15

USMLE/COMLEXStep1Plan

TableofContents

BasicTimelinePage
2
ReviewBooksandotherStudyMaterials..Page
3
QuestionSourcesPage
4
BasicSciencesPage
5
Systems...Page
6
Last2Weeks..Page
7
COMLEXspecificInfoPage
10
GeneralPointers...Page
10
QuestionAnsweringAdvice.Page
10
WeekBefore,DayBefore,DayofAdvice...Page
11
FAQs...Page
12

15

________________________________________________________________________

BasicTimeline:

Firstrunthrough:(75:25study:Qs)*
1)

ConsolidateallbooksintoFA(exceptGoljansRapidReviewPathandHYMolecular
willbeusedthroughoutandinfull)
2)ListentocorrespondingGoljanaudioduringappropriatesubject/system
3)Paperquestionsourcesdirectlybysubjectafterstudyingeachsubject(asspecificas
possible..iecardiopath,cardiophys,cardiacpharm...allindividually)
4)Studyforunderstanding,iedonttrytomemorizeallthedetailsyet
5)TakeNBME4

Secondrunthrough:(50:50study:Qs)*
1)StudyinfullsystemsusingonlyFAw/allannotations,GoljanRR,HYMolec
nd
2)ListentocorrespondingGoljanaudioduringappropriatesubject/systemfor2
time
3)50UsmleWorldquestionseverymorninginrandomandtimedblocksof50
5)TakeNBME2
6)Memorizemoreandmoredetailbeyondjustunderstanding

Thirdrunthrough:(25:75study:Qs)*
1)FA,Goljan,HYmoleconly
2)100UsmleWorldquestions(asabove)
3)TakeNBME3
4)Everythingshouldbefullymemorizedbynow

Lasttwoweeksandfinal3days:
detailsbelow

*the%study:Qs
reflectstheamountoftimeperdaythatshouldbespentoneach,with
theamountoftimespentdoingquestionsprogressingupasyoumovealongthrougheach
runthroughtheinformationandthetimespentstudyingmaterialgoingdown

15

ReviewBooksandOtherMaterials:
*Usingebay,half.com,amazon,etcforusedcopieswillsavetonsof$$

FirstAid(mostcurrenteditioncomesouteachDecember)
therearemistakesinthisbookeverysingleyear,herearethe2007errata:
http://usmlerx.wordpress.com/2007/04/09/updatesandcorrectionsto2007first
aidfortheusmlestep1/

RapidReviewPathology(byGoljan)
therewereseveralreportederrorsinthefirstprintingofthisbook,sobesureto
checkoutDr.Goljansofficialerratapageat:
http://www.healthsciences.okstate.edu/college/biomedical/pathology/goljan.cfm

RapidReviewBiochem
waymoresuccinctandclinicalthenLippincottandcoauthoredbyGoljan
*Alternatively:theKaplanBiochembookbyHansenisexcellentandbyfarthe
bestoftheKaplanseries....ifyoucangetitcheaply.doit

Goljanaudioandslides(availableinbootlegonly)

HighYieldBehavioralScience

HighYieldNeuro(somesectionsaretoodetailed,butbasicsandpicsaregood)

HighYieldCellandMolecular(1999editionnewonehaswaytoomuchdetail)

LangeReviewofMedicalMicroandImmunobyLevinson
onlyforImmunosection,whichis~90pages

MicroMadeRidiculouslySimple(edition3isfine)

SavareseOMTReview(forDOstudentsonly)

15

BRSPhysiology

QuestionSources:

Referenceand/orwriteincorrectanswersoranythingyouwereevenremotelyunsure
of
FAtoreviewtheconceptagainlater

usequestionsprimarilyasalearningtoolanddontworryaboutyour%tilnearthetest

Books:

RobbinsReviewofPath

Savarese(OMM)

KaplanQbook
thiswillsoundoddbutitswellworthit:thebookissubjectbased(iepath,phys,
micro,etcsotakeanhourorsotogothroughthisbookandmarkwhichsystemeach
questionfitsintowithineachsubject(ieunderPathmarkalltherenalqs,lungqs,etc.)
Readingthelastlineandanswerchoicesmakesitprettyquick&easytodo.Thiswillbe
worthitwhenyouneedsystemspecificqsduringyourfirstrunthrough.

