Study Plan Input Please

[ulikedaggers]

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I'm currently an M1 at an unranked school and I have been using FA along with my course material. I'm about halfway through the Firecracker trial and I'm really enjoying it, but I don't know if it's worth $400/12 months.

I've been thinking a lot about how I want to prepare myself for Step 1 and this is the basic plan I've come up with. Please let me know what you think.

Buy USMLERx now - $199 "till you pass" which is essentially 24 months for $199.
-- I probably won't be able to do the majority of the questions during M1, but having access to it starting now isn't going to cost me any more money than it would starting next year.

Buy Pathoma in May 2014
-- Annotate the book over the summer after MS1 and learn as much of it as possible before MS2 starts. Then just use it as a reference throughout the year.

Buy Kaplan QBank Aug 2014
-- Do this concurrently with coursework and finish it by January 2015.

Buy UW Jan 2015
-- First pass with coursework. Second pass during dedicated prep time along with NBMEs (6 weeks).

Finish USMLERx and NBMEs
-- in the last 2 weeks leading up to the exam to make sure I don't have any holes in FA.

 

[tranquilo]

I like the idea of starting pathoma early but I know it would have not worked out for me. Motivation during summer after M1 was not there for me. The intensity of M2 allows me to get through stuff in a more efficient way. If you use spaced-repetition methods to reinforce material then go ahead start early. Sounds like firecracker might be right for you so mirror topics there with whatever you're reading. Best of luck!

 

[Renaissance Man]

I don't really see the point of starting Pathoma before having much pathology. It is an amazing resource and not very difficult to do with your classes. If you really want to study during the summer before MS2, just keep up with FC and you will be ahead of 95% of students.

 

[ulikedaggers]

So you guys think I should do a 6 month sub to Firecracker and do qbanks/pathoma only during MS2?

 

[tranquilo]

I don't really see the point of starting Pathoma before having much pathology. It is an amazing resource and not very difficult to do with your classes. If you really want to study during the summer before MS2, just keep up with FC and you will be ahead of 95% of students.

How did you approach studying path? I'm curious because I'm able to jump straight into pathoma first for the big picture and then I follow that up with baby Robbins and RR to supplement. I don't need previous exposure to any particular path topic to benefit from pathoma especially during general path. I go through pathoma religiously. I draw things out and make quite a few anki cards from each pathoma chapter before I move on to more in-depth resources. To each his own!

 

[Renaissance Man]

How did you approach studying path? I'm curious because I'm able to jump straight into pathoma first for the big picture and then I follow that up with baby Robbins and RR to supplement. I don't need previous exposure to any particular path topic to benefit from pathoma especially during general path. I go through pathoma religiously. I draw things out and make quite a few anki cards from each pathoma chapter before I move on to more in-depth resources. To each his own!

At my school 90% of pathology is taught during second year. That is why I don't suggest using Pathoma the summer before learning it in school. For instance right now I am in a Derm and Reproductive block, so I have listened and read through the 3 chapters in Pathoma that are all about these topics. I only use Pathoma, Firecracker, and my lecture notes (also listen to some Goljan audio while working out) for pathology. I don't even own Robbins.

 

[tranquilo]

At my school 90% of pathology is taught during second year. That is why I don't suggest using Pathoma the summer before learning it in school. For instance right now I am in a Derm and Reproductive block, so I have listened and read through the 3 chapters in Pathoma that are all about these topics. I only use Pathoma, Firecracker, and my lecture notes (also listen to some Goljan audio while working out) for pathology. I don't even own Robbins.

I see where you're coming from. I bet you have good path profs. I'm not as blessed. I skip class and use lectures as a guide to make sure I pass but mostly to know where to put the emphasis in Robbins and RR.

 

[witzelsucht]

If you are going to do stuff over M1 summer, don't do pathoma. Just run through all your M1 material and make them into anki cards you can use throughout M2. Pathoma works better if used along classes. You'll probably forget most of it by the time you get to your path blocks anyway. If you are going to study ahead during the summer (not recommended) - do some micro or maybe some pharm - that's rote memorization anyway.

Wait for URx until you can get one of those $99/year coupons that pop up on here every now and then. Buy UWorld early and do along with classes, its too much to do 2x from Jan-April.

Instead of firecracker, buy the Dr. Willbe anki pathology deck for $10 and use that M2, along with review of your cards you make over the summer of M1 stuff. That's 90% of the content you will need.

 

[ulikedaggers]

Isn't making an anki deck for all of M1 going to be extremely time consuming?

What about doing FC from now until M2 starts and then just relying on qbanks? There's no way I'll be able to do school, qbank, and FC simultaneously next year.

 

[addy]

If you are going to do stuff over M1 summer, don't do pathoma. Just run through all your M1 material and make them into anki cards you can use throughout M2. Pathoma works better if used along classes. You'll probably forget most of it by the time you get to your path blocks anyway. If you are going to study ahead during the summer (not recommended) - do some micro or maybe some pharm - that's rote memorization anyway.

Wait for URx until you can get one of those $99/year coupons that pop up on here every now and then. Buy UWorld early and do along with classes, its too much to do 2x from Jan-April.

Instead of firecracker, buy the Dr. Willbe anki pathology deck for $10 and use that M2, along with review of your cards you make over the summer of M1 stuff. That's 90% of the content you will need.

Can you comment on the Dr. Willbe deck? How is it? worth the $10? I always find making my own cards helpful so im torn on if i want to buy his deck or not

 

[001100010010011]

Ok. I'm going to chime in here. I did some Pathoma over M1 summer. I thought it was a good idea. I now have everything annotated into the book (high yield items starred, diagrams that Dr. Sattar draws, etc.). The subscription costs $120 for a full year and I think it's worth it.

Now, all I do is watch the videos/concentrate on what he's saying.

 

[witzelsucht]

Can you comment on the Dr. Willbe deck? How is it? worth the $10? I always find making my own cards helpful so im torn on if i want to buy his deck or not

its easily worth $10, neatly organized and has images which can be a PITA to add. I have other decks that I use for class, and come Feb/March I'll be adding to the willbe deck but its an easy way to make sure you are doing 15m of step 1 review every day, without having to think too hard, which is why I like it

 

[ulikedaggers]

Ok. I'm going to chime in here. I did some Pathoma over M1 summer. I thought it was a good idea. I now have everything annotated into the book (high yield items starred, diagrams that Dr. Sattar draws, etc.). The subscription costs $120 for a full year and I think it's worth it.

Now, all I do is watch the videos/concentrate on what he's saying.

Are you going to annotate the HY stuff from Pathoma into FA (if that's even possible)?