[heights]

I have heard some people say if you memorize FA you'll be fine for Step 1, so I would like to get a bit more feedback on this.
I was just talking to an IMG, and she said she memorized FA and did all the questions in the USMLE World Qbank, and scored >250. I asked how many times she had to go through FA to have it memorized, and she said she literally made flashcards of every detail and memorized them, so she probably went through it numerous times. It took her 1 year to do this, but she did it while she was still taking classes at a foreign medical school that was not structured toward preparing for the USMLE.

Anyway, I was just wondering what your experiences and/opinions are regarding this strategy. :notsure:

 

[khanar]

Only if you have enough background

FA is just a highlighted high yield info that you should grasp few weeks before the exam, however, it should and it will never replace your core medical background.

If you haven't got a good amount of prior medical knowledge and background you'll find FA confusing and you'll never memorize it even if you keep reading it for one whole year.

That IMG whom you met, already have graduated and already enough medical background and therefore her strategy might be a good idea but not it wouldn't work for a fresh medical student, I think.

 

[khanar]

Crazy idea but it may work!

I've seen several friends coming out from the exam telling me this
"All the questions can be answered from FA"

So I think it's not a bad idea, though it may seem crazy

 

[khanar]

FA alone is certainly not enough

 

[khanar]

That's a good question to answer

 

[khanar]

I think it depends on your status.
If you just finished your second year of med school with all the basics fresh in your mind then yes FA is fair enough for the exam.

 

[Dr_Kal_El]

all depends on your knowledge of underlying basic concepts......if you go through first aid and know the underlying concept of what its talking about then ur good to go......but without a Q-bank it would still be hard (you have to train your brain to think like the test makers)


but I'm using other sources to refresh my learning then conquering FA, while doing Q-banks!

 

[Dr.Sidd]

One has to have an extensive and good 1st read form other resources only then FA comes into play!

 

[khanar]

Great poll

Finally I got a clear answer to the question that has been bothering me for long time :indifferent: thank you so much guys for the right vote

 

[Shibtag]

I haven't started my prep yet, but I'm planning on reading FA first, then do an NBME form to gauge where i'm at, at an early stage. Then continue with Kaplan/Goljan/Costanzo. I'll report back when I score 300 haha )

 

[Shafi22]

It will be something like insane. Please don't get me rude

 

[david khan]

3 reads of kaplans and golgan then firsts aid ,convert main points from other resources to fa

 

[imgchuchu]

3 reads of kaplans and golgan then firsts aid ,convert main points from other resources to fa

for real3 reads of kaplan???
you will end up spending 2 yrs on step 1:toosad: