USMLE Official 2017 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

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WeedForLunch

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I know this is quite early but most American Students have finished giving the test for this year.
I am an IMG and have been prepping for the steps since quite some time and have seen Phloston, Transposony's and others' threads for their respective years and how helpful they have been.

I intend on giving step in Jan.. let's share timetables, plans and other stuff on how everyone intends on taking on this beast.

P.S. : I think it is not that early.. the 2015/2016 threads were started in September/October.. but in true SDN gunner style..i wanna start it in August.. :)

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This is insanely early But i guess there is no such thing as preparing too early for step.

I plan on doing the following:

FA, UW, Pathoma,

Rx before dedicated. BRS in stuff i am weak on..
All NBMEs with explanations from forums.
 
It's always good to start early! I'm saving UWorld for the spring semester and dedicated.
Right now, do well in courses with UFAP, sketchy, Kaplan and Rx Q banks.

Is this too ambitious?
 
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Hi! I am an IMG too from India. Hoping to give Step 1 in May-June of 2017. Doing first read right now. Done with
1. Goljan RR Pathology + audio
2. BRS Physiology + Kaplan Physiology Videos (2014)
3. Kaplan Pharmacology NV
4. Kaplan Biochemistry NV (Genetics and Mol Biology)
5. High Yield Genetics

Currently doing Immunology from Kaplan.
 
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Hi! I am an IMG too from India. Hoping to give Step 1 in May-June of 2017. Doing first read right now. Done with
1. Goljan RR Pathology + audio
2. BRS Physiology + Kaplan Physiology Videos (2014)
3. Kaplan Pharmacology NV
4. Kaplan Biochemistry NV (Genetics and Mol Biology)
5. High Yield Genetics

Currently doing Immunology from Kaplan.
Hi, I'm also an IMG, probably I'm gonna take it on June as well, I finished first read the kaplan lecture notes and videos, but I want to do Pathoma and Goljan, how long did it take you to read Goljan?
 
Hi, I'm also an IMG, probably I'm gonna take it on June as well, I finished first read the kaplan lecture notes and videos, but I want to do Pathoma and Goljan, how long did it take you to read Goljan?

Really really long! Plus since I was doing my internship as well, I could only give it a little time. My advice would be do Pathoma whole and only listen to Goljan audios. Don't read RR Goljan.
 
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I am giving it a bit earlier than you guys.. Jan 2017 or so.. What do you guys do to chill and like get motivation when you fell demotivated ?
Just inquiring.. :-/
 
I read step 1 experiences for motivation. :p Reddit is my place right now. For relaxation, I watch some vloggers on youtube.
 
Not that it even remotely matters, but yes, would recommend commenting in the 2016 thread until November or December. You have the best chance of acing the exam by viewing the comments from earlier this year.
 
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You've become a nuisance for creating this thread so early, now I have to constantly check two pages to arrive at the same information
 
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Look at the OP's username of 2015 thread- interestingly both has weed in them.
Umm.. weird coincidence or conspiracy theory ? :-D I don't know who that guy is though.. I think 420 is legalized in over half of the US...


Not that it even remotely matters, but yes, would recommend commenting in the 2016 thread until November or December. You have the best chance of acing the exam by viewing the comments from earlier this year.

You've become a nuisance for creating this thread so early, now I have to constantly check two pages to arrive at the same information

I would agree completely that the 2016 thread is the better place to comment for those who are giving the test this year.
 
Hi guys, I was reading a post from facebook where some people said that Kaplan LN, and videos were a waste of time, I started my preparation in July and finished the Kaplan books and videos like a t the beginning of this month and I was planning to review some stuff along with the Qbank, so I'm confused should I just skip the Kaplan qbank and stop reviewing those books?
I haven't done pathoma nor Goljan yet cause I haven't decided which is better, some say pathoma others Goljan. And I want to read physiology by Constanzo as well. Please help.
 
Hi guys, I was reading a post from facebook where some people said that Kaplan LN, and videos were a waste of time, I started my preparation in July and finished the Kaplan books and videos like a t the beginning of this month and I was planning to review some stuff along with the Qbank, so I'm confused should I just skip the Kaplan qbank and stop reviewing those books?
I haven't done pathoma nor Goljan yet cause I haven't decided which is better, some say pathoma others Goljan. And I want to read physiology by Constanzo as well. Please help.

