step 1 handbook 2012-2013

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013

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Alpert Medical School Step 1 Handbook

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with the background information you need tosuccessfully prepare for the USMLE Step 1 examination !n addition to the material in thishandbook" you will find a variety of other resources posted on #anvas in the USMLE Step 1Materials section There" you will find a self assessment tool" planning calendar" sample study plans" content related material" etc $ou have every reason to feel positive about Step 1 %lpert Medical School students performvery well on this test" as indicated by our students& success in the residency match 'ur

curriculum and examinations provide excellent preparation for this test" and we have a robustsystem in place to provide students who need additional help with that assistance in preparing forthe exam

(e wish you all the best as you tackle this challenge and progress towards becoming a licensed physician

Emily )reen" M% *aul )eorge" M+%ssistant +irector of Student %ffairs +irector" $ear !! #urriculum

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


A QUICK OVRVI!

USMLE Step 1 is the first of three examinations students must pass to become a licensed physician in the United States Step 1 is designed to measure basic science knowledge !t does sothrough a case‐ based" multiple‐choice ,uestion approach % Step 1 score of 1-- is considered

passing The national mean for first time test takers in ./1/ was ...

TST QUSTION "ORMAT

The exam is an eight‐hour computer ‐ based test consisting of seven 0/ minute blocks of,uestions There are a total of approximately / ,uestions with 2- ,uestions per block MostStep 1 ,uestions begin with a description of a patient Three to eleven possible answers 3usuallyfive4 are provided for each ,uestion %lthough answer choices may be very similar" or partiallycorrect" there is only one best answer There are also some non5case5based ,uestions that focus primarily on the basic sciences

Some ,uestions include media clips 3audio and6or video4 and some include se,uential ,uestionsembedded in the ,uestion base Se,uential ,uestions necessitate a wider range of knowledgearound particular cases 'nce you have answered the first ,uestion" your answer will be lockedin as you complete the second ,uestion Some ,uestions embedded in the exam are experimentaland non5graded

R#ISTRIN# "OR ST$ 1

It i% %&''e%ted that %t&dent% re'i%ter thro&'h the N(M )*+ ,onth% be-ore the date the.

/i%h to take the e0a, 7or specific guidelines" and to apply for the Step 1 exam" please reviewand follow the application instructions at the 89ME website 3wwwnbmeorg4 Students canalso reference the section :;ow do ! register to take the exam<= in First Aid Starting in 8ovember" ./11 the registration fee for the exam is >??

%s you register through wwwnbmeorg" one of the steps involves completing a #ertification of!dentification and %uthori@ation 7orm This form must be completed and submitted to AaniceBiticonte of %MS student affairs 3be sure to attach a photo4

*lease note that registering for the USMLE Step 1 exam is different than scheduling yourUSMLE Step 1 exam (hen you register for the USMLE Step 1 exam you will be asked to

select a C/ day eligibility period in which to take the exam %fter registration" 89ME will issueyou a scheduling permit by email 'nce you receive this permit" you will schedule a specific testdate through the testing center where you plan on taking the exam

SCHDU2IN# O" 3AM RTAKS 3excerpt from USMLE.org 4

http://www.nbme.org/





8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


The USMLE *rogram sets rules on how ,uickly examinees can repeat the same Step or Step#omponent These rules will change for exam applications submitted on or after Aanuary 1"./1.

7or exam applications submitted on or after Aanuary 1" ./1." the following rules apply to all

Steps and Step #omponentsD

• $ou may take the same examination no more than three times within a 1.5month

period

• $our fourth and subse,uent attempts must be at least 1. months after your first

attempt at that exam and at least six months after your most recent attempt at thatexam %ttempts at that examination 3complete and incomplete4 prior to Aanuary 1"./1. will be counted in determining whether these rules apply

(hen you reapply" your exam eligibility period will be adusted" if necessary" to comply withthese rules

CHAN#IN# 4OUR 2I#I(I2IT4 $RIOD

Students may re,uest a one‐time three month extension using a :Step 1 and Step . #FEligibility *eriod Extension 7orm= available on the 89ME web site

I,portant Re,inder555 Gescheduling your C/ day eligibility period does not automaticallymove or cancel any tests or practice tests you may have scheduled with the testing center

SCHDU2IN# 4OUR 3AM

The USMLE Step 1 exam is offered at *rometric testing centers 3wwwprometriccom4 !n the*rovidence area" the closest *rometric center is located in (arwick" G! There are alsoreasonably close centers in #umberland" G! and in (orcester" M% The telephone number toregister for exams is 1‐-//‐ME+ EH%M or 1‐-//‐0‐C.0 Should you need to callthe facility in (arwick" the telephone is 1‐2/1‐I-‐C1I. The facility is located in a pla@aat .20 *ost Goad" Suite 1/2" (arwick" G!

+irectionsD Take the T 7 )reen %irport exit 3Exit 14 to the %irport #onnector Take thesecond exit" which will be *ost Goad 3Goute 14 Turn right onto *ost Goad 3South4

#ontinue 61/ of a mile to the %irport *rofessional *ark on the left‐

hand side of theroadJ first building on left" last door The complex is surrounded by a red brick wall The*rometric Testing #enter is located in the professional park across from +ave&s 9ar and)rill Enter the center by the last door in the first building

AVAI2A(I2IT4 O" TST DATS AND TIMS6

http://www.prometric.com/

http://www.prometric.com/

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


Students must select a date with *rometric which falls between the start and end dates of theirC/5day eligibility period Test scheduling is on a first come" first served basis so it is important tocall and schedule an exam date soon after you receive your scheduling permit *lease note that ascheduling number 3obtained from 89ME as part of the boards registration process4 is re,uired

to schedule an exam with *rometric *lease check with individual testing centers for the

days6times they offer USMLE Step 1 'nce scheduled" changes to your test date may incur*rometric fees

DV2O$IN# AN ""CTIV $R$ARATION $2AN

The best preparation for Step 1 is mastering the material in your preclinical courses That said" itis not unreasonable to begin thinking about Step 1 before that time 9y the time the 0 week prep period begins in March" you should have

1 *urchased your prep books and other materials and become familiar with the way in

which they are organi@ed. %ttended the content presentations organi@ed by the 'ffice of Medical Education +eveloped a fairly detailed study plan for the prep period

S&''e%ted Step 1 Ti,eline

S&,,er be-ore

4ear II

• 8o preparation necessary 3low yield for content retention4

A&'&%t 7 October • Focus on mastering Year II course material

• *urchase and become familiar with 7irst %id 3optional4

•%nnotate sections of 7irst %id that correlate with $ear !! courses3optional4

No8e,ber *

Dece,ber

• Focus on mastering Year II course material

• *urchase and become familiar with 7irst %id 3optional4

• %nnotate sections of 7irst %id that correlate with $ear !! courses

3optional4

• %ttend administration&s :!ntro to Step 1= presentation

• Gegister for the exam via wwwnbmeorg

• %pply for exam accommodations if necessary

9an&ar. *

"ebr&ar.

