Studying for Step 1 like a Pro

I’m going to try to tell you how I prepared for Step 1 and hopefully it will help others. My goal all along has been to get higher than a 260 but I will be happy with anything higher than a 240.  I started preparing while in Maine. As we were learning about each system, I would read the section in First Aid. This would prepare me not only for the step but also virtual clinic that week. I would then try to do some practice questions related to that system usually on uworld pdfs. I am a very question based learner so it helps me to solidify information by doing questions as well as sometimes I think I know the information but when I get a question about it I realize I really didn’t know it. Besides doing that in Maine, I would study almost everyday. If you get into the habit in Maine it will be a natural transition when you get home and start REALLY studying. I know some people that slacked off during Maine and I think are really kicking themselves now. When you get access to your Kaplan qbank, start doing 46 questions (1 block) in timed mode EVERYDAY.

**Little Note about First Aid. When I was on the island, students who were in the clinicals came back and each and everyone of them said "Start dictating info in your first aid now!" Well I rarely looked at First Aid on the island and honestly do not regret not looking at it or writing stuff in. So if you are in school and haven't marked up your First Aid like crazy, don't worry! Do what works for you!

During Kaplan:

It was so hard after a 8 hour day in class to want to go home and study more but I would go to the library and I seemed to get more accomplished there. It helped having friends to go to the library with. During Kaplan class, I HIGHLY recommend going through your first aid as the teacher is teaching. It is kinda annoying because everything isn’t in the same order but I’m so glad I did this. First off, the Kaplan books they give you are kinda large when you combine them all together and who has time to reread them again?! I highlighted my First Aid and would include any other important information that was in kaplan but not in my First Aid. Now all my notes are in ONE book not 8 ;) Exception: The only book I did have a hard time following along in my first aid was Physiology. That I did use the Kaplan book just because it was moving too fast for me to flip.  I then copied additional info after class into the First Aid when I had a little more time.

Ok so after class, I would do the 46 questions and then review them. I would then review what we went over in class that day (for me it was just rereading my first aid again). If something didn’t make sense, I made note and asked the Kaplan prof the next day. Never say, “Oh I don’t quite understand it but it isn’t that important” EVERY DETAIL IS IMPORTANT J You never know what type of question is going to be asked on the step. I also need to know the Why behind everything, because its very hard to purely memorize something, I needed to understand why in order for it to make sense it my mind to remember it.

**A little note about the kaplan qbank, I know lots of my classmates chose to not do the kaplan qbank and just bought uworld instead. Many said Kaplan was too easy etc etc. Let me tell you this, most medicals students across the country do BOTH qbanks. Kaplan's is part of our tuition so why would you not use it? They say the more questions you do the better you will be prepared. Why only do 2500 questions when you could do 5000?! Saying that, I still recommend buying uworld even if you're budget will only allow a 30 day subscription (which is what I'm doing) but do BOTH, multiple times if you can!

At home:

After Maine, I spent a week with my sister and had a nice little break. The moment I got home, I started the hard core studying.  I am studying 12+ hours a day in my pajamas and probably haven’t worn make-up or done my hair in ages except to go to church every Sunday :P It’s nice to run upstairs and food is on the table waiting and then I can go back down. I’m very thankful for both my parents!  I’m still doing the 46 questions a day. I also do a system a day. I’m rereading my first aid and learning every inch of it.  It takes me awhile to read each section because I’m soaking it all in not just reading it like I had before.  Other than first aid, I bought Deja Review’s Pharmacology book. It's a review book that is set up in a question and answer format. I chose to get an extra book just because Pharmacology is something that never seems to stick.  Oh and I am using picmonic. Picmonic is mnemonics in pictures, I am a very visual learner so this works well for me. I don’t use it for every disease just the random ones that for the life of me I cannot remember a certain detail, symptom etc. They are a little crazy but make learning fun!

My plan going forward:

I have set my date for October 27, 2014. This gave me 2 months after Maine to study, which I feel was an adequate time. The school recommends taking it within 3 months of finishing Maine. I knew I couldn’t go into November or I might go crazy. I am now about a month away from Victory Day! I am going to buy a 30 day subscription to uworld and complete it in about 25 days. I am doing 2 blocks daily now and every Saturday I am doing a practice exam (Kaplan comes with 2, 8 hr exams and you can buy 2 exams with your uworld subscription as well). NBME also offers 4 hr exams for $50 each.

The hardest part about studying for the step is not getting down. You can mentally defeat yourself but you have to look towards the future and know that you can do it!! God had given me strength to continue even when I have wanted to give up or feel like I’m never going to improve. He has a great plan for me and is the reason I have gotten so far already without crashing and burning.

Talk to you all after I rock Step 1,

Laura