good as for Step 1.
 
Still do all three.

The only thing that's changed for me having taken 2CK two days ago is that I can't completely dismiss Kaplan QBank anymore. I had done 2-300 questions from the 2CK QBank and stopped because of stupid minutiae they were assessing, however on my real deal there were two questions straight from Kaplan QBank (i.e., not in UWorld or Rx). Although I still feel the minutiae in Kaplan is a waste of time, it was two "normalish" questions from Kaplan that had showed up on my exam. One I probably would have gotten anyway, but the second I know I would have gotten wrong had it not been for Kaplan QBank, and I actually caught myself mid-exam saying "wow, this was in Kaplan QBank and I wouldn't have known this otherwise."

For Step 1, I'd say UWorld > Rx ≈ Kaplan (however I'd recommend Rx over Kaplan if it had to be one or the other).

For Step 2CK, I'd say UWorld > Rx ≈ Kaplan (however I'd recommend Kaplan over Rx if it had to be one or the other; at no point during my 2CK was I like "oh wow, Rx really saved me here"). The quality of Rx for 2CK isn't as good as for Step 1.

Any advice for how to fit in the qbanks during the school year prior to dedicated time?
It seems that FA + qbanks should be the focus. However, I'm unsure if all 3 qbanks should be done simultaneously with classes or spaced out during the year with uworld being done closest to or in dedicated period.
 
Any advice for how to fit in the qbanks during the school year prior to dedicated time?
It seems that FA + qbanks should be the focus. However, I'm unsure if all 3 qbanks should be done simultaneously with classes or spaced out during the year with uworld being done closest to or in dedicated period.

I think if you're going to be that ambitious (3 qbanks is no small task), then you would have to start alongside systems lectures. I would save UWorld for last during dedicated. A week before your class exam, go balls to the wall with questions. Someone previously mentioned that doing more than 10 NBMEs is essentially an entire qbank altogether, and I think this is an important point to consider.
 
Didn't want to start a new thread and risk making a big fuss about it, so I thought I'd ask you guys. I know we're not supposed to link to file sharing sites/etc but....I bought the lange pharm cards, made a pdf of them, and saved the file in my google drive. Would I be allowed to share it on here if it's something I made on my own and have in a google drive? I'm finding the cards immensely helpful and just thought they might help others too.
 
Didn't want to start a new thread and risk making a big fuss about it, so I thought I'd ask you guys. I know we're not supposed to link to file sharing sites/etc but....I bought the lange pharm cards, made a pdf of them, and saved the file in my google drive. Would I be allowed to share it on here if it's something I made on my own and have in a google drive? I'm finding the cards immensely helpful and just thought they might help others too.

Yes please 🙂 I'd be so thankful to receive those lange cards as a pdf!
 
I think if you're going to be that ambitious (3 qbanks is no small task), then you would have to start alongside systems lectures. I would save UWorld for last during dedicated. A week before your class exam, go balls to the wall with questions. Someone previously mentioned that doing more than 10 NBMEs is essentially an entire qbank altogether, and I think this is an important point to consider.

well i am all for doing as many NBMEs as i can, the only thing i am unsure is that one has to go through various forums to find the right answer and most of the time everyone is split b/w the two options that you even zeroed in. Not sure how i can be productive in doing NBMEs and use them as learning tool which we should.
 
I think if you're going to be that ambitious (3 qbanks is no small task), then you would have to start alongside systems lectures. I would save UWorld for last during dedicated. A week before your class exam, go balls to the wall with questions. Someone previously mentioned that doing more than 10 NBMEs is essentially an entire qbank altogether, and I think this is an important point to consider.

That's a good point. I would be concerned about leaving all uworld and NBMEs for dedicated.

It seems the most realistic way to do qbanks seems to be to fit questions in with classes as you finish up each system a few days before the exam.
 
Any advice for how to fit in the qbanks during the school year prior to dedicated time?
It seems that FA + qbanks should be the focus. However, I'm unsure if all 3 qbanks should be done simultaneously with classes or spaced out during the year with uworld being done closest to or in dedicated period.

I've been doing Rx and Kaplan qbank throughout the year basically how @Mr. Mojo Risin described it. It's not actually that difficult to do 2 qbanks alongside classes if you can learn from the questions (vs needing to re-read notes/lectures).

Imo it would be difficult to do NBMEs during the year especially in a systems based curriculum.
 
Wouldn't recommend Goljan RR during designated prep. Be done with it. Focus on questions and FA. Seriously. That's where your points are.

