Screw it--just ditch FA Biochemistry section?

[ChessMaster3000]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Like many people on this forum, and people in general, I hate biochemistry. I have a poor, but working, understanding of the major biochem concepts necessary for step 1. I'm finding that the FA biochem section, while perfectly fine in terms of content and writing, is just no good for me. Too much to read, hard to understand out of context (ie, not in a question). Other books, with their pro's and con's (ie, HY or Lippincott, etc) pretty much are the same deal: the amount of time it would take to truly understand all of this is probably inefficient at best. So my question is, can I just ditch the FA biochem section and any other biochem text and just try and do as many biochem questions as possible? I'm planning on using UW and Rx and can certainly do all of those biochem questions. Would that be a reasonable alternative to mastering step-1-level biochem without ever having to read a review text?

 

[Rock13]

Coming from someone with (absolutely) zero working biochem knowledge prior to USMLE preparation, I can only suggest not to forgo FA. There were plenty of simple, straight recall biochem questions that came from that chapter in my actual exam, and any time spent studying those pages was well rewarded. Doing heaps of questions would probably be a reasonable alternative, but nothing is as easy to review and refresh than the First Aid chapter.

 

[illini2389]

Coming from someone with (absolutely) zero working biochem knowledge prior to USMLE preparation, I can only suggest not to forgo FA. There were plenty of simple, straight recall biochem questions that came from that chapter in my actual exam, and any time spent studying those pages was well rewarded. Doing heaps of questions would probably be a reasonable alternative, but nothing is as easy to review and refresh than the First Aid chapter.

^ this. I was same boat, terrible biochem knowledge prior to step 1 prep, my school doesn't emphasize it at all. I read FA and tried to understand pathways, and thought that was helpful, but didnt really get a good grasp until doing UW questions. The explanations are great, and most answer explanations have a nice step-by-step analysis of the content.

huge goljan fan too. i thought rapid review biochem was pretty good with the aid of his step 1 lectures, as he'll randomly ramble through a pathway and break it down to the most basic level.

 

[ChessMaster3000]

Okay, fair enough, thanks. I guess a clarifying question would be, when you are reading the FA chapter prior to doing questions, are you reading with the same intensity as the organ system chapters--with the intent to memorize everything? Or just trying to get a solid 2-3 runs through the chapter, then do UW questions, then maybe run through it again the week of the test?

 

[Brain Bucket]

with the intent to memorize everything

You have to run through it again during the week of the test anyway.

 

[BarcaBest23]

posts exactly like yours OP is why the Step1 folks love to put plenty of biochem questions on the exam. Really I think its partially to tease out which students are willing to grind out multiple reviews of the brutality that is the biochem chapter in FA. It sucks doing it but is def. worth it, just grind it out and come test day you will be happy that you did.

-also read it to memorize things like a knee-jerk response so that when you get question stem with "******ed kid with mouse-like sweat odor etc" you already start working your way down the PKU road.

 

[Phloston]

FA biochemistry + QBank is all you need for Step1.

If you don't have a science background, supplementing with an external review resource (e.g., Underground Clinical Vignettes - biochemistry) might be helpful, but the great thing about the Step1 is that FA is sufficient material-wise, then you just need to do lots of questions to see how it's applied.

 

[SOML]

FA + qbank + YOUTUBE VIDS!!!

learn from multiple resources (vids) for concepts. A lot of good metab. process breakdown vids on there.

When you read about FA synthesis etc. on FA and other resources, and watch vids on the topic, it's hard to forget them.

 

[ChessMaster3000]

Thanks everyone, you all have motivated me to just suck it up and hit the grind on FA biochem

 

[001100010010011]

Good luck, now that you have the fear of God in you.

 

[Doctosanthewan]

Biochem is so high yield, you'd be crazy to neglect it.
I do sympathize with you in the sense that I too used hate the damn subject, but through a lil extra hardwork (tons and tons of biochem questions + FA + uWorld + KaplanQ's), I've defintley come to enjoy it a lot more. It went from being my weakest subject (along with immuno), funny now they're both the areas where I consistently score the highest.
Grind through the initial confusion and frustration, soon it will just click.