When did you start studying for Step I?

[sga814]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Just curious- all you M2's and beyond.... when is the best time to start studying for USMLE? When do you start studying if you just wanna pass? When do you start studying if you really want to "crush it"?

I'm just curious based on your experiences...

 

[sscooterguy]

Just curious- all you M2's and beyond.... when is the best time to start studying for USMLE? When do you start studying if you just wanna pass? When do you start studying if you really want to "crush it"?

I'm just curious based on your experiences...

I don't know about just passing or crushing it, as I did neither. However, looking back, I wish that I had used a review book throughout my first two years. It would have made things much simpler. I suggest you get First Aid step 1 and/or Step Up, or whatever other board review book there is. Then for each block in your med school, follow along in the board review book. It will give you a decent idea of whats important for step 1 and allow you to review while studying. This way, you will have reviewed everything in First Aid BEFORE the big one month push before the boards. This will give you a great leg up. Don't go crazy though, just use one or two books, you already have enough to study. Good luck, and enjoy your first two years, you have so much more free time than you think.

sscooterguy

 

[Rafa]

How important is Step 1? As important as the SAT for college, or the MCAT for med, or somewhere in between, more...?

 

[SoCuteMD]

Probably more important, considering that you can actually fail Step I (although few US allo students do). Word on the street is that almost every specialty considers your score on Step I more important than your grades in the first two years.

 

[ddmo]

How important is Step 1? As important as the SAT for college, or the MCAT for med, or somewhere in between, more...?

In the long run, I'd say it is somewhere in the middle. The SAT isn't really all that important, because although you may not get into an Ivy with a bad school, you'll get in somewhere. Where you go to undergrad isn't as important as doing well in undergrad.

The MCAT is the most important, because if you do poorly, you will never become a physician; well I guess you could go south of the border, but...

Although you can fail the USMLE, most won't, and it can be re-taken for a pass. Your score can definitely keep you out of certain fields if you are interested in them, which can certainly alter your life path. Also, you only get one shot to shine, no re-do's for a better score.

 

[ddmo]

when is the best time to start studying for USMLE?

The moment you fall out of the womb 😱



😉

 

[deuist]

The moment you fall out of the womb

That's funny. I know several physicians' children in my class. I wonder why their parents never taught them about medicine. My father is a minister and I know lots about religion.

 

[ddmo]

Ok, in all seriousness. The fact is that the vast majority of people, whether they crush it or squeak by, study between 4-6 weeks before the test date. Some may look at review books as they go through their courses. But, the fact of the matter is that you just don't have the time to really study a ton for the exam during your classes. If you are studying hard for your classes, you are building a solid foundation that will make the studying easier when it comes crunch time.

Don't worry too much about the boards yet, you have all of second year for that.

 

[tupac_don]

How important is Step 1? As important as the SAT for college, or the MCAT for med, or somewhere in between, more...?

More imp than both. B/c its one test that they rank you on. Say you wanna be a plastic surgeon and you get 220 on step I, you will be nowhere. MCAT you could repeat step I you can only repeat if you failed. You can squeeze by all of med school with decent grades if you can rock step I, you will have lot of doors open to you. I mean it's the single most important test that determines what specialty you will get, so yea real imp.

 

[Ypo.]

Good luck, and enjoy your first two years, you have so much more free time than you think.

sscooterguy

Suddenly I feel struck by a catatonic depression.

 

[gostudy]

though you can fail the USMLE, most won't, and it can be re-taken for a pass.

So, the second time Step I is taken it is not for a grade, just P/F? Because I was thinking the other day what if someone failed the first time, then rocked the second time.

 

[gostudy]

dp

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
You STUDY for your course exams and REVIEW for your USMLE steps. My second year classes finished at the end of April and I took Step I the third week in May (I had a paid fellowship that required an early Step I). In the end, I did well in my coursework. Step I is an application of the material that you learned in your coursework. I used Q-Bank for Step I. It was more than enough and I was well-prepared and practiced in how questions are done on Step I.

Step II is an application of the things that you learn in your third-year clinical rotations and Step III is mostly time-management issues. Study for your course exams and review for your steps. Most of all, get them out of the way as soon as you have reviewed and prepared.

njbmd 🙂

 

[burntcrispy]

If you want to crush it, start now. I studied for a little over 3 months. There is a very easy system to scoring very well 240+ on the test. I'm 4th year waiting for match in 2 weeks and after interviewing I can tell you that Step 1 is VERY important. Depending on what you may decide to do, you may need that high score. For instance, some residencies won't interview less than a 230 on Step 1. One of the programs I interviewed at said they had 800 applications for their 8 spots. So, Step 1 is an easy way to weed people out, just like the MCAT.

If you want to crush it, here's the system: Memorize 1st AID (the most recent edition out), know BRS path and Phys well, read Micro made Rediculously Simple, do Q-Bank. Any time left over just do more practice questions that you can find. If you truely do this you are almost guaranteed >235.

I'm not trying to brag or anything like that. This is a system that most of the students in my class use and it has been proven time and time again.

