Please critique my study plan

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reasonabledoubt

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I'm a U.S. M2 who hasn't done much during the year in terms of studying for Step I. I have just been focusing on school tests. Nonetheless, I have 14-15 weeks to study full-time (although I will most likely start off slow to prevent burning out + don't want to peak early) + I'm hoping to obtain a 240+ score. Please let me know if this is a reasonable plan (or too ambitious) and/or if you have any suggestions to it. I would really appreciate the feedback. Thanks!

Through all the weeks, I plan to work on listening to Goljan audio + First Aid Cases + Deja Step-1 Review + Case Files + Pharm/Micro flash cards (as relaxed studying). I also have BRS pathology + RR Pathology + Kaplan lecture notes but I plan to use them as references only (mostly for the UWorld stuff that will not be in First Aid).

Week 1-3 - First read through First Aid + Finish all the questions in USMLERx after I read the corresponding chapter in First Aid. On the last day, I plan to do a NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation test.
Week 4 - Clinical Microbiology Made Simple + 1st half of Pathoma + BRS Physiology + HY Neuro + a NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation test.
Week 5 - Deja Micro Review + Kaplan Lecture Notes Pharm + 2nd half of Pathoma + a NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation test.
Week 6-8 - First (and last) read through Kaplan's MedEssentials (with referencing First Aid along the way) + 2 NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests + Kaplan Qbank (I probably won't be able to finish it but I like to do as much of it as I can, especially in my weaker subjects).
Week 9 - UWorld
Week 10 - 2nd read of FA + Work on weaknesses
Week 11 - UWorld
Week 12 - 2 NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests (2 on 1 day) + 3rd read of FA
Week 13 - UWorld
Week 14 - 2 NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests (2 on 1 day) + UWorld
Week 15 - 2 single NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests and review high yields.
 
I'm a U.S. M2 who hasn't done much during the year in terms of studying for Step I. I have just been focusing on school tests. Nonetheless, I have 14-15 weeks to study full-time (although I will most likely start off slow to prevent burning out + don't want to peak early) + I'm hoping to obtain a 240+ score. Please let me know if this is a reasonable plan (or too ambitious) and/or if you have any suggestions to it. I would really appreciate the feedback. Thanks!

Through all the weeks, I plan to work on listening to Goljan audio + First Aid Cases + Deja Step-1 Review + Case Files + Pharm/Micro flash cards (as relaxed studying). I also have BRS pathology + RR Pathology + Kaplan lecture notes but I plan to use them as references only (mostly for the UWorld stuff that will not be in First Aid).

Week 1-3 - First read through First Aid + Finish all the questions in USMLERx after I read the corresponding chapter in First Aid. On the last day, I plan to do a NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation test.
Week 4 - Clinical Microbiology Made Simple + 1st half of Pathoma + BRS Physiology + HY Neuro + a NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation test.
Week 5 - Deja Micro Review + Kaplan Lecture Notes Pharm + 2nd half of Pathoma + a NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation test.
Week 6-8 - First (and last) read through Kaplan's MedEssentials (with referencing First Aid along the way) + 2 NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests + Kaplan Qbank (I probably won't be able to finish it but I like to do as much of it as I can, especially in my weaker subjects).
Week 9 - UWorld
Week 10 - 2nd read of FA + Work on weaknesses
Week 11 - UWorld
Week 12 - 2 NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests (2 on 1 day) + 3rd read of FA
Week 13 - UWorld
Week 14 - 2 NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests (2 on 1 day) + UWorld
Week 15 - 2 single NBME/Kaplan/UWorld simulation tests and review high yields.

I'm still within the mist of my study plan... so you can take what I say with a grain of salt.. but I think your plan is a little too ambitious, especially if you don't want to burn out... you've schedule FA + USMLE_Rx for 3wks.... RX is 3000 questions. That was my plan also, but it took me longer than 3wks and I felt I was going fast (I would occasionally burn out every now and then - not study for 3 days and then hit it hard again)... everyone's different and you may be able to hit full strength for 15wks.

Another advice I would give you is stay limited on review sources (you have tonnes of resources you listed - pick the best once that work for you and learn them into the ground - I find that reading each 3,4,5x works better for me)... and do tonnes of questions instead. Good luck in your study
 
Sounds OK, but also sounds like a really, really long time. Personally, I was sick of studying after 6 weeks. One thing you might do is take an NBME exam now and assess your readiness. Depending on your goal you may not need as much time as you think.

As far as your materials:
That's a lot of resources. If you're set on that many and set on 15 weeks, I'd use everything that's not FA during the first 3. After that, I would focus on FA only.

Also, UW is your single most important resource. UW x 2 makes more sense to me than Kaplan qbank/USMLERx. I'd also do all of the NBME practice exams over those 2 qbanks.

Bottom line: You can study however you want, and I'd suggest using whatever resources you're most comfortable with. If you're set on all the above, go for it. But, if I were you, I would simplify a bit and use fewer books/qbanks and less time.
 
Sounds OK, but also sounds like a really, really long time. Personally, I was sick of studying after 6 weeks. One thing you might do is take an NBME exam now and assess your readiness. Depending on your goal you may not need as much time as you think.

As far as your materials:
That's a lot of resources. If you're set on that many and set on 15 weeks, I'd use everything that's not FA during the first 3. After that, I would focus on FA only.

Also, UW is your single most important resource. UW x 2 makes more sense to me than Kaplan qbank/USMLERx. I'd also do all of the NBME practice exams over those 2 qbanks.

Bottom line: You can study however you want, and I'd suggest using whatever resources you're most comfortable with. If you're set on all the above, go for it. But, if I were you, I would simplify a bit and use fewer books/qbanks and less time.


I started out trying to incorporate BRS, CMMRS, etc. found out fast that it proved to be way too cumbersome for me, spread me too thin. FA + Pathoma + UWorld (x2)... fewer resources, but if you know them all WELL, it'll pay off more than knowing a littel bit from a lot of places.