Trying to figure out how to cut my step 1 prep time down - Advice appreciated!

[Vvulnificus]

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Based on what I wanted to accomplish, my step 1 prep time is currently ~8 weeks, which feels too long to me, but I'm not sure how to cut it down. I'd love any advice on the matter (i.e. I'm allowing a lot of free time on "x" days, etc.).

Precursor to dedicated prep time - will have completed at least Kaplan Qbank, maybe Rx depending on time, along with annotations into FA. For my dedicated study time, I'll bold what my goal is followed by how I plan on accomplishing it.

2 passes of first aid. For that, I have 2 blocks of 7 days allotted (1 at the start of dedicated prep and 1 toward end). During the 1st pass, I have FA reading + 1 chapter of pathoma/day. During the 2nd pass, I have FA reading + 2 chapters of pathoma/day.

1 pass of UWorld. For that, I have 24 days allotted, doing 2 blocks per day + 1 chapter of pathoma each day.

1 pass of UWorld incorrects. For that, I have 5 days allotted, doing 3 blocks per day (assuming I get ~70% on UWorld first pass) + 1 chapter of pathoma each day.

2 UWSA tests. For that, I have 2 days allotted, 1 test + review each day.

6 NBME practice tests. For that, I have allotted 1 day for each test, with the following day to review incorrects (for a total of 12 days). I don't have anything else scheduled on these days.

1 pass of Goljan 46 page HY notes. For that, I have allotted 1 day, along with 4 pathoma chapters that day.

Review of incorrect NBME answers powerpoint. For that, I have allotted 1 day, along with 5 pathoma chapters that day.

Along with that, I have 5 break days scheduled (4 interspersed, 1 the day before the test).

So, is there anywhere I'm allotting too much time per day that I could beef up the workload on and try and cut down on my days of prep? I didn't think what I was hoping to accomplish was all that excessive based on what I've heard of others doing, but most seem to knock this out in 6 weeks or less.

Thanks a bunch in advance!

 

[da Vincis World]

Based on what I wanted to accomplish, my step 1 prep time is currently ~8 weeks, which feels too long to me, but I'm not sure how to cut it down. I'd love any advice on the matter (i.e. I'm allowing a lot of free time on "x" days, etc.).

Precursor to dedicated prep time - will have completed at least Kaplan Qbank, maybe Rx depending on time, along with annotations into FA. For my dedicated study time, I'll bold what my goal is followed by how I plan on accomplishing it.

2 passes of first aid. For that, I have 2 blocks of 7 days allotted (1 at the start of dedicated prep and 1 toward end). During the 1st pass, I have FA reading + 1 chapter of pathoma/day. During the 2nd pass, I have FA reading + 2 chapters of pathoma/day.

1 pass of UWorld. For that, I have 24 days allotted, doing 2 blocks per day + 1 chapter of pathoma each day.

1 pass of UWorld incorrects. For that, I have 5 days allotted, doing 3 blocks per day (assuming I get ~70% on UWorld first pass) + 1 chapter of pathoma each day.

2 UWSA tests. For that, I have 2 days allotted, 1 test + review each day.

6 NBME practice tests. For that, I have allotted 1 day for each test, with the following day to review incorrects (for a total of 12 days). I don't have anything else scheduled on these days.

1 pass of Goljan 46 page HY notes. For that, I have allotted 1 day, along with 4 pathoma chapters that day.

Review of incorrect NBME answers powerpoint. For that, I have allotted 1 day, along with 5 pathoma chapters that day.

Along with that, I have 5 break days scheduled (4 interspersed, 1 the day before the test).

So, is there anywhere I'm allotting too much time per day that I could beef up the workload on and try and cut down on my days of prep? I didn't think what I was hoping to accomplish was all that excessive based on what I've heard of others doing, but most seem to knock this out in 6 weeks or less.

Thanks a bunch in advance!

What is your goal, score wise?

 

[Vvulnificus]

250 ideally, but would be very happy with 240+. I'm at a US MD school, fwiw, but one w/o "name." Interested in either IM or med/peds, but would like to go somewhere competitive (both for location and eventual heme/onc fellowship --> academics). Obviously subject to change during clinicals though also, and wouldn't like to shut myself out of anything

 

[da Vincis World]

250 ideally, but would be very happy with 240+. I'm at a US MD school, fwiw, but one w/o "name." Interested in either IM or med/peds, but would like to go somewhere competitive (both for location and eventual heme/onc fellowship --> academics). Obviously subject to change during clinicals though also, and wouldn't like to shut myself out of anything

I would stick with uWorld, FA, and Pathoma. I would not do near that many practice tests. I would drop the other qbanks.....you'll learn a lot more going through uWorld multiple times.

I would not shorten your study period unless you get a 250 on one of your early NBME's.