Not once during your exam will you say "oh wow, Goljan RR really saved me here." You'll be saying "I know the page in FA this is on" or "this question is just like Uworld."

Okay that's good to know. Would this advice still hold true if I felt fairly deficient in path? I literally only did pathoma this last semester for path (no class notes, no lecture) so I was hoping to fill in some of the details that I missed.
 
Okay that's good to know. Would this advice still hold true if I felt fairly deficient in path? I literally only did pathoma this last semester for path (no class notes, no lecture) so I was hoping to fill in some of the details that I missed.

Hard to say. You'll learn a lot of path through questions. What you have to bear in mind is that once you're within the yellow-zone of a few months out from your exam, you really do need to start consolidating through questions and FA. If you were 6 months out, for instance, then sure, bringing your path up to speed with some Pathoma or Goljan RR is fine, but just don't forget the bulk of your points lies in FA and questions.

If you were taking the COMLEX and USMLE, and could only do two Qbanks, which would you choose?

For Step 1, Rx and UWorld.

for Step 2CK, Kaplan and UWorld.
 
Hard to say. You'll learn a lot of path through questions. What you have to bear in mind is that once you're within the yellow-zone of a few months out from your exam, you really do need to start consolidating through questions and FA. If you were 6 months out, for instance, then sure, bringing your path up to speed with some Pathoma or Goljan RR is fine, but just don't forget the bulk of your points lies in FA and questions.



For Step 1, Rx and UWorld.

for Step 2CK, Kaplan and UWorld.

Interesting that you pick Rx over Kaplan for Step 1. Not saying I disagree, but still interesting. I have been doing Kaplan qbank and Rx alongside classes and I usually do Kaplan first (to aid in understanding), then Rx in the days leading up to the test to help solidify FA facts.

What's your opinion on using Goljan RR and/or Step 1 Secrets during the last block or two of the school year (basically from 10-12 weeks out from the exam, 6 weeks out from starting dedicated time)? I definitely won't be using them during dedicated time, but I don't really see a way to avoid using Goljan RR (Secrets is expendable.. hardly use it anyway) without sacrificing a good foundation in those last couple of organ systems.

Regarding Secrets, I'm toying with the idea of quickly reading all of it between February and March. School for us ends early-May and I'll be taking my exam mid-June. I haven't really had time to read Secrets throughout the year (haven't prioritized it high enough) and even when I have read it it hasn't gotten me any points on exams. Despite that, I do feel like it was helpful as a review and as a way to see additional clinical scenarios.

Been reading Goljan's Rapid Review Path during break, and it is freaking amazing, but it takes forever. For those of you who will be using it during dedicated study, how are you going to fit it in to your schedule? I wanted to do the classic First Aid, UWorld, Pathoma, but it seems I would not have time to also use Rapid Review.

Have you been using RR Path during coursework? If not, what are you using to learn path? I started the year reading RR Path only once per block, but in the last two blocks before break I read it 2x, some sections 3-5 times. Definitely a big help. Our path professors basically transform Robbins into a huge powerpoint, which sucks.
 
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Interesting that you pick Rx over Kaplan for Step 1. Not saying I disagree, but still interesting. I have been doing Kaplan qbank and Rx alongside classes and I usually do Kaplan first (to aid in understanding), then Rx in the days leading up to the test to help solidify FA facts.

What's your opinion on using Goljan RR and/or Step 1 Secrets during the last block or two of the school year (basically from 10-12 weeks out from the exam, 6 weeks out from starting dedicated time)? I definitely won't be using them during dedicated time, but I don't really see a way to avoid using Goljan RR (Secrets is expendable.. hardly use it anyway) without sacrificing a good foundation in those last couple of organ systems.

Regarding Secrets, I'm toying with the idea of quickly reading all of it between February and March. School for us ends early-May and I'll be taking my exam mid-June. I haven't really had time to read Secrets throughout the year (haven't prioritized it high enough) and even when I have read it it hasn't gotten me any points on exams. Despite that, I do feel like it was helpful as a review and as a way to see additional clinical scenarios.



Have you been using RR Path during coursework? If not, what are you using to learn path? I started the year reading RR Path only once per block, but in the last two blocks before break I read it 2x, some sections 3-5 times. Definitely a big help. Our path professors basically transform Robbins into a huge powerpoint, which sucks.

I really just think Goljan RR is overrated. I used it for like 10 minutes total my entire Step 1 preparation. The thing about preparing for subjects like path and physio is that they're long-term subjects that you can't really cram for. I think the overall exposure gained through doing lots of questions is sufficient to deliver enough foundation so that when you're posed with a novel scenario on the exam you can work through it. I just don't think at any stage on the real deal will you wish you read a path source more. If anything, you'll wish you did more questions or memorized FA better.
 
