What was your qbank strategy for Step?

[lagbydesign]

I've seen a lot of support for both sides. Why did you do it the way you did it? If you didn't do it either way, what worked well for you?

EDIT: I know that people on both sides used Rx. I'm really asking about what you guys did after Rx.

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[Redpancreas]

I've seen a lot of support for both sides. Why did you do it the way you did it? If you didn't do it either way, what worked well for you?

If you’re gonna use alt bank, why not Rx? It’s by the makers of First Aid. From high school to medical school, I have been mightily unimpressed with Kaplan. The QBank is very minutiae heavy. The common complaint is that is doesn’t simulate the type of questions but it’s not like Kaplan does a good job in that regard and RX overall seems more interested in updating their material. They’ve come out with a decent video series for First Aid also, btw.

 

[lagbydesign]

If you’re gonna use alt bank, why not Rx? It’s by the makers of First Aid. From high school to medical school, I have been mightily unimpressed with Kaplan. The QBank is very minutiae heavy. The common complaint is that is doesn’t simulate the type of questions but it’s not like Kaplan does a good job in that regard and RX overall seems more interested in updating their material. They’ve come out with a decent video series for First Aid also, btw.

Yeah, I'll definitely be using Rx along with my coursework. But I guess I'm talking more about qbanks used approaching dedicated and during dedicated.

 

[Redpancreas]

Yeah, I'll definitely be using Rx along with my coursework. But I guess I'm talking more about qbanks used approaching dedicated and during dedicated.

UWorld x2 within dedicated is a bit excessive. You will remember everything. UW is only useful when you have a gap between passes. I would say you do RX and really focus on UWorld during dedicated. Watch lecture series in your spare time. It’s ok to have spare time during dedicated.

 

[lagbydesign]

UWorld x2 within dedicated is a bit excessive. You will remember everything. UW is only useful when you have a gap between passes. I would say you do RX and really focus on UWorld during dedicated. Watch lecture series in your spare time. It’s ok to have spare time during dedicated.

When I said 2x, I meant once before dedicated and once during.

And that's good to know, thank you.

 

[Henry101]

Also, can ya'll comment when one should start these QBanks. During dedicated? 6 months before the exam?, etc. etc.

 

[Redpancreas]

When I said 2x, I meant once before dedicated and once during.

And that's good to know, thank you.

Are you an M2? If so are you going to cram UWorld once and finish Rx which you said you started in these next few months? I’d say either drop Rx and do UW x2 or finish Rx and do UW during dedicated. It really comes down to how efficient you are with UW. If you can get 100 Q in a day, you should have no issue. If you were slow like me, you may want to get UWorld started now and just repeat questions in random once you finished.

 

[Redpancreas]

Also, can ya'll comment when one should start these QBanks. During dedicated? 6 months before the exam?, etc. etc.

This break’s (or after) is an ideal time.

 

[idkididk]

Based on other threads I've read and Reddit's advice: I'm starting UWorld now with 1 block (40Q) per day, finishing the first week of March. My dedicated period starts April 1st, so I'll start my 2nd pass then. I'm using Kaplan sparingly, mostly at the tail end of each school block as practice questions. Also continuing with Bro's deck which I started at the start of MS2

 

[Oh_Gee]

i'm almost done going through the systems on USMLE rx that my school has covered so far. should i do kaplan or UW next?

 

[TypeADissection]

I did UWorld twice and essentially had first aid memorized cover to cover. It served me well on step one. Cheers.

 

[moisne]

I did Rx in my ms2 year. Retrospectively, I should've done it earlier... maybe mid ms1. I finished about 50% of UW before dedicated. During dedicated I finished the rest of UW with 25% repeats. I recommend UWx2 or at least repeat your incorrect ones.



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[deleted407021]

USMLERx + COMBANK (COMLEX ) then a few months before Step 1, UWorld. Basing my prep around questions and augmenting with Pathoma, FA, Sketchy and Wikipedia.

 

[Frogger27]

seems that doing UWorld x2 is the best if goal is to memorize FA no? When is the best time to start it the first time (assuming second time is during dedicated)?

