Monday, April 27, 2015

Changes Coming to the MCAT

For those of you considering applying to medical school, the MCAT is about to be revised for the first time in 25 years. Per the Wall Street Journal:
The 8,200 aspiring doctors expected to take the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, this week will find a very different exam than their predecessors took. 
The new test, the first major revision in 25 years, is longer (by 3 hours), broader (covering four more subjects), and more interdisciplinary than past versions. Throughout, students will need to demonstrate not just what they know, but how well they can apply it, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, which develops and administers the MCAT. 
The changes are designed in part to mirror the evolution of health-care delivery and even the nature of illness, the AAMC says.
 Regardless of the changes, the same keys to succeeding as an applicant will apply: strong grades, competitive MCAT scores, well-rounded extracurriculars, outstanding recommendation letters, and a promising interview. Speaking of scoring well:

 

Additionally, the QBanks are essential for practicing test questions, because you will perform as you practice. Want to know how you might perform? Check out Kaplan's FREE MCAT practice test today! - Good luck!

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

USMLE Step 1 Study Schedule

While I have previously posted about USMLE Step 1 study techniques, tips, and strategies before, I think many people have concerns about how to study for the test, specifically what study schedule they should use. How many hours per day? Days per week? Weeks before the exam? While it would be nice if there were a one-size-fits-all answer, the reality is that everyone studies in a different manner. Therefore, I thought it would be helpful if I focused a bit more on different types of study schedules out there. Many of these schedules are pulled from various sites around the web (see References below) but I thought it would be useful to collect them in one post about USMLE Step 1 study schedules.

Before getting to the schedules themselves, the main tools these schedules rely on are:

First Aid for the USMLE Step 1


Kaplan USMLE Step 1 Qbank (or USMLE World, etc)

Prep for the USMLE with Kaplan Medical! Enroll Today 

Subject-Specific Books as needed


The Four Week USMLE Step 1 Study Schedule
This schedule is a bit aggressive, but if you are in a bind, at least it gives you some framework for how you could study for the exam.






Morning (9-12 AM)

Afternoon (1-4 PM)

Evening (7-11 PM)

Day 1: Mon

Biochem/Genetics

QBank

Day 2: Tues

Pulm:Embryo, Anat, Phys

Pulm: Path, Pharm

Pulm: Micro


Day 3: Wed

Cardio: Embryo, Anat

Cardio: Phys

Cardio: Micro

Day 4: Thurs

Cardio: Path

Cardio: Pharm

QBank

Day 5: Fri

GI: Embryo, Anat, Histo

GI: Phys

GI: Micro

Day 6: Sat

GI: Path

GI: Pharm

QBank

Day 7: Sun

Catch up/Review/Break

Day 8: Mon

GU: Embryo, Anat

Male repro: Phys, Path

GU: Micro


Day 9: Tues

Endocrine & Female Repro: Phys

QBank

Day 10: Wed

Endocrine & Female Repro: Path, Pharm

QBank

Day 11: Thurs

Renal: Embryo, Anat

Renal: Phys

QBank

Day 12: Fri

Renal: Path

Renal: Pharm

QBank

Day 13: Sat

Early embryology, branchial arches, basic histo

QBank

Day 14: Sun

Catch up/Review/Break

Day 15: Mon

Path: apoptosis, neoplasia

Oncology: Path, Pharm

QBank

Day 16: Tues

Heme: Histo/Phys

Heme: Path

QBank

Day 17: Wed

Immunology

Immuno Pharm

HIV: Micro, Pharm

Day 18: Thurs

Rheumatology: Path

MSK/Derm: Path

MSK/Derm: Micro

Day 19: Fri

Behavioral Science

Day 20: Sat

Practice Exam, Kaplan

Break

Day 21: Sun

Catch up/Review/Break

Day 22: Mon

Neuro: Embryo, Anat

Neuro: Phys

Neuro: Micro

Day 23: Tues

Neuro: Path

Neuro: Pharm

QBank

Day 24: Wed

Micro Review

Day 25: Thurs

Pharm Review

Day 26: Fri

Review First Aid/QBank & QBook Practice Questions

Day 27: Sat

Review First Aid/QBank & QBook Practice Questions

Day 28: Sun

Review First Aid/QBank & QBook Practice Questions

Day 29: Mon

USMLE Released Items

Break

Day 30: Tues

Take the boards

Celebrate!


The Six Week USMLE Step 1 Study Schedule
This schedule is more manageable. I imagine most medical students will conform to a schedule of roughly this length. Although, given how some schools cram MS2 finals very near Step 1 exams, you may want to consider the 4 week schedule if needed. 





Morning (9-12 AM)

Afternoon (1-4 PM)

Evening (7- PM)

Day 1: Mon

First Aid Introduction + NBME Exam

Anatomy
Behavioral Sciences

Day 2: Tues

First Aid Microbio

First Aid Microbio

First Aid Physiology


Day 3: Wed

First Aid Pharm

First Aid Pharm

First Aid Pharm

Day 4: Thurs




Day 5: Fri




Day 6: Sat

Anatomy: Spinal Cord, Pelvis



Day 7: Sun

Catch up/Review/Break

Day 8: Mon

Anat: Extremities

Anat: Head & Neck

GU: Micro


Day 9: Tues

Endocrine & Female Repro: Phys


Day 10: Wed

Endocrine & Female Repro: Path, Pharm


Day 11: Thurs

Renal: Embryo, Anat

Renal: Phys


Day 12: Fri


Renal: Pharm


Day 13: Sat

Early embryology, branchial arches, basic histo


Day 14: Sun

Catch up/Review/Break

Day 15: Mon

Path: apoptosis, neoplasia

Oncology: Path, Pharm


Day 16: Tues

Heme: Histo/Phys

Heme: Path


Day 17: Wed

Immunology

Immuno Pharm

HIV: Micro, Pharm

Day 18: Thurs

Rheumatology: Path

MSK/Derm: Path

MSK/Derm: Micro

Day 19: Fri

Behavioral Science

Day 20: Sat

Practice Exam, Kaplan Qbank

Break

Day 21: Sun

Catch up/Review/Break

Day 22: Mon

Neuro: Embryo, Anat

Neuro: Phys

Neuro: Micro

Day 23: Tues

Neuro: Path

Neuro: Pharm


Day 24: Wed

Micro Review

Day 25: Thurs

Pharm Review

Day 26: Fri

Review First Aid/Kaplan Qbank & QBook Practice Questions

Day 27: Sat

Review First Aid/Kaplan Qbank & QBook Practice Questions

Day 28: Sun

Review First Aid/Kaplan Qbank & QBook Practice Questions

Day 29: Mon

USMLE Released Items

Break

Day 30: Tues

Take the boards

Celebrate!


There are eight week schedules floating around out there as well, but essentially the two above comprise the major approaches. If you have more time, simply do more practice questions. However, realize that there are diminishing returns if you extend your study period too long: by the end, you start to forget what you learned at the beginning! Plus, study fatigue starts to set in. Anyway, if you are taking the USMLE this year, good luck!



References:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=108020
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/attachment.php?s=282accf7bef0af86f814357dfea27d12&attachmentid=4810&d=1112967292
http://www.cramfighter.com/

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