[kikosiko]

So hey, okay bear with me yeh cos im new to all this USMLE, i only really heard about it 2 months ago, and i got really interested about it a couple of weeks ago.

Basicallly I've finished my 2nd year medical schoool now and into 3rd (but not really)... I'm interested to do this exam in the upcoming Summer- so first of all, i've done no clinical work so far, should i still be comfortable with the exam and the questions? If not then would you maybe reccommend me a book or sumthing, or just outright don't do it this year and maybe next year.

However for me this year sounds like the best, its the most relaxed year of my medical degree (an intercalated degree year) and will finish uni fairly early and not too intense... so thats my initial question, and please I'd appreciate if you guys gave me ur thoughts...

Also im starting prep for now (its hard to fully revise cos I'm ofc still in medical school and got commitments), say if i booked the exam for September, but would only start fully revising in June, is that realistic? Although i will be constantnly revising, but not full on, from now?

And finally my plan.. Im starting Immunology now (Kaplan + Videos), then plan to do biochem, then go into the deep world of physiology and pathology and all the heavy material... reasonable plan? with mostly kaplan , apart from goljan or whatever his name is for patho..,and maybe FA here and there???

All reasonable? Cheers....

 

[kikosiko]

anyone?:sorry:

 

[Mondoshawan]

It's hard to know, not knowing what you've done in school so far - you sound somehow very lighthearted about the studying! How much have you covered before the intercalated year? Is this going to be your first time covering some subjects? None of these review sources are for primary learning per se. What is the intercalated BSc in - something time-consuming or something fairly light? Are you going to have time for serious prep this year? Why do you want to take the USMLE and what score do you want? In what do you want to specialize?

Make sure to take some sort of diagnostic test so you know where you stand, one of the NBMEs maybe.

 

[kikosiko]

thanks for ur reply first of all.... well in first 2 years, mainly split up into Physiology in 1st year (covering most systems, with some pathology) and then mainly pathology the 2nd year.. This year im doing an intercalated degree in molecular therapeutics, so done lots of immunology and biochem, with pharmacology.... I wana ahieve a 99 definatly, as i said this year seems to me the best, as it is the year with the least amount of work, plus i will be working on a project from end of this month, so no lectures or that much committment... I'm not sure tbh about specialty, just want to get this out of the way seeing as this is my last chance before my clincal years where i will conc. not on this sciency stuff is you see what i mean... so the NBME i can take that without studying, which one wud you reccommend? thanks

 

[Mondoshawan]

About the NBMEs, this thread discusses the different forms - I'd start with one of the less predictive ones and save the most predictive ones for last.

I think that since you've done most of the really important material already (phys and path, which are the foundation of everything), your plan to take them at the end of this year sounds like a good one. You'd be more closely following the system the Steps were designed for, by taking Step 1 between classroom and wards, and then, I assume, writing Step 2 after another year or so. Plus, you'd be keeping all of your MS1 and MS2 material fresh in your head through your intercalated year. Any IMG's who have done this want to weigh in?

 

[kikosiko]

Right thanks for your advice man, anyway im gona wait for a couple of months and see how its going, possible i'll take nbme and see from there whether i can sit in summer or delay... plz if anyone has anything more do let me knw