Studying for CBSE

[snmofficer]

Hello everyone, I am currently a D2 and I am interested in going to the OMFS field. I recently started looking up stuff about the CBSE and there is just so much advice on how to study for it, I honestly do not know where to start. I attend a dental school that does not provide much medical education nor are there any specific breaks so that I can spend time studying for it. As it stands, I think I want to use the whole 2025 to just study the material and take the exam in February 2026 during my D3 year. I know UFaP is essential to do well on the CBSE but I am not sure if I should start from there as I have no medical background.

Some questions regarding how to start studying:
What do you guys recommend to use to start learning the material?
How much time should I aim to use for studying (considering I still have to focus on my didactic courses)?
When should I transition to UFaP?

Some questions regarding resources:
Would you recommend BnB or Bootcamp? If I do use these sources, should I stop using them at some point like once I get to UFaP or just keep them?
What are your thoughts on using Sketchy? Should I utilize it for all sections or just for micro and pharm?
What is the anki deck that most people are using to study? If anyone could provide a link to it, I would greatly appreciate it.
Is First Aid used for learning the material or just for reviewing? I have seen two sides about this so I am not sure how to utilize it.
Thoughts on Pixarize and Golian Lectures?

I am sorry about the many questions but any insight on this would be greatly appreciated. Any schedules or plans that people have used for studying for it would be appreciated as well! I think seeing some schedules may be a good way to kind of build my own and see how I could adapt my schedule to accommodate studying. It is just so many resources available so I don't want to go overkill and it won't help my case considering I am a broke dental student lol. Thanks again everyone!

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[Tvirtumas]

Hello everyone, I am currently a D2 and I am interested in going to the OMFS field. I recently started looking up stuff about the CBSE and there is just so much advice on how to study for it, I honestly do not know where to start. I attend a dental school that does not provide much medical education nor are there any specific breaks so that I can spend time studying for it. As it stands, I think I want to use the whole 2025 to just study the material and take the exam in February 2026 during my D3 year. I know UFaP is essential to do well on the CBSE but I am not sure if I should start from there as I have no medical background.

Some questions regarding how to start studying:
What do you guys recommend to use to start learning the material?
How much time should I aim to use for studying (considering I still have to focus on my didactic courses)?
When should I transition to UFaP?

Some questions regarding resources:
Would you recommend BnB or Bootcamp? If I do use these sources, should I stop using them at some point like once I get to UFaP or just keep them?
What are your thoughts on using Sketchy? Should I utilize it for all sections or just for micro and pharm?
What is the anki deck that most people are using to study? If anyone could provide a link to it, I would greatly appreciate it.
Is First Aid used for learning the material or just for reviewing? I have seen two sides about this so I am not sure how to utilize it.
Thoughts on Pixarize and Golian Lectures?

I am sorry about the many questions but any insight on this would be greatly appreciated. Any schedules or plans that people have used for studying for it would be appreciated as well! I think seeing some schedules may be a good way to kind of build my own and see how I could adapt my schedule to accommodate studying. It is just so many resources available so I don't want to go overkill and it won't help my case considering I am a broke dental student lol. Thanks again everyone!

I scored in the 70%~ range so take what I say with a grain of salt.

There are too many resources. I think bootcamp > boards because it’s much more accessible and has a pretty comprehensive question bank. The only other resource I’d add is sketchy and the anking deck. You have to retain the info because what you learn today you probably won’t remember 4 months from now and much less a year from now.

Sketchy micro and pharm are solid and I would do the tagged anking cards. It should be easy points once you have it memorized.

First aid is for review. I’ve heard some people learn just by reading it but if you have time just be thorough. It’s a terrible learning tool. Use it like a dictionary.

I haven’t used pixarize or Goljan but I don’t think they’re necessary. On that note, pathoma isn’t a great tool anymore. It isn’t comprehensive enough if your school doesn’t have a medical curriculum.

There are too many resources so I’d start with 2 and add as needed.

TLDR: use bnb or bootcamp/ and sketchy with tagged Anki cards then start uworld 3-4 months prior to your test date

 

[snmofficer]

I scored in the 70%~ range so take what I say with a grain of salt.

There are too many resources. I think bootcamp > boards because it’s much more accessible and has a pretty comprehensive question bank. The only other resource I’d add is sketchy and the anking deck. You have to retain the info because what you learn today you probably won’t remember 4 months from now and much less a year from now.

Sketchy micro and pharm are solid and I would do the tagged anking cards. It should be easy points once you have it memorized.

First aid is for review. I’ve heard some people learn just by reading it but if you have time just be thorough. It’s a terrible learning tool. Use it like a dictionary.