• Focus on mastering Year II course material

• Geview Step 1 materials in #anvas• Geview and purchase Step 1 resources

• 9ecome familiar with the format of ,5bank ,uestions

• %ttend content review sessions

• Sign up for tutoring if necessary

• +evelop a prep calendar

• Sign up for prep calendar review by Emily )reen and *aul )eorge



8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


March * April • 0 week prep time followed by 1 week vacation

TST ACCOMMODATIONS

Students with disabilities re,uiring test accommodations should consult Test Accommodations atthe USMLE website 3httpD66wwwusmleorg6TestK%ccommodations6testKaccommodationshtml4;owever" please note that it is very difficult to get accommodations for Step 1 and it usuallytakes several months to receive a decision from the organi@ation *lease plan accordingly#ontact your %cademy +irector with any ,uestions about this process

STUD4 $2ANS

'nce your preclinical courses have ended" you will implement a study plan for your exam preparation Study plans should be individuali@ed (e have provided several plans that have proven effective for students from previous years in the #anvas USMLE Step 1 Materials folder

Most students use these plans as a starting point" then modify them as they work through the preparation process

Study plan overviewD

• *rep time is usually 0 weeks in length followed by 1 week vacation

• Study plan should include days off and flex days

• Study plan should include time for practice exam3s4

• +aily schedule should include 05- hours of studying spread out over 1/51. hours

• +aily schedule should include a balance of content5specific studying and ,5bank

,uestions

(e recommend sitting down with an actual calendar and mapping out your study plan so thatyou have a clear idea of what you will be doing on any given day during your prep period

ST$ 1 CONTNT $RSNTATIONS

+uring the spring semester of $ear !! we offer content presentations focusing on the primary basic science areas from first and second year These presentations focus on identifying what isgenerally covered from those areas on Step 1" materials to support studying in those areas andseveral hints for learning and recalling such content These presentations are delivered by thirdand fourth year students who have taken Step 1 ;andouts are available on #anvas

TUTORIN#

Students can arrange for tutoring through the 'ffice of Medical Education Tutors can help with preparation strategies and6or with content

STUD4 #ROU$S

http://www.usmle.org/Test_Accommodations/test_accommodations.html

http://www.usmle.org/Test_Accommodations/test_accommodations.html

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


Many students choose to be part of a study group (orking in a group can help you focus youreffort on specific content areas" stay on task" and helps develop test‐taking skills based on yourcolleagues& various approaches 'ther students find it more beneficial to study independently5either alone or in the same general area as a peer

$RACTIC 3AMS

Students often have ,uestions about the number and type of practice exams to take 7actors suchas content recall" observing clues within cases" and timing within individual ,uestions and within blocks can be self5assessed through the use of practice exams #enerall. %peakin' /e

reco,,end that %t&dent% take :*) practice e0a,% d&rin' their board preparation ti,e

There are at least five companies offering practice exams" 89ME" ('GL+" #'8SULT"Thomson *rometric" and Faplan" among others ;owever" it is also possible to create your own practice :exam= by doing a block of ,uestions from your ,5bank in a timed manner

Co,,onl. U%ed $ractice 0a,%

T.pe o- $ractice

0a,

De%cription

N(M;C(SSA The 89ME #omprehensive 9asic Science Self ‐%ssessments 3#9SS%4are .//‐,uestion practice exams 3:forms=4 that can be taken in twodifferent timing modes Standard *aced allows 1 hour for each block and

Self ‐

*aced allows 2 hours for each block Several of the forms comewith enhanced feedback5 incorrect answers are identified" however correctanswers are not provided

%fter each form" 89ME provides a performance summary with a breakdown across 1C content and organ system areas" and a three‐digitscore in the range of .//‐-// This score can be converted to anapproximate USMLE score %n unconverted score of 2/ indicates a C? probability of passing the actual Step 1 exam 3Morrison" ./1/4

Q*(ank $ou can create your own practice exam by generating approximately /

,5bank ,uestions and taking them in a timed manner

$ro,etric

$ractice Se%%ion%

*rometric administers a three and a half ‐hour long practice exam offered by USMLE in the actual exam setting This is the same 1?/ ,uestion examthat can be downloaded free of charge at the USMLE website3wwwusmleorg4 Scores on this exam are not predictive5 the usefulnessof the exam concerns logistical familiarity with the test site *rometric practice exams must fall within your C/5day eligibility period

http://www.usmle.org/

http://www.usmle.org/

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


*rometric also offers a :test drive= that allows you to visit the *rometrictest site for a / minute orientation to the site" including lockers" restroomsand computer area !n addition" they will confirm that your documentationand registration materials will be accepted on the day of the actual test

$ou will also experience !+ confirmation" biometric identity capture"image capture and a sample generic test 3not using Step 1 ,uestions4" whereyou can practice with the headsets

USM2*

Spon%ored

T&torial

USMLE provides a 1?‐minute tutorial on their websitehttpD66wwwusmleorg6'rientation6menuhtmN This same tutorial is provided on your test day at the beginning of your examJ by looking at thetutorial online" you can usually skip the tutorial during the actual Step 1exam" and therefore receive an extra fifteen minutes of break time

The real ,uestion is not how many practice exams to take" but how to approach them in astrategic manner Thinking through why you are taking them and what you will learn from themwill help you decide how many to take and where to place them in your schedule *racticeexams can be helpful tools in the following array of waysD

• +iagnostic tool 5 Taking a practice exam at the beginning of your study period can help

identify particular areas of strength and weakness This can be especially helpful if you

are taking the exam :off schedule= and further away from your preclinical courses