ComputerBased:

UsmleWorld(~2000q)

Webprep:http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/EXAM/EXAMIDX.html

*purposefullynotusingKaplansQBankasmostquestionsdonotrepresentthecurrent
styleontheexam,aretoominutiabasedanditiswayoverpriced.Youwillstillgetthe
benefitsofKaplanforunder$40w/Qbook.
________________________________________________________________________

15

______________________________________________________
BasicSciences:
*doinorderofyourweakest
strongestsubjects
*
inthefollowingsectionsmeanstoannotatefromonetotheotherforclarifications

Biochem
:

RapidReview(orKaplan)
FA(useonlytoclarifytopicsinFirstAiddontadd
topics)

Goljan
:Ch1cellinjury,Ch7NutritionalDisorders,anyotherrelevantplacesw/
biochem(ieanemia,diabetes)

FAPathIntro

MolecBio/Genetics:

HY(FAisNOTenoughinthissubject)

Goljan
:Ch5GeneticDisorders,Ch8Neoplasia

FAPathIntro

PharmacodynamicsandPhysioIntros:

FA(justpharmacodynamicsandautonomicsatthistime)

Goljan
:Ch6EnvironmentalPath

BRSPhysCh.1andautonomicsinCh.2

Immunology
:

Levinson
FA

Goljan
:Ch2inflammationandrepair,Ch3immunopathology

MicroPrinciplesandMicroPharm:

CMMRS
FA
majorsystemspecificbugswillberevisitedduringtheirrespectivesystems,ie
hepatitisandcausesofdiarrheaw/GI,pneumoniaw/Pulm,meningitisw/Neuro,etc

15

Anatomy(Musculoskeletal):

FAonly

Embryo:

FAonly

Behavoral:

HY
FA
(clarifyingonly..dontaddmuchalsoknowequationswell)

**
pyschw/neurolater(onlyresearch,stats,patientcarestuffnow)

FullSystems
*
Orderineachsystem:anatomy
physio
micro
path
pharm(addotherswhere
neededorspecifiedbyFA)

Heme/Onc:

Goljan:
Ch.1115

Cardio
:

Goljan
:Ch4fluids(onlyedematoend),Ch9VascularDz,Ch10,HeartDz

BRSPhys:Ch3cardio

Renal
:

Goljan
:Ch4fluids(beginningtoedema),Ch19Kidneydisorders

BRSphys:Ch5renalandacid/base

Respiratory:

Goljan
:Ch16upperandlowerrespiratory

BRSPhys:Ch4respiratory

GI
:

Goljan
:Ch17GI,Ch18hepatobiliary

BRSPhys:ch6

15

Reproductive
:

Goljan
:Ch20maleandlowerGU,21female

BRSPhys:ch7endocrine(onlyrelevantsections)

Endocrine:

Goljan
:Ch22endocrine

BRSPhys:ch7endocrine

Skin:

Goljan
:ch24andtheonepageintheMSKchapterofFA

Musculskeletal&ConnectiveTissue:

Goljan
:Ch23mskdisorders

Neuro:

Goljan
:ch25nervoussystem

HY
Neuro
FA(dontaddmuch,justexplainwell.alsoRadiologyinHYisuseful)

BRSphys:Ch2neurophys
Pysch:

HYBehavioral
FAPysch

Thelast2weeks

AM:
100UWQuestions,inrandom/timedblocksof50,thengo
overallexplanationsinfull

PM
:
6hoursofstudyingasdividedbelow
getthrougheverythingin10Days
final3dayplanattheend