Interesting that you pick Rx over Kaplan for Step 1. Not saying I disagree, but still interesting. I have been doing Kaplan qbank and Rx alongside classes and I usually do Kaplan first (to aid in understanding), then Rx in the days leading up to the test to help solidify FA facts.

What's your opinion on using Goljan RR and/or Step 1 Secrets during the last block or two of the school year (basically from 10-12 weeks out from the exam, 6 weeks out from starting dedicated time)? I definitely won't be using them during dedicated time, but I don't really see a way to avoid using Goljan RR (Secrets is expendable.. hardly use it anyway) without sacrificing a good foundation in those last couple of organ systems.

Regarding Secrets, I'm toying with the idea of quickly reading all of it between February and March. School for us ends early-May and I'll be taking my exam mid-June. I haven't really had time to read Secrets throughout the year (haven't prioritized it high enough) and even when I have read it it hasn't gotten me any points on exams. Despite that, I do feel like it was helpful as a review and as a way to see additional clinical scenarios.



Have you been using RR Path during coursework? If not, what are you using to learn path? I started the year reading RR Path only once per block, but in the last two blocks before break I read it 2x, some sections 3-5 times. Definitely a big help. Our path professors basically transform Robbins into a huge powerpoint, which sucks.

Did you buy subscription for the qbanks for the whole year to use with classes? I guess It's either that or sign up for them as you get done with one.
 
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Interesting that you pick Rx over Kaplan for Step 1. Not saying I disagree, but still interesting. I have been doing Kaplan qbank and Rx alongside classes and I usually do Kaplan first (to aid in understanding), then Rx in the days leading up to the test to help solidify FA facts.

What's your opinion on using Goljan RR and/or Step 1 Secrets during the last block or two of the school year (basically from 10-12 weeks out from the exam, 6 weeks out from starting dedicated time)? I definitely won't be using them during dedicated time, but I don't really see a way to avoid using Goljan RR (Secrets is expendable.. hardly use it anyway) without sacrificing a good foundation in those last couple of organ systems.

Regarding Secrets, I'm toying with the idea of quickly reading all of it between February and March. School for us ends early-May and I'll be taking my exam mid-June. I haven't really had time to read Secrets throughout the year (haven't prioritized it high enough) and even when I have read it it hasn't gotten me any points on exams. Despite that, I do feel like it was helpful as a review and as a way to see additional clinical scenarios.



Have you been using RR Path during coursework? If not, what are you using to learn path? I started the year reading RR Path only once per block, but in the last two blocks before break I read it 2x, some sections 3-5 times. Definitely a big help. Our path professors basically transform Robbins into a huge powerpoint, which sucks.

No I haven't been using RR during coursework. I've used only pathoma to learn path. Definitely wish I would have been using goljan just to get more details and concepts that are not in pathoma. The thing that's nice about RR is the outline format makes it easier to read actively/memorize than Robbins or little Robbins. However, I do think Phloston is right that it probably wouldn't be super beneficial during dedicated study period as it is just so huge.
 
Hard to say. You'll learn a lot of path through questions. What you have to bear in mind is that once you're within the yellow-zone of a few months out from your exam, you really do need to start consolidating through questions and FA. If you were 6 months out, for instance, then sure, bringing your path up to speed with some Pathoma or Goljan RR is fine, but just don't forget the bulk of your points lies in FA and questions.



For Step 1, Rx and UWorld.

for Step 2CK, Kaplan and UWorld.

How important/helpful do you think COMBANK would be? Should I stick to USMLE banks and forego COMLEX style questions?
 
Anyone have a schedule they're using or recommend and would be willing to share?

I'm planning on taking my test in June, and I've been using First Aid 2014, Pathoma, and Rapid Review Pathology + Goljan audio along classes since spring of MS1 (we're on an integrated system and started organ systems with Neuro as the last block in MS1). Been doing Firecracker since October of MS1 and keeping up with it. I've done a little bit of Rx the week before exams, but I haven't really used it extensively.

Just not sure where to start with qbanks, and our academic advisor is new (and seriously not helpful), so I would appreciate any advice about where to go from here. The school provides Uworld, but haven't given us a date yet; should I go ahead and buy a subscription on my own for now and start using it now? Thanks so much!
 
Anyone have a schedule they're using or recommend and would be willing to share?

