Step 1 Plan: Books and Questions: Need Help

[USFOptho]

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Hey Guys...

Have pretty much all I need, thanks to the many posters and old posts I've read on here. Have a few holes, would like some critiques..I have all the kaplan books, and quite a few more I havent listed, but I made this list...Please critique.



First Aid: All of it.

Biochemistry: Kaplan; HY Molec and Genetics (Is the HY addition to kaplan necessary?)

Pharmacology: FA (maybe some Kaplan)

Pathology: BRS + FA

Physiology: BRS + FA

Behaviour: Kaplan enough? + FA

Embryo: HY Embryology + FA

Anatomy: HY Anatomy + FA

NeuroScience: HY Neuroanatomy

Microbiology: Med Micro Made Redic Simple + FA

Immunology: Jawetz and FA

Histo: HY Histo


Question Sources: QBANK, Kaplan QBook, Lange (Jawetz) Micro and Immuno, Lange (Jawetz) Board Review Micro/Immuno, PHARM MINI KATZUNG, ROBBINS QUESTION BOOK, WEBPATH, Board Simulator Series, Appleton and Lange, Toronto MCQ Immunology QBANK (~500 questions) and so many thousands of others. I probably have, all said, well over 10,000 questions (easily). No lack there.

Going to try for 50-100 questions a day, see how the pace and rhythm works out for me.


I'm basically doing what I did for the MCAT: Go crazy on questions. I did something like 3000 questions for the MCAT, and it showed...

Thanks

P.S. Taking 6 weeks for Step 1

 

[bigfrank]

For Neuroscience, I'd go with HY Neuroanatomy. And pay attention to the blood supply, brainstem lesions, and spinal cord lesions chapters

 

[peach4me]

is BRS neuro too much for a 250+ score?

 

[bigfrank]

The better question is "is HY too little for a 250+ score?" I really don't think so. You can get a 250 w/ BRS (of course) but it is a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig book and your time can probably be spent studying other things.........

 

[USFOptho]

Thanks Big Frank! I was hoping you'd respond.


So, with that addition of HY Neuroanatomy, does anyone see anything lacking in my booklist? This booklist is a compilation of many anecdotes both in real life, and from SDN, so maybe if we tweaked it just right, we could sticky this thread, and save people ALOT of time.

Thanks!

 

[aerial]

You mentioned:

Behaviour: Kaplan enough? + FA
Embryo: Langman's Embryology (necessary?)
Anatomy: BRS (maybe??) and FA

I think Langman's for embryo is overkill. I was planning to use HY instead even though it seems as though there's not much covered in it. If there are some sections that I don't feel are nicely covered in HY, then maybe I'll look at it. For behavioral you mentioned Kaplan and FA. I don't know how Kaplan's materials are, but again, I'll be using HY for that. BRS Behavioral is good, but like Neuroanatomy, its a little too much. I think the same has been said for Anatomy, but I have both BRS and HY so I might just use both.

And a couple of questions: How are you planning to use your question resources? Will you be "learning" from questions rather than reading? How many questions do you plan on doing each day? Thanks for your help.

 

[SolidGold]

Looks like I'll be using many of the same books, but my plan is to use HY Anatomy and HY Embryo with FA of course. Knowing those cold should be more than sufficient. You might be better off spending the time you save from reading BRS Anatomy and Langman's (I can't believe you think this book is good), and spending your time with higher yield subjects like Path and Phys which will earn you that solid gold medal.

This goes out to everyone else, would using Lippincott's Biochem be better than Kaplan? Page wise they are about the same, but I've heard good things about both, and don't just say "Kaplan is fine," I really want to know which one might be better. And does anyone know if the new 3rd edition of Lippincott's is significantly better than the over 10 year old second edition?

 

[bigfrank]

I used HY Gross Anatomy and absolutely loved HY Embryology. I probably got at least 6-8 embryo questions that I answered easily thanks to the book. Anatomy on the Step I is hit-or-miss and neither BRS or HY will help all that much in the end.

 

[USFOptho]

Solidgold,

Going over the forums and previous posts, it seems that Kaplan Biochem is very highly rated. I would do a search for it.

Looks like I'll be using many of the same books, but my plan is to use HY Anatomy and HY Embryo with FA of course. Knowing those cold should be more than sufficient. You might be better off spending the time you save from reading BRS Anatomy and Langman's (I can't believe you think this book is good), and spending your time with higher yield subjects like Path and Phys which will earn you that solid gold medal.

This goes out to everyone else, would using Lippincott's Biochem be better than Kaplan? Page wise they are about the same, but I've heard good things about both, and don't just say "Kaplan is fine," I really want to know which one might be better. And does anyone know if the new 3rd edition of Lippincott's is significantly better than the over 10 year old second edition?

 

[USFOptho]

You mentioned:

Behaviour: Kaplan enough? + FA
Embryo: Langman’s Embryology (necessary?)
Anatomy: BRS (maybe??) and FA

I think Langman's for embryo is overkill. I was planning to use HY instead even though it seems as though there's not much covered in it. If there are some sections that I don't feel are nicely covered in HY, then maybe I'll look at it. For behavioral you mentioned Kaplan and FA. I don't know how Kaplan's materials are, but again, I'll be using HY for that. BRS Behavioral is good, but like Neuroanatomy, its a little too much. I think the same has been said for Anatomy, but I have both BRS and HY so I might just use both.

And a couple of questions: How are you planning to use your question resources? Will you be "learning" from questions rather than reading? How many questions do you plan on doing each day? Thanks for your help.

For questions, I learn from them. I read the explanations, then review any pertinent sections I see I have a weakness in. I'm thinking 100 questions a day to start out, and see how it goes, probably ramping it up from there, but it depends on my ability to learn from them.

 

[DotheDo]

this is a great post -- can others who did really well on USMLE or COMLEX post the great sources they used.

Also, what about Goljan's materials for path or USMLE -- worth while?

thanks

 

[SolidGold]

Solidgold,

Going over the forums and previous posts, it seems that Kaplan Biochem is very highly rated. I would do a search for it.

Looks like you were right USFOptho. Having gone through 2/3 of the Kaplan Biochem, I must say that it is damn good. 👍

 

[Samoa]

I remember several of last year's test takers saying that HY Behavioral Science is all you need for that topic, and just to read through it once or twice close to the exam.