Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2014 23:04:06 GMT -5
SA My name is Ahmed Marey . I'm an intern in Tanta University hospital . I'd like to share my experience in step 1 .
First of all , I'd like to thank every one who helped me .. special thanks to all EAMTAR founders . They made scoring in USMLE much easier than before .
I started USMLE studying with step 2 ck early in Feb 2012 along with 6th year studying . But after a couple of months , I realized that I lack many basic concepts . So that , I shifted to step 1 studying . This was around July 2012 .
Being a 6th year student _ who was aiming for excellent grades _ made me not focusing enough on USMLE studying .
I finished Microbiology and biochemistry videos only . I had to stop in August 2012 to focus more on Surgery & Ob Gyn stuff .
& Alhamdullilah . I ended 6th year with excellent grade .
Overall grade : Excellent with Honors . Tarakomy : 137th .
I told myself that I need something that make me stick to USMLE once I finish 6th year exams . & it was registration for Step 1 .
I used to pray ( Istekhara ) before every major decision .
I payed the fees and started paperwork in late November 2012 .
Although I started paperwork early , it was rejected time after time till April 2013 .
So , I advise everyone to start paperwork as early as possible .
My real USMLE studying started in mid January 2013 ..
USMLE studying can be divided into 4 steps
step 1 : Foundation step 2 : Recapping step 3 : Questions solving and working on your weakness
step 4 : Before the exam
Step 1 : ( I'll discuss my experience with subjects in order of studying )
Time spent : 3-4 months
Studying hours : 4-5 hours daily
1- Physiology
used Kaplan videos 2010 with Kaplan notes .. read BRS lightly ( used it latter in step 3 .. will be discussed later )
2- Pharmacology
Kaplan videos are mandatory specially Ramon's . Of course with Kaplan Notes .
3- Biochemistry and genetics
same as Pharm.
4- Microbiology
didn't use Kaplan videos ( as I used them earlier but they are useless ) or even kaplan books .. used TA7 videos + first aid .. First aid + UW in this subject is enough .
5- Immunology
Kaplan videos and notes are mandatory . Although FA is enough , but I think that this subject needs better foundation .
6- Pathology
I was totally confused in this subject . I listened to Goljan audios but I didn't like it . I took an advice from a previous experience to read General Path. chapter from Big Goljan 600 p . & I support this advice .
Systemic Pathology from FA directly + UW
If I had enough time , I would have used all Pathoma videos .. this is my advice now . USE PATHOMA videos .
the real exam is full of pathology concepts . Investing time in Pathology is advised .
7- Anatomy & embryology
Kaplan videos only ..
8- Neuroscience
Kaplan videos + High yield neuroanatomy
you don't have to memorize every word in HY neuroanatomy . Just read it now .
FA is more than enough in neuroanatomy . but not for foundation issue
9- Behav. ande Biostat.
Kaplan videos and notes
__________________________________before starting Recapping step , I should tell you something .
Now , You feel that you can't memorize most of what you have studied before ..
DON'T WORRY
this is normal .. Absolutely normal .. Don't give up
Step 2 : Recapping time spent :around 2 months
Hours daily : 4-5 hours
I read foundation materials again ( kaplan notes mostly )
then started FA FA is a great book . Every word in FA is a target for possible question in real exam . You 'll add notes to it in the following few months
it would take around 1 month to finish FA for the first time .
___________________________________
Step 3 : questions solving & working on my weakness
time spent : around 2 months
hours daily : 7-8 hours
I subscribed for a month in UW ( There is an offer 1 month UW + UWSA 1 + UWSA 2 for 160 $ )
I didn't want to spend more $$ .. so , I committed myself to UW solving and annotating in FA
I took a couple of blocks daily with annotations
UW Qbank is not predictive at all . but , You should score more that 65 % overall if you aim at a score above the mean .
Those are the easy questions that you 'll face many questions like those in real exam .
some UW questions are very tough .
after finishing UW , I found myself weak in some subjects .
Physiology
read BRS in weak branches specially curves ( some important respiratory curves are not discussed in kaplan but discussed in FA and BRS )
Pathology : I was weak in some branches , Read them from Goljan 600 p and Pathoma videos
behavioral : used High yield ( in real exam my worst subject was behavioral & I have no advice really for this subject )
Biostat. : used UW biostat. questions with explanation
neuroscience : HY again with focusing on CTs and angiography ( Imaging is very important in Neuro )
Biochem. : kaplan in weak points
Genetics and immunology : kaplan again
N.B : Revising a book for a third time would take much less time that revising it for the first time advice : Revise FA more & more with annotations it is the time every revision to FA would raise your score . I'm sure .
Self assessment :
advice : take online self assessments as possible
my schedule was a self assessment exam followed by a FA revision with annotations
35 days before exam I did UWSA online 1 scored 252
UWSA 2 online : 252 ... 21 days before the exam
NBME 15 online : 245 .. 15 days before the exam
REAL DEAL : 243
step 4 : Before the exam
only I revised FA more revisions till the day before the exam
My exam was on 17/9/2013 .. got my result on 9/10/2013
That's it
First of all , I'd like to thank every one who helped me .. special thanks to all EAMTAR founders . They made scoring in USMLE much easier than before .
