USMLE When to start studying for step 1 (MSTP at 1 year pre-clinical institution)

[pBar]

I am currently an M1-MSTP at a school with a 1-year preclinical curriculum and am a little lost as to when to starting prepping for STEP1. For some context, I will be finishing my pre-clincial trunk this summer and transitioning to clerkships in the Fall. Due to the curriculum demands of my PhD, I will have to leave clerkships after completing 3/4 of them, to prep for STEP 1 and transition to my graduate coursework in the Fall of 2022. Therefore, I will be completing clerkships in surgery, ob/gyn, peds, and IM between September 2021 and June 2022. I will then be able to take STEP 1 any time between mid June and the end of August 2022. I will be completing the remainder of my clerkships (FM, pysch, neuro) and STEP 2 after returning from my PhD.

As I've been getting closer to the end of my didactic curriculum, I've started to become a little concerned about when and how to start studying for STEP1. With STEP being P/F at that point and myself not taking STEP 2 till 4 years later, the extent of studying is a little foggy. During my M1 year, I've done sufficiently well using almost purely in-house lectures and study resources, and making my own anki decks. I really haven't felt a need to use STEP prep material up to this point and am a little overwhelmed trying to determine when and where to start, given the aforementioned circumstances.

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[Elite Medical Prep]

What I've been recommending to my students is to take your step 1 studies just as seriously as you would have had it not been pass/fail. Building a strong basic science foundation for your clinical rotations will help you for step 2 and for your rotations. (I found that was about the only thing that made me useful at first was thinking of dumb stuff like Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis for DDxs). Most people who study for Step 1 doing well studying 10-15 hours per day for 6-7 days per week for the 4-6 weeks leading up to their exam. That's enough time for 2 passes of UWorld.

For your other point.. YMMV and some people feel strongly about making your own study resources for exams, but I never saw the point in reinventing the wheel. Your most precious resource during your clinical rotations and dedicated periods is going to be time. Using a pre-made deck will all but guarantee that you get through the entirety of the material before you take your exam.

Are you taking a dedicated study period to study for Step 1? You have a lot of stuff on your plate in the next 1-2 years, and a large gap between step 1 and CK, but your clerkships will tie you over and I bet you'll remember more than you think you will.

Happy to answer more questions or clarify if you need it. Cheers!

- Eric

 

[pBar]

What I've been recommending to my students is to take your step 1 studies just as seriously as you would have had it not been pass/fail. Building a strong basic science foundation for your clinical rotations will help you for step 2 and for your rotations. (I found that was about the only thing that made me useful at first was thinking of dumb stuff like Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis for DDxs). Most people who study for Step 1 doing well studying 10-15 hours per day for 6-7 days per week for the 4-6 weeks leading up to their exam. That's enough time for 2 passes of UWorld.

For your other point.. YMMV and some people feel strongly about making your own study resources for exams, but I never saw the point in reinventing the wheel. Your most precious resource during your clinical rotations and dedicated periods is going to be time. Using a pre-made deck will all but guarantee that you get through the entirety of the material before you take your exam.

Are you taking a dedicated study period to study for Step 1? You have a lot of stuff on your plate in the next 1-2 years, and a large gap between step 1 and CK, but your clerkships will tie you over and I bet you'll remember more than you think you will.

Happy to answer more questions or clarify if you need it. Cheers!

- Eric

I'll be leaving my clerkships in mid-June of next year. I will then have a ~6 week dedicated block for STEP 1 study.

 

[Elite Medical Prep]

I'll be leaving my clerkships in mid-June of next year. I will then have a ~6 week dedicated block for STEP 1 study.

That should be enough! Aim for 10-15 hours of study a day.