Taking Your First Step...

I remember being in your shoes at this time last year, worrying about the dreaded usmle Step 1 study "break". Here is my take on the test and how you can better prepare for it, including what I would've done differently to acheive a higher score.

First of all be wary of advice. Student's experiences will vary not just because of the differences in the material tested from on test to another but because of the student's own biases towards their weakness and strenghths. For example a student that swears that the exam was all neurology, most likely found the neuro questions most challenging. So as I give you a taste of my experience and my advice take it with a pinch of salt or two!

I decided to place my FA into a binder, it made it possible to add my own set of notes...it was especially helpful towards the end, when I needed to memorize last minute lists of metabolic diseases, brain tumors, etc...I had those pages set apart in a smaller and easily accesible "for review" binder

So here it goes...

1. KNOW your enemy. You'll be better able to conquer the exam if you know what it's about. I strongly suggest that you start reading and orienting your self about the exam and it's different components. How I would divide the exam, is that it's composed of subjects that require understanding (mechanisms, mechanisms, mechanisms!!) and ones that require memorizing. you will see how this is important when you start forming a study schedule. Subjects like Pathophys, physiology, biostats/ethics, immunology and surprisingly pharmacology require that you trully understand the subject. Microbio/biochem to some level are more about memorization. Another way to divide it is to form a list of the subjects that you feel more comfortable with and ones that you truly dread. Again I will explain how this will help you organize a more effective schedule.


2. KNOW your strength and weaknesses, because it does really take 2 years and 6 weeks to prepare for this exam. Having excelled in your first two years really gives you an edge. But beware, this is NOT enough. Nor is it hopeless for those that didn't do as well. All it means is that for the former group their chances are better and the latter group have to work twice as hard. If you have generally been doing less than average on all subjects, then reassess the way you study and the way you think through problems. Maybe a different approach will help you make better connections and recall information in quicker more organized fashion.


I sometimes used old notes from HSF...this was a drawing of fetal circulation from our all-time favorite course, embryology! :P

3. I'm sure one of the many questions on your mind is: should I start studying now? To be honest, I'm one of the people that did start studying early. Did it make a difference? I can't really tell. But I would highly recommend that you focus on your current courses excell in them and use Firstaid (FA) as a guide for your Triple Jump Examinations. For now just start warming up for the study break, you will have your chance of having NO life in a few months:P
Here are some of the notes I took on Heme/Onc during Basis of Disease course...this were some of the most helpful notes...when it came to studying for heme/onc I only had to do questions and skim through the pages once and it's one of the sections I scored best on! The lesson is focus on doing well in BOD!!

4. Set up a reasonable study schedule for the five weeks. More on this later. It needs a detailed post.

5. What resources should I use?

• FA, FA, FA!! (yes try to go through it at least twice!!)
• Usmle world (the best Qbank source out there...don't be disappointed if your scoring 60-70% that's how tough it is)
• Physiology: BRS physio by costanzo is the best!
• Pathology: Rapid Review Pathology by Goljan or BRS path...I prefered Goljan, I'm a big fan :P
• Embryology & anatomy: highyield series
• Neuroanatomy: Highyield series (I regret not having used this book...I highly recommend you invest in getting a copy)
• Biochem: FA is enough. except when it comes to cellular/molecular part
• Pharmacology: FA & Uworld should be enough. I did use brs pharm, which I liked, but I felt it was too detailed.
• Microbio: clinical Microbio made ridiculously simple it also covers the pharm side of it really well!
• behavioral sciences & Biostats: DO NOT blow this subject! It doesn't come naturally...personally over-estimating my psych/behavioral sciences abilities really hurt my score. Invest in highyeild series for each...FA is NOT enough! And these are easy points you should not miss...

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That's all for now...I'll post more up soon, inshaAllah