To all USMLE Step 1 Survivors

[Compassion MD]

To all USMLE Step 1 Survivors..,

Out of 3 P's, Physiology, Pathology, and Pharmacology...

Which one is most heavily tested?

Thank You.

[miasma]

for me, it was path by far.

[Future MD | DM erutuF]

for me, it was path by far.

For me it was pathophys.

[Chopdoc]

My exam was very balanced. I would say all three were equally tested. But the way they present the questions, you often need to know something about several different basic sciences in order to answer.....or at least to understand what is and isn't important in the question.

If you are doing it right you will not look at the answers and will have the answer for most questions before you even read the whole thing.

Really.

At that point stop reading and pick the answer.

BTW, in the PASS program they will tell you where and when to take your exam in order to get evenly distributed questions. I followed their instructions on this and got one heck of an even test. I know guys who didn't follow the advice and got nailed with tests heavy in pharm and biochem. I don't know if their reasoning behind their method in picking exam location and date is actually correct, but it sure worked for me.

[stephew]

its all technically equal: 1/7th. but some questions that are, say "biochem" questions, its really also a path or micro question. path, pathophys, micro pharm and physio are the questions that many others really seem like.

[Chopdoc]

Yeah, it's funny, you'll be reading the question and think "I know that drug" or "I know that pathology" or "I know that mechanism" .......but that ain't what they ask you. :shock:

So read the last sentence of the question first, so you know what they are asking, then read the question.

Funny how different it can look when you know what they are looking for!

And don't look at the answers. The right one is there......but there are more wrong than right and some are simply "less correct". So come up with the answer before you look at the options they present.

Practice, and your answer will be there more often than not....then click and move.

Sometimes there will be something like 15 answer options! Trust me, if you find yourself reading all those answer without the express purpose of looking for the one you already came up with, you are in trouble. You will burn time, stress yourself, confuse yourself, and probably miss the quesion.

I had one that had a gazillion answer options, As well as the largest, most confusing set of graphs to go with it! I had to scroll around the screen like I was on mapquest just to see all of it. When I looked down there actually laughed out loud. I couldn't help myself. I really asked myself what flavor of crack the question writer was smoking.

The graph was useless, most are. My answer was there. Click and move.

Most pics and graphs are useless and the question can be answered without it.

[ms.99]

so when is a good time to take the exam in order to get an evenly distributed set of questions chopdoc? Do you mind sharing? :) thanks>!

[Tima]

ya, i would also like to know as well, please...i was planning to take it in dec and i have also heard that the test center in lansing, MI has a very high pass rate, any comments would be appreciated! thank u