1a4hours
Biochem
:

FA

Goljan
:Ch1cellinjury,Ch7NutritionalDisorders

FAPathIntro

1b2hours
Behavoral(allexceptPysch):

15

FA

2a6hours
MolecBio:

HY

FA

Goljan
:Ch5GeneticDisorders,Ch8Neoplasia

FAPathIntro

3a2hours
PharmacodynamicsandAutonomicPharm:

FApharmsection

Goljan
:Ch6EnvironmentalPath

3b4hours

Immunology
:

FA

Goljan
:Ch2inflammationandrepair,Ch3immunopathology

aidspharm

immunopharminmsksectionofFA

4a4hours
MicroPrinciplesandMicroPharm:

FA

FullSystems

4b2hours&5a2hours
Heme/Onc:

Goljan:
Ch.1115

FA

5b4hours
Cardio
:

Goljan
:Ch4fluids(onlyedematoend),Ch9VascularDz,Ch10,HeartDz
FA

6a4hours
Renal
:

Goljan
:Ch4fluids(beginningtoedema),Ch19Kidneydisorders

15

FA

6b2hours&7a2hours
Respiratory:

Goljan
:Ch16upperandlowerrespiratory
FA,Bugs

7b4hours
GI
:

Goljan
:Ch17GI,Ch18hepatobiliary
FA,Bugs(diarrhea,hep,worms)

8a3hours
Reproductive
:

Goljan
:Ch20maleandlowerGU,21female
FA,UTI/STDbugs

8b3hours
Endocrine:

Goljan
:Ch22endocrine
FA

9a5hours
Musculskeletal&Skin&Anat:

Goljan
:Ch23mskdisorders
FAMSKanatomy(inneurosection)

Goljan
:ch24skin

lookatsomeGI/thoracicCTs

9b1hour
Embryo:

FA

10a4hours
Neuro:

Goljan
:ch25nervoussystem

FA,bugs

RadiologyinHY/online

10b2hours
Pysch:

15

FA(someinbehavsectiontoo)

rd
3
tolastDay
ofmargin(blue)notesinRRPath&slides
crammablefactsinimmuno(CDmarkers,etc)
allofBiochem

nd
2
tolastDay
ofmargin(blue)notesinRRPath&slides
molec&geneticsinfull
allofpharmgothroughallsystemsinFA
somebehavioral/biostats(nonpysch)quicklyreviewhighyieldareas

Lastday
FAHYsection(atendofbook)&Pics
formulasandlabvaluesonelasttime
pharmsidesinFA(those2pagesintheintrotopharmsection)
NOHEAVYSTUDYING

OverallStudyingAdviceandBoardsInfo:

COMLEXspecificinfo
:

BetweenUSMLEandCOMLEX:Savarese&BugsnDrugs

Moreof:Micro,Pharm,OMM,ExtremityAnatomy,Neuro

Lessof(butnotnonexistant):Biochem,Molecular,Genetics,Biostats

15

GeneralPointers:

knowthemeaningofallbuzzwords(wontseetheactualwordoften)

knowallcharts/graphs/diagramsinFAinsideandout
willbetestedabstractly

startwithweakestsubjects

onlyknowequationsinFA

memorizealllabvalues(FAhasalistofmostcommonlyused)

learnTutorialonusmle.organdlocationofallbuttons,labs,etc

alwayskeepscheduledbreaksduringstudying

studylikeajob,clockin,clockout,whenyouredoneforthesessionyouredone

NBMEsmuststartwithin30daysofregisteringandhave20daystocompleteonce
startthem45$eachonnbme.orgbuyinuntimedmodesoyoucanreviewand
studyfromquestions(answersandexplanationsarenotgiven)

