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USMLE Step 1 Resource List

USMLE Step 1 Resource List

Date of step 1 exam: 30th Dec 2014
USMLE score: 261
NBME 15: 262 (taken 4 days before actual step exam)
Preparation time: 6 months (full time study first 3 months and last 3 weeks)

Personal background:
- IMG studying in University College Dublin (Ireland)
- Completed pre-clinicals (GPA: 3.9/4.2)
Matthewho 30 Apr 2015   ⋅   2,133 views   ⋅  2 favorites
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  • USMLE First Aid $36.19

    http://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-USMLE-Step-2015/dp/0071840060
    - Book is (imo) an absolute must
    - Provides the "big picture" high-yield framework on what needs to be covered in order to ace the exam
    - I used it as my main study material and annotated information from other sources on it
    - Important to UNDERSTAND and not just solely memorise the concepts in FA
    30 Apr 2015 ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ 1 photo ⋅ 790 views
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  • UWorld Qbank $259.00

    (1 vote)
    3mth subscription
    http://www.uworld.com
    This Qbank is a definite must for anyone serious about scoring for the USMLE. Questions are hard so don't feel discouraged if you are not scoring well initially. Make sure to read all the explanations (even for questions you got correct) as this is where UWorld really shines (has the best explanations of all the Qbanks). Annotate what you do not know in your FA.

    The advantage of UWorld is that it really tests your concepts and ability to integrate information from different disciplines. Questions are not straightforward and challenging but it really helps you get the hang of the multi-step question format that USMLE is so famous for.

    I recommend doing the bank to stimulate the real exam; which means select
    - all subjects and disciplines
    - random questions
    - timed

    Note: There is a mobile version for iPad/iPhone so you can access it on the go.
    30 Apr 2015 ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ 1 photo ⋅ 925 views
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  • BRS Physiology (Constanzo) $35.00

    http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Physiology-Board-Review-Series/dp/0781798760
    - Very concise and short book that covers the key concepts of medical physiology
    - Highly recommended read as very short and can be done in < 1 week
    - Personally I started my USMLE prep with this book. Read this in a week before starting on the FA and Goljan RR path
    30 Apr 2015 ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ 1 photo ⋅ 885 views
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  • USMLE Rx (Qbank by the First Aid team) $249.00

    (1 vote)
    1 yr subscription
    https://www.usmle-rx.com
    First off, I advocate using the Qbanks rather than the Qbooks as they are more up-to-date and it is much easier to track which subjects you are weak in as they provide pretty good statistics on what questions you have answered correctly/wrongly.

    If you have the time, definitely do all 3 Qbanks that I have listed in this list (there are others but these 3 are the best I feel and each bring a little something different to the table):
    - UWorld
    - USMLE Rx
    - Kaplan

    If you only have time for 1 Qbank, use UWorld
    If you have time for 2 Qbanks, use UWorld and something else:
    - If you are weak in first aid details: USMLE-Rx
    - If you know first aid pretty well and want to challenge yourself/expand your knowledge beyond only high yield material: Kaplan

    The advantage of USMLE Rx is that it really helps to reinforce high yield details from first aid so if you are having trouble remembering the details this is definitely the Qbank to use.
    30 Apr 2015 ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ 1 photo ⋅ 1,401 views
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  • Kaplan Qbank $299.00

    (1 vote)
    1yr subscription
    http://www.kaptest.com/medical-prep/usmle/usmle-prep-course/step-1-qbank
    This question bank is, in my opinion, best used for "icing on the cake" situations. This Qbank has a fair share of lower yield questions that might not appear on the USMLE. However, the questions were still good in helping me understand the concepts I already knew better (concepts cemented through UWorld and USMLE-Rx). The explanations were better than Rx but not as good as UWorld.
    30 Apr 2015 ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ 1 photo ⋅ 857 views
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  • Goljan Rapid Review Pathology $49.19

    - Hands down best pathology book I have read (compared to Robbins, Pathoma which are the other two I have used);
    - Robbins is too lengthy as it is written in complete sentences while Goljan RR path is in point-form which imo is more concise, clearer and easier to understand.
    - Pathoma is even more concise but I feel it lacks the integration between the different subjects (physio, biochem, etc...) that Goljan RR path is famous for
    - However, this is a very lengthy book and there is a lot to get through (with a lot of low-yield information that helps you understand better but not necessarily the best use of time for the step) so I only recommend this book for people who have a 5-6 month prep time
    - Complement with Goljan audio notes (must have imo)
    30 Apr 2015 ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ 1 photo ⋅ 966 views
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  • Doctors in training (DIT) step 1 review course $825.00

    http://www.doctorsintraining.com/shop/usmle-step-1/
    - Really good course if you have the time (and money) for it
    - What it is: Essentially first aid + a bit more. Covers first aid in very great detail and helps you remember high yield facts through interesting mnemonics and associations
    - Highly recommended for people struggling to retain high yield first aid knowledge
    30 Apr 2015 ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ 1 photo ⋅ 1,088 views
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