Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2014 22:46:55 GMT -5
Purpose of step 1
Assesses whether you understand and can apply important concepts of the sciences basic to the practice of medicine, with special emphasis on principles and mechanisms underlying health, disease, and modes of therapy.
Content
The basic sciences representing the first 3 years of our medical school.
Contained subjects are:
Physiology.
Anatomy and Histology.
Pathology.
Biochemistry and Genetics.
Microbiology
Immunology.
Pharmacology.
Behavioral science & Biostatistics.
Exam description
Total exam time is 8 hours. 7 hours the real exam time and 1 hour break. The 7 hours consist of 7 blocks each is 1 hour containing 50 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). You can't have a break during the 1 hour block but you can have breaks in between blocks for total of 60 minutes. During the block yo can go back and forth between the 50 MCQs but once you finished the block you can't go back to it.
Preparation materials
A-Books: several books are available. The recommended ones are Kaplan, Made ridiculously simple and Board review series. It doesn’t make a difference where you study from as long as you do the Questions in the Q-banks (explained later on) then all sources are equal and it becomes personal preference
Some people only do Kaplan books for all the subjects and score 99 , others prefer to read from other books which are more descriptive and explain more details. However I think the questions could complement defects in Kaplan if you take some notes while answering the questions. Again other than Kaplan here is what some people studied these subjects from :
1.Pathology----------Board Review Series or Kaplan
2.Physiology----------Board Review Series or Kaplan
3.Microbiology--------Made Ridiculously Simple or Kaplan or just First Aid
4.Immunology---------High yield or Kaplan
5.Biochemistry--------Kaplan and Questions
6.Pharmacology------- Lippincott or Kaplan
7.Anatomy, Embryology and Neuroanatomy------high yield series or Kaplan
8. Behavioral science and biostatistics --------High yield or kaplan
Again I’ll stress on the fact that you can just study everything from Kaplan and then do the questions real good, and you won’t miss out anything.
First Aid for Step 1
This is a very important book for Step 1 and has to be read after finishing each subject. So when you do the biochemistry from Kaplan or any other book , then you open the First Aid and study it from there and preferably add illustrations and drawings to personalize the book and make it your final revision source that you’ll read before the exam.
You have to read First Aid at least 3 times before the exam (other than the time you studied the book after each chapter). It is the single most important book in your preparation for Step 1. Some people actually just study it from it, but I don’t recommend this approach as it’s harder to study from a book filled with some many details that would seem unimportant until you read the questions and have a background idea about the subject.
Study plan
Most people start with Physiology (Maximum of 6 weeks study time). Do the questions after each chapter, and if you answer wrong go back and read the part you didn't answer properly. sometimes questions ask you things not there in the text, it's normal. Do one question and then read the answer and it's explanation before going to the next.
The questions in USMLE test your understanding of the subject and not your memorizing power so DON’T MEMORIZE just try to understand the basic principle. You don't have to watch the Kaplan Videos but they help sometimes, you can watch and study simultaneously by stopping the Video after finishing each topic and studying it from the book.
After you finish studying a topic in physiology look it up in the First Aid book and read it from there. If you have access to USMLEworld then do a block or 2 of questions on physiology before you move to the next chapter, also do the 2 blocks on physiology from the Kaplan Q-book. When you do the questions from the book do them one by one, reading the answers on that question before going to the next, you’ll get enough training in USMLEworld website on timing.
Anatomy is a simple subject that you don’t need to study a lot for but you need to do as many questions as you can. Some people just read anatomy as they are studying another subject. After finishing Physiology you can start Biochemistry or Pharmacology. Some people keep biochemistry till the end as it is very volatile and people tend to forget everything they study very quickly, but I recommend doing it early on and revising it again very well at the end.
Keep Pathology till the very end as it makes much more sense after you finish all the other subjects, as it’s more of a summary for all other subjects. Pathology is actually the most important subject and almost 50% of the questions in Step 1 are pathology, but again Do Not start with pathology (Especially if you’re starting with Step 1).
