Time allowed to Study For Step 1

[amj0327]

I heard that SMU students are only given 2 months to study for the USMLE Step 1 exam. Is this true? If so, why are other schools given 4 to 6 months to study for them? Is it because SMU student have to do take pre-clinical classes in Miami during the 5th semester along with studying for the Step 1?

[mat09]

Yes its true . There were these policy changes made last semester as many students were taking too long to take the step. I personally don't think its a good policy but let see what happens to our current fifth semesters. In fifth semester if you fail the cumalative kaplan exam then they let you finish the preclinicals and after the 5th you have to pass the NBME exam before they let you sit for the step.
It would have been a good policy if quality of teaching was good. But if all the established Carribean schools let you have 3,4 months then it means that we need time. U.S students do their basic sciences at a slower pace with summers off.

[Junito]

Two months should be sufficient time. I know of students in my semester who took eight or more months to study and in the end there wasn't much difference between our grades. I believe you have around two months also for Ross (you have to pass the NBME comp to be able to sit for the exam). So this policy isn't too bad. I guess the school is trying to encourage students not to lag behind.

[mat09]

We will find out in few weeks when our current 5th semesters take the test.

[AmericanIMG]

it depends on you as a student more then anything...if you have a good background and learned a lot on your own during basic science, you can feasibly take step1 after 4th semester, or 5th. i know of a student that took it the week after he finished basic science and passed. i know students who spent 8 months off that are still trying to pass on attempt #2 or #3.

[mat09]

You might be right again American Img :)

[AmericanIMG]

You might be right again American Img :)

hey thanks. i personally took a few months (May-Aug) to study for boards (which i took on Sept 8th). i could have used more time to be honest, the professors that i had at SMU did not IMO do a good job prepping me for step1 (except Dr. P with micro...she is MONEY).

[Junito]

I thought Pharm, Path, Micro & Immuno were sufficient. But I was in Maine also. Overall my prep at SMU was good. But then again I did not rely too much on what the professors taught and basically started preparing for the Step from 3rd semester (i.e. doing as many qbank questions as I could, reading the HY books for subjects already covered, etc).

Once again it depends on the student and how they prepare...

[AmericanIMG]

I thought Pharm, Path, Micro & Immuno were sufficient. But I was in Maine also. Overall my prep at SMU was good. But then again I did not rely too much on what the professors taught and basically started preparing for the Step from 3rd semester (i.e. doing as many qbank questions as I could, reading the HY books for subjects already covered, etc).

Once again it depends on the student and how they prepare...

thats the way to go Juni. prepping from day one with First Aid will get you good scores on step1, but unfortunately, many profs make u learn THEIR material rather then whats on step1 (i can think of a certain class where a prof makes u just write everything he says, even though its useless info and gives u barebone ppts...:rolleyes:), which wastes time and drops your eventual score.

;)

[amj0327]

Thanks for the good advice. I don't see why there has been a policy change as of last semester. If students don't do as well because of not having enough time to prepare for Step 1 or because professors teach a lot of "extra" stuff, then it hurts the student and the school's bottom-line. We'll see how well students do this semester, if the percentages are reported.
American medical schools do their basic sciences at a slower pace? didn't know that.

[Junito]

thats the way to go Juni. prepping from day one with First Aid will get you good scores on step1, but unfortunately, many profs make u learn THEIR material rather then whats on step1 (i can think of a certain class where a prof makes u just write everything he says, even though its useless info and gives u barebone ppts...:rolleyes:), which wastes time and drops your eventual score.

;)

I remember Dr. W in Maine had his infamous "Questions in search of Answers". During lecture he would stop and ask students questions. What did I do during class? I made a ppt on his QISOA & from the baby Robbins. Did I honor his class? No, I did not. I did not honor too many classes because I kept my eye on the mark. Can't really comment on Biochem & other classes I took at Ross, since these were taught quite well there (except for Anatomy).

I noticed a few people in my semester who would study hard for the quizzes and exams. I'm sure they were better at memorization than I was. They did well on exams, but in the end I was prepared for the step before they were. I focused a lot on concepts and the overall picture.

My best advice would be to do as many questions as you can (10-20 a day) and if you plan it right you can cover the material for the class and study for Step 1 both at the same time.

I see each medical school like a car. Some are nicer than others. Some have problems. But in the end all will get you to the goal of becoming a doctor. It also depends on how YOU drive. I drove at a steady pace, some drove faster, but in the end we all reached the mark.

[amj0327]

10-20 questions from textbooks or a prep-book like first aid?

[Junito]

10-20 questions from textbooks or a prep-book like first aid?

Kaplan qbank questions...

[AmericanIMG]

HAS to be qbank...at 100 bucks a month its not the cheapest thing, but def worth it. dont get it though until like the semester you have micro/path/pharm. then use it all up!

[Junito]

USMLE World came out with a Step 1 qbank just recently. I hear that UW's questions are close to what you will see for Step 2. Haven't tried it for Step 1.

[amj0327]

Ok. So since we have only 2 months to prepare for Step 1, students should prepare a head of time by using First Aid and NBR from the first day, correct? What about subscribing to a question bank for particular subjects being taken that semester and integrating them into classnote?