Pharm LN and videos are gold...
 
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This seems like a helpful post.. I found it on the FB forum for Step 1, it has compiled scores of the highest scorers :

EDIT: In hindsight I found that you gotta be a member of that forum I think.. Go to FB and join "USMLE Step 1 Preparation Forum" or click here: www.facebook.com/USMLESteps to see the posts.

 
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Hi guys, I was reading a post from facebook where some people said that Kaplan LN, and videos were a waste of time, I started my preparation in July and finished the Kaplan books and videos like a t the beginning of this month and I was planning to review some stuff along with the Qbank, so I'm confused should I just skip the Kaplan qbank and stop reviewing those books?
I haven't done pathoma nor Goljan yet cause I haven't decided which is better, some say pathoma others Goljan. And I want to read physiology by Constanzo as well. Please help.

Pharm LN and videos are gold...

Thanks W19. MS2 here. Taking Step 1 sometime next year. Will definitely keep this in mind.


I disagree.. The pharmac UW + FA content is more than enough if done well..
 
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Best of luck you guys.. I remember when I was where you are now.. Long grind ahead.. Keep going ! :)
 
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will be taking the exam last week of Jan or First week of February (give myself a good ~10 weeks with break in between...)
Grind study mode starts...today!
 
Do AMGs start this early ?

Just asking..


Current M2 in the US, joining in because it's about the time to start thinking about step. Taking it in June

AMGs usually take it after second year, after which they have like 4-8 weeks to prepare solely for it. First 2 years of med school are already preparation itself. Depends on how you wanna look at if you wanna how "early" AMGs start
 
IMG here .
Done 1st reading of following so far:(started november 2016)
immunology
biochemistry/mol.biology
that's it.
moving on to either physiology or pathology now; bit confused what i should do first from these two.
planning to deal with the real deal :beat: in 2017
 
@Phloston - For pharmacy, an MS4 at my school who scored 270+ swears by the Katzung and Trevor book for Pharmacology. However, FA ranks it pretty far down the list. Are you familiar with this book and, if so, do you have any input on whether this level of detail is necessary? I've got about 6-7 months before I take Step, so I figure I can dedicate to more in-depth resources like Katzung's if it would actually be beneficial in the long run. The only thing that seemed to stand out from a brief glance to me was that it had 1,000 pharm-only questions.
 
@Phloston - For pharmacy, an MS4 at my school who scored 270+ swears by the Katzung and Trevor book for Pharmacology. However, FA ranks it pretty far down the list. Are you familiar with this book and, if so, do you have any input on whether this level of detail is necessary? I've got about 6-7 months before I take Step, so I figure I can dedicate to more in-depth resources like Katzung's if it would actually be beneficial in the long run. The only thing that seemed to stand out from a brief glance to me was that it had 1,000 pharm-only questions.
Everyone has different methods. I would recommend just FA and practice questions for pharm. If one absolutely struggles to memorize the pharm in FA then the Lange pharmacy cards are ok to use.
 
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Taking Both Comlex and USMLE . I have a question about UWORLD though. are the biostats package worth it ? Also UWORLD self assessments or NMBE ?
 
It's not even 2017 yet :(

I might as well jump on this train to hell as well.

Plan to take COMLEX and USMLE June/July. Winter break will be covering/Reviewing a lot of stuff: FirstAid, SketchyMicro/Pharm, Pathoma (what we have covered so far) and will be focusing on what systems we have covered thus far.

Still figuring out how to review starting January. I've heard UWorld but don't want to waste it (nor pay for it this early on). We already have Kaplan QBanks for both boards so may go through what I have left while reading FirstAid.

Will also be utilizing Memorang and Anki a lot more extensively starting end of this semester.
 
It's not even 2017 yet :(

I might as well jump on this train to hell as well.

Plan to take COMLEX and USMLE June/July. Winter break will be covering/Reviewing a lot of stuff: FirstAid, SketchyMicro/Pharm, Pathoma (what we have covered so far) and will be focusing on what systems we have covered thus far.

Still figuring out how to review starting January. I've heard UWorld but don't want to waste it (nor pay for it this early on). We already have Kaplan QBanks for both boards so may go through what I have left while reading FirstAid.

Will also be utilizing Memorang and Anki a lot more extensively starting end of this semester.