I started USMLE studying with step 2 ck early in Feb 2012 along with 6th year studying . But after a couple of months , I realized that I lack many basic concepts . So that , I shifted to step 1 studying . This was around July 2012 .
Being a 6th year student _ who was aiming for excellent grades _ made me not focusing enough on USMLE studying .
I finished Microbiology and biochemistry videos only . I had to stop in August 2012 to focus more on Surgery & Ob Gyn stuff .
& Alhamdullilah . I ended 6th year with excellent grade .
Overall grade : Excellent with Honors . Tarakomy : 137th .
I told myself that I need something that make me stick to USMLE once I finish 6th year exams . & it was registration for Step 1 .
I used to pray ( Istekhara ) before every major decision .
I payed the fees and started paperwork in late November 2012 .
Although I started paperwork early , it was rejected time after time till April 2013 .
So , I advise everyone to start paperwork as early as possible .
My real USMLE studying started in mid January 2013 ..
USMLE studying can be divided into 4 steps
step 1 : Foundation step 2 : Recapping step 3 : Questions solving and working on your weakness
step 4 : Before the exam
Step 1 : ( I'll discuss my experience with subjects in order of studying )
Time spent : 3-4 months
Studying hours : 4-5 hours daily
1- Physiology
used Kaplan videos 2010 with Kaplan notes .. read BRS lightly ( used it latter in step 3 .. will be discussed later )
2- Pharmacology
Kaplan videos are mandatory specially Ramon's . Of course with Kaplan Notes .
3- Biochemistry and genetics
same as Pharm.
4- Microbiology
didn't use Kaplan videos ( as I used them earlier but they are useless ) or even kaplan books .. used TA7 videos + first aid .. First aid + UW in this subject is enough .
5- Immunology
Kaplan videos and notes are mandatory . Although FA is enough , but I think that this subject needs better foundation .
6- Pathology
I was totally confused in this subject . I listened to Goljan audios but I didn't like it . I took an advice from a previous experience to read General Path. chapter from Big Goljan 600 p . & I support this advice .
Systemic Pathology from FA directly + UW
If I had enough time , I would have used all Pathoma videos .. this is my advice now . USE PATHOMA videos .
the real exam is full of pathology concepts . Investing time in Pathology is advised .
7- Anatomy & embryology
Kaplan videos only ..
8- Neuroscience
Kaplan videos + High yield neuroanatomy
you don't have to memorize every word in HY neuroanatomy . Just read it now .
FA is more than enough in neuroanatomy . but not for foundation issue
9- Behav. ande Biostat.
Kaplan videos and notes
__________________________________before starting Recapping step , I should tell you something .
Now , You feel that you can't memorize most of what you have studied before ..
DON'T WORRY
this is normal .. Absolutely normal .. Don't give up
Step 2 : Recapping time spent :around 2 months
Hours daily : 4-5 hours
I read foundation materials again ( kaplan notes mostly )
then started FA FA is a great book . Every word in FA is a target for possible question in real exam . You 'll add notes to it in the following few months
it would take around 1 month to finish FA for the first time .
___________________________________
Step 3 : questions solving & working on my weakness
time spent : around 2 months
hours daily : 7-8 hours
I subscribed for a month in UW ( There is an offer 1 month UW + UWSA 1 + UWSA 2 for 160 $ )
I didn't want to spend more $$ .. so , I committed myself to UW solving and annotating in FA
I took a couple of blocks daily with annotations
UW Qbank is not predictive at all . but , You should score more that 65 % overall if you aim at a score above the mean .
Those are the easy questions that you 'll face many questions like those in real exam .
some UW questions are very tough .
after finishing UW , I found myself weak in some subjects .
Physiology
read BRS in weak branches specially curves ( some important respiratory curves are not discussed in kaplan but discussed in FA and BRS )
Pathology : I was weak in some branches , Read them from Goljan 600 p and Pathoma videos
behavioral : used High yield ( in real exam my worst subject was behavioral & I have no advice really for this subject )
Biostat. : used UW biostat. questions with explanation
neuroscience : HY again with focusing on CTs and angiography ( Imaging is very important in Neuro )
Biochem. : kaplan in weak points
Genetics and immunology : kaplan again
N.B : Revising a book for a third time would take much less time that revising it for the first time advice : Revise FA more & more with annotations it is the time every revision to FA would raise your score . I'm sure .
Self assessment :
advice : take online self assessments as possible
my schedule was a self assessment exam followed by a FA revision with annotations
35 days before exam I did UWSA online 1 scored 252
UWSA 2 online : 252 ... 21 days before the exam
NBME 15 online : 245 .. 15 days before the exam
REAL DEAL : 243
step 4 : Before the exam
only I revised FA more revisions till the day before the exam
My exam was on 17/9/2013 .. got my result on 9/10/2013
That's it
