How to Ace Step 1

What’s the best way to prepare for Step 1!?!

There’s two ways to study for the USMLE:
• BOOKS, and
• TESTS
(DUH). Early on in the process (the earlier you start, the better you score, no matter WHAT anyone says!) you should be focusing on content. Basically, getting smart the best way you know how. For most people, this entails READING BOOKS (incredible breakthrough, I know). The core books are:
• FIRST AID for the USMLE (Step 1)
• Board Review Series Pathology
But the best way to read books is in CONTEXT. SO, when you’re on a Neurology block, rip out the Neuro pages and bring them to class. When you’re struggling through biochem, get those pages with you. As you’re falling asleep in class, break out those pages and say to yourself: “This subject sucks, but these pages are the bare bones minimum that I need to MEMORIZE.” Just don’t say it out loud, because that’s weird. OK?
These books really need to be MEMORIZED (not read a few times, not hi-lited to soaking-wet-neon-oblivion) but really and truly MEMORIZED. You’ll see questions taken verbatim from these books.
While you’re doing this, you should little-by-little start taking test questions. I would recommend buying a 3-month membership to get an early start.
Here’s how to use it:
Start taking questions DURING YOUR COURSES (there’s that all caps thing again). Just how you were ripping out the Neuro pages from FIRST AID during your neurology, you should be taking small question blocks related to the subject matter.
A few smart people I know are working on a really cool idea: www.USMLEforFREE.com, that’s basically like Wikipedia for USMLE questions. Until that comes out, however, we have to keep paying the question experts:
• KaplanMedical.com ($199 for 1-month, $279 for 3-months, 2,200 questions)
• USMLEWorld.com ($60 for 1-month, $125 for 3-months, 1,900 questions)
This averages out to about 5 cents per question for a single month.
BUT, they’re worth it. Kaplan’s QBank has the added feature of graphic your results in each subspecialty, allowing you to focus on your weak areas.
As the big day approaches (pick a date and stick to it!), you should start increasing your test-taking and decreasing your studying. Because Step 1 is 7 blocks, you should work your way up to that. Just like training for a race, I recommend OVERtraining: take 8 blocks, make your head spin, and the 7 blocks on test day will seem like a cakewalk (ok, not really).
Stick to your guns, skip class if you need to. You know how you learn best. Stick to that and ignore the outside world for a few months!
May the force be with you.