USMLE STEP 1: 250

Khurram Irshad Chattha (N61))

Nishtarian Graduate from N61, done with house job in May 2018.
It was during my house job that I decided to go for USMLE, decided too late .I was an Average student with average basics, merit number was 131 in final passing out list for house job .I just want to motivate you people that it’s never too late and its never something like I can’t do as I’m just an average student
I must quote Munis Raza bhai
“” Agr munis kr sktaa hai tu koi b kr sktaa hai “”
I would repeat same
“” Agr Chattha kr skta houn tu koi b kr skta hai “”
It’s all about your attitude and determination

PREP TIME:
Dedicated 6 month (as I Did kaplan (with lot of skips) + First Aid 1st read during house job)
Actual Score 250 Alhamdulilah
NMBE score in time line
NBME 13: 242 3.5 month before exam
NBME 15: 250 2.5 month before exam
NBME 17: 255 2 month before exam
NBME 16: 257 1.5 month before exam
NBME 19: 250 1 month before exam
NBME 18: 252 15 days before exam
USWA 1 and 2: 254& 262 (1 week before exam. Took on same day to mimic exam)
All were online except NBME 19
SOURCES
High Yield Sources that I strongly recommend, that you must swallow as well as digest
Uworld (6 stars, its father, mother, grand father and grand mother of all sources :D ) BRS Physio (5 Stars ) Pathoma (5 Stars ) Boards and Beyond ( 5 stars Excellent source ,) First Aid ( 4.5 stars ) Sketchy micro (4.5 stars Highly Recommended ) Biostats review (4.5 stars )

Some Low Yield Sources, that you may go through, during initial days of prep
BS: 100 cases of ethics, BRS behavior sciences,
Anatomy: Shelf notes+Neuroanatomy 2014 Kaplan Class room videos (Rest Uworld + FA was enough)
Immuno ,Physio, Biochem(turco) 2014 Kaplan Class room videos
Pharma 2010 Videos (just General pharma ANS ,CNS and CVS )

Guidance : TIMELINE Recommendations for Juniors
1st Physiology : Do BRS Physiology (Excellent Source ) + 2014 Kaplan Class room lectures
2nd Anatomy : Just do Neuroanatomy with 2014 Kaplan Class room lectures + Shelf Notes.
Skip rest of anatomy from Kaplan. Anatomy will be enough from Uworld and First Aid
3rd Biochemistry : Just listen 2014 Kaplan videos .Dr Turco is awesome . I do not read book .Just keep book open in front of you and listen to Turco
4th Pharma : 2010 Kaplan lectures with Kaplan book. Dr Raymon is awesome. Do General Pharma ANS CVS CNS and Skip rest of pharma .Read Antibiotics directly from First Aid
5th Pathology : Do Pathoma with videos ( Its excellent source . Master it)
6th Micro: Totally Skip Micro from Kaplan read it from FA along with Sketchy Micro Videos
7th Immunology: Read Kaplan Along with 2014 Kaplan Classroom lectures.
8th Behavior sciences : Read Few Chapters(Ethics , patient physician relationship , Epidemiology and Biostats) from BRS Behavior science + 1OO cases of ethics + Ethics and patient physician relationship topic from Kaplan too
9th Biostat : Biotstats review
You must finish All that stuff within 2 month of your prep and that is upper limit. Ideal time is 1.5 month
Once you go through your basics read First Aid thoroughly and u are ready for Big stage “The Uworld”
Upper limit for starting Uworld is within 3 month of your prep time ideal time is within 2 month
I would not recommend doing Uworld offline. Do Uworld Systemwise Time Mode during 1st Read . Do Uworld and First Aid Side by side Do one block of Uworld ,then read that topics from FA (with minimum innotations , innotate that u fear that u gonna forget , or just draw any cardio graphs etc , dont try to write whole Uworld on your FA , kindly let Uworld officials do their job they are better at that :D Uworld is to understand not to write not to Screen short not to make notes, just learn it.Spend some time during 1st read. Don’t rush here. As 1st read will lay down foundation. As you start Uworld with First Aid Start taking Offline NBME. Take One NBME every 15th day . Your target must be to finish all Offline NBME along with 1st read of Uworld .Take 1st Online NBME immediately after your 1st read I would recommend NBME 13 to start with as it will boost your morale .Don’t fool yourself that u didn’t remember anything once u done with 1st read of Uworld and start revising First Aid before taking online NBME it will cost you atleast a month. Taking NBME immediately after 1st read will let you know your weak areas and let you know areas to focus during 2nd read. Upper limit for 1st read of Uworld+First Aid is 3.5 month and ideal time is 3 month
Do Uworld Randomly during second read along with online NBME after every 15th day
Your target must be to take all online NBME Along with Second Read except NBME 16 , 18 and USWA2
Upper limit for 2nd read is 2 month and Ideal time is 1.5 month
Take NMBE 16 immediately after second read of Uworld. Work on Weak areas of NBME 16 and Start your First Aid for last and final read
You should take exam within 20-25 days of finishing your Second read. Take NBME 18 atleast 15 days before exam and USWA2 atleast week before exam. These assessments are predictive. Don’t delay them uptill last days , they will depress you and will affect your exam badly if something gone wrong

SOME DONT'S THAT WILL KILL YOUR TIME
Do not do each and everything of Kaplan Its not Quran
Do not write a single word on kaplan, dont highlight any thing ,it will kill your time ,just watch videos try to understand ,at the end of video a rapid read. Most of students waste their initial 6 month on Kaplan. Please dont waste your whole youth on Kaplan:D Most of the Kaplan's knowlege is outdate , just learn concepts , dont cramm it dont innotate it
Dont write anything on FA from Kaplan , innotate from Uworld and innotation must be minimum , dont fill your FA upto "HER" mouth :D If you will tease her at the beginning of prep SHE will tease u at the end of your prep , it will seem like never ending ocean of material :D

SOME DO's
Start FA and Uworld as early as possible
Do Uworld online
Maximum delay should be 2 month once u started your prep
Better to start FA and Uworld side by side
Use offline NBME as learning source they are excellent source . Core concept repeat in actual exam
U must give offline NBME after every 15 days once u start your prep
U should take exam within a month of second Read of Uworld
Dont delay your exam unnecassarily it will cost you
All Reading material is available in Razi Hall Reading Room
Thanks to my Nishtarian Family for all Support and Love
Keep me in prayers Good luck
Khurram Irshad Chattha (N61)