First Aid for the USMLE

Pathology goljan/BRS
Clinical microbiology made rediculously simple
NMS Review for the USMLE Step 1

BRS Physio

Conrad Fischer BS

Now the scedule ...

Week No.1 (Promotor Gene Activated!)

Get your materials. But leave the online subscription for now.
Register with ECFMG if you have not done so.
Do not plan for anything within the next 30 weeks. Your time should be totally devoted for
Step 1 prep.
During this week, talk to your family and friends and tell them that you are about to embark
on the most important step in your career life. Make arrangement on the study location
such as your home or a nearby library. The location must be a quiet place and Internet
connection and a computer is needed.
Also talk yourself and perhaps in front of a mirror; Tell yourself that you are going to ace
this exam and convince yourself you are able to do it and nothing will stop you.
Your aim should be 99 and nothing but 99. You have to believe that any score below 99 is a
complete failure.

Week No. 2 and 3 (Anatomy)

Grab your Kaplan Anatomy Book and start reading. Quick reading first then watch DVD and
write notes as you watch and then a third reading to fixate the information. Do the
questions at the end of chapters.
The reason why I gave two weeks for Kaplan Anatomy is that in the beginning your will be
pacing slow and you need sometime before you can pick up on your maximum potential and
speed.
When you finish the Kaplan Book. Go and open First Aid. In the undercover against the first
page there's a table that show's you where Anatomy is mentioned.
Read all the Anatomy notes in FA and add to them notes from what you have read in
Kaplan. (if there's no space put your small sticky and yellow paper notes). Try to write
notes in different colors and make your hand writing small to optimize space.
It's important to understand at this point is that whatever you read in Kaplan Notes you'll
not go back to it. FA is your final resource and it's the FA page that should be imprinted in
your visual memory before the exam. So take care of your FA book and write your notes
neatly.
Once you are finished with FA-Anatomy. Grab your Kaplan Qbook. Do the two chapters
dedicated to Anatomy. This will help consolidate the matter even more.
Week No. 3, 4, and 5 (Physiology)
Exactly like what we have done with Anatomy but instead of the Kaplan Notes we this time
read BRS Physiology. Similarly follow that by incorporating your BRS notes into FA and then
do the physiology chapters from Kaplan Qbook.
In my opinion BRS physiology is way better than Kaplan Physiology book. It presents the
facts in a very readable way and it's highly exam focused.

Week No. 6, 7, and 8 (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Genetics)

Follow the same Anatomy scheme. Kaplan notes + DVDs, FA, Kaplan Qbook (biochem
questions only).

Week 9 (Kaplan Qbank)

Start your Kaplan Qbank three months subscription. Do 5 blocks of
(Anatomy+Physiology+Biochemistry). Each block is a combination of the three and not one
block anatomy one block physio ...etc. If you notice new information in the Kaplan Qbank
that you did not read before then add them in small notes to your FA book.

Week No. 10 and 12 (Microbiology & Immunology)

Follow the same Anatomy scheme. The only omission here is the DVDs, you don't need to
watch Kaplan microbiology lectures. The book is more than enough and no need for the
lectures.

Week No. 13, 14, and 15 (Pathology)

Follow the same scheme but instead of Kaplan's Pathology book we use Goljan Rapid
Review book. Listening to Goljan audio lectures is an option but not mandatory. Remember,
incorporate your notes into FA and do Kaplan Qbook's (5 pathophysiology chapters).

Week 16 (Kaplan Qbank)

Just like what we have done in week 9 but this time your blocks are (Microbiology and
Pathophysiology only) Do 10 blocks in these two weeks. Whenever, you see something that
you have forgotten, go back to your FA and retain the info more in your brain.

Week No. 17, and 18 (Pharmacology)

Follow the same Anatomy scheme.

Week No. 19 (Behavioral Sciences)

Again, the same thing. But also in addition to the Kaplan Behavioral sciences book read
Conrad Fischer Book. It will not take more than one day to read. Don't memorize anything,
just read it as a nice story. Ethics questions are the biggest reason why IMGs fall behind
their fellow AMGs.

Week No. 20, 21, 22 (Kaplan Qbank)

Do 30 blocks (Random all topics and unanswered questions). Two blocks each day.
Reviewing FA whenever you think it's needed. Your target is to finish Kaplan 2500 questions
before the end of your three months subscriptions that you started in week 9. Do not worry
if you are left with a couple of hundreds of questions that you did not answer, leave them
and do not extend your subscription.
Your Kaplan Qbank score is not important do not let it bother you.
Do not do Kaplan simulation test. We don't have time for it.

Week No. 23, 24, 25, 26 (USMLEWorld)

Start your two months UW subscription. Do two 46 questions block each day. Again going
back to FA whenever you feel it's needed. You score should be above 67%. Do random
blocks always.

Week No. 37 and 28 (USMLEWorld)

Do the wrongly answered UW questions. Look back to FA always.

Week No. 29 (NBME)

Do NBME Form 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7. Look back into FA always. If your NBME score prediction is
not telling you 99 then you have to stop and think seriously to extend your reading for
another one or two months. The reason why I chose to do more than one NBME form is that
the questions are very exam styled and it will get you ready. Each NBME is a four blocks
exam. Do them in one sitting without interruptions. This is kins of warming up for the big
day.

Week No. 30 (Final Week)

Push all the books and materials aside and grab your FA. Kiss it if you want. Keep looking at
FA throughout this week. Do not go back to any other book (important). Do not go back to
UW or Kaplan Qbank.

Last Day
Do not read, Do not read, Do not read.
Spend time with family and friends, Pray if this soothing for you, Go for a walk or a swim,
Watch a movie, ....etc.
Get your scheduling permit and photo ID ready for tomorrow. Make sure you know your
way to the exam.

Good luck for everyone