I hate the fact that I just did a 50 ? block of Q-bank questions in anatomy + Phys and I was thinking "alright, i finally feel like I am getting these" as I did the questions, only to press submit and find that I dropped 2% from my last block.
Doesn't seem like all of my studying is getting me anywhere... pretty discouraging.
Oh yeah, and how come I'm reading through these "review" books and it seems like I'm seeing some of it for the first time (or haven't seen it in like 20 years). I did pretty well my first two years, but I think my memory is shot.
Ditto on wishing I would have used FA (and other review books) during my first 2 years.
guys relax you are going to be fine. I do not know of anyone at least at my school who studying using the class notes.It would have been impossible since we had what amounted to 3 banker boxes full of note service. I also did not try to use step 1 during first year. how can you? when you are learning it for the first time?
you are doing better than you think you are. the anxiety that this test brings is very unfair because so much importance is placed on this one test.
this is what i did..
beginning in december of my 2nd year i started slowly reviewing stuff from first year.sometimes i would only spend 1 hour a week looking at bugs and drugs etc..then i started doing some questions off the web. a friend of mine gave a nms and kaplan cd and worked questions. sure i got plenty of them wrong but it good review. O ne thing that kept me motivated was a big sign that i hung in my office above my desk. A big red poster board, it read GOAL MAKE >80% ON THE BOARDS. i looked at it everyday.i think i read step1 like 5 times plus all the kaplan books(and all the other review books) for like 2 months . because of this i did well on both my comlex and usmle.
dont feel bad because you didnt study during first 2 years. you would have been misreable and would have forgotten to have fun. lets face it, if someone gets a 250 because they remembered all the enzymes of the kreb cycle or the steps in DNA replication BIG DEAL it may not make them a better doctor than you will be even if you made a 183.
one last thing dont base what your success is in studying with people on this board.everyone seems to be a genius here..
sorry to ramble on
good luck
you are going to do great.