Using UWorld Early

[creamyBokah]

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Hey Guys,

I'm in my second year. I'm pretty much cruisin in my classes and would like to start working on a Qbank. I'm already doing the Robbins one but I'd like to start UWorld. Is it too early?

I worry that if the questions appear almost verbatim on the USMLE, cramming and using UWorld at the end will be more useful. If they don't appear verbatim, I feel like learning the concepts that UWorld teaches at this point will allow me to do better on the USMLE. What do you guys think?

Also, I don't think Kaplan Qbank is an option since I hear it's pretty low yield. Is this true? Thanks guys.

 

[McGillGrad]

You're better off with Kaplan or USMLERx questions, or simply the Pretest series for each class since you should be focusing on the mid-yield more than high-yield right now. The high yield will always be there, but the mid-to-low yield is what gives you the 260+ score.

 

[creamyBokah]

You're better off with Kaplan or USMLERx questions, or simply the Pretest series for each class since you should be focusing on the mid-yield more than high-yield right now. The high yield will always be there, but the mid-to-low yield is what gives you the 260+ score.

Thanks McGill ... I was looking for a reason to bypass the nitty gritty detailed stuff and just know the high yield stuff like the back of my hand ... but I guess there aren't any shortcuts to getting a high score ...

Which would you recommend Kaplan or USMLERx if you had to pick one?

 

[runx]

Thanks McGill ... I was looking for a reason to bypass the nitty gritty detailed stuff and just know the high yield stuff like the back of my hand ... but I guess there aren't any shortcuts to getting a high score ...

Which would you recommend Kaplan or USMLERx if you had to pick one?

QBanks kind of known for being a little OCD on the details (low/mid yield). Good to have along with classes when youre learning those details. Frustrating if youve got 4 weeks until USMLE and want to drill down the high yield.

USMLERx is kind of for memorizing FA from what ive heard. so i would think that thats kind mostly a high yield bank. I cant really speak for this one i guess.

 

[vicinihil]

I'm using Kaplan Qbank with my classes and I love it. It has worked out especially well for me in Path. You can break up the questions by system and by topic. Just started Micro in school so will be using that around exam time!

 

[JAWSCIENCE]

For a free option, I used wikitestprep until it was time to get my subscriptions to UWorld and USMLERX. It's pretty good and should hold you for a month or so at least.

 

[McGillGrad]

For a free option, I used wikitestprep until it was time to get my subscriptions to UWorld and USMLERX. It's pretty good and should hold you for a month or so at least.

Winner of today's "Unintentionally Ironic Post" award.👍

 

[McGillGrad]

Thanks McGill ... I was looking for a reason to bypass the nitty gritty detailed stuff and just know the high yield stuff like the back of my hand ... but I guess there aren't any shortcuts to getting a high score ...

Which would you recommend Kaplan or USMLERx if you had to pick one?

I do not have much experience with Qbank, but it is much more "question" oriented and a couple of my friends liked it. Like someone posted above, Rx is pretty much a vehicle for a different way of memorizing First Aid, at the price of dealing with a substantial minority of badly-written or logically convoluted questions.

 

[badasshairday]

McGill,

First of all, thanks for the info/advice for boards and sticking around this forum even though you've finished Step 1.

I'm curious what you (or any other veterans of step 1) think of Kaplan's Qbook? I'm thinking about buying the 2008 copy of it. I've thought about Kaplan's Qbank, but I really doubt I'm going to be able to get through a substantial amount of it this early in 2nd year. I figure if I buy Qbook, I can do it whenever I want, rather than buying qbank and running out subscription time.

 

[runx]

McGill,

First of all, thanks for the info/advice for boards and sticking around this forum even though you've finished Step 1.

I'm curious what you (or any other veterans of step 1) think of Kaplan's Qbook? I'm thinking about buying the 2008 copy of it. I've thought about Kaplan's Qbank, but I really doubt I'm going to be able to get through a substantial amount of it this early in 2nd year. I figure if I buy Qbook, I can do it whenever I want, rather than buying qbank and running out subscription time.

Dunno about the 2008 but the 2009 Qbook doesnt have organ systems divided up. So for example in the pathology/pathophysiology section there are 5 tests but in each test its a mix of all the organ pathology. The same goes for regular physiology and anatomy sections. My school is organ system based and Qbank has a "by organ" mode of questioning which to me is more useful for 2nd year. For everything ive already taken like biochem, anatomy, micro, Qbook or Qbank wouldnt make a big diff.

 

[badasshairday]

Dunno about the 2008 but the 2009 Qbook doesnt have organ systems divided up. So for example in the pathology/pathophysiology section there are 5 tests but in each test its a mix of all the organ pathology. The same goes for regular physiology and anatomy sections. My school is organ system based and Qbank has a "by organ" mode of questioning which to me is more useful for 2nd year. For everything ive already taken like biochem, anatomy, micro, Qbook or Qbank wouldnt make a big diff.

Thanks for the reply.

I think I will get a copy of Q-book, don't know which edition yet. But I think it would be a realistic goal to finish up most of it by the time 2nd year ends.

Definitely won't really care about the pathology questions too much since I already do Webpath and Robbin's Question book with my course... which is a lot of path questions!
So organ system division shouldn't matter for me at this point, esp since I have taken physio, anatomy ect all first year. I'll just brush up on those topics and use the Qbook for application of knowledge.