I haven’t used pixarize or Goljan but I don’t think they’re necessary. On that note, pathoma isn’t a great tool anymore. It isn’t comprehensive enough if your school doesn’t have a medical curriculum.

There are too many resources so I’d start with 2 and add as needed.

TLDR: use bnb or bootcamp/ and sketchy with tagged Anki cards then start uworld 3-4 months prior to your test date

I appreciate your insight very much. I have heard that bootcamp is a good resource but I am seeing that others are connecting what they learned in BnB and annotating it straight on the First Aid book. What are your thoughts on that?

Also did you do any other anki cards besides the tagged ones on sketchy? If you do any other anki decks that may be useful please let me know how I can acquire them.

Thank you again!

 

[Rick Sorkin]

Don’t have much time to read all that and thoroughly answer, but

Start UW today. Go very slow and thorough. Don’t worry about doing two passes or even one. I’d only done ~68% of it. That’s your primary learning source, not FA. I hardly opened that book. Memorize every word, abbreviation, word in parentheses in Pathoma. Do sketchy micro (I didn’t use it for viruses cuz I couldn’t do more pictures). Start nbmes 2-3 months out from your final attempt, or take a couple before your first attempt. I used BnB the last month to touch up.

But, do what works for you. Do what you enjoy. Don’t stick to a strategy because someone else did well with it. They all will get you high scores if you put in the hard work and aren’t dumb. Stay disciplined and trust that you’re learning. It will take months for material to start sticking.

Edit: you should be spending every hour possible and then some to study for this exam starting today. Cbse is what holds everyone back from applying, not your gpa and not your social life. This grind sucks but it’s worth it.

 

[J-stripper]

Establish a knowledge base as fast as you can. This includes adding new material while reviewing old content. This base will still have holes in it, but should be substantial enough that you understand practice questions once you start doing them.

I wouldn’t jump right into UWorld. You’ll have no idea what’s going on, everything will be disjointed, and it’s super inefficient. Learn material as fast as possible in a structured way so that you can then build on that foundation and put things in context once you start UWorld. Jumping straight into UWorld you’ll just be wasting time since you know nothing.

By building a base as fast as possible I’m not talking about 5 months of Bootcamp and ANKING. That’s too long. Like 2 months Pathoma, Sketchy micro/pharm. either reviewing constantly following a schedule you set, or using shorter anki decks like Dukes deck and Pepper Micro/Pharm. ANKING is too many cards and too much unnecessary info.

Then jump into questions and do as much UWorld as you can to keep learning concepts and having spaced repetition. Take NBMEs evenly spaced to track progress. Eventually I’d drop UWorld as my primary resource and focus on only NBME questions. UWorld is great for learning the concepts, NBME is good for practicing for the real test and CBSE style questions.

In the background I’d keep up a constant, comprehensive review. Watching bootcamp lectures, highlighting their PowerPoints and learning concepts/having things explained again. You’ll realize how much you already know and it’ll recement certain topics.

Do targeted reviews based on weak areas exposed by UWorld questions .

Most of your time should be spent doing practice questions (UWorld and NBMEs) and filling in weak areas by looking up stuff in first aid, or reading a section in Pathoma, a sketchy picture, or a bootcamp video/pdf. I wouldn’t waste time with Anki after you built your base. It’s not efficient. And you have a better spaced repetition tool (practice questions)

 

[Rick Sorkin]

Establish a knowledge base as fast as you can. This includes adding new material while reviewing old content. This base will still have holes in it, but should be substantial enough that you understand practice questions once you start doing them.

I wouldn’t jump right into UWorld. You’ll have no idea what’s going on, everything will be disjointed, and it’s super inefficient. Learn material as fast as possible in a structured way so that you can then build on that foundation and put things in context once you start UWorld. Jumping straight into UWorld you’ll just be wasting time since you know nothing.

By building a base as fast as possible I’m not talking about 5 months of Bootcamp and ANKING. That’s too long. Like 2 months Pathoma, Sketchy micro/pharm. either reviewing constantly following a schedule you set, or using shorter anki decks like Dukes deck and Pepper Micro/Pharm. ANKING is too many cards and too much unnecessary info.

Then jump into questions and do as much UWorld as you can to keep learning concepts and having spaced repetition. Take NBMEs evenly spaced to track progress. Eventually I’d drop UWorld as my primary resource and focus on only NBME questions. UWorld is great for learning the concepts, NBME is good for practicing for the real test and CBSE style questions.

In the background I’d keep up a constant, comprehensive review. Watching bootcamp lectures, highlighting their PowerPoints and learning concepts/having things explained again. You’ll realize how much you already know and it’ll recement certain topics.

Do targeted reviews based on weak areas exposed by UWorld questions .

