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Where to buy them?
The latest versions are available from Amazon, here are the links:
Kaplan Lecture Notes 2012 (Light Blue)
Kaplan Lecture Notes 2011 (Grey-Brown)
Kaplan Lecture Notes 2010 (Green)
About the Notes:
Kaplan Lecture Notes (commonly shortened by students as KLN) are a 7 books series written by Kaplan Medical Faculty Teachers as a comprehensive review for the USMLE Step 1 Exam that include the following volumes:
These books are distributed to students who sign up for the Kaplan CenterPrep only and they are not meant to be sold in libraries and that's why there's no ISBN number associated with the books. Exception is the Qbook which is available for stand-alone purchase from various online stores and in book shops.
Home Study Program:
Kaplan Medical did not release these notes for direct purchase so far. They did so temporarily in the iTunes Store and they were available as iPhone apps but then they quickly removed it. However, they do release what's called the "Home Study Program" for direct purchase from their website and also in various online stores. For more information about the difference between Home Study Program and KLN read here http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...e-notes-versus-kaplan-home-study-program.html
MedEssentials:
These notes have been abstracted and consolidated into one book, they call it Kaplan MedEssentials, this is an attempt from Kaplan to provide students a one-book approach (like the First Aid for the USMLE), the MedEssentials is essentially a collection of the high yield tables and graphs that are seen in the original notes. The MedEssentials books is available for direct purchase from Amazon. However, the MedEssentials book is not as frequently updated as the mainstream KLN.
Popularity:
Kaplan Lecture Notes is arguably the most used USMLE Step 1 comprehensive review material along with First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 approach. This holds true for both AMGs and IMGs.
Yearly Editions and Versions:
Kaplan Medical releases new version of the series every year. The idea is to have the latest relevant high yield topics that reflect the current style of the USMLE Step 1 Exam. They usually change the color of the outside color with each new release.
Differences between the various versions:
Here's a number of quotes from our members listed below:
The latest versions are available from Amazon, here are the links:
Kaplan Lecture Notes 2012 (Light Blue)

Kaplan Lecture Notes 2011 (Grey-Brown)

Kaplan Lecture Notes 2010 (Green)

About the Notes:
Kaplan Lecture Notes (commonly shortened by students as KLN) are a 7 books series written by Kaplan Medical Faculty Teachers as a comprehensive review for the USMLE Step 1 Exam that include the following volumes:
- Biochemistry/Molecular Biology/Genetics in one book
- Anatomy/Embryology/Histology/Neuroanatomy in one book
- Pharmacology in one book
- Microbiology/Immunology in one book
- Behavioral Sciences/US Health Care/Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Medical Ethics in one book
- Pathology in one book
- Physiology in one book
These books are distributed to students who sign up for the Kaplan CenterPrep only and they are not meant to be sold in libraries and that's why there's no ISBN number associated with the books. Exception is the Qbook which is available for stand-alone purchase from various online stores and in book shops.
Home Study Program:
Kaplan Medical did not release these notes for direct purchase so far. They did so temporarily in the iTunes Store and they were available as iPhone apps but then they quickly removed it. However, they do release what's called the "Home Study Program" for direct purchase from their website and also in various online stores. For more information about the difference between Home Study Program and KLN read here http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...e-notes-versus-kaplan-home-study-program.html
MedEssentials:
These notes have been abstracted and consolidated into one book, they call it Kaplan MedEssentials, this is an attempt from Kaplan to provide students a one-book approach (like the First Aid for the USMLE), the MedEssentials is essentially a collection of the high yield tables and graphs that are seen in the original notes. The MedEssentials books is available for direct purchase from Amazon. However, the MedEssentials book is not as frequently updated as the mainstream KLN.
Popularity:
Kaplan Lecture Notes is arguably the most used USMLE Step 1 comprehensive review material along with First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 approach. This holds true for both AMGs and IMGs.
Yearly Editions and Versions:
Kaplan Medical releases new version of the series every year. The idea is to have the latest relevant high yield topics that reflect the current style of the USMLE Step 1 Exam. They usually change the color of the outside color with each new release.
Differences between the various versions:
Here's a number of quotes from our members listed below:
hey the content are pretty much the same between 2010 and 2011, only micro and path have 50 pages less then the ones in green books... the other books are the same as the green ones...also micro and path is now in color....the reason why the books look lesser in size is because they used glossy paper this time
The newest version (2010 - green ones) is heavily revised. The books are a lot smaller, as they removed the low yield stuff. I'd suggest you get them if you haven't started reading yet. If you're already finished with them, it's ok. You won't be missing a lot; in fact, you've read more. I used the 2007-2008 and they're pretty similar to the ones you have.
I have Kaplan Notes from 2004 and i just cross checked with 2010 version. From what I can see, there are barely any noticeable changes. Even the practice questions are the same. It may be either due to no major change in the basics as such or the new version is actually the old version with just the change of cover.
I compared my 2008 with my friend's 2010 Kaplan notes. They look exactly the same word by word. Very minor differences, they changed the sequence and arrangements.
I suggest you get the latest 2011 version
The notes are changing, not because anatomy has changed but because Kaplan know what questions will come this year and next year and so on and so they focus on the topics that will come in the exam for that year.
I have 2008 notes and I cross checked each and every chapter with 2009 and they are the same. But this is not the same for Step 2 CK.
My 2008 Step 2 CK medicine notes is 300 pages while the new 2010 is 400 pages, so for CK get the new 2010 but for step1 your 2008 notes is fine.
Also the issue of the differences in versions were discussed in these threads:people beware .... THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2008 AND 2010 EDITIONS.. there r significant additions that dr. daughtery has made to his lectures which r not covered in 2008 editions... i am not sure if this is the case with just one subject (behavioral sciences) or all of the others too...
- http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-step-1-forum/19219-new-changes-kaplan-2012-lecture-notes.html
- New Kaplan Books (NOT THE GREEN ONES)
- kaplan lecture notes older version
- http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-step-1-forum/3788-kaplan-notes-2007-2010-wait-2011-a.html
- http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-step-1-forum/3608-kaplan-material-2003-out-date.html
- http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-step-1-forum/6626-do-kaplan-lecture-notes-change.html