[priya1]

hey everyone actually I am kind of getting frustrated while studying for step 1
there no one I can ask so I am asking here so in biochemistry do we need to remember each and every cycle reactions etc i mean I am really getting irritated do u all are learning Kaplan word by word i mean so much or some imp topic we need to learn

 

[rasheed]

You'll be a master

Welcome to the reality of Step 1 Preparation

Yes, whatever mentioned in Kaplan is high yield. All those pathways and circuits you might be asked about.

Biochemistry is one of the most difficult parts of USMLE Step 1. See this
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...21-most-difficult-subject-usmle-step-1-a.html

However, the more you repeat the book, the more questions you do, the more confident you'll grow. It just needs sometime, but ultimately you'll master it.

I suggest that if you are having extreme frustration and difficulty, then you split up your biochemistry prep into sections and do it in between the others. Like for example read physio then do chapter or two from biochemistry then read micro then do chapter or two from biochemistry and so on.

But believe in yourself and by the end of the journey you'll find yourself a master in biochemistry.

 

[Peewee]

I am assuming you are meaning the pathways, HMP, Glycolysis, ect?

you got a white board? This will come in handy

This was a daunting task for me when I first started studying. But what I ended up doing worked for me, maybe it can work for you.

Break up the pathways. Go to FA 2010 page 96. Draw a line to where you want learn 1st. Example, I did from Galactose all the way to Frusctose 1,6 Bisphosphate.

Use your white board and draw out/write out that pathway until you can write it without looking at it. Now take a 1/2 day off and study something else. after 3-4 hours, go back to the white baord and try writing it out again. after about 1 week, you will ended up writing all the pathways out with no problems.

After you have the chart mastered on page 96, then you can start filling it out- example- now Glucose-6-P is the allosteric activator for the HMP shunt.

The pathway on pg 96 of FA is a good start, but you need to add things too it. Once you have this mastered the rest of biochem gets pretty easy and you can fly through the other stuff of firstaid in biochem

If I did it and can master it, you can too

 

[usmle100]

I am assuming you are meaning the pathways, HMP, Glycolysis, ect?

you got a white board? This will come in handy

This was a daunting task for me when I first started studying. But what I ended up doing worked for me, maybe it can work for you.

Break up the pathways. Go to FA 2010 page 96. Draw a line to where you want learn 1st. Example, I did from Galactose all the way to Frusctose 1,6 Bisphosphate.

Use your white board and draw out/write out that pathway until you can write it without looking at it. Now take a 1/2 day off and study something else. after 3-4 hours, go back to the white baord and try writing it out again. after about 1 week, you will ended up writing all the pathways out with no problems.

After you have the chart mastered on page 96, then you can start filling it out- example- now Glucose-6-P is the allosteric activator for the HMP shunt.

The pathway on pg 96 of FA is a good start, but you need to add things too it. Once you have this mastered the rest of biochem gets pretty easy and you can fly through the other stuff of firstaid in biochem

If I did it and can master it, you can too

i want to ask u since,u ve completed step 1....i m doing biochem frm FA n ve added some points in it while i was doing UW qbank..
whn i do other qbanks ,i feel all i need to ans is already in my FA.
so is tht enough for step 1?? wht is ur experience about it whn u took the real exam?

 

[Peewee]

FA is a great start and tells you where you need to go. It is not complete though. If you have time, I strongly suggest you read lippinocotts biochem and take notes. Lippincotts is a great background info and discusses things more indepth and you can get the whole picture.

If you don't have time to do lippincotts, then you will have to do questions and fill in the spaces that you miss in biochem.

My first aid biochem is filled up with notes because its not totally complete.

example- T-Cofactors are at Transketolase, Alpha Ketoglutamate Dehydrogenase and Pyruvate Dehydrogenase.

In FA they tell you that the T requires Thiamine co-factor (TPP). But that's not totally complete, when you see the T- you think PLAN-F

P= TPP
L=Lipoic Acid (B4)
A=Co-Enzyme A
N=NAD (B3-Niacin)
F=FAD (B2-riboflavin)

Now in a question on the boards they could ask you something about co-enzyme A, and you would be thinking that you've never seen anything about co-enzyme A before, but really you have, because its part of the T-cofactor.

I hope that makes sense. The only way to master it, is by doing questions. Do Kaplan first, before USMLEworld, if you get 50% of USMLEworld 1st time, then you are doing something right.

if you need me to explain further, let me know.

 

[khanar]

Another mnemonic

P= TPP
L=Lipoic Acid (B4)
A=Co-Enzyme A
N=NAD (B3-Niacin)
F=FAD (B2-riboflavin)

That's nice but I use Tender Loving Care For Nancy as an easier mnemonic )

 

[priya1]

Welcome to the reality of Step 1 Preparation .......yourself a master in biochemistry.

thank u all for ur help now i feel iam not only one to be struggling thank u really from heart

 

[priya1]

FA is a great...... let me know.

I am doing Kaplan notes what u feel about it is this complete? or shall I add new rt now I am just giving reading to my Kaplan books then i'll do question what u suggest?

 

[Peewee]

I am doing Kaplan notes what u feel about it is this complete? or shall I add new rt now I am just giving reading to my Kaplan books then i'll do question what u suggest?

Yes, I feel that its complete enough. Are you going to remember everything in Kaplan books, No, so use your FA and Kaplan hand in hand. I'd use your FA as a guide to know what major topics you should be hitting hard on in Kaplan. There are useless things in Kaplan that you don't need to know.

Most important- don't try and memorize it, try and learn it.

 

[priya1]

Yes, I feel that its complete enough. Are you going to remember everything in Kaplan books, No, so use your FA and Kaplan hand in hand. I'd use your FA as a guide to know what major topics you should be hitting hard on in Kaplan. There are useless things in Kaplan that you don't need to know.

Most important- don't try and memorize it, try and learn it.

sure sir ill try to now understand it as i thought we need to memorize it now ill concentrate more which topics u feel kaplan has ive extra more then we required to kn