• Timing 5 Exams completed at the standard pace allow you to practice getting through the

exam in the time allotted

• #ontent review 5 Seeing material repeatedly through ,uestions can consolidate

information and help with retention

• Schedule adustment 5 *ractice exams can help identify areas of strength and weakness

and help you make any necessary adustments to the rest of your study period

accordingly

• Study tool 5 Geviewing material that you got incorrect on a practice exam can be the basis

of at least part of your study plan

• Score prediction 5 The data shows that a single 89ME6#9SS% exam form is generally

predictive of actual Step 1 scores

• Stamina building 5 %n eight hour exam is a marathon Sitting and concentrating for that

amount of time at least once prior to the actual test is good practice % :double=

http://www.usmle.org/Orientation/menu.htm

http://www.usmle.org/Orientation/menu.htm

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


89ME6#9SS% exam 3. forms taken together during an - hour period4 I51/ days prior to

your test date is good practice for the actual exam

• Logistical familiarity 5 The 5hour practice exam at the *rometric site offers the

opportunity for you to become familiar with the environment and practices of the testing

site and prevents any last minute :unknowns= from causing anxiety on the day of yourtest

9e strategic 9efore you start putting practice exams into your final boards prep calendar" be

sure you know why you are including them and what you plan on doing with the data they

generate

$o%%ible $ractice 0a, Sched&le A

$o%%ible $ractice 0a, Sched&le (

Ti,e o- 0a, T.pe o- 0a, $&rpo%e o- 0a,

(eek 1 Single 89ME6#9SS% form3particularly one with

expanded feedback4

Dia'no%tic5 identify content knowledge areasof strength and weakness to better refine study

plan(eek Single 89ME6#9SS% form

'r O/ randomly5generatedP5bank ,uestions 4

Ti,in'5 practice getting through ,uestions inthe time allotted

St&d. tool5 Geview any ,uestions missed andstudy related material

(eek ? :+ouble= 89ME6#9SS%exam 3. forms4

Score prediction5 %ssess any risk of not passing exam

Sta,ina b&ildin'5 practice focusing for eighthour period

(eek 0 *rometric *ractice Exam 2o'i%tical -a,iliarit.5 9ecome familiar withthe test site and eliminate need to complete thesystem intro on your actual test date

Ti,e o- 0a, T.pe o- 0a, $&rpo%e o- 0a,

Spring Semester$ear !! 3prior to0 week prep period4

*rometric *ractice Exam 2o'i%tical -a,iliarit.5 9ecome familiar withthe test site and eliminate need to complete thesystem intro on your actual test date

(eek 2 Single 89ME6#9SS% form'r

O/ randomly5generatedP5bank ,uestions

St&d. tool5 Geview any ,uestions missed andstudy related material

Sched&le ad<&%t,ent5 Use the results to makeany necessary changes to your study schedule

(eek ? :+ouble= 89ME6#9SS%exam 3. forms4

Score prediction5 %ssess any risk of not passing exam

Sta,ina b&ildin'5 practice focusing for eighthour period

Sched&le ad<&%t,ent5 Use the results to planyour :review period= ust prior to your exam

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


I,portant Re,inder555 Moving or canceling any appointments you have made with *rometricdoes not automatically reschedule your eligibility period Gemember" you cannot schedule a testor practice test with *rometric until you have scheduled your eligibility period

TH DA4 O" TH 3AM

The scheduling permit you received in an email from 89ME must be printed out and broughtwith you to the *rometric testing site on the day of the exam +' 8'T AUST *G!8T T;EEM%!L !TSEL7 9E SUGE T' '*E8 T;E L!8F %8+ *G!8T T;E %#TU%LS#;E+UL!8) *EGM!TQ Students will not be allowed to take the boards unless they presentthis permit along with an unexpired" government‐issued photo identification with theirsignature 3such as a current driver&s license" passport" national identity card or E#7M)‐issued!+4 !f your !+ does not contain your signature" you must present another form of unexpired !+showing your signature Students must make sure that the name on their photo !+ exactly

matches the name appearing on their scheduling permit

!n (arwick there is often heavy traffic early in the morning" and the testing center re,uests thatall applicants arrive one half hour prior to their designated start time I- .o& arri8e a-ter .o&r

te%tin' ti,e= .o& ,a. be denied ad,ittance to .o&r e0a, *lease plan accordingly

RU2S O" CONDUCT

The entire testing session" including orientation and breaks" is considered a closed and securetesting session" and the entire test center" including the orientation room and the rest rooms" is asecure testing area Therefore" the rules regarding unauthori@ed possession of materials during

Step 1 extend to the orientation room and to all breaks

(hen you apply to take USMLE Step 1" you are agreeing to follow the Gules of #onductoutlined by the testing center *lease be aware that there are strict rules regarding materialsallowed including electronic devices" outerwear" books" food" etc The center will also informyou about current rules regarding earplugs" headphones" breaks" etc

The exam day is long *lan ahead so that you have food" beverages and rest periods *racticeexams can help with this preparation

OTHR ST$ 1 $O2ICIS

Students in M+./1 are re,uired to take the USMLE Step 1 examination prior to graduationStudents in M+./12 and in subse,uent classes are re,uired to pass the USMLE Step 1examination prior to graduation" and will be allowed to take the examination as many as threetimes !f a student in M+./12 or a subse,uent class does not pass Step 1 within these threeattempts" s6he will be considered for dismissal from the medical program by the Medical

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


#ommittee on %cademic Standing 3M#%S4 The M#%S and the appeal process will adhere tocurrent guidelines for students with other academic issues 3see Student *olicy ;andbookJhttpD66medbrownedu6studentKservices6handbookhtml4 The %ssociate +ean for MedicalEducation will have the discretion to waive the re,uirement of a passing grade on Step 1 forstudents who are opting for careers that do not involve patient care or whose circumstances

otherwise ustify a reconsideration of the re,uirement Students will be held to the Step 1 policies in place at the time of their matriculation to medical school

Students are encouraged to check the state licensing re,uirements in the state in which they hopeto practice" as some states may re,uire students to complete their licensing exams within a particular number of years and may re,uire them to pass particular steps within a prescribednumber of attempts

STRUCTURD SU$$ORT $RO#RAMS

Some students re,uire a more structured preparation program in order to be as successful as possible on Step 1 9elow are a number of residential and on5line programs designed to supportstudents studying for Step 1 %t this time the administration has only anecdotal evidence tosupport program claims to help students pass the exam *lease rely on your own knowledge ofyour study style and skills to help assess the usefulness of these programs 3The administrationwelcomes any feedback on these programs from students who do end up utili@ing them4 !nfo onthese programs below was updated in ./11

$h.%ician A%%i%ted St&dent S&cce%% >$ASS? $ro'ra,

http6;;///pa%%pro'ra,net;• #lassroom and one5on5one instruction for USMLE Step 1" . and

