USMLERX opinions??

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blueboyscholar

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I've gone through all of World and Kaplan and was wondering what people's opinions were about USMLERX. I'm trying decide if it would be more beneficial to spend 2 wks going through all of RX or to go through FA 3 more times.
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blueboyscholar said:
I've gone through all of World and Kaplan and was wondering what people's opinions were about USMLERX. I'm trying decide if it would be more beneficial to spend 2 wks going through all of RX or to go through FA 3 more times.
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From what I understand, Rx is based on FA, so it would be a double whammy.
 
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Hi. Right now, I am doing USMLERx. According to me, Rx is the best way to penetrate the information given in FA. There will be so many points you would take for granted in FA if you have just read it. Rx helps in remembering those by testing on that specific points. Its not one of the finest banks, but after World, its the best to have in terms of money and output.
 
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I don't really like the explanations that Rx gives. But since most of their stuff comes directly out of first aid, you can usually just refer back to the text for pretty decent explanations. The concurrent benefit with this is that you don't necessarily have to review/annotate your FA as thoroughly after each test block.

I also don't like that many of their questions are first order. And, on top of that, they have some REALLY jacked up %'s correct. Only 2% of people know that Staph Aureus is the most common cause of osteomyelitis?? Come on....who the hell is using this Qbank? And there are multiple instances of scenarios like that.

What I do like about Rx is that it has over 3000 questions, and makes it very easy to setup half length and full length practice tests to help improve your stamina. In my opinion, my $89 was well spent for the equivalent of 10 full length exams/20 half length exams.
 
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I thought Rx was absolute crap IMO. The percentages as someone said before made no sense, and if you use it for memorizing FA well that's nice and all but it was not useful for me... also I just got angry when asked random therapeutics questions ("What do you use to treat (insert cancer here)?" Hell if I know, we don't need to know 99% of the time) so I switched to Kaplan, which I found way more useful.

That being said I guess if you've done UW and Kaplan you can go ahead and use Rx.
 
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So, I got all three qbanks.

Kaplan = Good for minute details. Also, it makes sure you know the material with just one line.

UsmleWorld = Good for big picture. It really has questions that make sure you can eliminate the choice even without totally understanding.

UsmleRx = Good for review. Mostly first order questions straight from 1st aid. I think I have gotten an average of 1/100 that wasn't in first aid.


I just feel like UsmleRx can give you a false sense that you think you know questions when you don't because of the first order style.
 
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Ok, I have done Kaplan, UWorld, and now I am using Rx. So, here's my take on Rx.

It is not a technically clean an operation as UWorld. The explanations are not as good as Kaplan's.

But as far as being challenging, I disagree with what the above posters were saying--Rx has some pretty challenging questions, just don't check the box for "Easy" questions when you are making your tests. There are still well over 2k medium and hard questions, and they are as multilayered as UWorld's. Now, of course, if you add "Easy" questions to your stuff you will inflate your scores.

They also seem to have straightened out the technical issues I had been having.:xf: So, all in all, it seems like a good QBank to do either with coursework, or after doing UWorld.
 
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hurdlepup said:
Ok, I have done Kaplan, UWorld, and now I am using Rx. So, here's my take on Rx.

It is not a technically clean an operation as UWorld. The explanations are not as good as Kaplan's.

But as far as being challenging, I disagree with what the above posters were saying--Rx has some pretty challenging questions, just don't check the box for "Easy" questions when you are making your tests. There are still well over 2k medium and hard questions, and they are as multilayered as UWorld's. Now, of course, if you add "Easy" questions to your stuff you will inflate your scores.

They also seem to have straightened out the technical issues I had been having.:xf: So, all in all, it seems like a good QBank to do either with coursework, or after doing UWorld.
Click to expand...

These are good points above. I especially find it useful for subject review (I use UWorld for complete random blocks). UWorld is still the gold standard IMO.
 
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What do you guys think about Flash Facts?

I was considering buying USMLERx for the next month and doing it with DIT to further reinforce FA, but I see the option for "Flash Facts," and it looks like flashcards of FA. Is this accurate?
 
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hurdlepup: since you've done all 3, after Uworld, which would you do if you could only do a 2nd qbank: usmleRx or kaplan qbank?
 
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I wouldn't recommend Rx after spending more time with it.

1) The questions are somewhat easy. The questions in Kaplan are nitpicky but these questions are

2) The % people are getting right make no sense. There are some really easy questions that people are getting wrong. Who are the people buying USMLE Rx because I do not see them passing

3) The website freezes a lot mid test. I have been trying to do 3-4 tests a day and have to reset 4x per test. It is a pain.

4) It logs you out when you hit submit and you have to get back and then resubmit.
 
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so after finishing World, with only 2 weeks left, would u guys recommend repeating World, busting through Rx at a very quick speed (to roughen up the edges of my knowledge base), or just focus on re-reading FA a zillion times?




as a side, i notice a lot of ppl tend to respond but they have no experience with said Qbanks or they haven't taken the exam yet and so just formulate their input based on the recycled suggestions that have been floating on SDN again and again. sure it's recycled for good reason (i.e. it works), but it'd be nice for ppl who actually have a basis to speak to be the ones who offer advice.

just sayin. if i wanted i could do a quick search for what folks in the past have said and then re-hash that advice to everyone else as well, but i like for advice to be sound and accurate based on experience, not "i heard, they said, etc."
 
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that NBME 7 Leishmania question was not in World, but in Rx.

There you go

Don't repeat World with 2 weeks left.

Those same exact questions are not going to pop up on the real test.

Get the concepts of the ones you need to review, but redoing everything again not the best use of time.
 
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kma83 said:
hurdlepup: since you've done all 3, after Uworld, which would you do if you could only do a 2nd qbank: usmleRx or kaplan qbank?
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I responded to this via PM, but I'll go again with my thoughts:

Rx is fine, but Kaplan is better technically--see the post about having to constantly log back in in the middle of blocks of questions. Also, Kaplan has better explanations.

I think the Rx questions are fine and the Kaplan questions are fine. Kaplan gets it for me because...
1) their product actually works glitch-free
2) they have better explanations, not just regurgitated first aid

But, if you choose Rx, I'm not sure it would impact your score either way--but your peace of mind might be lower from all the bugs in that program.
 
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I just finished MS-I. If I were to get a Qbank to follow along with next year, would you guys recommend USMLERx or something else? Keep in mind my school has an integrated systems based curriculum so I've already seen physio, path, etc. for a bunch of systems.
 
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lrkoehle said:
I just finished MS-I. If I were to get a Qbank to follow along with next year, would you guys recommend USMLERx or something else? Keep in mind my school has an integrated systems based curriculum so I've already seen physio, path, etc. for a bunch of systems.
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to piggyback off this, I have the same question too, except my school is not integrated, and I havent seen any micro,pharm, and just highlights of path. I just saw straight physio, anatomy, histo, embryo, biochem more or less
 
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ProtossCarrier said:
no point shadowing in med school when clinical is right around the corner.
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I'm local for my medical school and they expect most of us to stay local. Whether or not that happens for other students is not my concern. However, I would like very much to stay for my entire career in the hospital system of the area where I grew up. Currently, I am on every clinical faculty's good side and I hope to be able to get the commendations to become a top surgeon here..

But enough about me...
 
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