Cracking the USMLE!!

Cracking the USMLE!!

FARAZ KHAN LUNI M.D.University of Toledo, Ohio

Internal Medicine

USMLE Step 1 score 99 (266)USMLE Step 2 score 99 (263) USMLE Step 3 score 99 (234)

DISCLAIMER!

No fixed formula of success

Listen to others

Do what suits you

Avoid Stress

Sort out family issues

Decide what you want

Long process

Avoid Stress

Sleep well

Take out time to relax and exercise

Don’t postpone exams unnecessarily

- Maximum of four reads

How to study

Hard work pays off but smart

studying pays off even more

Study Partner or group

Make a timetable and stick to it

Time Table

Have 8 Hours of Sleep- Fixed sleeping schedule

Time to relax

Time to exercise

Study in breaks

Time Table

9 AM Wake up 10-2:30 Study (4.5

Hours) 2:30-3 TV 3-6 Sleep 6-6:30 Tea Time 6:30-9 Study (2.5

Hours) 9-9:30 Exercise 9:30-10 Eat-TV 10-2:30 Study (4.5

Hours)

How to study

Library

Don’t over prepare

How to study

Not many Buzz words

Clinical scenarios

No Rattas please

- No need to memorize every line

Step 1 subjects (in order of importance)

Pathology (Highest yield) Microbiology (Bacteriology high yield,

Viral Groups) Behavioral Sciences (Our Achilles' Tendon) Pharmacology (Personal Classification

Notes) Immunology (Immune deficiency

diseases high yield) Physiology Biochemistry (First Aid is our aid) Genetics Anatomy (YES!!! Lowest yield

topic. Only Neuroanatomy is high yield)

Which books to use

Kaplan Lecture Notes (Along with

DVDs)

Kaplan 100 cases of ethics

Epidemiology and Biostatistics for

the USMLE (Appleton and Lange)

Goljan Pathology (Old Edition)

Which books to use

Original First Aid

Kaplan Q bank (Not Q book)

UWorld MCQs (ONLINE!!!)

DON’T use High yield series, Grey’s,

Harper,Guyton, Ganong!!!

First Read

Orient Yourself

Don’t panic if you don’t remember

Slowest read

Should take ~3 months ~ 10-15 more days if DVDs

First Read

Kaplan Series

Kaplan 100 cases of ethics

Epidemiology and Biostatistics for

the USMLE (Appleton and Lange)

Goljan Pathology (Some recommend

Lectures)- New edition too detailed!

First Read

DVDs

- Alternate way of studying

- NOT necessary for good scores

- Make additions to Kaplan

- Do not write every word

First Read

DVDs

- Watch once

- Increase speed, Capture (Power

DVD)

- Behavior sciences is a must!

- Decide for yourself

Second Read

Revise

Should take ~ 2 months (with Q

Bank)

Don’t waste time on DVDs

Second Read

Original First Aid

- MUST use it!

- NOT a replacement for Kaplan

- Great retention and revision tool

Second Read

Kaplan Q bank (Book Format)

- Understand question pattern

- Topic by topic

- Identify high yield topics

- Note new information

Third Read

Should take ~15 days

U World ~ 13 more days

Kaplan + First Aid

U World Online (

www.usmleworld.com )

Third Read

Sample exam (www.usmle.org)

NBME

- Predictive Value

USMLE World

Always Online (Don’t use book)

- $99 package

- Smartest $99 ever spent!

- Can also give self assessment (Extra $30)

USMLE World

Learning tool (Not Evaluation)- High 60s ~ High 90s- Exam day matters

Identify Weaknesses

USMLE World

www.usmleworld.com

Extra Information- Make notes

Gives feel of the exam

Schedule near the real exam

USMLE World FAQs

Not getting good scores

U World Vs Real Exam

My friend got a low score

Day before the Exam

Stop studying by 6 pm

Relax

Stay away from position holders

Sleep early

Day before the Exam

Don’t use long acting sedatives

(Valium)

Go see Prometric centre at least a

day before

Exam Tutorial

Don’t cross question yourself

Step 1 Exam Format

8 Blocks

- 1 st Block Tutorial

- 7 Block MCQs (46 MCQs per Block)

Exam Format

15 Min Tutorial

45 min Break

1 Hour per Block

If you finish earlier time added to break time

Block time is CONSTANT (1 hour)

Exam Day

Reach early

Use restroom

Don’t study on exam day or in exam

break

Take juices, snacks

Panadol Extra (A lifesaver!!)

Exam Day

Skip tutorial

- Check mouse, sound, monitor

Time management

Breaks

Exam Day

Have a positive attitude

All blocks WONT go well

Don’t evaluate yourself

It seems crazy but ENJOY your exam

How to attempt questions?

Read the last line first

Look at the options

Then read the whole question

Highlight

How to attempt questions?

Don’t waste time

Use mark option

Tick any answer

Don’t leave any unanswered

question

All the information is in Kaplan and

UWorld

Under Grads

Time for Concepts

- Proper Text Books

- Kaplan

- Don’t compromise your Med School

Under Grads

Should I go for the Steps? Pros- Information fresh- Save time to residency

Cons- Only 1 USMLE attempt (Unless you

Flunk)- Neglect of college studies- Stressful

House Job

Pros

- Backup- Learning- Pakistan Option- PMDC- Financial

House Job

Cons

- Does not affect scores- 1 extra year- Less Study time- Not a big boost to your match

chances

House Job

Do or not?- Visa Status- Family Issues

AKU or Civil

How to study?- Time- Wards

FAQs

Should I give Step 1 first or Step 2

Old edition or new one

FAQs

Is USMLE Step 1 studies good

enough to pass FCPS

Should I delay my exam

FAQs

Audio Visual Questions

Slides

USMLE Step 2

USMLE STEP 2

Attempt within 3-4 months of step 1

Questions from step 1 syllabus

Shorter syllabus

USMLE STEP 2

Studying smartly is the key

Beware of mistakes in Kaplan

Time management very important

Subjects

Medicine (Highest Yield)

Pediatrics (Medium Yield)

Obstetrics and Gynecology (Medium

Yield)

Surgery (Lowest Yield)

Psychiatry (Lowest Yield)

What to focus on?

What is the next best step

What is the next best test

What is the most accurate test

What is the most likely diagnosis

How to manage

What to study?

Recommended Only Kaplan Series UWorld Mcqs (Either online or Book) Master the Boards (Not used by me)

Not Recommended No Dvd’s except Cardiology and

Gynaecology No First Aid No Qbank

How to study?

Three reads more then enough

Timing

1st read ~ 2 months with UWorld

2nd read ~1 month

3rd read ~ 13 days

How to study?

U World with first read

Everyone gets whipped in U

World

Understand pattern

Identify high yield topics

Step 2 Exam Format

9 Blocks

- 1 st Block Tutorial

- 8 Block MCQs (44 MCQs per Block)

USMLE Step 3

2 Day Exam

First Day MCQs Second Day MCQs + Clinical Case

Scenario

Best time as soon after Step 2

USMLE Step 3

UWorld

Kaplan Step 2 Or Step 3

Master the Boards

Result and Etiquettes

Result comes after 3 weeks on Wednesdays

- 9AM EST

DON’T call person to ask result

Anything less than 99 is NOT a disappointment