To my beloved Family of future doctors,
In response to readers, I write to please tailor your study habits to your personal strengths.
Mainly, everyone should get the main popular books like First Aid and Kaplan Notes. As long as you do not have a dementia-type illness or another brain lesion, you should be able to "recall". The principle is similar to knowing the names of your uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters, brothers, etc. The difference is that some people do indeed memorize faster than others. The difference is barely noticeable in everyday life because you have only small things to commit to memory like a phone number, street address, etc. But on the Step 1, there are SOOOOOO many things to memorize. Therefore, any "slight" differences in memory will be VERY MARKED and MEASURED.
After I took the Step 1, I pulled out the main resource books like Kaplan, First Aid, BRS, BSS, etc. when I got home. I remembered then a number of questions from the real exam. I could not believe all the small points that I forgot and thus answered incorrectly!
Therefore, you should be able to (rather you MUST) basically MEMORIZE a book like First Aid or Crush the Boards entirely. When I ask, "What is the mech. of action of Drug A?", you should be able to tell me in one second. You can do it. If I ask your birthday, couldn't you tell me in a flash??? Do so likewise with the drugs, bugs, etc.
Think about it. If you had to memorize the 50 state capitals of the United States, the test would be relatively easy. If I ask, "Capital of Alaska?", you should jump and say "Juneau" right away. If I ask for New Jersey, you should yell "Trenton" in an eye blink! Virginia=Richmond! etc.
If you are not retaining, do not just tell yourself you need many more months to study! While that may be part of the problem, you must examine why you are not retaining. Tape or staple a chart and graph the number/percent of answers you got correct from NOTECARDS you are making or from any number of Q-Banks available. Do so in individual sessions weekly or more often.
Chart how you are progressing! Of the information, are you getting 35% correct the first week, then 37% the second, then 42% the third, then 48% the fourth, and then 55% the fifth, etc.??
If so, you ARE improving, and it is just a matter of time before you get that magical "pass" on your score report!
But if the Chart is flatlining or even worse, creeping down, then there is a problem. Doing this exercise will help diagnose the problem. Imagine YOU ARE THE PATIENT, and the "% Correct on the line graph" is the continuing line that shows your progression to HEALTH (passing grade).
It is like if you are hypokalemic. OK, so your potassium is at 2.9. Then you start the drip, and then you are charting the level on a piece of graph paper and the reading is 3.2 after a while. Good... Then later it is 3.5. Great... And so forth. You will then KNOW you are going to get there.
You MUST FIND OUT HOW YOUR BRAIN REMEMBERS and INTEGRATES information!
You need a system of rewards also to buttress your progress. For example, if you recall all the Glycogen Storage Diseases and Immunological Diseases (both VERY VERY HIGH YIELD), then you could reward yourself once you met those objectives. Or you could punish yourself if you miss key questions (However, I like the positive reinforcement method better. BUT, if someone did something extreme like slap you in the face after a wrong answer, you will remember better).
Again, accept that there IS a difference between the speed that people memorize. Just accept that fact of life. It is like height or strength. But know that you can overcome it. You CAN do something about it.
This Step 1 is very much like a 26.4 mile marathon run vs. a short 100-200 meter sprint. The short sprint is like everyday life. Even if you are running against an Olympic champion, you will be some meters behind at the finish line. The difference is just a couple of seconds.
BUT, in a marathon run (which the Step 1 is), the differences between an Olympic champion runner and yourself will show MUCH MORE OBVIOUS differences. The seasoned Olympian will cross the finish line maybe HOURS before you do. If you are not lucky, you may collapse well before the finish line on mile 7 or so from exhaustion.
Ultimately, the point I want to emphasize is that I think a determined medical student can eventually pass the Step 1.
Don't make the mistake of comparing yourself to the top USMLE scorer in the class! SERIOUSLY, honestly, I tell you that my own mentor, who was in the top THREE of my entire medical school class failed in his intern year and has to repeat it this year!!! (It had to do with his skill at quickly formulating a differential. He knows way too much and kept on stating TOO MANY "zebras", and not "getting to the point". This angered the senior residents.) Different people have different strengths.
Know which books work best for you (but stick to the highest rated books). Know how long you personally need to study overall and how many hours per day. Know if you have a handicap. Know (most important) which study method works best for you.
For example, I myself study much better in groups. I studied with a group of people and asked questions to others in the group. I was a VERY "ORAL" learner. I would even read aloud when alone. Just reading the chapters over and over alone in silence did NOT help me much.
It was the same with ME PERSONALLY with the MCAT. When I took my first diagnostic test, I really really did horrible. Then I found a method that worked for me. I formed the study group I spoke of, then we all took turns explaining things to each other. It really helped me personally. Subjects/concepts that I "thought" I knew... I found that I really did NOT know them cold because I had trouble explaining it to others.
Once I learned it enough to explain to others, not only did I understand the concept better, the concepts STUCK LIKE SUPER GLUE in my brain.
In the final MCAT diagnostics, I found I was missing only a few questions out of 77. I confess in the first diagnostic I missed almost HALF OF ALL THE QUESTIONS!!! The experience with the USMLE Step 1 was VERY similar. I went on to score over 95% percentile on the MCAT. I found the method that worked for me, and I ran with it. (However, you may be better studying alone. Or maybe you study well in a coffee shop. Only YOU can find this out). Keep POSITIVE.
Please please follow your dreams, as this life is a JOURNEY, not a DESTINATION. We are all climbing Mt. Everest together. Once you all personally reach the summit, please appreciate it, love mankind, and lend a rope down to others trying to get there.
All the best in this New Year 2007,
And Merry Christmas,
Love,
Tommyk