|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BUY THESE NOW!
|
|
USMLE STEP I GUIDE  Before beginning to study for the Step I of the USMLE you should set your goals in terms of the score you want to get. If you want or need a 250 you should not continue reading this, but if a 230 is OK for you the following recommendations may help you. BOOKS Choosing the books you are going to use to study for Step 1 is maybe harder than actually studying. Most of us end up with tons of books that in the moment of truth we don't even look at. If you choose to follow this guide's recommendations you will only need 4 books. 1. First Aid for the USMLE Step 1: This book is really crucial. It offers high yield information in every subject covered in the Step 1. If you choose to follow this guide it will be your sole provider of information for Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Histology, Embriology, Physiology, Behavioral Sciences, and Pharmacology. 2. Pathology Board Review Series: Most of us use this book during the semester and for the "shelf" exam. This makes this book ideal for studying because you will be already familiar with it. In addition, it is a complete and very organized book in the most important subject in the Board. 3. Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple: Before buying this book I was not a believer of the "ridiculously simple ways", but now, you bet I am. This book is one of the best review books I have ever read. It is written in a very simple language and has a lot of learning aids. 4. NMS Review for the USMLE Step 1 PRIORITIES In order to be able to review all the material covered during the first two years of med-school you have to prioritize the courses in which you are going to spend the most time in and get out of your head any guilt feelings about leaving some study material relatively unstudied. It is a well-known fact that the Step I is almost 75% weighted on Pathology, Microbiology, and Pharmacology. Taking this in regard it is wise to spend most of your time and effort studying these subjects. I will now mention the courses on which you should not waste too much time. If after reading the list you find this study plan too radical for you or if you consider that you will not be able to handle the "guilt" then do not continue reading further.
TIME Studying for Step I takes time. I think you should spend 2 years and 3 weeks studying. What?!!! I will explain myself. In order to get a good score in the exam you should take advantage of the first two years of med-school. A lot of people think that this means using board review books to study for the courses, but I differ. If you have the time to read more than one book go ahead and read the textbook plus a board review. But if you can only read one, read the real thing, the textbook. Studying effectively during the first two years of school will do 80% of the studying you need for the Board, and after all it is something you have to do anyway. The other 20% can be done in 3 to 4 weeks. Here follows a suggested schedule. * Anatomy= Anatomy + Embriology + Histology + Neuroanatomy ** High Yield Review: review of high yield topics in Pathology, Pharmacology, and Microbiology from the First Aid |