Questionansweringadvice

st
*w/alongpassage,readthelastline1
thenalwaysreadfrombeginningandinfull
*practicedoingqsin1minute
*~45secondsreadQ,~15secsanswer
*onlyreadquestiononce
*alwaysparaphraseaftereachsentenceinQ
*dontlookatanswerstilhavereadentirepassageandthoughtofanswer
*ifyouthinkyouretakingtoolongonaQ,youare.guess,markitandmoveon
*neverchangeanswersonanythingexceptmarkedqs
*onlycheckanswersofquestionsmarkedforreview
*ifyouthinkyouknowanswer,butnot100%,putitandmoveon,notimetobe100%
*StepsofansweringaQ:
1.ReadQandparaphraseaftereachsentence
2.Paraphraseentirequestionandthinkoftheanswerw/olookingatanswers
3.Selectyouranswerandquicklymakesureitsthebestanswer
4.Ifdidntgetansweryet,eliminateanswersandnarrowdownto23thenguess
5.Ifcouldntnarrowdown,selectfavoriteletterthenguess
donotrereadthequestionb/wanyofthesestepsthereisnotime

WeekBeforeTest:

*NOnewmaterial
*sleeponasetschedulethatwillbethesameastestday,nonaps
*reviewthetutorial(youcandownloadthesoftwareonusmle.org)

15

*callprometrictoconfirmtime/date

DayBefore:

Relax,workout,watchamovie,etc.nothingstressful..youwouldntrunapractice
marathonthedaybeforetherealrace..sorestyourbrain

TestDayAdvice

*
onlymarkafewQspersectionforreviewandmark#sonwhiteboard
*duringbreaksclearyourhead,dontthinkabouttestorpreviousqs
*NeverpressAlt+Control+Delete
*Youcanhighlightand/orstrikeoutinformationintheQandanswers
*labvaluesarecategorized,butstillmemorizebefore
*computershortcuts:EnterorSpacebar=nextquestion,Escape=closeslabsorother
popupboxes,AltT=showstimers
*Thereisnowarningaboutgoingoveryourbreaktimeonthescreen,youhavetokeep
trackofyourbreakyourself
*Passingisusuallyaround6070%correct
*nodigitalwatches,analogonly
*takea30secondbreatheratyourseatduringablockinyourereallystressed.

ScoreReport:

36weeksforscorereport,alwayscomesonaWednesday

FAQs

QsthatIhavebeenaskedabouttheguide:

Q1)
HowdoyouphysicallyconsolidateeverythingintoFirstAidwithoutthepages
becomingunreadablewithlittlescribbledwritings?Also,doyoumeanyouusedFA

15

mainlyandreferredtosometextbooksasyouwentthroughtopicsintheFA?

A1)
Ifoundthatagoodwaytogetallofmyclarifications/info/goodcharts/etcintoFA
wastogetthebookbindingcutoffandhaveit3holepunched(5$atkinkos)andputitin
abinder.Thiswayyoucanaddlooseleafandwhateverotherpagesyouwantandtruly
haveeverythingconsolidatedintooneplaceafteryourfirstrunthroughoftheinfo
(exceptRRpathandHYmolec).

ThatsbasicallywhatIdidandwhatmyplansoutlineshowtodo.Theareaswheremore
infoisneededbeyondwhatsinFAareindicatedinmyplan.Thegoalistouseother
sourcestohelpyoucompletelyunderstandeverythinginFA,downtoalltheimplications
ofallthelittledetailsinit.
________________________________________________________________________
Q2)
Howlongdidittakeyoutogetthrougheachrunthrough?

A2)
Itsreallyanindividualthinganddependsonhowmuchtimeyouhavetostudy.The
firstrunthroughshouldtakeasmuchtimeasyouneedtomakesureyoucompletely
UNDERSTAND(notnecessarilymemorize)everything.Mostbasicsciencestookme
around47daysandmostsystemswereb/w35days.Whenyou'redonew/thisyouneed
totakealookathowmuchtimeyouhaveleftandhowmanydaysyouthinkyou
realisticallyneedtogetthrougheachsubjectthenexttimearound.Pulloutacalendarand
mapthisoutwhilemakingsureyouleavearound2weeksattheendforthefinalreview.

