"usmlerock" wrote:
I just want to add a few thoughts since I have already recieved my score.
As you know, I got a 240/97. A good score that I am def. happy with. But there's always the thoughts that I could have done better.
If I could do it over I would use:

1) Kaplan lecture notes.
2) Rapid review for pathology by Edward Goljan
3) Qbank
4) NBME 1/2
5) Board Simulator Series
6) Qbook
7) Goljan audio
Cool Micro made ridiculously simple (helped me memorize the micro- my worst subject in med school)

The way I would study would be:

Read kaplan lecture notes 1X thru and work thru the books doing all the problems. Don't memorize yet, just read for complete understanding.

After each subject read the corresponding section in First Aid

After each subject do the Qs in Qbook. Qbook is easier than Qbank.

When doing path, you should read Goljan's book before going thru the audio. This will save you time when going thru the audio. I only got thru 12 lectures of audio but did remember about 5 Qs from them. I think if you have time, go thru the audio. If not, Rapid review is fine if your path foundation is strong.

Read thru kaplan notes again for the second time. Start memorizing. You never know when your going to run out of time and you won't see this material again. Don't forget to read the corresponding sections in First Aid after each read thru the kaplan notes.

Start Qbank. Do them subject wise after you finish each subject. I did subject wise cuz my personality can't handle sporadic randomness. I trip out. If you want to do the entire Qbank in a week randomly, go for it.
but after your 3rd revision of the subjects, you should be done with Qbank.

Take nbme 1 some time like 2 weeks before your exam. If you like your score....your final prep days are coming up. If you don't like your score, your going to need to repeat the above process again. Since you've already done qbank, your going to need to do another Q source. I suggest BSS or USMLE rapid review Qs. NMS is also okay.

Read thru the notes again a third time or possibly your 4th time. Do BSS Qs. Read corresponding sections in FA before or after you read the section in kaplan or for goljan in path.

Do NBME 2.
and take the exam.

Basically the point is, do as many revisions as you can using kaplan and goljan for path. Use Goljan audio if you want but start early or you won't finish it b/c of time constraint (like me). Read FA as you go thru the kaplan books. Don't put FA off, or you won't use it (like me)
You should do Qs towards the end of your prep. Like in the last 2 months.
Use qbook first, the Qs are easier, than use Qbank, and when these two sources are done, than use BSS or whatever Qs you like.
Do nbme to gage where you are at, during the final 2 weeks of prep. Do not care about what you are scoring on any of these Qs except for NBME. NBME is the only legit correlation. Do the nbme in the timed mode and pretend its the real exam, your score will hover close to the nbme score.

I did about 3-4 revisions for most subjects. but anatomy and physio I only did 2X and a real shady 3rd time using just jotted down notes. For path, micro, and pharm I did like 4-6 revisions. Had I done five revisions for all the subjects and did not neglect embryo and histology (which I really didn't study) I didn't even do any practice Qs thu out my prep for anatomy. I basically sacraficed the entire subject by just reading thru HY gross and neuro a couple of times. Had I just stuck to the above plan, I'm sure I would have gotten the 99.
I wish someone would of told me this earlier before I started my prep. I would have saved about 2-3 weeks of prep time.

Good luck to you all who are taking this exam!!!
BErk

I just want to add a few thoughts since I have already recieved my score.
As you know, I got a 240/97. A good score that I am def. happy with. But there's always the thoughts that I could have done better.
If I could do it over I would use:

1) Kaplan lecture notes.
2) Rapid review for pathology by Edward Goljan
3) Qbank
4) NBME 1/2
5) Board Simulator Series
6) Qbook
7) Goljan audio
Cool Micro made ridiculously simple (helped me memorize the micro- my worst subject in med school)

The way I would study would be:

Read kaplan lecture notes 1X thru and work thru the books doing all the problems. Don't memorize yet, just read for complete understanding.

After each subject read the corresponding section in First Aid

After each subject do the Qs in Qbook. Qbook is easier than Qbank.

When doing path, you should read Goljan's book before going thru the audio. This will save you time when going thru the audio. I only got thru 12 lectures of audio but did remember about 5 Qs from them. I think if you have time, go thru the audio. If not, Rapid review is fine if your path foundation is strong.

Read thru kaplan notes again for the second time. Start memorizing. You never know when your going to run out of time and you won't see this material again. Don't forget to read the corresponding sections in First Aid after each read thru the kaplan notes.

Start Qbank. Do them subject wise after you finish each subject. I did subject wise cuz my personality can't handle sporadic randomness. I trip out. If you want to do the entire Qbank in a week randomly, go for it.
but after your 3rd revision of the subjects, you should be done with Qbank.

Take nbme 1 some time like 2 weeks before your exam. If you like your score....your final prep days are coming up. If you don't like your score, your going to need to repeat the above process again. Since you've already done qbank, your going to need to do another Q source. I suggest BSS or USMLE rapid review Qs. NMS is also okay.

Read thru the notes again a third time or possibly your 4th time. Do BSS Qs. Read corresponding sections in FA before or after you read the section in kaplan or for goljan in path.

Do NBME 2.
and take the exam.

Basically the point is, do as many revisions as you can using kaplan and goljan for path. Use Goljan audio if you want but start early or you won't finish it b/c of time constraint (like me). Read FA as you go thru the kaplan books. Don't put FA off, or you won't use it (like me)
You should do Qs towards the end of your prep. Like in the last 2 months.
Use qbook first, the Qs are easier, than use Qbank, and when these two sources are done, than use BSS or whatever Qs you like.
Do nbme to gage where you are at, during the final 2 weeks of prep. Do not care about what you are scoring on any of these Qs except for NBME. NBME is the only legit correlation. Do the nbme in the timed mode and pretend its the real exam, your score will hover close to the nbme score.

I did about 3-4 revisions for most subjects. but anatomy and physio I only did 2X and a real shady 3rd time using just jotted down notes. For path, micro, and pharm I did like 4-6 revisions. Had I done five revisions for all the subjects and did not neglect embryo and histology (which I really didn't study) I didn't even do any practice Qs thu out my prep for anatomy. I basically sacraficed the entire subject by just reading thru HY gross and neuro a couple of times. Had I just stuck to the above plan, I'm sure I would have gotten the 99.
I wish someone would of told me this earlier before I started my prep. I would have saved about 2-3 weeks of prep time.

Good luck to you all who are taking this exam!!!
BErk