Many people found it easier to read Microbiology from First Aid or to use the tables in the Kaplan book. Again if you can answer the Microbiology questions good then it doesn’t matter were you studied from. Biostatistics and Behavioral science is short and the Kaplan Video is nice and helpful to watch. Again it’s still one of subjects that most candidates get borderline or lower performance on unfortunately.
Many people read the Goljan 36 high yield pages, and review his slides. Anatomy ,Embryology, Neuroanatomy and Histology really don’t need to be read from separate books. Just doing it from Kaplan and solving many questions it yet is usually enough. Also reviewing CTs and MRIs as well as Gross anatomy pictures helps specially for Neuroanatomy.
After completing all subjects and reading all the First Aids you will need to start revising as well as start solving USMLEworld questions (or the remaining questions if you have already started to solve some Questions after each subject). There are several ways in solving the blocks ,but I recommend to start the first 50 % of the blocks in the Tutor mode, and after every question to read the answer, then after that do the other 50% as timed blocks and read all their answers at the end. Some people find it easier and better to start doing timed blocks from the beginning and read the answers at the end.
The USMLEworld Qbank has more than 2000 questions and needs 5- 6 weeks to be covered. Whenever you make a mistake then mark that question to be able to go back to it again. Also if you get a question write by luck then also mark that question to be able to go back to it again later on. You will need to redo the questions you did wrong and the ones you got write by pure guessing after you finish all the Qbank. At first you will have to read all the explanation of why that answer is write and the others are wrong , but as you move along many things will be repeated and you’ll notice that you’ll only need to read the educational object at the end of the answer.
Scoring on Average above 70% in Step 1 means you’ll get in the high 90’s in your Step 1, but again this is very variable and cannot be used a rule.
Q-banks: The two wildly known q-banks are kaplan q-bank and USMLEworld q-bank. Both are very good however, USMLEworld q-bank feels more like the exam.
Tips for the USMLEworld Q-Bank :
After solving a block from the Q-Bank, read the explanation then try open the same topic in First Aid and read it. This is really a very good way to consolidate the knowledge in your mind. After several blocks you would have opened and revised the First Aid book several times. Also when you encounter new information you can add the really high yield (important in the exam) information that keeps on repeating to your first Aid or a separate notebook for future reference. Also you’ll know First Aid much better after going through it time after time. Don’t add everything you find in USMLEworld to first Aid as you’ll be flooded with unnecessary information that will dilute the important stuff with less important low yield details. By time you’ll know the high yield from the low yield as you do more questions. Do at least 20 timed blocks during your revision to make sure you can finish the test in the right timing.
Timeline for Step 1:
Physiology. Maximum of 6 weeks
Anatomy and Histology. Maximum of 4 weeks
Pathology. Maximum of 5 weeks
Biochemistry and Genetics. Maximum of 6 weeks
Microbiology. Maximum of 5 weeks
Immunology. Maximum of 2 weeks
Pharmacology. Maximum of 4 weeks
Behavioral Sc. And Biostatistics Maximum of 3 weeks
Revision and QbankMaximum of 8 weeks
Total Maximum of 43 weeks ~ 10 months
Some people may Study Step 1 in 3 years and others do it in 3 months, neither is wrong. But the recommended time frame is 7-10 months for Step 1 to score in the high 90’s
Tips for the Week before the Exam :
First Aid should be your best friend during that week, and that means you should have got familiar with each and every word in it during your study period. You would have to read it and re –read it and re-re read it (3 times) during that week.
Questions are not really helpful during the last few days, but building self confidence and looking at material you already know very well is very helpful (hence the familiarity with First Aid). If it’s your first time to open first Aid during that week then it’ll be your worst enemy as you won’t benefit from it at all.
Make sure you leave the day before the exam to enjoy yourself and not study. Just go out and meet your family or friends or just do something different. Try to train yourself to get up early during the last few weeks so that your circadian rhythm is set at 6:00am (unless your test is in an afternoon session). Sleep early and try to get enough sleep that night cause all you need the next day is concentration as the knowledge base you need for the exam should have been compiled in the preceding months , and that night before the exam will add nothing more.