I'm planning on taking my test in June, and I've been using First Aid 2014, Pathoma, and Rapid Review Pathology + Goljan audio along classes since spring of MS1 (we're on an integrated system and started organ systems with Neuro as the last block in MS1). Been doing Firecracker since October of MS1 and keeping up with it. I've done a little bit of Rx the week before exams, but I haven't really used it extensively.

Just not sure where to start with qbanks, and our academic advisor is new (and seriously not helpful), so I would appreciate any advice about where to go from here. The school provides Uworld, but haven't given us a date yet; should I go ahead and buy a subscription on my own for now and start using it now? Thanks so much!

Nice. My school provides nothing. Wouldn't even let us do a group (class) buy of Pathoma or Uworld.

I'm planning on going through FA two times and UW once during my 6 week study period. Have also been doing FC since early MS1 and will have completed Rx and Kaplan qbank by early may. Other sources I use alongside courses are pathoma, goljan RR path, lange pharm cards, Kaplan pharm, and occasionally step 1 secrets and FA cases. Planning on using FA cases more this semester (actually going through all the cases in the organ system).
 
Anyone have a schedule they're using or recommend and would be willing to share?

I'm planning on taking my test in June, and I've been using First Aid 2014, Pathoma, and Rapid Review Pathology + Goljan audio along classes since spring of MS1 (we're on an integrated system and started organ systems with Neuro as the last block in MS1). Been doing Firecracker since October of MS1 and keeping up with it. I've done a little bit of Rx the week before exams, but I haven't really used it extensively.

Just not sure where to start with qbanks, and our academic advisor is new (and seriously not helpful), so I would appreciate any advice about where to go from here. The school provides Uworld, but haven't given us a date yet; should I go ahead and buy a subscription on my own for now and start using it now? Thanks so much!
Here is my plan.
I started the thread so that everyone can benefit from each other's plans in a single place but it didn't get any traction.
 
For those who have been using Firecracker, how do you like it so far? I'm trying to decide whether to extend my Firecracker account or ditch it and use that time to do Qbank questions. I'm a first year. FC seems like it add too much detail, but not completely sure.
 
Thanks for the reply Dexter2003. Any advice on where to start?

Haha sorry for the somewhat sarcastic response. But you said you've been doing well in class. I haven't taken the exam myself yet, but from reading everyone else's experiences, I'd say doing well in class is definitely a good thing. Now I don't know what exactly you mean by "well," but I'd say just keep doing what you're doing, ie focus on class more than anything. Learn the material well the first time around, and it'll be that much easier to review come dedicated time (again, from others' experience, not my own). But if you feel like you must do something, then try picking up a qbank if you haven't already and just do questions whenever you can. From the general consensus, Rx seems to be the most favored for use alongside classes. But I said no before because I've read countless stories of people not even starting actual step studying till actual dedicated time, granted they probably kicked butt in class and already remembered a lot in the first place, which is what I think may be your case–again depending on your definition of doing well. But yea, TLDR: try starting a qbank if you haven't already.
 
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Alright so I just started MSK studying today by reading through FA anatomy/physio and then watched Kaplan videos. I then went ahead and was going to start with our Kaplan COMLEX Qbank and then move to USMLE Q's. The COMLEX questions just handed me my ass, not because the material was hard, but because they asked questions like "is this scenario a greenstick fracture, colles fracture, smiths fracture, etc."

That **** def wasn't in FA or the Kaplan HY lectures. So now I'm thinking I may need to get a quickfire anatomy review that isn't 1,000+ pages long like my clinically oriented anatomy book. What have you guys been using for anatomy review if you don't mind me asking?

huh? greenstick, smiths and colles are all insanely common concepts because they're pretty basic.
 
huh? greenstick, smiths and colles are all insanely common concepts because they're pretty basic.

I honestly don't care whether the concepts are insanely common or pretty basic... either give advice or leave it alone, I don't care about your opinions. We covered this in one random osteopathic lecture probably during M1, and havn't since covered it again.
 
I'm saying they're like pretty important so it's surprising you weren't aware of them. like I know those are in the clinically oriented anatomy blue boxes. maybe go through all the blue boxes in moore's?
 
I'm saying they're like pretty important so it's surprising you weren't aware of them. like I know those are in the clinically oriented anatomy blue boxes. maybe go through all the blue boxes in moore's?

I know they are important it's just that it wasn't in FA, Kaplan, or Pathoma and we hadn't seen it but one time and that was last year I believe.

I'll check the COA blue boxes, ty
 
if I was going to use a dedicated resource for anatomy, I'm thinking it would be moore's(just the blue boxes). pholston do you have any experience with it and also do you have any experience with the wikitestprep questions