Critique my Step 1/2 prep plan

[Skarl]

Context: I am a rising M2 at a T5-10 MD school looking to set myself up well to pass Step 1 and score highly on Step 2CK. We take Steps 1/2 after clinical rotations, which start halfway through M2. I would be grateful for input from others more experienced about my current routine:

• Throughout M1 I unsuspended AnKing cards covered by our in-house curriculum (~10k cards so far). I have kept with reviews daily with a max review interval of 9999.
  • I have not used board materials except Sketchy Micro for our ID block. I plan to review my leech cards this summer by reviewing relevant board materials.
  • I will employ the same process (un-suspending cards covered by school curriculum) during M2 until clinicals. I will continue to complete my reviews until I take step.
• At the start of M2, I want to potentially start working through a Step 1 question bank such as USMLE-Rx or UWorld, aiming to complete one pass before rotations.
  • Not sure how worth my time this is?
• Throughout clinicals, I plan to do daily UWorld after I get home and watch OnlineMedEd videos as needed.
  • Is there anything else I should be doing to prepare for Step 2?
• I will create a formal dedicated study plan closer to Step 1/2, but hope that the above will set me up for success going into dedicated.

Thanks for any advice, input, or suggestions!

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[PugsAndHugs]

Looks like a good plan. I would also add doing the NBME assessments provided by USMLE in the weeks before your exam date.

 

[Vyzzle]

Context: I am a rising M2 at a T5-10 MD school looking to set myself up well to pass Step 1 and score highly on Step 2CK. We take Steps 1/2 after clinical rotations, which start halfway through M2. I would be grateful for input from others more experienced about my current routine:

• Throughout M1 I unsuspended AnKing cards covered by our in-house curriculum (~10k cards so far). I have kept with reviews daily with a max review interval of 9999.
  • I have not used board materials except Sketchy Micro for our ID block. I plan to review my leech cards this summer by reviewing relevant board materials.
  • I will employ the same process (un-suspending cards covered by school curriculum) during M2 until clinicals. I will continue to complete my reviews until I take step.
• At the start of M2, I want to potentially start working through a Step 1 question bank such as USMLE-Rx or UWorld, aiming to complete one pass before rotations.
  • Not sure how worth my time this is?
• Throughout clinicals, I plan to do daily UWorld after I get home and watch OnlineMedEd videos as needed.
  • Is there anything else I should be doing to prepare for Step 2?
• I will create a formal dedicated study plan closer to Step 1/2, but hope that the above will set me up for success going into dedicated.

Thanks for any advice, input, or suggestions!

How long is your dedicated?

With Step 1 being P/F, I wouldn't even bother with PQs before dedicated unless you were struggling first year. If you were ~average, I wouldn't worry much about it. If you were >+1SD I would worry even less. Just keep up with Anki until dedicated, then do a lax Step 1 dedicated prep.

EDIT: Just realized your Step 1 is after clinical. Honestly I'd just keep up with anki, and prune the low-yield stuff.

 

[efle]

Dude, this is what trying hard looked like before it went Pass/Fail. There's no reason for you to be flashcarding for boards in M1 and starting Qbanks a year ahead of time anymore. You just need to be comfortably in Pass range on Step 1 material, then work hard for rotations and shelf exams.

 

[Redpancreas]

I know nothing about AnKing so I can't help there. In terms of your general strategy, here are a few points:

1. You need to provide us with the most important factor. What is your curriculum style (normal-M1, abnormal M2? systems from the beginning?). I did realize your Step 1 is during M3 and address that in Point 3. Answering the bolded will tell me when it's optimal to start a QBank and all the other resources which is basically the essence of your question.

2. I agree with Efle that you don't need to be doing this Anki overkill for Step 1 now that it's P/F. A common argument is that Step 1 fundamentals are essential for getting a good Step 2 CK score, however, I would argue that obsessing over you every ANKI card for every biochemistry fact (Southern Blot=DNA) that gets tested on Step 1 will get in the way of your foundation.

3. Your Step 1 is in 3rd year. This doesn't change much. If anything, this means you need to merge your Step 1/2 study strategies a bit like you're suggesting here. I agree with emphasis on OME earlier on (M2). Focus on the diagnostic approaches to common diseases and when you do what lab/test/medication. If you want to stick to one study-resource/brand (ex. OME) I believe Dustyn Williams preclinical content is pretty good too so maybe explore OME and check out it's benefits. However, in my opinion, his Question bank, flash cards, and notes are suboptimal. The videos are decent.
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Food for thought:

Step 1:
Classic stem, rare disease, second level question (ex. protein that causes disease, which drug to use, etc.)?
--
Emphasis is on learning medicla language and rare diseases/pathophysiology

Step 2 CK:
Atypical stem, common disease, first order (next step, etc).
--
Emphasis is on straight forward management

Step 3:
Day 1: See Step 1, but slightly harder.
Day 2: See Step 2CK. More nuance. Check the vitals and what is indicated in the immediate case before picking next step. CCS is basically a computerized more objective version of Step 2 CS but you need to actually manage the cases and future complications.
--
Emphasis is on translational management with basic sciences mixed probably to ensure you went to medical school.