• 'ffer 2" 0 and - week sessions that run throughout the year

• LocationsD #hampaign" !llinois 3*%SS *rogram #hampaign4 and St %ugustine" 7lorida

3*%SS *rogram South4

• TuitionD between >"C// 5 >I"-// depending on programJ housing not included in tuition

costs

• 2 week program offers classroom lectures" two one5on5one sessions6week" simulated

exams and practice ,uestions

Tuition >"C// 3housing is additional >I//R security deposit4

• 0 week program 3offered at *%SS South only4 offers classroom lectures" two one5on5one

sessions6week 3five in the last two weeks4" simulated exams and practice ,uestions

Tuition >?"-?/ 3housing not included4

http://med.brown.edu/student_services/handbook.html

http://www.passprogram.net/

http://med.brown.edu/student_services/handbook.html

http://www.passprogram.net/

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


• - week program offers classroom lectures" four one5on5one sessions" 0/ day subscription

to USMLEworld" Pbank or #'M9%8F" simulated exams and practice ,uestions

Tuition >I"-// 3housing is additional >1"2//R security deposit4

• )uaranteeD !f you attend the - week program and do not pass the USMLE exam" you may

return for 2 weeks for free

"alcon Re8ie/%

http6;;///-alconre8ie/%co,;8);li8e*o8er8ie/ht,l

• #lassroom instruction for USMLE Step 1 and .

• 'ffers a seven5week intensive course that runs from spring to fall

• LocationsD ;oliday !nn" 8orth +allas" Texas and ;oliday !nn" *ittsburgh" *ennsylvania

• TuitionD 9etween >2"C?/ 5 >0"?/J cost includes lodging" shuttle service and

complimentary breakfast and lunch

• #ourse offers classroom lectures" a 5month subscription to USMLE (orld

TuitionD >2"C?/ 3for a double occupancy room4 and >0"?/ 3for a single occupancy

room4

• %lso offer online and phone app programs

• )uaranteeD !f you attend C/ of the sessions and use the 7%L#'8 study method and do

not pass you will receive free tuition waiver on the next regularly scheduled review

Doctor% in Trainin'

http6;;///doctor%intrainin'co,;

• Two5part course available for USMLE Step 1 and .

• LocationD *art ! is web5based learningJ *art !! is in )alveston" Texas from May C .I"

./11

http://www.falconreviews.com/v3/live-overview.html

http://www.doctorsintraining.com/

http://www.falconreviews.com/v3/live-overview.html

http://www.doctorsintraining.com/

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


• TuitionD *art ! and !! is >II/ total $ou can choose to receive *art ! without participating

or paying for *art !!J you cannot select *art !! without paying for *art !

• *art ! is a series of emails every Monday5Thursday with 1? ,uestions 3total of ?1/

,uestions4 of 7irst %id Emails begin in Aanuary ./11 and continue until May ./11 !f

you register after Aanuary" a word document with the list of previous ,uestions will be

sent to you

• *art !! is a 1? day course that is a fast5paced review with explanation of difficult topics

• *art !! Live takes place in )alveston" Texas from May C May .I" ./11 7ood and board

are not included in tuition costs

• *art !! 'nline offers you access to online lectures beginning on the date you specify in

March These lectures may be viewed up to times over a /5day period

"inch $ro'ra, 7 Co'niti8e $roce%%in'*(a%ed Re8ie/ -or Step 1 >C$R*1?

http6;;///ro%alind-ranklined&;DNN;ho,e;CMS;d&cationalA--air%;USM2;De%cription

;tabid;:@:);De-a&lta%p0

• #lassroom instruction for USMLE Step 1 and .

• LocationD Gosalind 7ranklin Medical School in 8orth #hicago" !llinois from Aanuary .1

%pril .." ./11 3125week course4

• TuitionD >0"/// 3housing not included4 Student housing is available for an additional fee

on a first come" first serve basis

• #ourse is designed for students who have been unsuccessful in passing Step 1J especially

students with multiple attempts 8ot intended for students who have not taken the exam

USM2 T&tor

http6;;&%,let&torco,;

• 'nline one5on5one tutoring available for USMLE Step 1 and .

• LocationD web5based learning and Skype tutoring sessions

• TuitionD >I?6hour

• packages available for one5on5one skyping tutoring sessions with +r Mickey

• #ustom packageD 'ne5hour session at >I?6hour

• 1/5hour packageD 1/ one5hour sessions" >I?/

http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/DNN/home/CMS/EducationalAffairs/USMLE/Description/tabid/2423/Default.aspx


http://usmletutor.com/



http://usmletutor.com/

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


• ./5hour packageD ./ one5hour sessions" >1?//

• Students must have a webcam and be able to use Skype

Med School T&tor%

http6;;///,ed%choolt&tor%co,;&%,leht,l

• 'ne5on5one tutoring available for USMLE Step 1" ." and

• TuitionD Gates start between >1?/6 and >.1?6hour" depending on subect" test and tutor

• LocationD Students in the 8ew $ork #ity area can meet with tutors from top medical

schools with high schools on the USMLE exams

• Students not in the 8$# area can arrange for tutoring over the phone" availability may be

available in 9oston" *hiladelphia" Miami" and (ashington +# 3additional fees will

apply4" or may pay for the tutor to travel to you for intensive weekend" week or a month

of study 3additional fees will apply4

• *rogram dates and timeline is based on student&s need and a diagnostic test undertaken by

the student to assess strengths" weaknesses and goals

"o0 T&tor%

http6;;///-o0t&tor%co,;%&b<ect%;USM2T&tor%ht,l

• 'ne5on5one tutoring available for USMLE Step 1 and .