Tips for the exam day :
Go early to exam and start early. Have your ID (should have your picture and signature) with you as well as your scheduling permit. Take appropriate breaks between your blocks and never do consecutive blocks.
Refresh yourself by washing your face with cold water between blocks and don’t think about the mistakes you did and never revise any topic between blocks as topics never repeat in the following blocks.
Have light sugary and salty snacks and plenty of water , and if you drink too much then remember to go to the bathroom in your break as you can never leave for the bathroom during the block.
Frequently Asked Questions :
1.Should I start with Step 1 or 2 ?
Answer : Well it depends , if you are a fresh medical graduate and just finished medical school a few months ago , then step 2 might seem a bit more familiar and people like to start with it for that reason. However the exam was designed to start with step 1 then step 2 . So you can get many questions in step 2 that depend on material covered extensively in step 1 subjects and not covered in Step 2 at all. Also Step 2 is made so much easier when you study step 1, whereas only pathology in step 1 is made easier if you study step 2 first. Again many people score better when they start with step 2 and find it easier to study and get motivated and that’s what they start with step 2. So it’s really your choice. Most people that got double 99’s that I know did step 1 first, and most people I know that actually got ECFMG certified started with step 2 first .
2.Should I watch the Kaplan Videos?
Answer: Well some people like watching those Videos as it helps make their English better and makes studying easier for them. But others find it easier to just study. Generally most people found that step 2 Videos are more useful for step 2 than Step 1 Vidoes are for Step 1. Many people use these Videos as a study guide to pace themselves and to get into the University/Lecture environment which is helpful.
3.Can I Use the old Kaplan books or do I get the brand new ones ?
Answer: You can use either but again if you’ll get something old make sure it’s only 3 year or less old. So if you’re studying in 2010 then use the 2007 kaplan and not an older edition as there are advances in medicine you know and the material on the test does keep up with those advances
Assesses whether you understand and can apply important concepts of the sciences basic to the practice of medicine, with special emphasis on principles and mechanisms underlying health, disease, and modes of therapy.
Content
The basic sciences representing the first 3 years of our medical school.
Contained subjects are:
Physiology.
Anatomy and Histology.
Pathology.
Biochemistry and Genetics.
Microbiology
Immunology.
Pharmacology.
Behavioral science & Biostatistics.
Exam description
Total exam time is 8 hours. 7 hours the real exam time and 1 hour break. The 7 hours consist of 7 blocks each is 1 hour containing 50 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). You can't have a break during the 1 hour block but you can have breaks in between blocks for total of 60 minutes. During the block yo can go back and forth between the 50 MCQs but once you finished the block you can't go back to it.
Preparation materials
A-Books: several books are available. The recommended ones are Kaplan, Made ridiculously simple and Board review series. It doesn’t make a difference where you study from as long as you do the Questions in the Q-banks (explained later on) then all sources are equal and it becomes personal preference
Some people only do Kaplan books for all the subjects and score 99 , others prefer to read from other books which are more descriptive and explain more details. However I think the questions could complement defects in Kaplan if you take some notes while answering the questions. Again other than Kaplan here is what some people studied these subjects from :
1.Pathology----------Board Review Series or Kaplan
2.Physiology----------Board Review Series or Kaplan
3.Microbiology--------Made Ridiculously Simple or Kaplan or just First Aid
4.Immunology---------High yield or Kaplan
5.Biochemistry--------Kaplan and Questions
6.Pharmacology------- Lippincott or Kaplan
7.Anatomy, Embryology and Neuroanatomy------high yield series or Kaplan
8. Behavioral science and biostatistics --------High yield or kaplan
Again I’ll stress on the fact that you can just study everything from Kaplan and then do the questions real good, and you won’t miss out anything.
