USMLERx

[docrjay]

Im planning to use USMLErx for step 1 because it is much cheaper than qbank. Just wondering, can you configure the questions to be systems based like the 1st Aid 2006 version?

Thanks in advance...

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[docrjay]

Anyone you guys?....

 

[39094]

I'm doing some question authoring for USMLERx so happy to answer questions about it as best I can.

USMLERx is functionally very similar to Qbank in that you can create exams by subject and organ system. It also has tutor mode and timed tests just like Qbank.

USMLERx is a great resource but it is still in the initial stages. There are a couple thousand questions up now but every now and then you'll run across one with a mistake. They're also working to fix some problems with image-based questions (images are often too small).

That being said my Qbank score and USMLERx scores were very similar so it's neither too hard or too easy. The main focus of the ongoing authoring is to cut out esoteric questions that you often see on Qbank but never on the real thing as well as to put more 2 and 3 step questions.

Good luck!

 

[Jack P]

Definitely agree...I started with USMLERx this week and I really dig the question formats. Most all of the questions will have some reasoning process to them and I've found fewer buzzwords when answering the questions, perhaps this is because the buzzword in the stem only leads you to step one of the 2 or 3 step process. Some questions, I just shake my head and think...damn that's a great question (usually because it required a bit of figuring it out over Kaplan's "what type of rat bite fever is this? Sodoku?) One thing is that my scores are much higher with USMLERx which has me a bit skeptical...was averaging mid 70s on Kaplan and am in mid 80s on USMLERx. There are a few mistakes here and there but they are usually just typos and not conceptual problems, and the pictures are very small but most of the time you don't need them anyway.

 

[39094]

The score difference is quite possible given that when I went through it I was doing so looking for mistakes more than to actually answer the questions. Like Qbank though I think USMLERx is more of a learning tool than a way to estimate how you'll do on the real thing (use the NBME tests for that).

The authors of the questions go to great lengths to add USMLE-like complexity as well as to get rid of almost any buzzwords. As authors we are required to reference all our questions from primary texts, no review books allowed. This allows for much broader coverage of topics that are likely to appear on the exam. Though First Aid covered material is highly represented, there's quite a few questions that go over topics there just wasn't room for in First Aid.

That and the price can't be beat! If you're short on cash this is the bank to buy.

That being said Qbank is still a proven resource and I wouldn't pass it up if you're really shooting for the high numbers.

Good luck to all!

 

[DrPak]

@Jack P: People from the prep4usmle.com forum say that if you've done Kaplan Qbank already then you'll find USMLERx easier and vice versa. You averaging 80s in USMLERx probably because u already went through Qbank.

I'm going to do Kaplan Qbank soon, am doing USMLERx currently, and really like it. The explainations are to the point and some of them make me smile cuz it tested a concept in such a cool way.

I've picked out a couple of small mistakes myself, but they are not conceptual mistakes. You can easily pick them out and report it in a few seconds. I hear they've working on the site these intensively these days so I'm hoping it'll get even better.

 

[DrPak]

The authors of the questions go to great lengths to add USMLE-like complexity as well as to get rid of almost any buzzwords. As authors we are required to reference all our questions from primary texts, no review books allowed. This allows for much broader coverage of topics that are likely to appear on the exam. Though First Aid covered material is highly represented, there's quite a few questions that go over topics there just wasn't room for in First Aid.

That and the price can't be beat! If you're short on cash this is the bank to buy.

That being said Qbank is still a proven resource and I wouldn't pass it up if you're really shooting for the high numbers.

Good luck to all!

We?? are you from usmlerx or something? or was that a typo? Hope it's the latter... I wouldn't think it's ethical to advertise like this....

 

[Jack P]

Agreed...if I was doing worse on USMLERx after having done Qbank I would say I'm in a bit of trouble! Qbank was excellent for use to annotate FA and I highly recommend the approach because my FA is now overflowing with information....pages are falling out, multi colored stickies are everywhere...as there are a lot of important pathologie that FA leaves out (e.g. Hypokalemic periodic paralysis ) Now after Qbank going through USMLERx helps put everything together and after taking the NBME1 exam it's clear that the question stems are quite similar, some tough problems and some sure things but that's the reality of the exam...I just wish I could get some experience with the WTF questions people talk about. What's the best resource for WTF questions? NMS? BSS?

 

[39094]

We?? are you from usmlerx or something? or was that a typo? Hope it's the latter... I wouldn't think it's ethical to advertise like this....

All of USMLERx's questions are written by medical students that have already passed Step 1 (such as myself). They're then peer-reviewed and professionally reviewed 3 or 4 times before going live.

As a disclaimer, I am getting paid for the questions I'm reviewing/writing but I hardly think I'm breaching medical ethics here by recommending it as a resource.... I don't get paid to recruit people....