• LocationD Students can arrange for tutoring across the country with availability in 9oston

and a various other cities

• TuitionD Gate information not available

• 'ffer medical tutors" medical school tutors" medicine tutors" surgery tutors" and test5

taking tutors

Kaplan 2i8e B Center B Online

http6;;///kapte%tco,;Medical*2icen%in';USM2*$rep;%tep*1ht,l

• 'ffers three featured programs with varying weeks of Live preparation course" continued

tutoring at a local center and online access to Pbank *lus

• LocationD 7or the Live portion" students can arrange for tutoring across the country withclosest availability in 8ew $ork #ity #enter locations also across the country with

closest availability in 9oston

• #ustomi@ing plans also available with varying weeks" Live*rep 3I" 12 or 10 weeks4"

#enter*rep 3" 0" or C month4" and Pbank *lus access 3151. month4

http://www.medschooltutors.com/usmle.html

http://www.foxtutors.com/subjects/USMLE_Tutors.html

http://www.kaptest.com/Medical-Licensing/USMLE-Prep/step-1.html

http://www.medschooltutors.com/usmle.html

http://www.foxtutors.com/subjects/USMLE_Tutors.html

http://www.kaptest.com/Medical-Licensing/USMLE-Prep/step-1.html

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


• TuitionD 9etween >2"2// 5 >C"C// +oes not include housing

8/12/2019 Step 1 Handbook 2012-2013


ADVIC "ROM 4OUR $RS

These words of wisdom are from your peers in previous classes who have successfullysurmounted the challenge of Step 1D

"ro, MD1@

1 Stick to your schedule Everything could always use more time" but the more you keep with

what the schedule says" the calmer you will be and the greater chance you will feel prepared for

the date you

planned

. +o more 89ME exams (orld was fine" but ! wish ! had spent less time trying to get through

that P5 bank and more time doing 89MEs" which were so very similar to the actual test 3! even

got the same

,uestion4

7ind a study buddy ! started studying with Aoe in +ecember" so we were able to see that we

worked well together (e ended up creating a strict daily schedule and held each other

accountable ! also didnt feel lonely and knew that ! had someone to talk to who knew exactly

how ! felt

(ould spend the morning and early afternoon doing things ! enoyed" specifically being outside"reading non5scientific books" etc" while maybe skimming notes over breakfast Made sure toexercise and meditate each day !n the afternoon" would go to school or a library for -51/h andspend time outlining 7irst %id but most importantly answering Pbank ,uestions and goingthrough the answers" writing down the concepts ! was unsure of 9est advice ! received was tokeep the studying patterns that worked for you so far in the pre5clinical years Enoyed studyingaround but not with others to stay disciplined but not distracted Listened to )olan in the car attimes and found this helpful in spite of his personality

Think the schedule was important" putting weakest 3neuro4 and broadest 3micro5!+4 areas first!ncluded several flex days for more time on a subect or a half5day off 0 weeks was plenty oftime55 more time wouldve been detrimental" because wouldve lacked motivation early on9ought extra books 39GS neuroanatomy" micro made simple4 but wish ! hadnt" Pbank and 7irst%id were plenty The . practice tests from Pbank very accurately predicted my score 3takenwithin 1/d of the actual exam4

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1 Stick to your schedule no matter what !f you can get a little ahead do it

. +o the big topics firstD 9io" 8euro" Micro" +rugs +oing it early helps you save some time and

energy for when you burn out at the end ! would also try to do subects you feel weaker on in the

beginning to allow time to boost your score in those areas

+o ,uestions every dayQ Some people try to get through all of U(orld ! didnt but getting

through at least 0/ is probably a good goal ! also would aim for average or better than average

on each test

2 Feep reviewing drugs and micro every day These were topics that repeatedly came up in all

subects so its best to ust keep reviewing and not wait until the end They all sound the same

and youll ust get them confused if you wait too late

? ! made sure to exercise 52 times a week ust to have some time to myself !t was a great stress

relief and a nice break (ithin the last . weeks ! wasnt able to exercise as much" but at that point

it was crunch time ! also tried to take Sundays off to do life thingsD shop" cook" laundry" etc

0 +ont wait until the last week to do practice tests because it will freak you out ! wanted to

wait until ! got through most if not all the material before taking full practice tests" but ! wanted

to leave enough time to adust

I 89ME undershot my score by a lot (orld 9ank %ssessment was the closest predictor of my

score but was still under

- ! thought ! could have used I5- weeks in total to prep for the test" but mentally 0 was my limit

! was so burnt out and stressed by the end that ! ust wanted to take it and get it over with There

is no need to prep any further because itll ust tire you out !f anything" getting a head start on

drugs and6or micro may be useful

*ractice exams 389ME4 predicted my score really well" within 1 to points The U(orld

assessments were within 1/ points

! only took 2? weeks" and it was plenty

U(orld" 7irst %id" )olan path and lectures" were the key things %s for anatomy" it was helpfulto go over some key #T scans 6 H rays" but anatomy ends up being kind of low yield

!n full disclosure" ! did within a standard deviation below the mean This is pretty consistent with

my preclinical exam performance

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(hat worked was making a schedule" which !d never done before but helped remind me ! was

making progress ! didnt leave space for time off" but took time when needed and had left some

days at the end for ,uestions only as was advised" so ! ended up covering everything ! also

treated it like a ob as advised" used the study rooms in the new building which worked out great

except for the first year exam week ! would have liked more time with ust doing ,bank

,uestions" re5reviewing my wrong answers" etc ! probably had ./ left ! loved the progress

bars by subect" even though it was dismal at first 7or numbers orientation 3for those who find

that helpful4" ! was hitting in the /s when ! started reviewing" by the end ! was averaging I/s

(hat didnt work was all those extra textbooks There ust wasnt time to use those before the

study period" nor even during Mine were free from a friend" but ! would otherwise have spent

hundreds better spent on another month with the Pbank ! was never one for textbooks +ont

change horses mid5stream was good advice

My #9SS% score was pretty close to my final ! took it days before the exam ! would

probably have done that earlier in retrospect" but all of that costs money 7or that amount" youd

get more value from the ,bank because it tutors you" while the practice exam ust slaps you in

the face for >?/ and 2 hours of your time !ts also emotionally costly" and though ! was usually

not one to sweat exams" your self5confidence is not something you want to mess around with

close to the date by taking and re5taking practice exams

!n retrospect ! could have benefitted from more prep time" which was also in line with my

preclinical routine ? weeks would have been enough were it not for some unforeseen family

drama" so it ended up being more like 2 weeks Still" !m glad ! didnt keep pushing it off !

needed that time afterward to see my family and re5group before third year

! bare bonesed itD 7irst %id" Lange pharm cards 3should have ust started reviewing these bedside

before sleeping in Aanuary4" and the U(orld Pbank ! would not have had time to review another

resource in the 0 weeks" so no regrets there ! may have benefitted from buying U(orld sooner"

but every additional resource comes at a price

!hat /orked Looking at sample study plans" reviewing plans with admin older students

;aving a set study plan

Ho/ did .o& ,aintain %anit.;balance5 Took +aily 9reaks for lunch" dinner and to work out

