Using Kaplan Qbank + USMLE World + All the NBME Practice Exams

[JohnnyQ]

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Hey all,

I am a rising M2 and was just curious how long it would be take approximately to finish Kaplan Qbank, USMLE World, and all the NBME Practice Exams?

If a lot of M2's who used the 3 resources could speak about the 3 resources and pace/rate with which you can get through the three that would be great. How early in the year do you think I need to start to get thru all three question banks?

Thanks!

 

[Nesiritide]

The NBMEs combined don't really make a question bank. For most of them it's impossible to check your answers without paying more money and for all of them (only 99% sure on this) there are no explanations. Thus, more of a tool for gauging your progress than actually learning.

I did at least 24 questions per day and easily finished UW and Kaplan in three months apiece and could have done it in two.

If you need to do three question banks I think USMLERx, Kaplan, and UW in that order over a period of 7 or 8 months would put just about anybody into a great position to rock Step 1.

 

[dienekes88]

It took me ~5 months to do most of Kaplan (by organ system: didn't do the multisystem Q's) and UWorld x1 (also by organ system) in the run up to my 5 week dedicated study period. In the past 5 weeks, I've re-done UWorld (almost all random mixed), UWSA 1 and 2, and NBME 1, 5, 6, 7. My sense is that NBMEs 1-4 aren't great. NBMEs 6 and 7 were better than 5 in terms of question writing (less ambiguous, better wording, etc.), and 5 was far better than 1.

Nesiritide is correct that there are no explanations, and you can only see the questions you got wrong on NBMEs 6 and 7. UWSA 1 and 2 have full explanations just like UWorld.

I recommend studying RR Path, FA, and BRS Physiology and then hitting Kaplan and UWorld for individual organ systems in order to use them as a learning tool rather than a gauge of your progress, though it might work adequately for that too.