ThisiswhatIdid,butittotallydependsonhowmuchtimeyouhaveoverallandhow
muchyouneedforindividualsubjects.

Iknowthiswasn'taconcreteanswer,butboardsstudyingisaveryindividualthingand
onlyyouknowhowmuchtimeyouneedforcertaintopics(whichisalsowhyIwouldn't
rec.takingareviewcourse)

Q3)
Idonotfullyunderstandyour3prongplan.Sointhefirstrunthrough:(75:25
study:Qs),itsherethatIamconsolidatingallmyinfoinfirstaid,butdoesthatmeanthe
basicsciencerunANDthesystems?Imaskingbecauseinyourplan,youseparated
BASICSCIENCEandSYSTEMSsoshouldIgothroughBOTHinthefirstrun?

IfyesthenwhatamIsupposedtodointhe2ndrun?Justgothroughbasicsciencesand
systemsagain?

nd
A3)
Bothsystemsandbasicsciencesareinthe1strunthrough.....thenduringthe2
and
3rdtimeyougothroughEVERYTHINGagain.Theonlydifferenceisduringthe2nd
timethroughyouaredoneconsolidatingintoFAandaredoingmorequestions.During
the3rdtimeyouarespendingmostofyourdaydoingquestionsbutyouarestillgoing

15

throughalloftheinfo.

________________________________________________________________________
Q4)
Doyouhaveanysuggestionsonhowtobestannotatefromthevariousreview
bookstoFA?

A4)
Ifounditveryefficientandbeneficialtodothefollowing:
1.QuicklyflipthroughtheFAchapterthatyouareabouttostudytobasicallyjustsee
whatsinitandhowitsorganized.
2.Openupyourotherreviewbookforthatsubjectandreadashortsection(ieafew
paragraphsorpages.
3.GobacktoFAandfindthesmallsectionthatcorrespondstowhatyoujustreadin
yourreviewbook(usuallyjustasmallportionof1pageorso)andmakenotestofurther
explain/clarifywhatsinFA.Iindicatedinmyplanwhereyouwillneedtoaddinfoto
nd
rd
FAvs.justclarifyit.Thisway,duringyour2
and3
runsthroughyouwillbeableto
easilystreamlineyourstudyingtowardswhatsimportantandwillfullyunderstandevery
detailinFA.
4.RinseandrepeatuntilyouarefinishedwiththereviewbookandsectioninFA.
5.Younowneverneedtoopenthatreviewbookagain(exceptforRRPathandHY
CMB)afterthe1strunthrough.

________________________________________________________________________
Q5)
Ifyou'replanwasover2.53monthsthenhowlongdidyoutakeforeachrealrun
through?Ifeachrunthrough=25daysX3=75days=~2.5months+2weeksforthe
crunch=~3monthstotal,doesthatsoundright?Ireallyliketheideaofmultiplereviews
ofthetopics,asI'mjustnotoneofthosepeoplethatcanseesomethingforonedayofmy
prepandrememberitfor5weeksuntilthetest.

A5)
Asforhowlongtospendoneachrunthrougheachoneshouldtakelessthenthe
onethatprecededit.Asforexactlyhowlongitsreallygottabeanindividualthing.
Sometopicsonthefirstrunthroughtookmeaweek...some2days.

________________________________________________________________________
Q6)
HowlongdidittakeyoutogetthroughthebluemarginnotesinRRandareyou
happyyoudidit?Imtryingtodecidebetweenbluemarginsand36pggoljanhighyield
formylastfewdaysofstudying.