First Aid for Step 1
This is a very important book for Step 1 and has to be read after finishing each subject. So when you do the biochemistry from Kaplan or any other book , then you open the First Aid and study it from there and preferably add illustrations and drawings to personalize the book and make it your final revision source that you’ll read before the exam.
You have to read First Aid at least 3 times before the exam (other than the time you studied the book after each chapter). It is the single most important book in your preparation for Step 1. Some people actually just study it from it, but I don’t recommend this approach as it’s harder to study from a book filled with some many details that would seem unimportant until you read the questions and have a background idea about the subject.
Study plan
Most people start with Physiology (Maximum of 6 weeks study time). Do the questions after each chapter, and if you answer wrong go back and read the part you didn't answer properly. sometimes questions ask you things not there in the text, it's normal. Do one question and then read the answer and it's explanation before going to the next.
The questions in USMLE test your understanding of the subject and not your memorizing power so DON’T MEMORIZE just try to understand the basic principle. You don't have to watch the Kaplan Videos but they help sometimes, you can watch and study simultaneously by stopping the Video after finishing each topic and studying it from the book.
After you finish studying a topic in physiology look it up in the First Aid book and read it from there. If you have access to USMLEworld then do a block or 2 of questions on physiology before you move to the next chapter, also do the 2 blocks on physiology from the Kaplan Q-book. When you do the questions from the book do them one by one, reading the answers on that question before going to the next, you’ll get enough training in USMLEworld website on timing.
Anatomy is a simple subject that you don’t need to study a lot for but you need to do as many questions as you can. Some people just read anatomy as they are studying another subject. After finishing Physiology you can start Biochemistry or Pharmacology. Some people keep biochemistry till the end as it is very volatile and people tend to forget everything they study very quickly, but I recommend doing it early on and revising it again very well at the end.
Keep Pathology till the very end as it makes much more sense after you finish all the other subjects, as it’s more of a summary for all other subjects. Pathology is actually the most important subject and almost 50% of the questions in Step 1 are pathology, but again Do Not start with pathology (Especially if you’re starting with Step 1).
Many people found it easier to read Microbiology from First Aid or to use the tables in the Kaplan book. Again if you can answer the Microbiology questions good then it doesn’t matter were you studied from. Biostatistics and Behavioral science is short and the Kaplan Video is nice and helpful to watch. Again it’s still one of subjects that most candidates get borderline or lower performance on unfortunately.
Many people read the Goljan 36 high yield pages, and review his slides. Anatomy ,Embryology, Neuroanatomy and Histology really don’t need to be read from separate books. Just doing it from Kaplan and solving many questions it yet is usually enough. Also reviewing CTs and MRIs as well as Gross anatomy pictures helps specially for Neuroanatomy.
After completing all subjects and reading all the First Aids you will need to start revising as well as start solving USMLEworld questions (or the remaining questions if you have already started to solve some Questions after each subject). There are several ways in solving the blocks ,but I recommend to start the first 50 % of the blocks in the Tutor mode, and after every question to read the answer, then after that do the other 50% as timed blocks and read all their answers at the end. Some people find it easier and better to start doing timed blocks from the beginning and read the answers at the end.
The USMLEworld Qbank has more than 2000 questions and needs 5- 6 weeks to be covered. Whenever you make a mistake then mark that question to be able to go back to it again. Also if you get a question write by luck then also mark that question to be able to go back to it again later on. You will need to redo the questions you did wrong and the ones you got write by pure guessing after you finish all the Qbank. At first you will have to read all the explanation of why that answer is write and the others are wrong , but as you move along many things will be repeated and you’ll notice that you’ll only need to read the educational object at the end of the answer.
Scoring on Average above 70% in Step 1 means you’ll get in the high 90’s in your Step 1, but again this is very variable and cannot be used a rule.
Q-banks: The two wildly known q-banks are kaplan q-bank and USMLEworld q-bank. Both are very good however, USMLEworld q-bank feels more like the exam.