 

[ddmo]

So, the second time Step I is taken it is not for a grade, just P/F? Because I was thinking the other day what if someone failed the first time, then rocked the second time.

No, you get a score, but it comes down to a couple things. First, what are the odds that you would do so poorly on the first time to fail, then go about it in such a different way as to rock it on the second try. Not very likely. I'm sure it's happened, but very very unlikely. Second, programs are going to see that you failed it, which is going to be a red flag, even if you do well the second time.

 

[trouta]

Personally I didnt start studying until we were done with our classes and in the dedicated study block. I studied hard for 4wks and did fine.

That being said, I really believe that studying hard and doing well in your first and second year classes is some of the best preparation for the test.

 

[thackl]

How about some critique from someone who's done it already.

I plan to start studying eary for the path and pharm NBME's (something I normally don't do). Out last NBME is May 5th..... I plan to take the USMLE at the end of June. So, about seven wks give or take. For the first three, I will dedicate 3-4 days to BRS (w/Q's)/First Aid on all the old courses with emphesis on Phys and probably light on Anatomy and Neuro. The last 4 wks will be Q-bank and any other Q's/practice tests I can get my hands on. I'll try to avg 8hrs/day studying.....

Background on me? I'm doing well so far; especially on the NBME's. Thoughts?

 

[burntcrispy]

That sounds fine. For pharm, memorize First Aid and you should not miss any pharm on Step 1. My school puts a very large emphasis on step one and for the past few years our class average has been pretty high. Above all else I would memorize ALL of First Aid. I mean knowing everything on every page in the entire book. It sounds impossible but is very doable. You have learned all of this info already its just a process of rememorizing. Don't worry about any more biochem than what is in First Aid. There is no point in memorizing alot of biochem which is unlikely to show up on your test. I had several Mol-Cell questions on my test that I had never heard of. If I had studied another 2 years, I probably still wouldn't have come across that info. The key to doing well is to nail the questions that you should know.

The thing about First Aid is that it is skimpy and doesn't give enough info to help you relearn some of the path and phys. That is where BRS comes in. Then use that Micro Made Rediculously Simple, finish up with Q Bank. Read EVERY Q bank explanation for EVERY answer choice whether you got the question correct or not. There is good info in all of the answer explanations which is helpful for learning.

Most of the people at my school use this recipe and do VERY well on boards. Again, I would suggest doing as well as you can because when it comes to competitive residency, it is your ticket to getting an interview.

 

[BlinkyCat]

That sounds fine. For pharm, memorize First Aid and you should not miss any pharm on Step 1. My school puts a very large emphasis on step one and for the past few years our class average has been pretty high. Above all else I would memorize ALL of First Aid. I mean knowing everything on every page in the entire book. It sounds impossible but is very doable. You have learned all of this info already its just a process of rememorizing. Don't worry about any more biochem than what is in First Aid. There is no point in memorizing alot of biochem which is unlikely to show up on your test. I had several Mol-Cell questions on my test that I had never heard of. If I had studied another 2 years, I probably still wouldn't have come across that info. The key to doing well is to nail the questions that you should know.

The thing about First Aid is that it is skimpy and doesn't give enough info to help you relearn some of the path and phys. That is where BRS comes in. Then use that Micro Made Rediculously Simple, finish up with Q Bank. Read EVERY Q bank explanation for EVERY answer choice whether you got the question correct or not. There is good info in all of the answer explanations which is helpful for learning.

Most of the people at my school use this recipe and do VERY well on boards. Again, I would suggest doing as well as you can because when it comes to competitive residency, it is your ticket to getting an interview.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what is BRS?

 

[DrHuang]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what is BRS?

board review series

 

[thackl]

That sounds fine. For pharm, memorize First Aid and you should not miss any pharm on Step 1. My school puts a very large emphasis on step one and for the past few years our class average has been pretty high. Above all else I would memorize ALL of First Aid. I mean knowing everything on every page in the entire book. It sounds impossible but is very doable. You have learned all of this info already its just a process of rememorizing. Don't worry about any more biochem than what is in First Aid. There is no point in memorizing alot of biochem which is unlikely to show up on your test. I had several Mol-Cell questions on my test that I had never heard of. If I had studied another 2 years, I probably still wouldn't have come across that info. The key to doing well is to nail the questions that you should know.

The thing about First Aid is that it is skimpy and doesn't give enough info to help you relearn some of the path and phys. That is where BRS comes in. Then use that Micro Made Rediculously Simple, finish up with Q Bank. Read EVERY Q bank explanation for EVERY answer choice whether you got the question correct or not. There is good info in all of the answer explanations which is helpful for learning.

Most of the people at my school use this recipe and do VERY well on boards. Again, I would suggest doing as well as you can because when it comes to competitive residency, it is your ticket to getting an interview.

Thanks. The pharm should be relatively fresh since I take an NBME in the begining of May. I won't be going balls out for the test, but if I stick to the above plan, it will be more effort than I've given med school to date (by far!). Hopefully it will work out?....