%lso took 1 half day or full day off to hang out with friends or family

!hat /o&ld .o& do di--erentl. kno/in' /hat .o& kno/ no/ ! would have started mixed P

banks earlier than the 0 week study period

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Ho/ clo%el. did .o&r practice e0a, >C(SSA or Q*(ank? predict .o&r act&al %core My

actual score was ten points higher than the #9SS% and around the same as the USMLE ('GL+

P9%8F

!hat re%o&rce% /ere ,o%t help-&l 7irst %id" 9GS *hysiology" )olan *athology USMLE

(orld P 9ank pharm flashcards 2ea%t help-&l ;aving more than books is unhelpful

!hat ad8ice that .o& recei8ed /a% ,o%t;lea%t help-&l 1? Puestions Puestion Puestions

.4having +ay off +ays 4 Fnowing yourself and your study habits so you can create a realistic

and feasible study plan

Ho/ lon' /a% .o&r prep period and /a% it lon' eno&'h 0 weeks 5 the length was perfect

!hat /orked !hat didnEt! found that the strategy of simplifying my sources of information worked well ! only used 7irst

%id and USMLE world P bank Geading through 7irst %id a week before the test helped

consolidate alot information that ! hadn&t ,uite understood fully +efinitely try to go through

world more than once 3! got through it about 1? times4

Ho/ did .o& ,aintain %anit.;balance5

! tried to do something fun at the same time every day 7or me developing a fixed routine was

key and !&d go to the gym or play soccer before dinner every day ! also treated myself to good

food the whole time" which didn&t do my sanity any harmQ

!hat /o&ld .o& do di--erentl. kno/in' /hat .o& kno/ no/

0 weeks is a tad too long ! would have taken the exam halfway through the fifth week 9efore

you hit the 0 week study period" it&s hard to believe that anything other than the maximum

amount of studying time is ideal" but given the sheer volume of information you want to take the

exam when you feel like you know the most 3you can&t know it all4 and ! found ? and half weeks

was my peak

Ho/ clo%el. did .o&r practice e0a, >C(SSA or Q*(ank? e%ti,ate .o&r act&al %core

! took both P bank practice test and two 89ME exams The first P bank test was weeks intostudying and it was 1/ points less than my other scores ! got the same score on the other P bank

practice test" the two 89ME tests" and my actual exam yes" the S%ME score 2 times in a rowQ

! studied for ?? weeks and would have been happy with 2 My 89ME double average was

points shy of my actual score" with a spread between the two 89ME tests of about .? points"

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which seemed like a lot

The best advice ! received was to focus only on 7irst %id and (orld P bankJ the worst was that

the highest score you could make only using those was in the ../s $ou can probably get in the

.I/s with those resources alone They are more than enough" and keeping your resources thin

allows for a second pass

! liked to keep track of things in first aid that ! thought ! wasnt going to be able to rememberD

each day ! would write a list of ,uestions down on a piece of paper and scribble out answers !d

go back through that list the next morning Sometimes a detail would make it in on the list three

days in a row" but in that way it allowed me to remember the more tedious facts Taking real

structured notes" however" is ust too time consuming for such a short period of time

!hat /orked !hat didnEt(hat workedD reading the sections of first aid for the subects that ! was weaker in" or foundintimidating 5 ie 8euro and Micro !t&s not a matter of covering %LL of it" but rather some ofthose pages in good detail

(hat didn&t work 5 trying to study 1. hours a day ! studied - hrs a day in the beginning" andcloser to ten at the end %lways say to yourself" Vit is better to spend 0 good hours than 1.unproductive hours on google6fb6emailV

Ho/ did .o& ,aintain %anit.;balance5

! took one day off a week period this turned into a half5day off . weeks prior to the exam

! also went to the gym 9etween leaving" running" showering" and getting back to the medschool" this took about .? hours ! did it ? days a week ! STG'8)L$ recommend this tactic asit did wonders on alleviating my stress level

! also took ./5/min naps" whenever ! was tired This may sound counter5intuitive" but it cameunder the category of making my study5time of the highest ,uality possible

!hat /o&ld .o& do di--erentl. kno/in' /hat .o& kno/ no/

;onestly< 8othingQ ! got engaged" ! spent 1 day a week with my fiancWe" and ! stayed physicallyfit and slept - hrs a night ! was within 2 points of my goal Step1 score

Ho/ clo%el. did .o&r practice e0a, >C(SSA or Q*(ank? predict .o&r act&al %core

! took #9SS% 7orms 11 and 1. ten or eleven days before the exam and it was 10 pointsL'(EG than my actual score ! heard that the ('GL+ forms were labor intensive and morestressful

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!hat re%o&rce% /ere ,o%t help-&l 2ea%t help-&l

! used 7irst%id" )olan *athology" ('GL+" and online pharmcards ! found that ! barely hadenough time to review )olan 5 ! ended up reviewing chunks of it as needed" more like areference never mind any other materials

!hat ad8ice that .o& recei8ed /a% ,o%t;lea%t help-&lmost helpful 5 +' 8'T get caught up in your numbers $ou can generally track how you aredoing on ('GL+" but remember that some people take ('GL+ P bank as a review after studying all the material" while others use it as a learning tool ! hi'hl. reco,,end that

%t&dent% &%e !OR2D a% a learnin' tool" not a confidence booster6shaker $ou can trend yourown numbers to see generally how you are doing" but don&t get stressed about beingat6above6below the average for your Pbanks

least helpful 5 that you should be studying 1. hrs a day" and take 16. day off every . weeks Thatwould have seriously burned me out

Ho/ lon' /a% .o&r prep period and /a% it lon' eno&'h Too lon'! would have liked 52 more days 5 who wouldn&t<Q 5 but in retrospect ! think it was enough time*erhaps an extra week would do more to decompress the situation and allow for the 1 day6weekoff while still having .R days for each maor subect

7riends of mine who intensely studied and then" last minute" decided to take more time" did notseem to be better off for it !nstead" they ust seemed unnecessarily stressed for a longer period

1 My 9iggest MistakeD Spending too much time reading %LL of the U(orld Explanations

*eople told me to do this" and ! did 9ut the explanations are dense and you dont retain a lot ofit 9etter approach 5 try to take away one key high yield fact from each ,uestion 'therwise" you

will spend too much time with this and not using your other resources 3this is why ! had to take

more time than the allotted study period4 Fey to this period is efficiency 9e efficient

