7-8: shower and breakfast Extra time: more questions, First AID, Goljan lecture
Goal: 240 8-9: anatomy, physio, embryo
9-12: Robbins Pathology images,
20 Qs; pathophysiology Should be done with USMLEWorld by the time you take Prometric
***See how NBME 12-1: lunch break
and First Aid 1-2: pathophys, pharm
review goes, 2-4: 55 USMLE First Aid
adjust schedule. 4-5: walk and Goljan lecture Review Days
5-7: 55 USMLE Catch up/Review means First AID, catch up,
7-8: dinner break or more questions (try to do 150)
8-10: First AID; 20 Qs
Date 8-12noon 1-2p 2-7p
Wed May 20 Biochem Read High Yield; 20 USMLEworld General Qs 110 USMLEworld
Thurs May 21 CV Goljan Ch 9-10; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Fri May 22 Neuro High yield; Ch 23 Goljan; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Sat May 23 respiratory Ch 16 Goljan; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Sun May 24 heme Ch 11-15 Goljan; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Mon May 25 renal Ch 19-20 Goljan; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Tues May 26 GI Ch 17-18 Goljan; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Wed May 27 Micro/Immuno Read Micro in First AID; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Thurs May 28 repro/endo Ch 20-22 Goljan; 20 USMLEworld See above 110 USMLEworld
Fri May 29 Biochem Read High Yield; 20 USMLEworld General Qs 110 USMLEworld
Sat May 30 Micro/Immuno Read Micro in First AID First AID Pharm
Sun May 31 Stats/Psych? Catch up/Review Embryo/Pharm Read all of First Aid
Mon June 1 CV First AID First AID Pharm
Tues June 2 Neuro High yield; First AID First AID Pharm
Wed June 3 respiratory First AID First AID Pharm
Thurs June 4 heme First AID First AID Pharm
Fri June 5 renal First AID First AID Pharm
Sat June 6 GI First AID First AID Pharm
Sun June 7 NBME 1*** Review NB ME answers…1st half First Aid
Mon June 8 Micro/Immuno First AID First AID Pharm
Tues June 9 repro/endo First AID First AID Pharm
Wed June 10 Genetics Ch 5 and 7 Goljan First AID Second half First Aid
Thurs June 11 CT/Derm Goljan Ch 24; First AID First AID Pharm
Fri June 12 Stats/Psych Read BRS, All Qs, Pharmcards, notes Finish morning Prometric 3-6:30pm--arrive at 2:30!
Sat June 13 First AID/ Select Topic Goljan Laurelin Wedding
Sun June 14 Review Kaplan, USMLE Pharm 150 Qs Review Qs Pharm, Pathology, CV
Mon June 15 Neuro biochem and neuro 150 Qs Review Qs Neuro, Renal
Tues June 16 Biochem 150 Qs Review Qs Biochem, Heme/Oncology
Wed June 17 Review 150 Qs, Review Review Qs Pharm, Pathology, CT/MK, Respiratory
Thurs June 18 DAY OFF Embryo, Anatomy, Behav/Psych Tabs, paper, eqns Hand/foot bones…pack snacks, lunch, ID
Fri June 19 Leave 6:40am EXAM DAY EXAM DAY
Sat June 20 Wendy Wedding Wendy Wedding
Sun June 21
Mon June 22
Tues June 23
Wed June 24
Thurs June 25
Fri June 26 DEADLINE TO TAKE STEP 1 DEADLINE TO TAKE STEP 1
Materials:
First Aid for Step 1
Goljan pathophysiology textbook
High Yield Biochem
High Yield Neurology
BRS Physiology
BRS Stats (select chapters) along with my course condensed notes
Robbins and Cotran Atlas of Pathology (images)
Goljan CD of lectures
USMLE Roadmap Gross Anatomy (highlighted portions only)
Langman's embryology (select sections, mostly images)
Pharmcards flashcards (although just using First AIDs pharm sections are more than sufficient)
During winter or spring break, take some time to jot down a basic outline for your studying for the summer.
I made this more detailed as I got closer to the summer, eventually ending with an hourly schedule for my day, which
would keep me on track. Remember to work in some break time throughout your day! It really helps for motivation.
My schedule included a pathophys topic for every day, studying the anatomy/embryo, physio, pathophys, pathology, and
pharm of that topic in the morning through afternoon. The key, I felt, was timing myself: if I had only an hour to go over anatomy
physio and embryo, that meant 15 mins anatomy (Roadmap), 15 mins embryo (mostly pictures) and 30 mins physio. Then I did
at least 150 questions a day. If I did more, it was just an added boost to my confidence.
I began my month by using this schedule; by the last week I was reviewing First AID only and working on questions.
My goal was to go over First Aid six times in total but I ended up going through it 4-5 times depending on the section.
I used Kaplan Qbank throughout the year and during the summer, USMLEWorld during the summer, and a small free Kaplan
book with questions, in all throughout the year totaling over 6000 questions (over 4000 during the summer).
You may want to use some of the NBME practice exams. If you purchase one online, it will tell you a score but not the
correct answers so you will have to do the leg work to see why you got a question wrong. There are free copies floating around
but you have to be careful with those: the free copies have someone else’s answer key. I found multiple errors in some of
the newer versions (NBME 4 and 5). I also found it to be a waste of time looking up the correct answer when I could be utilizing
a source which would tell me the answer with an explanation. You may also want to schedule a practice exam at your site.
It can help you get comfortable with the atmosphere if you need that but beware—the exam is the exact same as the free exam
given on the NBME/USMLE website! I went in already having done the questions and it was a waste of money. The computer
program is exactly like that you will use in USMLEWorld, so don’t worry about not understanding the computer program come test day!
After organizing my study time in a logical manner, my Step 1 score was significantly higher than my exam scores from year 2.
I had my goal score posted everywhere in my apartment (cheesy ha), along with some biochem pathways for me to glance at.
Stay motivated, maintain your support network, and above all take care of yourself! In the
end it is an amazing feeling to realize just how much you have learned. Good luck!
time you take Prometric
8-10p
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
First AID review, 20Qs
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
75 Qs before dinner 75 Qs after
Laurelin Wedding
Second half First Aid
First AID
First half First AID
Second half First Aid
End Day Early
EXAM DAY
Wendy Wedding
er anatomy
be utilizing
m come test day!
May
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
21 22
Biochem Biochem
25 26 27 28 29
Neuromuscular Respiratory Heme Renal GI
June
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
1 2 3 4 5
Repro/Endo Genetics/Nutrition CV Neuromuscular Respiratory
8 9 10 11 12
Renal GI Micro/Immuno NBME?
15 16 17 18 19
Behavioral DAY OFF CRAM EXAM DAY
Science/Psych DAY
Sat Sun
23 24
Physio CV
30 31
Micro/Immuno Catch-
up/Review
Sat Sun
6 7
Heme Catch-
up/Review
13 14
Laurelin's Catch-
Wedding up/Review
Wendy's
Wedding