During M2 year- What can I do to be better prepared for Step 1?

[Blanket]

Alright....i will be starting M2 in about a month. And already thinking about Step 1.

Question is...should I study differently this year (refer back to 1st year textbooks, reference books etc..)? Did you do anything different during the second year to get ready for Step 1? Did you use any Step1 books during the year?

Thanks

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[Frogmed]

Frogmed! We have very similar names.

FrogE7

"It aint easy being green"

 

[DragonWell]

What is a really good Q-book for USMILE questions during the M-2 year.
It is too earlly in the year for me to prescirbe to Kaplan since i am not taking the exam till June. I want to train my brain to USMILE questions.

Having not taken Step 1 yet, I can't comment on how "good" it is, but I plan on using First Aid Q&A for Step 1 during this year. Of course, Robbins Review and Webpath are both givens. If I get through all that and it's still too early for USMLEworld, I'll look at Kaplan Qbook.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

OK, you guys are going to cost me too much money because I'm finding all these other books I should buy. And I have a problem with buying too many books to begin with.

Ah, if only Goljan's audio could be obtained legally. He could obviously make a lot of money with it if he could get a deal since we all want it.

Frogmed, I'm not surprised you didn't get respiratory physiology. It wasn't exactly the best taught section in OU's physiology class. If not for Costanzo, I wouldn't have gotten it all.

Speaking of books, what do you guys think of the book suggestions in First Aid? Are the A books really must haves?

 

[smq123]

Having not taken Step 1 yet, I can't comment on how "good" it is, but I plan on using First Aid Q&A for Step 1.

First Aid Q&A sucks. (I say that with some apologies, because I know that people from my school have helped edit it.) It will be a great resource 2-3 editions from now, but, for right now, it's poorly edited. The questions in the beginning sections are quite easy, but then the questions in the "comprehensive exam" section in the back leave you feeling violated and shaken. The answer explanations are pretty poor. And it doesn't even correlate that well with First Aid. First Aid discusses microbio separately, but, in FA Q&A, they separate questions only into individual organ systems. I had planned to study, for example, GI in First Aid, and then do the GI questions in FA Q&A. What I didn't realize, however, is that 40% of those questions would be about microbio...which I hadn't covered yet. It was just a waste of time.

I get through all that and it's still too early for USMLEworld, I'll look at Kaplan Qbook.

If you don't plan on buying Kaplan QBank, then QBook is a good resource. It contains some of the questions that you'd see in QBank. I probably could have gotten by without it, but I guess it didn't hurt to do it. (I might be selling my copy - PM me and let me know if you'd still like it.)

 

[smq123]

Alright....i will be starting M2 in about a month. And already thinking about Step 1.

Question is...should I study differently this year (refer back to 1st year textbooks, reference books etc..)? Did you do anything different during the second year to get ready for Step 1? Did you use any Step1 books during the year?

Thanks

One thing: I hated FA's Microbio section. I felt like it was a little disjointed, and did not reflect the way that real microbio questions were on the test. They talk about lab characteristics of bacteria X on one page, typical diseases that bacteria X causes were discussed on another page, and preferred treatments were discussed on another page. It was very disjointed. Usually, exam questions read like this: "You culture a certain bacteria from a patient, and you find that it grows best on MacConkey agar. What treatment would you start for your patient?" Something like that.

If I had to do it again, while studying microbio during 2nd year, I would make a chart for EACH bacteria. The chart would include: best ways to culture that bacteria, what that bacteria looks like (i.e. gram +/-, bacilli or coccus, etc.) what diseases it often causes, how it is spread, and preferred treatments.

 

[Salma123]

Having not taken Step 1 yet, I can't comment on how "good" it is, but I plan on using First Aid Q&A for Step 1 during this year. Of course, Robbins Review and Webpath are both givens. If I get through all that and it's still too early for USMLEworld, I'll look at Kaplan Qbook.

Yes i think i will buy first aid Q and A too. There is also another one for cases.

 

[Salma123]

One thing: I hated FA's Microbio section. I felt like it was a little disjointed, and did not reflect the way that real microbio questions were on the test. They talk about lab characteristics of bacteria X on one page, typical diseases that bacteria X causes were discussed on another page, and preferred treatments were discussed on another page. It was very disjointed. Usually, exam questions read like this: "You culture a certain bacteria from a patient, and you find that it grows best on MacConkey agar. What treatment would you start for your patient?" Something like that.

If I had to do it again, while studying microbio during 2nd year, I would make a chart for EACH bacteria. The chart would include: best ways to culture that bacteria, what that bacteria looks like (i.e. gram +/-, bacilli or coccus, etc.) what diseases it often causes, how it is spread, and preferred treatments.

Thanks alot smg, that is exactly what i am doing right now sicnse I am studying mirco. That is how it is written in " Clinical Microbiology Made Ridicuosly Simple" book.

 

[lord_jeebus]

The chart would include: best ways to culture that bacteria, what that bacteria looks like (i.e. gram +/-, bacilli or coccus, etc.) what diseases it often causes, how it is spread, and preferred treatments.

I approached it this way for Step I, and made a change for Step II.

I listed classes and subclasses of antibiotics, and memorized the bugs that each one covers.

I think this can be a better approach because 1. you can go down the answer choices, asking yourself "will this kill ____"? and 2. on the wards you get asked "What bugs does drug X kill" more than "What antibiotics kill this bug?" (at least that was my experience).

Of course, do whatever feels right for you.

 

[PlasticMan]

when I was prepping for Step I, I used http://www.wetrainmds.com
it helped me improve my scores dramatically. They have some pretty innovative technology for memory recollection.

Advertising, eh?

 

[Salma123]

When ppl say I did 60% of Kaplan questions or 60% USMILE world questions?? do they mean they did 60% of Kaplan 2200 questions or that they got 60% right?? Do people usually do allll Kaplan or USMILE world questions, I mean is that possible.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

When ppl say I did 60% of Kaplan questions or 60% USMILE world questions?? do they mean they did 60% of Kaplan 2200 questions or that they got 60% right?? Do people usually do allll Kaplan or USMILE world questions, I mean is that possible.

It usually means they got 60% right. Its quite possible to do all of Qbank and all of Uworld. If you want a high score, you'll do what it takes. I personally did most of Q Bank, all of Uworld, and all NBME's thats a good 5000 questions right there. Some people do even more.

If you're shooting for pass, I wouldn't recommend doing so much.