. Timing on the Geal Exam 5 The trend on the USMLE is for longer" more complicated clinical

vignettes Longer than (orld 9locks ! was finishing with 1?5./ minutes left on world blocks"

but was down to the wire on the actual test Aust more to read 9e prepared for that

89MEs 11" 1." and 1 are more challenging These were released in the last two years and

are more reflective of the changing nature of the test 9uy the VExpanded 7eedbackV option 3>1/extra dollars4 so you can review what you got wrong !f you need the answers 3they dont give

them to you4" google it Some group of med students on some forum is talking about it and

through crowd sourcing you can figure it out The answer choice structure at least were identical

to some on my actual test

2 +ont isolate yourself !f you study better alone" check in with a fellow test taker every week

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for one hour !t makes you feel less alone

? +evote some time to subects 9rown doesnt cover that much on" like 'rtho Fnow everything

about the Gotator cuff

0 ! liked the )olan *ath book because it explains more VwhyV which is what the boards are

about instead of ust 7% where it is facts 9ut at the same time you cant ignore 7% because it is

more comprehensive of other subects

!hat /orked

Surprisingly 3or maybe not so much4" staying off 7acebook was crucial ! chose not to deactivatemy account ust as a test of my resolveJ instead" ! deleted the app from my phone" turned offemail notifications" and literally changed my password to :+'8E(!T;STE*1= so ! wouldthink twice before typing it in prematurely ! saved so much time by not logging onto 7acebook and ! stayed much saner by remaining in my state of studying bliss instead of finding picturesof all my undergrad friends going on spring break to exotic places

%nd" of course" focusing on ,uestions was the most valuable thing ! did ! went through theentirety of USMLE(orld&s ,uestion bank once and subse,uently went through all of myincorrect answers once ! then used the software to find the categories where ! had done poorlyand redid ,uestion blocks from those categories repeatedly +oing so helped me master thosecategories and also helped me psychologically there&s nothing like running up your score tomake you feel like you&re going to ace Step 1Q

!hat didnFt /ork

The study schedule that ! had created earlier that year !&m still glad that ! created one 3it helpedme plan out what areas ! needed to review and how many days ! could take off4" but ! ended upcompletely changing my order around in several places +on&t get stressed if this happens toyouQ ! ended up spending a few minutes every weekend re5calibrating my study schedule basedon what ! had done the previous week and what ! wanted to get accomplished in the comingweek

Ho/ did .o& ,aintain %anit.

;aving a daily routine was very helpful for me ! went to the gym every afternoon" even theafternoon before my exam doing so helped me feel like ! was in control ! tried to get up at thesame time each morning and ! tried to go to bed at the same time each evening That way" even

though my study schedule 3the schedule that ! had planned months before and thenunceremoniously abandoned4 was changing constantly" ! still felt like ! was in charge

The day before the exam was definitely the most nerve5wracking for me To keep my sanity thatday" ! only looked at pictures from )olan Gapid Geview 6 7irst %id 6 online that entireafternoon6evening instead of trying to cram in more details ! definitely would recommend thisto all of you cramming the day before Step 1 isn&t worth itQ

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%nd of course" %lex and Emily have no reason to lie if you push your exam back instead oftaking a week afterwards to celebrate" you&ll ust feel miserable ! was part of a 15persondelegation to #ancun in the week after we took Step 1" and !&ll be honest that it was the mostrelaxing and enoyable week of my lifeQ

!hat /o&ld .o& do di--erentl. kno/in' /hat .o& kno/ no/! wouldn&t have bought so many prep booksQ 7irst %id" )olan Gapid Geview" med school notes"and USMLE(orld were more than sufficient for me

!hat re%o&rce% /ere ,o%t help-&l 2ea%t help-&l

USMLE(orld was by far the most useful resource" followed closely by 7irst %id and )olanGapid Geview *athology ! ended up buying a few other test prep books but barely looked atthem because 7irst %id and )olan provided me with more than enough material

Ho/ lon' /a% .o&r prep period and /a% it lon' eno&'h Too lon'

! actually think ! was the first person to take Step 1 in my class" and ! would argue that our prep period was ade,uately si@ed More important than the number of days you take is the study styleyou use are you being an active studier 3taking notes" highlighting" etc4 instead of ust reading<%re you being a productive studier instead of trying to study with 7acebook6#88 open< %re youtransitioning to a purely practice5,uestion state of mind in the week before the exam< %nd mostimportantly" do you have a vacation or something epic to look forward to after the exam< %nd incase you don&t think you have anything to look forward to afterward" !&ll tell you now Step 1studying is awful" but you&ll love your clerkships and you&ll love being a real :student doctor=instead of ust a :medical student= )ood times are ahead" promiseQ

"ro, MD1)

• :My one maor piece of advice would be to emphasi@e the U (orld ,uestions over

attempting to memori@e 7irst %id )oing through the (orld ,uestions slowly and reading

the explanations completely is something ! wish !d done more of 8ow that !m thinking

about it" one other thing would be to take more time off )oing into the test with a clear

head is much more valuable than a couple of extra study days would be X our

coursework in the first two years is really the best preparation ! wouldnt advise anyone

to do too much preparation before the actual study period" unless its to get comfortable

with some of the resources like 7irst %id that will eventually be used during the study period as you study for each block=

• :'ne immediate thing comes to mindD 'n test day" bring your 8S%!+ 3anti5headache4 of

choice for ust5in5case=

• :+o at least one -5block practice testD The real test is only I blocks and feels more

manageable" stamina5wise=

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• :9uying lots of books did not help Microcards were decent=

• :! personally thought the hype or stress associated with it far outweighed the material and

exam itself Studying for it was actually pretty enoyable=

• :My advice for people is not to try to change their learning behaviors for boards even iftheir learning mechanism is a bit inefficient ! wish ! had started pharm much earlier !

was ,uite weak on pharm and still feel weak on pharm even now There werent T;%T

many ,uestions" and practically all of them are on mechanism" but ! do think its worth

knowing Lastly" this year ! started using first aid during each block we studied as an

exam5prep tool ! also wrote in lots of info into the margins of first aid This was

#G!T!#%L ! wish ! had done this last year as well ! think that from day 1 students

should have a copy and use it often=

• :PUEST!'8S PUEST!'8S 5 if ! took it again" ! would focus more on the

,uestions Maybe read 7irst %id once in 15. weeks" finish Faplan P bank" read 7irst %id again" and do USMLE (orld T(!#E=

