(BSS or QBank) + USMLEworld

[Tiger26]

So I learn a lot by doing questions, but I don't know if I can do all three sources. I'm definitely doing USMLEworld for the month before, but I was looking for a question source to learn and do before then.

Board simulator series has seen some chatter lately and I've heard some stories about people doing really well with it, but I also liked Qbank for the 2 week trial I had and I like the format/reports it generates. Anybody have any opinions?

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[crys20]

i started a thread on this topic too a couple down. it is a tough call since so many do qbank!! i think im leaning toward uworld/bss though. (plus some qbook possibly) i think the real question is what do you get from doing qbank+uworld that you didn't get from doing uworld alone except more questions and an easy user friendly format?

 

[HIJay]

i did a little of bss so far and imo bss seems more straight memorization give or take and covers some obscure topic that i dont think usmle stresses so much on now, so in that, i think kaplan is better, but kaplan micro is a diff story

 

[SeventhSon]

quality is probably comparable, and you can get all the BSS books for the cost of 1 month of Qbank

 

[HIJay]

i havethe bss cd, anyone know if there are any differences from the bss cd qs compared to the books?

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

I may not be the biggest fan of Kaplan Qbank but I have to admit it sure is better than BSS. The latter is an outdated question bank (or book) that is good to learn from but should never REPLACE up-to-date question banks like Qbank.

I'd start with some BSS (esp the Path questions) but I'd put most of my effort on Qbank and/or UW (but UW > Qbank).

 

[HIJay]

yea i also have noticed that the Qs in bss are outdated, and it threw me off until i realized that the Qs were probably from the 90s

 

[Doctor Bagel]

yea i also have noticed that the Qs in bss are outdated, and it threw me off until i realized that the Qs were probably from the 90s

Yeah, the questions are definitely very different from what I've seen with Qbank. I'm using it mainly just to learn some extra information and not for an idea of what questions are like. And they're way cheaper than one month of QBank -- the books sell for about $2 a piece.

 

[Tiger26]

Yeah, the questions are definitely very different from what I've seen with Qbank. I'm using it mainly just to learn some extra information and not for an idea of what questions are like. And they're way cheaper than one month of QBank -- the books sell for about $2 a piece.

So when people say they're outdated, do you guys mean wrong/outdated information and answers or just different format from the real thing? I don't have any problems with an outdated format, I just want to make sure I'm learning the right stuff.

Thanks for the response so far BTW

 

[HIJay]

outdated info for some , but not all info
and the format isnt the usmle format either

 

[Pascal8]

outdated info for some , but not all info
and the format isnt the usmle format either

the books were from 11 years ago . Would make more sense to do Kaplan Qbank which was updated recently ...
I'm just sticking with UW ..

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I've been using BSS mainly for a review of first year stuff (biochem, anatomy and neuro), so I'm not really worried about how dated the material is since that stuff really hasn't changed much. I would not rely on it as a primary source for path or pharm.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

I've been using BSS mainly for a review of first year stuff (biochem, anatomy and neuro), so I'm not really worried about how dated the material is since that stuff really hasn't changed much. I would not rely on it as a primary source for path or pharm.

Most path (and pharm) has not really "changed." BSS is outdated mainly b/c the STYLE of questions is not representative of the current administration of the USMLE. Hence why you should use it early on as a learning tool.

The reason I recommend doing the path questions in BSS is b/c Dr. Goljan was one of the authors! (little fact often overlooked!)

 

[HIJay]

The reason I recommend doing the path questions in BSS is b/c Dr. Goljan was one of the authors! (little fact often overlooked!)

didnt know that! better spend a little time on path in bss then!

 

[InternationlDoc]

Most path (and pharm) has not really "changed." BSS is outdated mainly b/c the STYLE of questions is not representative of the current administration of the USMLE. Hence why you should use it early on as a learning tool.

The reason I recommend doing the path questions in BSS is b/c Dr. Goljan was one of the authors! (little fact often overlooked!)

you let the secret out!
infact, if anybody is reading those BSS questions carefully, it SHOULD remind them of the exact way goljan might present his info in his books (or lectures?)

 

[Pascal8]

you let the secret out!
infact, if anybody is reading those BSS questions carefully, it SHOULD remind them of the exact way goljan might present his info in his books (or lectures?)

oh g_d , get over dr goljan already ..many many many people did WELL using brs path and kaplan qbank for questions . now we have UW as an extra q bank . Then there is Robbins Review Path Questions ...1000 questions ...I'd say Robbins Review are the BEST path questions ..

 

[InternationlDoc]

Sure what you said is true. BRS path is a great book. I was merely correlating the questions/explainations with goljan and that such a relationship exists - not mentioning if goljan was any better than other learning resources

 

[EMH]

I'm new to this forum and to the step 1 prep so forgive some of my ignorance. I have the First Aid 2007 which I was under the impression was a pretty through and well trusted starting point for Step 1 prep.

What I can't figure out is why the apparently #2 most popular Q-bank (USMLE World) on SDN isn't listed in their top-rated review resources section at all. Further this BSS your discussing here isn't listed either (maybe that's because it's outdated). What gives?

 

[the alchemist]

i havethe bss cd, anyone know if there are any differences from the bss cd qs compared to the books?

exactly the same, just different formats.

 

[HIJay]

exactly the same, just different formats.

thanks!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I'm new to this forum and to the step 1 prep so forgive some of my ignorance. I have the First Aid 2007 which I was under the impression was a pretty through and well trusted starting point for Step 1 prep.

What I can't figure out is why the apparently #2 most popular Q-bank (USMLE World) on SDN isn't listed in their top-rated review resources section at all. Further this BSS your discussing here isn't listed either (maybe that's because it's outdated). What gives?

BSS is very dated, so I'm not surprised it's not mentioned there. Some people swear by it, but I think most people concede that it's not a necessary part of a study plan (some of the SDN top scorers have used it, but most haven't). I don't have my FA in front of me, but I believe they do rank USMLEWorld.