Tips for early start USMLE prep during 2nd year of med school

[DrDrToBe]

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I am getting ready to start my second year of med school, and I am starting to feel a bit anxious about the boards. I want to get into a competitive speciality so it's imperative that I get a great score. Thus, I intend to start studying now so that by next year March I am in good shape. The things is, I have no clue where to start! I am thinking that if I start memorizing things now, I'll forget it by then.
I have talked to some students at my school, and they suggest reviewing topics from first year to make sure I have those down cold. I have started doing that, but it just seems like so much and so all over the place.
Any suggestions on a feasible study plan? Thanks a lot! 😕

http://www.heightsofgreatones.blogspot.com/
Tales of medical school, USMLE Step 1 prep, etc.

 

[BigRedder]

Don't worry about board prep now. Work hard in your courses and make sure you learn it right the first time.

 

[azntxn]

review first year material + question bank (USMLERx or Kaplan...save USMLEWorld for last)

 

[SuperSlacker]

doing well in your courses IS the best board prep (and this is coming from a person that didn't do particularly well in his courses).

but if you do feel compelled to begin reading reference books...go through the relevant sections as you cover them in class (review the 1st year stuff later or in your "free" time) and/or listen to goljan.

 

[turkeyjerky]

Work hard at you classes now. Don't forsake that to "study for the boards". Review relevant first year material, ie anatomy, histology and physiology, prior to each block of 2nd year--this'll help you a lot both in your classes and for step1. Use RR Path and goljan audio along with your courses. If your professors skip something that Goljan covers, make sure you read about it in more depth, like Robbins or the Uptodate article on it. First Aid is pretty low yield at this point, I wouldn't bother picking it up until the spring.

The point is that you shouldn't be doing any specific studying for Step1 at this point.

 

[HopefulDoc2007]

I would agree that working hard in your courses is the best prep. However, if you have the time skimming through FA is worth your time I think. (Sometimes lecturers don't emphasize the same things that are high yield for boards and the less you have to learn for the 1st time when you board prep the better.) Don't sweat it too much though. Good luck 2nd year and try to enjoy it. 🙂

 

[DrDrToBe]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, that makes me feel much better. I do have FA and Goljan RR Path, so I'll start going through them along with my classes. I think I'll wait until January to get a Qbank, that way I'll have 3 months to go through it completely. Thanks again everyone!😍


http://www.heightsofgreatones.blogspot.com/
Tales of medical school, USMLE Step 1 prep, etc[/I]

 

[buckets301]

All the advice posted has been good so far. The only thing I would add that really helped me "review" was that I TA'd a couple courses and tutored 1st years in a couple others. This was a great way to force me to look over old (but board relevant) material in order to teach others (which I enjoy doing). So, if you like teaching I would look into doing this. Otherwise, review along the way and start dedicated studying in the spring with qbanks and FA.