Most of your time should be spent doing practice questions (UWorld and NBMEs) and filling in weak areas by looking up stuff in first aid, or reading a section in Pathoma, a sketchy picture, or a bootcamp video/pdf. I wouldn’t waste time with Anki after you built your base. It’s not efficient. And you have a better spaced repetition tool (practice questions)

To each their own. Worked for me and for others I know

 

[J-stripper]

To each their own. Worked for me and for others I know

Not saying it doesn’t work, but likely less efficient for most people who are already strapped for time. You get too deep too fast, and you end up reverse engineering your foundation.

 

[Rick Sorkin]

Not saying it doesn’t work, but likely less efficient for most people who are already strapped for time. You get too deep too fast, and you end up reverse engineering your foundation.

You’re probably right. It took me 13 months to study, but it worked out for me. So I’m probably biased in favor of what I did. I still back that people should do whatever strategy they enjoy, cuz even the hypothetically most efficient one won’t be pragmatically if the person is miserable. Perhaps BnB is the way to go to start out. I can’t back anki or FA as primary learning resources though

 

[J-stripper]

You’re probably right. It took me 13 months to study, but it worked out for me. So I’m probably biased in favor of what I did. I still back that people should do whatever strategy they enjoy, cuz even the hypothetically most efficient one won’t be pragmatically if the person is miserable. Perhaps BnB is the way to go to start out. I can’t back anki or FA as primary learning resources though

Yeah that’s the big caveat, use a strategy that you’re actually willing to do and just commit to it. People waste a ton of time resource hopping. Have a plan that you’re willing to commit to, then just stick with it. If it’s not working and you need to adjust that’s fine, but there is no easy route.

I couldn’t bring myself to do anki more than 1.5 months. It was awful. But I loved reading first aid both cover to cover and while looking things up. The charts, diagrams, no filler, and way things were organized just clicked for me.

 

[Tvirtumas]

I appreciate your insight very much. I have heard that bootcamp is a good resource but I am seeing that others are connecting what they learned in BnB and annotating it straight on the First Aid book. What are your thoughts on that?

Also did you do any other anki cards besides the tagged ones on sketchy? If you do any other anki decks that may be useful please let me know how I can acquire them.

Thank you again!

Both are very effective and I think they both have free trials. You should them both and see what works for you. Untag the cards for bnb and bootcamp as you do them. The Anki deck is a lot so I’d focus on higher yield stuff.

 

[Tvirtumas]

Not saying it doesn’t work, but likely less efficient for most people who are already strapped for time. You get too deep too fast, and you end up reverse engineering your foundation.

I agree. Uworld will also kill your confidence if you have no idea what you’re looking at.

 

[teeth!]

I would also agree; I tried starting UWorld and you are just guessing. dental schools, for the most part, teach about 10% of what you need to know for the CBSE. if you do AnKing, which i recommend 1) committing to it, and maturing as many cards as you can should be the goal and 2) dont forget to not lose the forest from the trees (ie - anki will tell you that fibrates can increase the incidence of cholesterol gallstones but can you explain why?)

 

[KashKy]

For those who have taken the CBSE will I need to review anatomy heavily? I'm a D1 at a P/F med-integrated school, and I should have bootcamp and Anking completed by May, aiming for Feb 2026 CBSE. Also does anyone have any advice on when I should begin incorporating Uworld? I was thinking about starting slowly this upcoming February and hitting it hard once I finish Anking, leaving me all summer and D2 fall to grind.

 

[Anonamoose]

For those who have taken the CBSE will I need to review anatomy heavily? I'm a D1 at a P/F med-integrated school, and I should have bootcamp and Anking completed by May, aiming for Feb 2026 CBSE. Also does anyone have any advice on when I should begin incorporating Uworld? I was thinking about starting slowly this upcoming February and hitting it hard once I finish Anking, leaving me all summer and D2 fall to grind.

That is a good plan, you will have a solid base between bootcamp, anking and med school coursework, just make sure you don't peak too early with knowledge then have to maintain for months. Do the whole bank plus incorrects, you'll kill it.

Anatomy is a very small portion of the exam, UW covers a good amount of what could be asked, as will bootcamp. Path and phys are the meat and potatoes, worry about those subjects.

 

[KashKy]

That is a good plan, you will have a solid base between bootcamp, anking and med school coursework, just make sure you don't peak too early with knowledge then have to maintain for months. Do the whole bank plus incorrects, you'll kill it.

Anatomy is a very small portion of the exam, UW covers a good amount of what could be asked, as will bootcamp. Path and phys are the meat and potatoes, worry about those subjects.

Thanks for the advice. Any other tips/resources I should keep in mind? Or pitfalls to avoid?

