What's a typical day/session of Step 1 studying like for you?

[OmahaMX80]

As I get into studying for Step 1, I'm just curious about how other people are approaching it. Do you read over your study materials multiple times? Do you just go through the material once and then reinforce with questions or do you actually try to memorize everything in whatever book(s) you're using?

I'd just like some other people's perspectives. Thanks.

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[Chizwheel]

The way I did it was to read over all the review books for each subject. Choose 1 review book for each subject (2 if you must) and set a number of days you will study that subject and then just divide up the pages amongst those days. You wont be able to memorize everything you read in them nor should you try to (that's the worst way to approach studying) but rather you should try to use the review stuff to remember how you learned it originally and learn the mechanisms/pathways/etc with memorization of key facts and points. Typically you should be able to do everything in about 4 weeks +/- 2 weeks. Remember to do questions every day (I did about 3h worth of questions/day.) Whatever method you choose, stick to it and be systematic; dont scurry here and there trying to read and reread everything otherwise in the end you'll have busted your *** and learned nothing. Be thorough and systematic and you will probably do fine. Best of luck to you.

 

[missbonnie]

I havent started step 1 studying yet but I got some suggestions that sounded good to me: start the day with questions - not qbank. Use another question book (like robbins review of path, pretest), then go over them - including the right ones and ask yourself what questions the "wrong" choices answer (integration) (this will take a few hrs at least). Then based on what u got wrong/right, you can focus your studying that afternoon from your review book (no more than 1 review book per subject). Then end with random qbank, or both random and non-random. It was stressed to do non-random qbank because doing subject-based tests right after u study gives u a false sense of security. I think this is what I'm going to do and see how it works. Of course, I am assuming that none of the material is being seen for the first time!

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

my typical day is reading 2 pages of first aid, then watching tv, then reading 2 more pages. you can probably tell that i get nothing done.

 

[Trader56]

I can't just read stuff, even if it's slowly and carefully, and retain a lot.

What I've learned to do is read something over the first time, carefully, then look away from the page and try to repeat what I just read, or explain it to myself as I would if trying to explain or summarize it for someone else.

It's a little slower approach, but I don't seem to need as much repetition, and it keeps my mind from wandering as much.

By the way, I tend to agree with the "fast paced memory game" quote above!

 

[BlackNDecker]

I'd just like some other people's perspectives. Thanks.

Wake up around noon. Decide whether or not I'm gonna go to class (this influences what I'm gonna wear for the day)...if not, I comb out my rat tail, put on a semi-clean wife beater, acid wash jeans, and my lucky reebok pumps from 11th grade.
My day then proceeds as follows:
1) Kick A$$ (on Qbank)
2) Take Names (Bhushan, Le, Chandwan, Ozturk)

...just a sample of my "perspective."

(The more perceptive of you will notice I didn't put on any underwear....Oh Riiiiiiiiiight!)