A6)
Idecidedtousethemarginnotesoverthe36pgHYmainlyb/cIhadreadthemargin
notesseveraltimesasIwentthroughthemaintextofRR,soIknewIwouldn'tbeseeing
anynew/foreigninfoduringthefinaldaysofstudying.Beingfamiliarw/theformatalso
allowedmetogothroughitreallyfast(~2hours).Ihadpreviouslyrandomlyflipped
throughthe36pgHYanddidn'tseeanyinfothatwasn'tinthemarginnotes(ormain
text)andthoughttheformatwouldbetoocumbersometogetthroughquickly.Wasit
worthit?Imnotsureifitaddedmanypointstomyscore,butitwasnicetohavethe

15

meatofthetestveryfreshinmymind

________________________________________________________________________
Q7)
InyourplanyoumentionFApathintro,whatdoyoumeanbythat?IhaveFA2006
rightnow(annotatedwithextrapagesandallerratafixed,soIdon'twanttoupgradeto
2007).Ispathintrointhe2007edition?

A7)
Idon'tthinktheseparatepathintroisinthe06version,butallthatinfoshouldstill
beinthebookw/otherchapterssomewhere...itsallthebasicsofinflammation/cell
injury/neoplasia/etc
________________________________________________________________________
Q8)
RegardingRRPathology:Ireadthroughitoncealreadyandlikeditalot.
ImnotsureifIllbeabletoworkthroughFA,100QseachdayANDthewholeRR
Pathologyagain.Cangivemesomeadvicehowtodividemytimeappropriatelyandalso
suggestwhatthehighyield,mustreadportionsofRRare?

A8)
Iwouldn'treadtheentirethingagainwordforword.Ontopofthecharts,summary
tablesandsidecomments...I'massumingthatyouunderlined/highlighted/etcthepoints
thatwerecrucialandthatyouwantedtogooveragain.Ifyouhaven'tdoneanyofthat,
thenIwouldtrytousewhathegoesoverinhisaudioandwhatFAhitsonasaguidefor
whatshighyield.Asfaraswhatchapters,itstoughtosayasallsystemsareprettyimpt.
Also,definitelydon'tneglecttheintrochaptersonthebasicsofinflammation/cell
injury/neoplasia/etc.

Q9)
DidyoureallyfeelthatFAwasenoughforembryoandanatomy?

A9)
Yes,Idid.IwouldconsiderflippingthroughHYAnatomyforthePICTURES
ONLY....justtoreviewsomeclassiccrosssections.Asforembryo....Imeanifyouwant
tospendaweeklearningtonsofcrazylittledetails,haveatit,butI'lltakewhatIgotfrom
FAandleaveitatthat.Ihad2embryoq'sonmytestandbothwereinFA
________________________________________________________________________
Q10)
Whatistheonlineportionof"RadiologyinHY/online"?

A10)
ImeantthatbeyondthepicturesinHYNeuro...Ithinkitsagoodideaspendan
houror2lookingthroughmri/ct/angio'setcofthebrainfromoneofthemanyonline
radiologysites.Somesitestocheckoutare:
http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB/
http://www9.biostr.washington.edu/cgibin/DA/imageform
http://www.med.umich.edu/lrc/coursepages/M1/anatomy/html/atlas/atlas_index.html

________________________________________________________________________
Q11)
YoumentionedKaplanasapossiblereviewbookforbiochemistry.Isacomplete
reviewbyKaplananequally,poorer,orbetterwaytoapproachstudyingfortheexam.

15

Whynotjustusealloftheirbooks?

A11)
Kaplanbiochemisareallysolidbook,buttherearesimplybetteroptionsthen
Kaplanfortheremainingsubjects.

Q12)
Whydidyouchoosethosespecifictopicsforthelastfewdays?

A12)
AsforwhyIchosebiochem/molec/genetics/pharm/etc....Itriedtopickthingsthat
hadalotofsmalldetailstomemorize,whichtendtobeonesthatonlystickinmy
shorttermmemory.Everyonehasadifferenttopicthatfitsthatcriteriaandyou'vejust
gottahonestlysaywhatyouneedtolookatonemoretime(andnothave"everything"as
youranswer)