• :Schedule the exam so that you have time for %T LE%ST a week off afterwards"

preferably two 3! had three4 +ont feel bad watching a bit of TB at night" going to thegym during the day" and taking other short breaks 5 they are important %nd take a dayoff if you need it" they help you stay focused=

• :Most importantly" ! think its best to try to learn everything really well the first time

around as you go through classes ! was continually shocked at how much ! rememberedfrom class and felt that ! had a really solid foundation to work with in boards studying !would recommend trying to use books that you think you may use for boards throughout.nd year to get used to them ! used 9GS phys and )olans path books for each blockand for boards ! also think )olans audio lectures are really helpful

+ont get caught up in the rest of the class obsession with boards ! felt like going tolecture and studying for classes throughout the first two years prepared me very well for9oards ! didnt do boards prep over the summer between years 1 and . and ! didnt doanything over our breaks The dedicated study time is more than long enough to solidly prep for the test

+efinitely try to have some time each day for exercise" friends" family" food" and ust in

general taking care of yourself +ont shut people out of your life for 0 weeks ust tostudy

! studied at my apt all the time 7or me" it was better since ! tend to operate on a differentschedule than most !t would have stressed me out to see classmates at the library all thetime %gain" throughout the first two years ! think you get a sense of where you studywell ! had always studied at home" on my couch so ! didnt want to change that for boards=

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• :Gelax the day before the test Make sure to have other things to occupy your thoughts

and your time )et plenty of sleep" eat well" etc etc

Test dayD get there early" ! was able to start early and was done super early 9ring lots of

food and drinks ! didnt bother looking at anything during the breaks" there is too muchinfo and theres almost no way to choose what to review during those short times between blocks ! took short breaks pretty fre,uently" ust to get up and stretch % little longer break to eat lunch 9ut honestly ! ust wanted to finish and be done so ! tried to minimi@e break time The day sucks" you will walk out feeling like you failed 9ut it will all befine in the endQ !t is a frustrating experience since you spend so much time studying andso little of what you study actually shows up on the test 7inishing the test is one of themost anticlimactic experiences since you feel like you failed and then have to wait weeksto know your score=

• :Minimi@e your resources !t will help you feel like you have a manageable amount of

material ! used 7irst %id" #ostan@o 9GS *hysio" )olan Gapid Geview *ath" Microcards"and 9renners *harm flash cards" and thats it ! made notes in 7irst %id of anything thatcame up in those other sources that wasnt included in 7irst %id" and used post5it notetabs to mark the most essential pages ! also listened to the )olan lectures" whichdefinitely got me O? points on the exam ! did pharm cards every night before bed for O/minutes" and ! think that helped

Qan! D ! used (orld" which ! think pretty much everyone does" and would highlyrecommend it" worth every penny ! also bought two assessment exams with my Pbank"which ! also recommend )et through the whole ,uestion bank if you can" ideally withenough time to review your wrong answers

"eneral strateg#D know yourself" and dont protect your ego by not testing yourknowledge along the way +o the assessment exam at the beginning" even if you dontwant to Fnowing where youre starting" and what your actual strengths and weaknessesare" will be very helpful going forward +o blocks of random ,uestions all throughoutyour studying" dont ust focus on the topics you covered that day $ou might not get,uite as many correct" but youll be keeping more information fresh in your mind

%lso" you will probably feel like you got run over by a truck when you finish the exam"and thats ok ;ardly anyone feels good about it when they leave" and thats normal" itdoesnt mean you failed=

• :'verall %dviceD $our best preparation is putting the time into learning the material

3especially physiology and general pathology4 really well during your pre5clinical years)oing into boards study period" you will feel like you have forgotten everything youlearned over the last two years" but you have not $ou will re5learn it much faster thesecond time around

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Test +ayD The actual test will feel harder than you anticipated based on the 1?/ VfreeV,uestions from USMLE and the 89ME form exams %s you are taking the exam" do not be discouraged by the feeling that you are performing poorly and that there are extremelyweird ,uestions !t is normal to feel that way

Puestion 9anksD ! think that doing mixed ,uestion sets from your ,uestion bank earlyon in your study period is an ineffective way to study !t is fine to do mixed sets to getused to the testing experience" but you will have such a random sampling of subectmaterial that it is not easy to assimilate ! think ! wasted a lot of time when ! tried tounderstand the answers

!nstead" ! recommend doing subect5specific ,uestion banks during your first run5throughof the materialD 7or example" if you study renal on Monday and pulm on Tuesday" onTuesday do a full 205P set on renal and pulm only %nd you can progress by adding onsubects as you go That way you build on a strong base" and are able to actually learn thesometimes bi@arre ,uestions that USMLE(orld throws at you in a time5efficient manner

9ut having said that" make sure you are doing ,uestions throughout +o not be tempted toVsaveV them The ./// ,uestions on a given bank will keep you very busy %nd if yourun out" you can always try the many you got wrong a second time

+o not feel badly if you cannot finish the entire bank 55 ! got 1// done out of my .///'ther people may tell you they did the whole thing plus parts of other ,uestion banks" butit is ,uality" not sheerly ,uantity that matters 3%nyone can blow through thousands of,uestions" but make sure you are putting the time into understanding why you were rightor wrong on a given ,uestion4

ScheduleD ! recommend trying to make your schedule such that you push through yourfirst pass of all the subects with I51/ days left before the exam $ou will feel like youneed way more time to do that first pass5through" but you simply need to move on and letgoQ The last week 5 1/ days you can do mixed ,uestion banks and actually memori@e thehigher5yield material that you reviewed over the last few weeks

(ork EnvironmentD Surround yourself with people that do not stress you out +osomething special everyday with people you care about Eat well and exercise Enoy being control of your own schedule

*harmQQQ +o not put off doing *harm Everyone feels overwhelmed and discouraged bythis seemingly impossible list of meds 3and" yes" it is impossible to know them all Austdo your best4 +o bite si@e bits according to subect area 55 eg" during the cardio daytackle all of the cardio drugs 7orce yourself 55 you will be grateful that you put the timein once the last week rolls around=

• :(ork with the big picture and then add details to the scaffolding you create +raw

pictures" flow charts" tables and diagrams to actively process the information Use these

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and your marked up 7irst %id book to study instead of using the texts" since it will bemore efficient=

• :+evote more time to weaker areas" yet try to cover all relevant material at least once=

• :Link organ system material to first‐semester basic sciences=

• :%n effective daily plan is essential Stay rested !t is difficult to store and recall

information if you are exhausted" or unfocused" or experiencing personal distractions=

step 1 handbook 2012-2013

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