Tips for the USMLEworld Q-Bank :
After solving a block from the Q-Bank, read the explanation then try open the same topic in First Aid and read it. This is really a very good way to consolidate the knowledge in your mind. After several blocks you would have opened and revised the First Aid book several times. Also when you encounter new information you can add the really high yield (important in the exam) information that keeps on repeating to your first Aid or a separate notebook for future reference. Also you’ll know First Aid much better after going through it time after time. Don’t add everything you find in USMLEworld to first Aid as you’ll be flooded with unnecessary information that will dilute the important stuff with less important low yield details. By time you’ll know the high yield from the low yield as you do more questions. Do at least 20 timed blocks during your revision to make sure you can finish the test in the right timing.
Timeline for Step 1:
Physiology. Maximum of 6 weeks
Anatomy and Histology. Maximum of 4 weeks
Pathology. Maximum of 5 weeks
Biochemistry and Genetics. Maximum of 6 weeks
Microbiology. Maximum of 5 weeks
Immunology. Maximum of 2 weeks
Pharmacology. Maximum of 4 weeks
Behavioral Sc. And Biostatistics Maximum of 3 weeks
Revision and QbankMaximum of 8 weeks
Total Maximum of 43 weeks ~ 10 months
Some people may Study Step 1 in 3 years and others do it in 3 months, neither is wrong. But the recommended time frame is 7-10 months for Step 1 to score in the high 90’s
Tips for the Week before the Exam :
First Aid should be your best friend during that week, and that means you should have got familiar with each and every word in it during your study period. You would have to read it and re –read it and re-re read it (3 times) during that week.
Questions are not really helpful during the last few days, but building self confidence and looking at material you already know very well is very helpful (hence the familiarity with First Aid). If it’s your first time to open first Aid during that week then it’ll be your worst enemy as you won’t benefit from it at all.
Make sure you leave the day before the exam to enjoy yourself and not study. Just go out and meet your family or friends or just do something different. Try to train yourself to get up early during the last few weeks so that your circadian rhythm is set at 6:00am (unless your test is in an afternoon session). Sleep early and try to get enough sleep that night cause all you need the next day is concentration as the knowledge base you need for the exam should have been compiled in the preceding months , and that night before the exam will add nothing more.
Tips for the exam day :
Go early to exam and start early. Have your ID (should have your picture and signature) with you as well as your scheduling permit. Take appropriate breaks between your blocks and never do consecutive blocks.
Refresh yourself by washing your face with cold water between blocks and don’t think about the mistakes you did and never revise any topic between blocks as topics never repeat in the following blocks.
Have light sugary and salty snacks and plenty of water , and if you drink too much then remember to go to the bathroom in your break as you can never leave for the bathroom during the block.
Frequently Asked Questions :
1.Should I start with Step 1 or 2 ?
Answer : Well it depends , if you are a fresh medical graduate and just finished medical school a few months ago , then step 2 might seem a bit more familiar and people like to start with it for that reason. However the exam was designed to start with step 1 then step 2 . So you can get many questions in step 2 that depend on material covered extensively in step 1 subjects and not covered in Step 2 at all. Also Step 2 is made so much easier when you study step 1, whereas only pathology in step 1 is made easier if you study step 2 first. Again many people score better when they start with step 2 and find it easier to study and get motivated and that’s what they start with step 2. So it’s really your choice. Most people that got double 99’s that I know did step 1 first, and most people I know that actually got ECFMG certified started with step 2 first .
2.Should I watch the Kaplan Videos?
Answer: Well some people like watching those Videos as it helps make their English better and makes studying easier for them. But others find it easier to just study. Generally most people found that step 2 Videos are more useful for step 2 than Step 1 Vidoes are for Step 1. Many people use these Videos as a study guide to pace themselves and to get into the University/Lecture environment which is helpful.
3.Can I Use the old Kaplan books or do I get the brand new ones ?
Answer: You can use either but again if you’ll get something old make sure it’s only 3 year or less old. So if you’re studying in 2010 then use the 2007 kaplan and not an older edition as there are advances in medicine you know and the material on the test does keep up with those advances