#𝗨𝗦𝗠𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝟭 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲251⭐️
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Dr: Uzayr siddiqui
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السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته (Peace be upon you)
Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah
Got 251 on my step1.
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Introduction✍️
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I fashioned my prep around the 10s of reviews I had read before I started. So it’s my turn to give back now. Before I begin, i'd like to suggest to take any of my advice with a pinch of salt. One person's experience and perspective can very rarely represent the entire picture. Ok that's it. Lets begin. Sit tight cz this might be a long one.
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Resources used📒📔👨💻💻💿-
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1)Pathoma
2)Uworld
3)BNB
4)Google, wiki, Amboss Library(for looking up stuff)
5) Topic/query/doubt discussions/tutoring on forums/groups or with SPs.
6)Sketchy Micro
7)First aid
8)Sketchy pharm, pixorize(as and where needed)
9) Conrad ethics, khan’s cases
10) Amboss Qbank(~200q)
11) Other random misc stuff.
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ASSESMENTS📋📝-
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(At beginning of prep)
NBME 13- 184
(Prep progression. 5-12 months before exam)
NBME 15,16,17,19(All online FREE)- 215- 230s
NBME 18, 20,21,22,23,24- 240s-255
Amboss selfassesment-230
(2-3 months before exam)
UWSA1- 258
UWSA2-245
Skimmed through 1-2 newer NBMEs
Rx self assessment- 258
(5days before real deal)
Free120-88%
Real Deal- 251
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Principles of Prep🤓🧠😼
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So, I feel I’ve a lot to say on the topic of USMLE prep but the scope of a single post is limited. I shall try to summarise it into some general principles that I followed/incorporated or learnt during my prep. I might elaborate these points more in future posts.
1) "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening
the axe." – Abe Lincoln.🪓🌳
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Read up on the neuroscience on learning and memorisation. It wld be pitiful to overlook this despite belonging from the medical field. Read up on the work of Ebbinghaus. Google learning curve, forgetting curve, spacing effect, spaced repetition, priming, interleaving, active learning, active recall, retrieval practice, etc.
Also, Intermittent fasting<3.
2) Focus on High Yield.📔
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Pareto’s principle is true for USMLE as well. 80% of questions(in the exam or any full course mock/assessment) will come from 20% of topics.
For the most part, the test focusses on basics and high yield. Don’t waste your time chasing
Zebras.
The big picture>> Isolated random factoids.
Exam is not some dictionary trivia. They want you to identify general patterns and foundational principles and be able to apply it across a vast plethora of familiar or uncharted situations. (Pathoma is king for providing a bird's eye view/perspective).
3) Effective learning and memorisation is counterintuitive.🏋️🚵
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If it FEELS good, its most likely NOT the
most effective method. Circles back to point 1)
Also, Teaching is the highest form of learning.
I taught/discussed topics with colleagues throughout my prep.
4) (controversial)First Aid might be the best book there is, but its not that good of a
learning tool.💭🤔
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FA is a good place to consolidate info in one place systemwise. The charts, tables and
illustrations are excellent. But FA as a learning or memorization tool is overrated. IMO People often overestimate the contribution of Rereading FA repeatedly to their success in
USMLE. This is due to familiarity which projects #falsecomprehension.
Science regards Rereading as a low utility learning/memorisation technique. Active Contextual learning>>>Passive encounters. I mostly used FA as a reference while solving UW Qs.
Still, Reading CAN be made active and more efficient(feynman technique, etc). The process of annotating FA can also be an engaging task.
IMHO FA is more rightly described as a checklist of things that you should know.
Enough said. Watch Santiago AQ’s video on youtube on this topic for more.
5) Uworld is the #1 learning tool.✨🤓
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