The Kaplan comlex bank is garbage , but The usmle one is hard .


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
The Kaplan comlex bank is garbage , but The usmle one is hard .


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Yeah the comlex one sucks bad haha. Do you suggest the Rx? It wondering f I stick with Kaplan and Uworld if that's enough


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Yeah the comlex one sucks bad haha. Do you suggest the Rx? It wondering f I stick with Kaplan and Uworld if that's enough


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

As of right now I'm going to try to finish Kaplan and Usmle Rx before The end of break. And then once January hits I'm gonna do uworld. I've done you world questions here and there because I have the offline edition but for some odd reason I do worse and Kaplan questions than I do in uworld questions by far. The more questions you do the better the score. I like Rx, it nails points of first aid pretty well . I also find it the easiest out of all three. The exclamations are not as good in it though as they are in Kaplan


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Hey everyone.. I took a date for my exam in late Jan..


Question:

Before all these changes the exam had 48 questions per block..that went down to 44 per block and then perhaps even less....
Now i hear the number of questions is less in the last block..


Please can you tell me what is the total number of questions and what are the number of questions per block and also whats the deal with the last block ?

Thanks ! :)
 
For the real Step, do we get an aux jack connected headphone for the exam or those old plastic headphones for noise purpose only?
I'm wondering if we get heart sound questions like the U world ones in the actual Step 1 exam...
 
Any suggestions on how to understand respiratory physiology? Any resources explaining the basics would be highly appreciated. Thank you!!!
 
Any suggestions on how to understand respiratory physiology? Any resources explaining the basics would be highly appreciated. Thank you!!!

I think West's Respiratory Physiology probably has everything they could possibly test you on, plus the online lecture series is free. You could also use the short BRS Physiology if you want a quicker review.
 
Hello guys, how are you all... extended my eligibility period from dec till march.. It's taking way long time for me to give first read of FA! Started FA about 48 days back.. Still 3 systems and biochem left.. seeing people do it within 15 days, 20 days.. Am i ******ed or what!!!
 
mines in june so i got time but in your case if reading first aid is a must then extend your period. I dont read it as much i used the bro deck and the usmle rx videos. I only refer to it as a refrence
 
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mines in june so i got time but in your case if reading first aid is a must then extend your period. I dont read it as much i used the bro deck and the usmle rx videos. I only refer to it as a refrence
yeah it's kind of a must for me.. have to review for several times as all my UW notes are in there, so i have extended, taken the eligibility period from Jan to March.
 
Hey guys how helpful are the sketchy videos? I have a bad time remembering the drugs and was wondering if the pharm part would be helpful from sketchy?
 
Hey guys how helpful are the sketchy videos? I have a bad time remembering the drugs and was wondering if the pharm part would be helpful from sketchy?

If you're familiar with their microbial section then I will say the videos are not as good and are almost entirely longer. Probably all videos last at least 10 minutes. Having said that almost all of my pharmacological recall is in sketchy form lol. If you have had experience with that form of learning and benefit from it, then I think it's worth it. However, like all resources, it is not perfect. Ex. I recently missed a question on Ethosuximide because Sketchy didn't draw in the Steven-Johnson Syndrome mask, so I was totally fu**** lol. But for me at least Sketchy provides the best pharm foundation for which I can build upon.
 
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Hey guys how helpful are the sketchy videos? I have a bad time remembering the drugs and was wondering if the pharm part would be helpful from sketchy?
I was a big hater of sketchy pharm initially, but I started it this week and am about half-way through it. I think it's a great resource because it offers some context when going through the pharms section for each organ system outside of FA. If you can watch the videos once and review each picture several times, you'll know a good chunk of the pharm that'll be on FA. My class exams never had more than 4-5 pharm lectures on them so memorizing sketchy wasn't comprehensive (due to minutiae on exams) and wasn't worth the extra effort. But, it's great for putting together most of what is in FA come step studying. Like MedNation907 mentioned, some details may be left out, but reviewing/memorizing FA pharm is a breeze after going through the pharm videos. Doing questions and reading through the FA pharm sections several times is my approach, and its worked.

It's also obvious that sketchy stays true to what's in FA and doesn't add to much more info, which is nice. I would also recommend you read through the pharm section in each chapter a couple times before watching the sketchy. It helps to have a cursory of sorts before watching the videos.
 
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