MY USMLE Step 1 experience
Duration : july-17 november
Material :
Kaplan Notes + Kaplan lectures + First aid + Goljan notes + goljan Audios + goljan slides + UW + some of Kaplan q book + some of first aid questions
Approach :
First read Kaplan notes now regret the wastage of time ! ( see my recommendations and mistakes that you should not do at the end of the post )
After the reading I saw all the lectures except some of physio one which I didn't have time to see
then I read Goljan book which I also shouldn't have ! followed by listening to Goljan lectures
FA was the next
then did UW with addition of notes to FA
a couple of weeks before the exam started FA again with Goljan slides didn't + Kaplan q book + FA questions didn't complete any of them !
The Exam day slept at 11 30 pm woke up at 0130 am couldn't sleep any more !
Quick glance at first aid had a amy breakfast cup of coffee with bread
Went to Prometric center
Skipped the tutorial
1st block was hell extremely difficult things I've seen for the first time in my life it scared the hell out of me
I did 3 blocks at a time the 2nd and 3rd blocks were easy
Took a break had my lunch with a power horse went back
Did blocks 4 & 5 at once they were easy also
Break had another power drink
Block 6 was mixed easy and difficult
Break ( had to pee - no wonder all this caffeine had to come out ) + coffee latte
Block 7 = extremely tired but it was a mixed block
Now my mistakes and recommendation please please listen to what I have to say its out of experience every point could have made a difference in my performance If I did it in the way I'm gonna tell you now please take it seriously
1- First aid should be started early not like me you should read it 3 to 4 times at least
2- Goljan Lecture are the best lectures ever they are not just for pathology they include all the high yield questions you must listen to it every where you go put it in the iPod or mp3 listen to it every single place listen to it at least twice
3- Don't use Kaplan for all the subjects like what I did it was waste of time and during my exam even the things which I studied from Kaplan couldn't help me because I forgot most of them what I studied using FA was of real help
4- Subject wise recommendation
· Anatomy I think FA is sufficient read neuro from HY don't use a 500 page book of Kaplan it will take much time for nothing no need fpr the lectures the question ask about cross sections MRI or brain specimens
· Physio : hmmm not really sure I used Kaplan and Im not really satisfied I think FA is good lecture not so good specially the fat guy in the beginning togtal waste of time
· Biochemistry : Kaplan is the best + FA + lectures are also good ( you wont understand FA unless you read Kaplan besides there are some topics not there in FA or not covered in FA in a good manner I had 3 questions to use hardy wienbergh equation )
· Behavioral : Kaplan Is good HY is also good choose one lecture are excellent
· Pharma : study it last since a lot of memorization is required and the exam is based on memorization Kaplan is excellent FA is sufficient so its your call lecture are very good I really understood a lot of things from that French guy
· Microbiology FA is WOW and the only thing you should read Kaplan is waste of time lectures are waste of time also
· Immunology : FA is Very good Kaplan is good also but if I went back in time I wouldn't read Kaplan for immunology only FA
· Patho please don't read goljan just keep it as a refrence fo the things you don't understand , for patho listen to the Lectures once twice and even thrice + FA is really good if you don't understand something go for goljan book for that particular topic there are goljan slide + goljan high yield 46 pages notes don't go to the exam without having alook through them also oonce , twice
· UW is a must UW is a must UW is a Must .
Prep duration 4 months
FA + Kaplan + videos + UW + goljan
Score 223 = 95
Duration : july-17 november
Material :
Kaplan Notes + Kaplan lectures + First aid + Goljan notes + goljan Audios + goljan slides + UW + some of Kaplan q book + some of first aid questions
Approach :
First read Kaplan notes now regret the wastage of time ! ( see my recommendations and mistakes that you should not do at the end of the post )
After the reading I saw all the lectures except some of physio one which I didn't have time to see
then I read Goljan book which I also shouldn't have ! followed by listening to Goljan lectures
FA was the next
then did UW with addition of notes to FA
a couple of weeks before the exam started FA again with Goljan slides didn't + Kaplan q book + FA questions didn't complete any of them !
The Exam day slept at 11 30 pm woke up at 0130 am couldn't sleep any more !
Quick glance at first aid had a amy breakfast cup of coffee with bread
Went to Prometric center
Skipped the tutorial
1st block was hell extremely difficult things I've seen for the first time in my life it scared the hell out of me
I did 3 blocks at a time the 2nd and 3rd blocks were easy
Took a break had my lunch with a power horse went back
Did blocks 4 & 5 at once they were easy also
Break had another power drink
Block 6 was mixed easy and difficult
Break ( had to pee - no wonder all this caffeine had to come out ) + coffee latte
Block 7 = extremely tired but it was a mixed block
Now my mistakes and recommendation please please listen to what I have to say its out of experience every point could have made a difference in my performance If I did it in the way I'm gonna tell you now please take it seriously
1- First aid should be started early not like me you should read it 3 to 4 times at least
2- Goljan Lecture are the best lectures ever they are not just for pathology they include all the high yield questions you must listen to it every where you go put it in the iPod or mp3 listen to it every single place listen to it at least twice
3- Don't use Kaplan for all the subjects like what I did it was waste of time and during my exam even the things which I studied from Kaplan couldn't help me because I forgot most of them what I studied using FA was of real help
4- Subject wise recommendation
· Anatomy I think FA is sufficient read neuro from HY don't use a 500 page book of Kaplan it will take much time for nothing no need fpr the lectures the question ask about cross sections MRI or brain specimens
· Physio : hmmm not really sure I used Kaplan and Im not really satisfied I think FA is good lecture not so good specially the fat guy in the beginning togtal waste of time
· Biochemistry : Kaplan is the best + FA + lectures are also good ( you wont understand FA unless you read Kaplan besides there are some topics not there in FA or not covered in FA in a good manner I had 3 questions to use hardy wienbergh equation )
· Behavioral : Kaplan Is good HY is also good choose one lecture are excellent
· Pharma : study it last since a lot of memorization is required and the exam is based on memorization Kaplan is excellent FA is sufficient so its your call lecture are very good I really understood a lot of things from that French guy
· Microbiology FA is WOW and the only thing you should read Kaplan is waste of time lectures are waste of time also
· Immunology : FA is Very good Kaplan is good also but if I went back in time I wouldn't read Kaplan for immunology only FA
· Patho please don't read goljan just keep it as a refrence fo the things you don't understand , for patho listen to the Lectures once twice and even thrice + FA is really good if you don't understand something go for goljan book for that particular topic there are goljan slide + goljan high yield 46 pages notes don't go to the exam without having alook through them also oonce , twice
· UW is a must UW is a must UW is a Must .
Prep duration 4 months
FA + Kaplan + videos + UW + goljan
Score 223 = 95