As I mentioned in my previous posts it's got a few problems but I think it's a fine resource. Having gone through Qbank 100% and comparing the two I think USMLERx does a good job of filling in the gaps that Qbank leaves.

 

[DrPak]

I did NOT know that! Wow... that's really cool. The First Aid guys found the fastest and quickest way to make sure recent exam content gets into their qbank.

I'll be doing Kaplan Qbank as well, as it's tried and tested, but I like usmlerx a lot, I'll be able to compare it to Kaplan soon, but the word is that they're both pretty similar in terms of content.

BTW, how did u get recruited by the usmlerx guys?

All of USMLERx's questions are written by medical students that have already passed Step 1 (such as myself). They're then peer-reviewed and professionally reviewed 3 or 4 times before going live.

As a disclaimer, I am getting paid for the questions I'm reviewing/writing but I hardly think I'm breaching medical ethics here by recommending it as a resource.... I don't get paid to recruit people....

As I mentioned in my previous posts it's got a few problems but I think it's a fine resource. Having gone through Qbank 100% and comparing the two I think USMLERx does a good job of filling in the gaps that Qbank leaves.

 

[39094]

I did NOT know that! Wow... that's really cool. The First Aid guys found the fastest and quickest way to make sure recent exam content gets into their qbank.

I'll be doing Kaplan Qbank as well, as it's tried and tested, but I like usmlerx a lot, I'll be able to compare it to Kaplan soon, but the word is that they're both pretty similar in terms of content.

BTW, how did u get recruited by the usmlerx guys?

I did the same thing, though I didn't get involved with USMLERx till right before I took my actual exam.

USMLERx has small groups of students at various schools and I was recruited by one of my fellow students who is heading up our group. I am part of the Hopkins group, I also know there is a group at Cornell. They're expanding out so there's bound to be groups popping up elsewhere.

I'd say the biggest benefit of the bank is that the questions are constantly under review by real med students who just took Step 1.

 

[superoxide]

Is the USMLERx the same thing as "Step 1 Qmax"?

 

[39094]

Is the USMLERx the same thing as "Step 1 Qmax"?

Yes. There's a Step 2 USMLERx bank in the works but for now Step 1 Qmax and USMLERx are the same thing.

 

[superoxide]

Yes. There's a Step 2 USMLERx bank in the works but for now Step 1 Qmax and USMLERx are the same thing.

Thanks for your reply.

Could you tell me the break up of the questions in Qmax? What I mean is how many pathology/pharm/mol. bio questions are there? I found that Qbank under/over represented some subjects. I thought physiology was grossly underrepresented on Qbank and most of the questions seemed to deal with respiratory physiology. It seemed like almost every questions dealt with interpretations of a graph in relation to obstructive/restrictive lung diseases.

Did anyone else find that to be the case?

 

[39094]

Thanks for your reply.

Could you tell me the break up of the questions in Qmax? What I mean is how many pathology/pharm/mol. bio questions are there? I found that Qbank under/over represented some subjects. I thought physiology was grossly underrepresented on Qbank and most of the questions seemed to deal with respiratory physiology. It seemed like almost every questions dealt with interpretations of a graph in relation to obstructive/restrictive lung diseases.

Did anyone else find that to be the case?

I don't have an exact breakdown here and the bank doesn't have a "questions available" function so you can see how many questions fit into each category.

I think physio is a tad underrepresented on USMLERx as well and Pharm seems to be a little overrepresented. They do a great job with Path though.

 

[superoxide]

I don't have an exact breakdown here and the bank doesn't have a "questions available" function so you can see how many questions fit into each category.

I think physio is a tad underrepresented on USMLERx as well and Pharm seems to be a little overrepresented. They do a great job with Path though.

Thanks for the quick reply In regards to physiology questions, what is the best source of questions since both Qbank and Qmax seem to underrepresent physiology? Anyone ever tried Physio Qbank by kaplan? How are the questions in BRS? Any other sources?

 

[dr.weiner]

Anyone using this? I just bought it a couple days ago (good value for 6 months) and I like it so far. Does a good job of integrating First Aid, and much easier to internalize First Aid concepts than staring at the page.

 

[surprisedgirl]

do most of you who have used usmlerx feel its useful to just learn the info from FA

 

[Pepsy]

getianshi:

I have the FA Q&A for USMLE step 1 book with 1000+ questions which says its from USMLERx. So im guessing theres no need to get the bank if i have this book? Would you recommend i get the bank as well. Provided that i do have the time to do bit more questions, should i turn my attention to USMLEworld or kaplans qbank?

 

[felicia2001uk]

do most of you who have used usmlerx feel its useful to just learn the info from FA

yes,I do.still using it though.