Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs

Web Resources

Success Tips to USMLE Step 1

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you asking yourself, where do I start with this whole process of studying for USMLE Step 1? Take a deep breath…. Clear your mind…. Now let’s get started.

  1. Decide on what books you will be studying from early, not the week before you intend to start studying. Commit to these books. You will eventually want to sway and search for other study material, but this will slow you down.

    2. Sources recommended by third and fourth years:

    • Kaplan Lecture Notes
    • First Aid for the USMLE Step 1
    • High Yield Review Book Series
    • Board Review Series (BRS)
  2. Order Q-Bank by Kaplan. Many upperclassman say to do as many of these as you can. Also, there seemed to be questions on the actual Step 1 that were almost identical to Kaplan questions.
  3. Make your study schedule up in advance. Sites of good sample study schedules are in the spreadsheet attached. UPenn has study schedules that range in days and hours per day. Kim’s Personal Web site gives a good detailed way to look at organizing what to study. Whatever you do make sure you stick with it. Don’t fall into this pitfall of studying more of the subjects you are good at, than what you are weaker on. The key to Step 1 is to have knowledge of a wide range of subjects, not two-to-three very well.

    4. Schedule 10 to 12 hours a day to study time. Make it somewhat detailed. This way you know exactly what you will be studying that day. Put in a day or two for catch-up. Keep you weekends light or at least one day off. Schedule time to do Q-bank questions. Make sure you leave the last week of studying to go over First Aid inside and out. Try to plan ahead of time what you will study these last few days or else you may end up spending too much time on one area or too little on other areas. If you want, schedule a baseline practice Step 1 exam with Prometrics. The day before the exam, do your last minute studying, go to bed early, and relax. You’ve made it this far, you have to be doing something right.

  4. Find a place to study that you are comfortable with and work best. Get a study buddy, bring him or her with you. Maybe even plan your study schedule together, so later in the evening you can quiz each other.
  5. Remember now is not the time to go on a diet, break-up with your significant other, or start a relationship for that matter. If you are very attached to your family, think of this as a month’s vacation away, and let them know you will be out of touch or unavailable. If you exercise regularly, keep up with it, if you don’t you may want to do 20 minutes of exercise two-to-three times a week. In the grand scheme of things this is one month and one test, so focus, buckle down and study. You’ve worked this hard, a couple of more days will pay off.

Useful Web Sites

Remember, take a vacation afterwards. You deserve it! Good Luck!
Print Page

    ©2009 The Mount Sinai Medical Center