Step 1 Study Experience

**dr.argus** · 21-08-2009, 07:05 PM

also check this MedArena

**jtlc2345** · 02-09-2009, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by asklepios

Thanks for the info on here, scottish chap! I find your method corresponds to what I've read on studentdoctor.net, so shall mimic such study techniques and resources.

I have a question for UK-trained folks, or those who know someone who trained here and then went to the US. At what point in your training did you find the USMLE Step 1 best to tackle? I'm just finishing my pre-clinical studies and thinking of going back to the US for residency. I've looked at some practice material for Step 1 and it looks way more detailed and involved than what I've learned thus far. I know that US students take the exam after the first 2 years.

I was thinking it might be good to wait until I have more clinical experience, like after my 4th year, or maybe after my 5th year exams (since I'll have to revise all of the years anyhow) and then come back to learn the more detailed pathophysiology and pharmacology, when I can tie them to concrete cases I've actually seen. What do you all think? What worked best for you? I've only talked to one person, an F2 doc who said she wishes she'd taken the exam right after learning all this stuff the first time.

Thanks!

Having just done Step 1 this summer, I think that you should definately wait until you have done at least some clinical medicine. There is no way that I would have known a lot of the questions (for example side effects of medication) without having seen them demonstrated in practice - although I still wish I'd done more revision!

Jonathan

**MedicMark?** · 29-09-2009, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by jtlc2345

Having just done Step 1 this summer, I think that you should definately wait until you have done at least some clinical medicine. There is no way that I would have known a lot of the questions (for example side effects of medication) without having seen them demonstrated in practice - although I still wish I'd done more revision!

Jonathan

I'd second this. I took step one a few weeks ago, so I don't yet know the result, but I would say that having a year of clinical behind me helped with lots of questions. 99% of the Qs are 2 step reasoning where they start with a barn door obvious scenario (eg "woman comes into A&E with scalp tenderness and jaw claudication") From this you are meant to get temporal arteritis without even thinking about it. Then the actual question will be something unpleasant like "what would you see if you viewed her blood film?" and you would need to know that she would have a raised ESR and therefore you;d see rouleaux formation blah blah blah

So the first of the 2 step reasoning process, I think, is easier if you've had a year or two of clinical medicine where those classic presentations are discussed and/or seen, rather than just memorised.

The downside of waiting until the clinical years is that you are still buried in the basic clinical sciences and your grades for clinical finals or other exams may suffer as a result. There's not an ideal solution but I suspect I would have found step 1 harder if I had done it before clinical med

**mark5** · 05-10-2009, 10:45 AM

Hi,

This is Mark. I'm happy to join this forum. I run a resourceful website for USMLE and ABSITE preparations at www.clinicalreview.com.And Im looking forward to be an active member in this forum.

Thanks,
Mark