[8484]

Hi,

I've been reading these usmle forums for quite sometime now and now I'm going to start my USMLE step 1 journey now. Now, I'm halfway through my second year medical school and I plan to take step 1 in march 2012. I've drawn my study schedule and can you guys please advise on it please?

My goal is to score above 240 since I want to get into surgery residency. My main source is Kaplan notes and FA. I'm also planning to use Microbiology made ridiculously simple, BRS physio and BS, High Yield Neuroanatomy and Goljan pathology. I am also gonna watch the corresponding Kaplan videos after reading Kaplan lectures.

- Week 1 + 2 (Feb 20 - Mar 5)
Bacteriology (Kaplan, CMMS, Questions)
Make notes in FA

- Week 3 + 4+ 5+ 6 (Mar 6 - April 3)
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics
Make notes in FA

- Week 7 + 8 (April 4 - 17)
Histology and Cell biology + Early embryology

- Week 9 + 10 + 11 (April 17 - May 8)
Microbiolgy + Immunology

- Week 12 + 13 (May 9 - 22)
Physiology
Make notes in FA, Questions

1 week study break for semester 4 summative exam

- Week 14 + 15 (May 30 - June 12)
Physiology

- Week 16 + 17 + 18 +19 (June 13 - July 10)
Gross Anatomy, Embryology, Neuroscience

- Week 20 + 21 + 22 + 23 + 24 + 25 (July 11 - Aug 21)
Pathology

- Week 26 + 27 + 28 (Aug 22 - Sep 11)
Pharmacology

- Week 29 (Sep 12 - 18)
Behavioral Science

- Week 30 + 31 + 32 (Sep 19 - Oct 9)
Revision for Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology and Pharmacology

8 weeks study break for End of Semester 5 exam (Oct 10 - Dec 4)

- Week 33 + 34 + 35 + 36 + 37 + 38 + 39 + 40 (Dec 5 - Jan 29)
Biochemistry - 1 wk
Physiology + Anatomy - 1 wk
Kaplan Q bank - 1 wk
Microbiology + Immunology - 1 wk
Pathology + Q bank - 1 wk
Pharmacology + Q bank - 1 wk
BS + Ethics - 1 wk
Kaplan Q bank - 1 wk

- Week 41 + 42 + 43 + 44 (Jan 30 - Feb 26)
Start your two months UW subscription. Do two 46 questions block each day. Again going back to FA whenever you feel it's needed. You score should be above 67%. Do random blocks always.

- Week 45 + 46 (Feb 27 - Mar 11)
Do the wrongly answered UW questions. Look back to FA always.

- Week 47 (Mar 12 -18)
NBME 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7

- Week 48 (Mar 19 - 25)
Final week (Intense reading of FA)

I'm still a medical student so I still have to give some time to finish my course work and assignment and study for my med school exam. I don't want to screw up my med school exams also. So, it's a bit hard for me. My plan is to study 10 hours a day and take one day off every week for relaxation.

Daily schedule

8 am - 11.30 am -> school stuffs
12.30 pm - 3.30 pm -> USMLE
8 pm - 12 am -> USMLE

I hope I do get 240+..

 

[khanar]

Your plan is looking good and reasonable.

I have one suggestion though, try to insert Kaplan Qbank in your plan, many students are coming back from the exam recently are saying that Kaplan Qbank is nearer to the exam than UW, so I suggest you do them both if you want >240..

 

[doctorsmonsters]

That seems like a very nice plan. Kaplan Qbank is pretty good and you should definitely get it. More important is to sticking to your plan and not staying behind schedule. Best of luck!

 

[LatinGeorge]

Your plan is looking good and reasonable.

I have one suggestion though, try to insert Kaplan Qbank in your plan, many students are coming back from the exam recently are saying that Kaplan Qbank is nearer to the exam than UW, so I suggest you do them both if you want >240..

I am planning my strategy right now, and I have to say I will use the exact material.. all of them.... plus

Kaplan Q BOOK for a daily use after each chapter..
Goljan audios...
and Kaplan Q BANK to use though the first or second read..

u should read zum zum plan and get an idea to when to start the qbank...

as for what i have researched.... making Q with qbanks is gold standard my friend so as many have told me, start them as soon as u can..

by the way how much time is your plan.. ? r u a medical student, if so u should read TAUS method as well..

have a good day ..