8/3/2019 Step 1 Thoughts 2005
1/1
A Few Thoughts on Step 1
Richard Gurgel
1. Learn the material now. Most of what you learn in 2nd year is
high-yield for boards. Spend
the time to learn the material well. The best way to do well on
step 1 is to do well during 2nd year.
Also, I suggest that your mind-set in studying for step 1 should
be to really learn thematerial, not just cram for one test on one
day. Your step 1 study will form the foundation for
your clinical years of med school. Most of the shelf-exams are
just clinical variations on step 1.It is the same core concepts
being tested (especially pathophysiology).
2. Practice board-like questions/answers. Use questions as a
study aid, not just a review. I
took notes on each question (right and wrong answers) and kept a
notebook.
3. There is no substitute for First Aid, BRS Pathology, and BRS
Physiology. These three
form the core curriculum. Know them inside and out. Doing review
questions concurrently helps
to highlight important parts of text.
4. Timing: Focus on content mastery, not time spent. For
example, I want to learn aboutStaph, Step, and Psuedomonas today
not, I will spend an 8 hours studying today. What
difference does it make if you spend 4, 8, 12, or 24 hours
studying something and not learn the
content?
Suggested schedule and topics: Jan/Feb: casual
(Miro/Pharm/Biochem)
March/April: semi-casual (Path/Phys)
May/June: formal (all)
**A note on timing: You kill two birds with one stone by
studying Pathology and Physiology
before May because of your comprehensive exams**
Suggested daily schedule:
7 a.m. 12 p.m.: Questions (Q-bank, question books, etc.)
1 p.m. 3 p.m.: Study with someone and quiz each other3 p.m. 5
p.m.: Reading
5. Study with other people. Small study groups are best. I dont
recommend more than 3
people to a group, with 2 people being the ideal. Limit to a few
hours a day. 1-3 p.m. worked for
me because I probably would have been napping otherwise. Quiz
each other on First Aid
sections.
6. Spouse. Your spouse may wonder why you are spending so much
of your summer free
time studying. You doing well in med school affects their future
too. Your spouse would
probably much rather options in where you live for the next 3-9
years (which options youll have
more of if you do well on Step 1) than a few weeks in the
summer.
7. Do what works for you. You will get a lot of advice. Filter
it and do the things that help you
learn and retain the material.
Overall impression of Step 1:
-- 80% focus on information recall, 20% focus on information
processing/critical
thinking (opposite from MCAT). You just have to know the
material.
-- Path, Phys, Pharm are the majority of test. Micro, Biochem,
Behavioral Science are
next. Anatomy is least represented (i.e. dont spend a lot of
time here).
