USMLE before med school

[macstjo]

I'm in my last year of M.Sc. in neuroscience and was just wondering if it's "safe" to get started with USMLE part I study before actually getting into med school.

In fact, I recently got FA step 1, started studying for it and found that there is a bit of an overlap of what I learned in undergrad (ex. embryology). Now, I'm stuck at pharmacology section, as I was never exposed to such stuff and I'm worried if I should just wait until next year.

If given chance, I'd really like to head start with this study because I heard many people end up not having enough time to study for it and "fail" the exam, and also until the first class in the next year, I have too much free time outside the lab and I don't want to waste it all in the lab.

Also, I noticed that in the case of FA, they have new editions every year so I'm kind of worried if things are going to be so different in 2014, the year of the actual exam, and if I'm just wasting my money on 2011 edition.

Any advice would be really appreciated 👍

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[mtwop]

Dear god, I think he might even be serious. OP, get ready for some bashing........right about.........now

 

[1badvette]

The best way to prep early for step 1 is to do well in your classes . if you wanna get a head start , buy the 1st term books and hit up some anatomy , histo etc before you start classes .. Goodluck

 

[MilkmanAl]

The best way to prep early for step 1 is to do well in your classes . if you wanna get a head start , buy the 1st term books and hit up some anatomy , histo etc before you start classes .. Goodluck

I'd go ahead and ignore this post. Do not pre-study before the year for anything in med school, ever. Also, your performance in most M1 classes will be irrelevant come Step studying time because you'll forget it all, and there isn't that much of it on the test in the first place. Your plan should be to get through M1 however you see fit, and then grab a question bank and a copy of each First Aid and Goljan's Rapid Review: Path. Go through the relevant sections of each as you learn them in school. Voila! Instant year-long Step 1 prep!

 

[Chirurg]

don't listen to anyone here. it is never too early to start.
I would even advise high school students to buy a first aid and look for some overlap between what they study and step 1.
😉

 

[jfgavina]

omg go enjoy life. some serious issued people around here lol

 

[SOML]

I was in your shoes a few short months ago. I did my research, realized that FA, goljan and a question bank were good resources, and asked around about "pre-studying".. then got bashed a lot.

I pulled off a lil prestudying, but as you'll learn, there's no better motivation to actually accumulate vast amts of material in your head other than a test creeping on you. The "pre-studying" I did helped a little, but only marginally. If I got anything from premature perusal in FA, it was minutiae like: biochem-Maple syrup urine disease- deficiency in branched chain AA's.. and things like that.. I did quite a few (like 30) questions from a past UW qbank, and gained tidbits and minutiae at best, realizing I really needed med school to actually benefit from these q's.

So far, 1st sem is what it is, and honestly, the prestudying I did had no bearing whatsoever in my performance in school, it's just so different. I "parallel study" here and there, like in anatomy when we learned about Klumpke's palsy, it was also in FA, so I marked it up. You won't understand Pharm until you actually take the class..

I do however, believe in the value of first exposure. For me at this point, I plan on "glancing" at RR Path as I learn the normal physiology of systems, like look at renal pathology after coving normal renal functions..

 

[macstjo]

Thank you everyone! 😀

 

[TexasPhysician]

Study some waveforms (not the EEG type) on the beach.

 

[jhamaican]

Frankly speaking, you are already behind. What most top students are doing now is studying for step 1 at the same time as the MCAT. This way you can get both exams out of the way before starting medical school. Think of it like 2 birds with 1 stone. I would recommend the Princeton MCAT review course concurrent with pathoma, USMLE world, BRS Physio, and First Aid. Worked out great for me. Good Luck!

 

[macstjo]

Frankly speaking, you are already behind. What most top students are doing now is studying for step 1 at the same time as the MCAT. This way you can get both exams out of the way before starting medical school. Think of it like 2 birds with 1 stone. I would recommend the Princeton MCAT review course concurrent with pathoma, USMLE world, BRS Physio, and First Aid. Worked out great for me. Good Luck!

can i ?

 

[xredfalconx512]

Hey,

Where can I find a table/info on the step1 results for various medical schools (more interested in tx ones)?

Thanks

 

[CatFactorial]

Witty rebuttal, hahaha!

 

[CatFactorial]

Hey,

Where can I find a table/info on the step1 results for various medical schools (more interested in tx ones)?

Thanks

You can't.

 

[scarshapedstar]

I've been reading a few pages of Harrison's Internal Medicine a night for a year now. Not nearly as many as I initially hoped, and I generally skip the treatment plans, but there's something new to think about every time and it's a wonderful cure for insomnia. I don't really think of it as pre-studying but it's a great way to learn about things I see at the clinic and feel more involved.

 

[ucsfstudents]

No need to study for step 1 before medical school begins. Enjoy your time off.

 

[Skinceutical]

No need to study for step 1 before medical school begins. Enjoy your time off.

+1

Also, there's absolutely no reason why a premed should be trying to get through Harrison's (or own Harrison's for that matter). It's a reference text...for internal medicine residents.

 

[IDoIt4Love]

Frankly speaking, you are already behind. What most top students are doing now is studying for step 1 at the same time as the MCAT. This way you can get both exams out of the way before starting medical school. Think of it like 2 birds with 1 stone. I would recommend the Princeton MCAT review course concurrent with pathoma, USMLE world, BRS Physio, and First Aid. Worked out great for me. Good Luck!

👍