 

[Anonamoose]

Thanks for the advice. Any other tips/resources I should keep in mind? Or pitfalls to avoid?

Just totally commit once you get started, take small breaks but keep at it until you take the test. UW, bootcamp, sketchy, and anking is more than enough +/- pathoma but once you get going for a few months you will realize pathoma is more general review and you will learn those topics to a higher degree than is covered in the book/videos.

Do NBMEs a month/few weeks before the exam but UW questions are much more similar to the modern CBSE than doing older NBMEs. I was too trusting of the NBMEs and felt like they falsely boosted my confidence because they repeat concepts and questions a ton, so don't put much weight in them besides a very general range where you will likely score - UW is more important to continually learn and increase your knowledge.

 

[nade0016]

PD chiming in here. CBSE is a tough test. If you are struggling with motivation or material. Get a tutor. Most major Universities or Medical Schools offer tutoring services at low to no cost. Could be the difference between 55 and 65. And that difference is huge. For those who are not aware. the CBSE serves two functions.

First: it provides the 6 year programs medical schools what the chances are of you passing USMLE step 1. Any score below ~65 and most medical schools will not entertain an interview. I believe the score requirement is going up as well. Might be above 70 now. I am the PD at a 4 year program but have friends who are PD's at 6 year MD programs and this is what I am hearing from them.

Second: the most recent study showed that obtaining a score of 62 was considered the base minimum. For each 1.5 points below 62 the applicant lost a 10% of interviewing outside of their "home" program. Obviously there are outliers and I know a student with a CBSE score in the high 40's who has has many interviews. So all is not lost, but the other parts of the application must be stellar to make up for a lower CBSE. Things like GPA, leadership, research, intangibles, etc. So it could be viewed as a "weeder" exam, like O-chem in undergrad.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tvirtumas]

PD chiming in here. CBSE is a tough test. If you are struggling with motivation or material. Get a tutor. Most major Universities or Medical Schools offer tutoring services at low to no cost. Could be the difference between 55 and 65. And that difference is huge. For those who are not aware. the CBSE serves two functions.

First: it provides the 6 year programs medical schools what the chances are of you passing USMLE step 1. Any score below ~65 and most medical schools will not entertain an interview. I believe the score requirement is going up as well. Might be above 70 now. I am the PD at a 4 year program but have friends who are PD's at 6 year MD programs and this is what I am hearing from them.

Second: the most recent study showed that obtaining a score of 62 was considered the base minimum. For each 1.5 points below 62 the applicant lost a 10% of interviewing outside of their "home" program. Obviously there are outliers and I know a student with a CBSE score in the high 40's who has has many interviews. So all is not lost, but the other parts of the application must be stellar to make up for a lower CBSE. Things like GPA, leadership, research, intangibles, etc. So it could be viewed as a "weeder" exam, like O-chem in undergrad.

Hope this helps.

Just curious if you know the average for accepted applicants and are you referring to the new scoring system?

 

[teeth!]

PD chiming in here. CBSE is a tough test. If you are struggling with motivation or material. Get a tutor. Most major Universities or Medical Schools offer tutoring services at low to no cost. Could be the difference between 55 and 65. And that difference is huge. For those who are not aware. the CBSE serves two functions.

First: it provides the 6 year programs medical schools what the chances are of you passing USMLE step 1. Any score below ~65 and most medical schools will not entertain an interview. I believe the score requirement is going up as well. Might be above 70 now. I am the PD at a 4 year program but have friends who are PD's at 6 year MD programs and this is what I am hearing from them.

Second: the most recent study showed that obtaining a score of 62 was considered the base minimum. For each 1.5 points below 62 the applicant lost a 10% of interviewing outside of their "home" program. Obviously there are outliers and I know a student with a CBSE score in the high 40's who has has many interviews. So all is not lost, but the other parts of the application must be stellar to make up for a lower CBSE. Things like GPA, leadership, research, intangibles, etc. So it could be viewed as a "weeder" exam, like O-chem in undergrad.

Hope this helps.

Just curious if you know the average for accepted applicants and are you referring to the new scoring system?

Very curious if this the old or new scoring too

 

[nade0016]

Just curious if you know the average for accepted applicants and are you referring to the new scoring system?

The average is not reported

 

[nade0016]

Very curious if this the old or new scoring too

New scoring system, dont try to get cute with the scores. PD's are using the new scoring scale exclusively. I want the EPC unless you have an old score and then I know how to adjust the score.

 

[snmofficer]

Thank you to everyone who has given feedback. What I took away is to work on learning the information through sketchy, pathoma, and bootcamp and then work on practicing it through Uworld.
Does anyone have a conversion chart from the old score to the new score? What should I aim for in the new score range?