Sometime ago, I asked one of my friends whom got a 99 on USMLE Step 1 using question banks as her main studying source with a minimal amount of other materials, how she did that?
This is how it went:
"I'm sorry for coming out of nowhere and droping a question, but me and some others are struggling to find the best way to use USMLE Step 1 Q-Banks. On the other end, there are some amazing people using these Q-Banks as their main studying tool (not mentioning their great scores on the boards!).
Being a 99er whom used question banks as your main studying source, how did you use the Q-Banks? what was your approach? what was your technique? did you make notes? did you solve them over and over and over? did you read all the explanations or just those to the ones you got wrong?"
She replied:
"Hi XXXX, thanks for dropping by.
About using Q-banks (both Kaplan and USMLE World, not only UW for me), solving the questions is not the key issue here. I would do them quickly, (most time could not care about the score), but spend the majority of time in reading all the explanations, making notes.
From every Q, I learn a lot of stuff. Even the question itself will give me a lot of insights.
I review at least two times, more possibly three times for the Qbank. Then at last, I would do the marked Qs one more time, randomized, timed mode to test whether I have really mastered most of the concepts (the first time, subjects-wise). I gather at that time, I could get at least over 90 for each block of questions.
For USMLE Step 1, I just used the Q-banks and First Aid for Step 1, nothing else. But for USMLE Step 2, I would add Kaplan Lecture Notes to my study formula. But I would only go through Kaplan LN very quickly for two times, the most.
Every one has different approach to get a 99. Make sure your route will help you master most of the important concepts of all the subjects, and build up your skills in thinking and solving problems in a quick and right way.
Hope this will help you a little bit on your preparation. Good luck."
Later on, she added:
"One more thing to say. When reviewing the Qs and the explanations, I am thinking all the time, why I did that Q wrong, why I did that Q right; if the question stem changes a little bit, what will be the right answer; if the question asked something a little bit different, what will be the answer et all.
When making the notes, sometime I put similar things together. For example, under what condition, you prefer cesarean section for a pregnant woman; I just list different situations which need c-section in one page. So it is easy to compare and memorize.
If you don't feel this is a comfortable way to study, don't force yourself into it. Whatever works best for you, go with that. We want to study efficiently and effectively, with the specific way we enjoy."
Lets hope she gets another 99 on USMLE Step 2 CK ;-)
Update: May 28 2008
Here is another good piece of advice I read today. This time by Arlete from prep4usmle forums.
"For USMLE World, I did all the questions at once, to get rid of the ones I knew.
The ones I got right but wasn't very sure about the answer, I marked. So I got rid of around 57%.
Then I created new tests with the wrong and marked ones, tutor mode, and read all the answers.
I had a notebook where I wrote only one line of information I thought was important.
When I finished USMLE World (with 66%), I read First Aid for USMLE. When I finished First Aid (a few days before the test), I read my notebook." ... She got a 99 too.
Related posts:
How to get a 99 on USMLE Step 1? ---Collection
