Skip to main content

USMLE Step 1 Preparation Scheme

I am going to explain how one can start for step 1 de novo. I will try to make it as simple as possible:

USMLE step 1 needs 4 reads in total.

Materials required
include: 
Kaplan series
UWorld
First Aid
100 cases by Conrad fischer ( blue book )
Online NBME 


READS:=4


DURATION EXPECTED:

 3 months (1st read)+2 months and 10 days (2nd read) +2 months and 10days (3rd read) +6 days whole 1st AID and NBME, then 10 days ( 4th read) =Total 8 months

Sequence of subjects in each Read: 
Physiology, then pharmacology; biochemistry; microbiology; immunology; pathology; anatomy; behavioral sciences

First Read:

 3 months

Physio-10days
pharma-1week
biochem/genetics- 8 days
immunology-4 days
microbiology-8 days
pathology-3 weeks
anatomy -10 days
behavioral sciences 4 days

In this plan , when you finish one subject , don't rush to next; rather re-read same in 1-2 days . For example, you are supposed to finish physio in 8 days and then revise in next 2 days whole physio .Same plan for other subjects

SECOND READ:

 2 MONTHS and 10days :
In 2nd read , there will be add on of 1st aid. You should read Kaplan but then same subject from 1st AID BEFORE moving to next subject)

Physio- 8 days ( 6days of physio from Kaplan and 2 days of physio from 1st AID)
PHARMA-8 days ( same 6+2)
biochem/genetics: 8 days (6+2)
immunology 3 days (2 +1)
microbiology 8 days ( 6+2)
pathology 26 days ( 2 weeks of Kaplan 1 week of golgon 5 days of 1st AID)
anatomy 7 days (6+1)
behavioral sciences 3 days (2+1 )

Second read =Total 70 days

THIRD READ: -

2 MONTHS AND 10 DAYS
This time there will be add on of U world including revision of Kaplan and 1st Aid

physio- 8 days (5 Kaplan + 1 1st aid +2 u world)
pharma-8 days (5+1+2)
biochem/ genetics- 7 days (4+1+2)
immunology -3 days (1+1+1)
microbiology -8 days ( 5 +1+2)
pathology-26 days (10days +4 days of golgon +12 days of u world))
anatomy- 7 days (4 + 1+2)
behavioral sciences 3 days (1+1+1) also read 100 cases by Conrad fischer in this read

3rd read =total 2 months 10days

After 3 reads , you should read 1 st aid in continuity for 4 days and take NBME on 5th and 6th days. If YOU get >250in NBME , schedule a date in next 15 days .

4th read: 

10 days-just give1 day to one subject from Kaplan
physio-1day
pharma-1 day
biochem/genetics- 1 day
immunology/microbiology-2 days
pathology-3 days
anatomy-1 day
BS -1 day

after this 3-4 days of 1ST aid and then take exam .

It is an estimate.; may vary depending on how much stamina and memory one has but this is how it works for most of students


By Dr. Waqas Nawaz (Score: 242)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

MRCS PART A – EXPERIENCE

DURATION OF STUDY – 3.5-4 months (with work )  Pattern of study  Paper 1 ( Basic sciences )  Anatomy – Emrcs with NASA khan notes ( best part about these notes are he copied all the colourful pics from Snell’s anatomy along with emrcs theory ) . Make small pics for imagination of anatomical relationship .... A big chunk of questions are from anatomy , this needs to be done in a crystal clearway .. Physiology – raftry with emrcs  Pathology – raftry few topics and emrcs Pharma and micro – emrcs  I read raftry for physio complete twice , patho and micro once only  Biostatistics – emrcs  For basic sciences reading emrcs with its theory is more than enough with few references from text books to make the concepts clear  Fawzia sheets for paper one is very very very important , somehow in every session of this examination RCS is putting almost 50-60% paper from these sheets ... Don’t leave them .... Read them at least three times .... Pape...

COMPLETE HISTOLOGY POINTS (FROM FINAL GUIDE SERIES)

-You need to do all the Histology past-paper questions (2009-2016) and these points only along with the diagrams from your practical copy and you are done. . -These points are extremely important to cover the 6-7 mcqs from the histology portion that you normally skip . - CHAPTERS FROM LAIQ HUSSAIN INCLUDED : CHAPTER = 12,16,18,19,20,21,22,23. (MOST IMPORTANT 18,19,20,21). Do read or memorize these important points assembled chapter wise. (ENOUGH FOR ATTEMTPING THE PROFF UHS EXAM). CHAPTER 12 : .Old type of cortex is known as ‘’allocortex’’ .New cortex is called ‘’neocortex’’ .In the internal pyramidal layer of primary motor area giant pyramidal cells, called Betz cells are found. . There are six layers of cerebral cortex : 1) Molecular layer 2) External Granular layer 3) External pyramidal layer 4) Internal Granular area 5) Internal Pyrimidal layer 6) Multiform layer .The cerebellum consists of two hemispheres and a central vermis. .Cerebellar ...

MY Step 2 CK Experience 284 Medhat Farwati

Dear (future) Doctors, I am Medhat Farwati, a Syrian graduate from Aleppo University, Faculty of Medicine. Hereby I share with you my experience with Step 2 CK. 1. Score: 284 2. Self-assessments: UWSA 1: 273 (2 months out) UWSA 2: 276 ( 1 week out) NBME 7: 277 (1 week out) NBME 8: 280 (3 days out) 3. Preparation time: After I was done with Step 1, I moved to the US as a postdoctoral research fellow. As such, I realized it is going to be challenging to navigate my research du ties, US rotations, Step 2 CS exam, and Step 2 CK preparation. Collectively, the actual preparation time for CK was 12 months with an average studying time ranging from 4 hours a day for the first 10 months to 8 hours a day for the last 2 months prior to my exam. 4. Materials used: UW Step 2 CK (x3) UW Step 3 (x2) Kaplan Q bank (x1) Internal Medicine Essentials Q bank De Virgilio (surgery textbook) Up to date and Medscape Google, YouTube, and Siri 😊 UW Step 2: Your baseline. Most people preparing for CK rega...