 

[Vvulnificus]

I'm reluctant to drop the NBME's because they really seem like the most realistic prep you can do. I suppose dropping a qbank and starting UW prior to dedicated study time would be an option. Thank you for the input. Would love for any more!

 

[thatsmate]

Any reason you're choosing 2 blocks per day + 1 chapter of pathoma for your Uworld time? 2 blocks per day should run you about 4 hours with generous time for reviewing questions, annotating into FA, etc. Then a chapter of Pathoma? That's usually around 1 hr, max 1.5. 5 hrs a day may sound like a lot, but it really isn't for your dedicated study time.

If I were you I might try 3 blocks per day. That would shave off a week right there.

 

[da Vincis World]

Any reason you're choosing 2 blocks per day + 1 chapter of pathoma for your Uworld time? 2 blocks per day should run you about 4 hours with generous time for reviewing questions, annotating into FA, etc. Then a chapter of Pathoma? That's usually around 1 hr, max 1.5. 5 hrs a day may sound like a lot, but it really isn't for your dedicated study time.

If I were you I might try 3 blocks per day. That would shave off a week right there.

If you are shooting for 250 you had better take an NBME before you even think of shaving any time off. You may need to add time.

 

[Vvulnificus]

Any reason you're choosing 2 blocks per day + 1 chapter of pathoma for your Uworld time? 2 blocks per day should run you about 4 hours with generous time for reviewing questions, annotating into FA, etc. Then a chapter of Pathoma? That's usually around 1 hr, max 1.5. 5 hrs a day may sound like a lot, but it really isn't for your dedicated study time.

If I were you I might try 3 blocks per day. That would shave off a week right there.

Based on searching a bit, it seemed like 3 blocks a day was on wayyyy upper end of what was reasonable to do (at least relative to what people were saying they accomplished each day). What's a reasonable time frame to get through a single block of world with annotations? I've just done a few hundred questions out of Kaplan qbank so far, and I've done relatively well (~85%), but it takes me a good while to get through a block (I think in large part bc I'm kind of anal retentive about making sure I get all the important information out of the explanation, but also bc I'm working it in untimed tutor). Maybe I just need to ditch that OCDness and fly through it?

Trust me on hours though, 5/day is well less than what I'm doing now for classes, and I was planning on putting in more during dedicated study. 😛

Thank you all for the advice!

 

[thatsmate]

I would switch to doing timed, at least for your dedicated study time. Part of preparing for the test is preparing your test taking skills. It sounds like you're taking a long time reading through the question stem, which isn't really realistic prep for what you'll have to do during the test.

Also, lol at all the people saying "250?! 8 weeks isn't enough time!" I know plenty of people who have eclipsed 250 with 5 weeks of dedicated time. It depends on how well you're prepared heading into dedicated time, and how you're performing.

But it's true that if you're not scoring what you want to on your NBMEs, add time.

 

[MCAT guy]

Us MD school has 8 weeks dedicated time? Really?

Are schools just cutting their schedules now?

 

[thatsmate]

Us MD school has 8 weeks dedicated time? Really?

Are schools just cutting their schedules now?

Yeah. It's kind of ridiculous thinking about it logically, but once schools start doing it, all other schools have to do it to keep up. Now it's benefit gets normalized to nothing, but it's a major disadvantage to students at schools who give them less time.

Of course, most people take time off to study for boards later in their career, at the end of residencies and fellowships, so I guess it's just part of medical testing.

 

[Vvulnificus]

I would switch to doing timed, at least for your dedicated study time. Part of preparing for the test is preparing your test taking skills. It sounds like you're taking a long time reading through the question stem, which isn't really realistic prep for what you'll have to do during the test.

Also, lol at all the people saying "250?! 8 weeks isn't enough time!" I know plenty of people who have eclipsed 250 with 5 weeks of dedicated time. It depends on how well you're prepared heading into dedicated time, and how you're performing.

But it's true that if you're not scoring what you want to on your NBMEs, add time.

Thank you for the input. I definitely have been carefully reading the question stems so far, and taking an unrealistic amount of time (I'm doing Qbank along with classes, and have been trying to just get a feel for the q's). I do plan on doing World in random timed mode, so maybe if I up the pace a bit on going through explanations, I could get through 3 blocks a day (maybe the posts I read that make that seem unreasonable were from people doing a significant amount of other things on top of their 2 blocks?).

I agree completely that it's doable to reach your peak in <8 weeks (just trying to figure out how to optimize my schedule to do so)!

Us MD school has 8 weeks dedicated time? Really?

Are schools just cutting their schedules now?

I think my school allots ~4.5 weeks. We're on the lower end of allotted time as far as I've heard from other schools, but we've kept a respectable step average. I'm doing mudphud and thus have more breathing room, not going right into clinicals, that I plan to take advantage of (though I'm shooting for more like ~6 weeks of prep than the 8 my schedule ended up being when I tried to lay it out - thus, this thread 😉).