 

[7331poas]

Just do uworld. If you are doing fine then you can wing Step 1. Its pass/fail so you really dont need to worry about knowing things *very* well.

 

[deleted1079620]

So those of us in the class of 2024 taking COMLEX & Step 1 next summer should focus on what this year in regards to board prep, doing well in classes & getting through UWorld during dedicated?

We've been told for so long to start grinding anking from Day 1 of 1st year and start Q banks Day 1 of 2nd year that I think now many of us are feeling a little lost now that there's nothing to do because it's all pass/fail.

DO school, systems based, we'll be given a certain number of COMQUEST questions to complete before each in-house exam throughout the year. As far as I know, that's all the 'board prep' our school offers. Anything extra is up to us.

 

[Skarl]

I know nothing about AnKing so I can't help there. In terms of your general strategy, here are a few points:

1. You need to provide us with the most important factor. What is your curriculum style (normal-M1, abnormal M2? systems from the beginning?). I did realize your Step 1 is during M3 and address that in Point 3. Answering the bolded will tell me when it's optimal to start a QBank and all the other resources which is basically the essence of your question.

2. I agree with Efle that you don't need to be doing this Anki overkill for Step 1 now that it's P/F. A common argument is that Step 1 fundamentals are essential for getting a good Step 2 CK score, however, I would argue that obsessing over you every ANKI card for every biochemistry fact (Southern Blot=DNA) that gets tested on Step 1 will get in the way of your foundation.

3. Your Step 1 is in 3rd year. This doesn't change much. If anything, this means you need to merge your Step 1/2 study strategies a bit like you're suggesting here. I agree with emphasis on OME earlier on (M2). Focus on the diagnostic approaches to common diseases and when you do what lab/test/medication. If you want to stick to one study-resource/brand (ex. OME) I believe Dustyn Williams preclinical content is pretty good too so maybe explore OME and check out it's benefits. However, in my opinion, his Question bank, flash cards, and notes are suboptimal. The videos are decent.
---

Food for thought:

Step 1:
Classic stem, rare disease, second level question (ex. protein that causes disease, which drug to use, etc.)?
--
Emphasis is on learning medicla language and rare diseases/pathophysiology

Step 2 CK:
Atypical stem, common disease, first order (next step, etc).
--
Emphasis is on straight forward management

Step 3:
Day 1: See Step 1, but slightly harder.
Day 2: See Step 2CK. More nuance. Check the vitals and what is indicated in the immediate case before picking next step. CCS is basically a computerized more objective version of Step 2 CS but you need to actually manage the cases and future complications.
--
Emphasis is on translational management with basic sciences mixed probably to ensure you went to medical school.

Thanks for the helpful advice. My school’s pre-clinical is systems-based, so pathophysiology, histology, pharmacology etc. are all taught from day one for each organ system.

For those saying my routine is overkill for step 1, an important note is I’m not unsuspending all cards in AnKing. I only unlock cards that were taught in our curriculum and keep up with reviews for those. This actually saves me time because I don’t have to make my own cards for our exams – the only burden is keeping up with reviews after each block. My thinking is this will prepare me for the wards and set a strong foundation for step 2.

Welcome any additional feedback people may have!

 

[Redpancreas]

Thanks for the helpful advice. My school’s pre-clinical is systems-based, so pathophysiology, histology, pharmacology etc. are all taught from day one for each organ system.

For those saying my routine is overkill for step 1, an important note is I’m not unsuspending all cards in AnKing. I only unlock cards that were taught in our curriculum and keep up with reviews for those. This actually saves me time because I don’t have to make my own cards for our exams – the only burden is keeping up with reviews after each block. My thinking is this will prepare me for the wards and set a strong foundation for step 2.

Welcome any additional feedback people may have!

If that's the case, start UW Step 1 for the topics you've already covered (ex. Cardiology is probably done since it's usually first). The same goes for the rest of UFAP, sketchy, Beyond the Boards. I competely agree with OME integration given your special case. In fact, you can get started with Cardiology to give you some buffer time. Just have a system for how you internalize UWorld and OME (written notes, ANKI). I personally recommend creating your own OneNote Notebook with image captures. Each OneNote tab should be for a topic and image capture all those high yield tables. See a UW table you like? Image capture it and put it under the IM tab>Heme/Onc subtab>Anemia row. Like a Peds Jaundice algorithm for OME? Image capture and put it under the Peds tab>Heme/Onc subtab>Neonatal Jaundice row. This will give you a really solid resource you can continue to add to even throughout your training.

 

[Lucca]

AnKing as it was currently built for Step 1 is worthless in the P/F era IMO because the effort to high yield on S2CK ratio is way too low compared to other things you could be doing.

For step 1, just focus on learning your organ block curriculum really well, keep up with sketchy pharm+micro with whatever ur favorite anki deck is (could even use just the subdecks off of Anking), and get Pathoma chapters 1-3 down cold prior to dedicated. I think the average med student (already an above average standardized test taker) who paid attn to their preclin curriculum and did this could comfortably get to passing range within 1-2 weeks of doing 3 blocks of UWorld a day.

For S2CK most people dont need much dedicated time beyond their clinical curriculum + shelf studying to do well so pre-gaming that is probably not a super productive use of your time as the test is unlikely to change by the time you take it.