MD & DO Should I buy Uworld for pre-clinicals?

[SillyGenius]

I just finished remediating my first semester of M1 year. I had previously failed multiple classes my first semester and was forced to repeat the entire year

This year, my grades improved in the majority of my classes by at least 15% (4 out of 5 classes to be exact). But, in one of my classes, I just barely scraped by and passed my final by 1.3%. I could have easily failed if I had answered just 1 more question wrong on the final exam and obviously another failed class at this point could get me kicked out of med school

Thankfully, I did pass everything this semester and I will continue on to next semester. But, I get the sense that my studying still isn't very efficient. I am very worried about my second semester as I barely passed a class I had already attempted last year

Our exams are about 90% NBME and 10% prof made questions. Currently, I just watch all relevant videos on Amboss + Bootcamp and then go unsuspend relevant Anki cards from the Amboss + bootcamp videos. I also try to do most of the practice questions on bootcamp.

Using Amboss + bootcamp has taken up a ton of my time and sometimes eats away at my time for doing practice questions. Should I stick to just using either bootcamp or amboss (Any recommendations of which one to pick? Or maybe use a different third party resource?)

I am thinking about purchasing Uworld and doing the practice questions on there instead of bootcamp practice questions. I just worry that I won't have a q bank to use during Step 1 study period. Would Uworld be helpful right now? I just don't want to be on the edge of passing every single time I take a test

Since I start winter break tomorrow, should I also pre-study for the upcoming semester?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Amboss and Bootcamp are not the best resources necessarily for NBME style exams. They're not bad resources, but they aren't the best bang for your buck.

Since you're having trouble passing- forget about those 10% professor made questions. Never read a PowerPoint your professors put out again. You don't have time. Don't go to class either. Ever. Unless being in there with headphones on helps you stay motivated to do Anki.

I would actually go get a Boards and Beyond subscription- that's just First Aid in video format. That's the stuff that will definitely show up on your NBME exams. If you do Boards and Beyond, Pathoma, and Sketchy (for micro and pharm), and unsuspend the relevant anki cards, you won't have issues passing an NBME based exam. That's a lot of work, but it's all you have to do to pass. You really should be at least doing Pathoma for step 1 anyway (do med students not know about UFAPS anymore?)

To answer your original question now that we've covered those basics- nothing wrong with buying UWorld either and doing questions over the block you're in (cardiology, renal, etc). Don't worry about running out of questions for step 1, you can always do AMBOSS questions or reset the step 1 UWorld bank. But you need to watch the B and B videos and do Pathoma and Sketchy. It seems to me you have a content issue. I love AMBOSS for third year, but in preclinical, it doesn't have the material you need for NBME exams (unless they've drastically changed it since 1-2 years ago when I was an M1)

Also, you can prestudy if you want, but be careful not to burn the candle at both ends. You need to be sleeping 8 hours a night and going for like a 15 minute jog/walk a day, and eating well, even if it's eating out. If you neglect those things, you're screwed no matter what you do. I say it that way because when I was younger I'd be like "Sleep is for the weak!" but that's a great way to ruin yourself academically. I don't sleep and work out and eat my veggies for the health benefits, I do it because I don't have the energy to get through my day as an M3 if I don't do those things.

 

[SillyGenius]

Amboss and Bootcamp are not the best resources necessarily for NBME style exams. They're not bad resources, but they aren't the best bang for your buck.

Since you're having trouble passing- forget about those 10% professor made questions. Never read a PowerPoint your professors put out again. You don't have time. Don't go to class either. Ever. Unless being in there with headphones on helps you stay motivated to do Anki.

I would actually go get a Boards and Beyond subscription- that's just First Aid in video format. That's the stuff that will definitely show up on your NBME exams. If you do Boards and Beyond, Pathoma, and Sketchy (for micro and pharm), and unsuspend the relevant anki cards, you won't have issues passing an NBME based exam. That's a lot of work, but it's all you have to do to pass. You really should be at least doing Pathoma for step 1 anyway (do med students not know about UFAPS anymore?)

To answer your original question now that we've covered those basics- nothing wrong with buying UWorld either and doing questions over the block you're in (cardiology, renal, etc). Don't worry about running out of questions for step 1, you can always do AMBOSS questions or reset the step 1 UWorld bank. But you need to watch the B and B videos and do Pathoma and Sketchy. It seems to me you have a content issue. I love AMBOSS for third year, but in preclinical, it doesn't have the material you need for NBME exams (unless they've drastically changed it since 1-2 years ago when I was an M1)

Also, you can prestudy if you want, but be careful not to burn the candle at both ends. You need to be sleeping 8 hours a night and going for like a 15 minute jog/walk a day, and eating well, even if it's eating out. If you neglect those things, you're screwed no matter what you do. I say it that way because when I was younger I'd be like "Sleep is for the weak!" but that's a great way to ruin yourself academically. I don't sleep and work out and eat my veggies for the health benefits, I do it because I don't have the energy to get through my day as an M3 if I don't do those things.

Appreciate all the advice bro. I'll def get Boards and beyond. And as for attending class, I actually have to attend all my classes because one of the stipulations for allowing me to repeat my M1 year was making attendance mandatory for me. It sucks but I guess it's better than them kicking me out

I wanted to know, do you think the Guyton and Hall Medical Physiology would be of any help to me? I've heard of some students using it but I'm not sure if it would just be a time sink or if it could actually be useful?

 

[Hollow Knight]

Appreciate all the advice bro. I'll def get Boards and beyond. And as for attending class, I actually have to attend all my classes because one of the stipulations for allowing me to repeat my M1 year was making attendance mandatory for me. It sucks but I guess it's better than them kicking me out

I wanted to know, do you think the Guyton and Hall Medical Physiology would be of any help to me? I've heard of some students using it but I'm not sure if it would just be a time sink or if it could actually be useful?

I would stay away from reading textbooks honestly. Your goal is to cram as many NBME factoids in your head as quickly as possible. I've never heard of Guyton and Hall.

I will say for physiology texbooks- I liked Costanzo Physiology a lot, and read it, simply because it helped me understand. She explains complicated things simply, and there are dedicated Anki cards from her chapters. But that's not required, I just did it because I had trouble wrapping my head around renal physiology (for example)