[ashishkabir]

You need side effects and mechanisms more than the latest drugs in the class... remember many doctors are still using older drugs they know well rather than new shiny ones

That being said - know the new classes that have new mechanisms like, for example:

a) streptogramins and
b) Incretin based therapies (GLP-1 mimetics - exenatide and DPP4 antagonists - gliptins) for diabetes.

These types of drugs are not only fair game -they are a good USMLE target. Plus, they are HUGE news in current clinical use.

 

[ashishkabir]

Also, if you make sure you know every drug in Kaplan *and* first aid, I think you're well on your way. Focus on say genetics and immunology too.

 

[ashishkabir]

I agree with the don... The qbanks will fill in the gaps. You're of course right to try and read as much information as possible, but 2010 Kaplan (the course if not in the supplementary material) includes both of the drug classes I mentioned and I think FA 2010 includes references to them too. That being said you must focus your studies to 1 maybe 2 major sources per subject so that your understanding of the concepts are clear. Once that is done, the minute details come from the qbanks and the rest is up to your luck and God..

As you proceed through the material though, you'll see your score increase immensely in the qbank (do random, timed blocks) then make sure you analyse the explanations very very carefully. Make sure you do this for both the questions you get right *and* the questions you get wrong - in other words, treat the qbank as another book to read. That should be it Its a formula that seems to have achieved 99's for many of our colleagues on these boards...

Good luck!