 

[aimingforthat45]

Did Rx over M1summer + Kaplan through MS2 year + UW (1x plus incorrect) + Kaplan FLs+ UWSAs+ all NBME==> got me a 260.

Take away: it's said that it takes 10,000 hours to master something. Same concept, except replace "hours" with "questions." Goal is to hit that. This assumes that you are thorough with your review of these questions and are truly learning and not just clicking away and "doing questions" while drinking beer (I bring this up because I know ppl who did this). Every questions should be taken timed and in test taking mode, preferably in a quiet place.

 

[raiderette]

My test is in three weeks. I used Rx in class, but have done one pass of UWorld and will do all incorrect again from both. I am still using Rx to reinforce FA.

 

[Oh_Gee]

Did Rx over M1summer + Kaplan through MS2 year + UW (1x plus incorrect) + Kaplan FLs+ UWSAs+ all NBME==> got me a 260.

Take away: it's said that it takes 10,000 hours to master something. Same concept, except replace "hours" with "questions." Goal is to hit that. This assumes that you are thorough with your review of these questions and are truly learning and not just clicking away and "doing questions" while drinking beer (I bring this up because I know ppl who did this). Every questions should be taken timed and in test taking mode, preferably in a quiet place.

do you feel like the Kaplan FLs were worth the time and money? i'm for sure going to do UWSA and NBME but not sure about Kaplan FLs

 

[aimingforthat45]

do you feel like the Kaplan FLs were worth the time and money? i'm for sure going to do UWSA and NBME but not sure about Kaplan FLs

The don't have answers to them unfortunately. And it's 7 blocks of 44 rather than 7 of 40. It's good practice for stamina, but I'd do UWSAs and NBMEs first

 

[akinetopsia]

Block-based Rx following my school's curriculum during 1st/2nd year. Started UWorld about ~5-6 months out from my test date, doing 1-2 blocks per day. Finished in ~3 months, took another month to review incorrects/marked. Did another pass of UWorld during dedicated. Also did the Kaplan Qbank between finishing UWorld incorrects and dedicated beginning after the semester had ended.

Also had access to the Becker QBank (wasn't a huge fan & did maybe 3/4 of it). Did some of Pastest (maybe 1/2) since it was free but found a few errors (and sent messages to them about the errors), so didn't complete their bank.

Re: Kaplan FL, if you buy access to their bank, I think you get access to the diagnostic & 2 FL exams? I did the diagnostic & FL exam #2. So it's up to you if you think their bank is worthwhile. I think it's a great bank, but UWorld should be priority #1.

 

[Oh_Gee]

The don't have answers to them unfortunately. And it's 7 blocks of 44 rather than 7 of 40. It's good practice for stamina, but I'd do UWSAs and NBMEs first

does UWSA have answers?
i've heard the NBME don't have answers either. do people just discuss them online?

 

[Jojos]

did uworld once. twice seems excessive unless you have a lot of time. if had more time would probably would have included usmleRx

 

[akinetopsia]

does UWSA have answers?
i've heard the NBME don't have answers either. do people just discuss them online?

Yes, UWSA has explanations similar to normal questions in the bank.

NBME don't have explanations, but if you pay $60 for "expanded feedback" you'll see the correct answer for questions you missed.

 

[aimingforthat45]

Yeah you have to pay for the correct answers for NBMEs. UWSAs is like any other Question in the UW bank. A few more things:

-try and hunt down some offline NBMEs. Probably some pdfs of them hanging around. Had 1 repeat from NBME 12 i want to say.
-do the NBME Free 150 and specifically look at the pictures (this goes for ALL NBMEs). THey repeat pictures/diagrams. I looked at the pictures of the Free 150 the AM of my exam.....and 2 of them showed up on my exam, and the accompanying questions were verbatim. Probably spent <1s those questions.

Cheers.

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

My test is in three weeks. I used Rx in class, but have done one pass of UWorld and will do all incorrect again from both. I am still using Rx to reinforce FA.

How did you use rx in class

 

[Oh_Gee]

random question, but why does NBME not give us lipid panel normal lab values? we're just supposed to memorize those ranges?

 

[raiderette]

How did you use rx in class

I use Rx to study for all exams. I am at a systems-based curriculum, so I used it for a year.