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Suggested Study
Timeline for USMLE Step I
William Bligh-Glover, MD,
Chairman, Content Committee
With thanks to Marcia Wile, PhD,
Robert Haynie, MD, PhD, and C. Kent Smith, MD, for their
assistance. |
- The first thing to do: relax. The process
for getting into residency is long and
multi-factorial. I am not suggesting that you
treat the USMLE Step 1 cavalierly, but there is more
than one part of getting into residency. Also, doing
poorly on the USMLE Step 1 should not scuttle your
application if the program strongly desires you.
However, a poor performance on the USMLE Step 1 may be
used as an excuse to not rank you if the program
doesn't really want you. Obviously, the best course of
action is to do well. The Society Deans and I have
received several requests for a course (like Kaplan)
that is tailored for the USMLE. Case University
Medical School does have such a program; it is the
curriculum of the first two years. At the Step 1
symposium, the four students who spoke recommended
that students study for the USMLE Step 1 as they are
studying for our curriculum. I concur. As Dr. Wile has
pointed out, the best predictor of USMLE performance
is performance on the comprehensive examination. Now,
for the nuts-and- bolts.
- Beginning now through January of Year 2.
Self-Assessment. Review your subtest scores from
the Year I Comprehensive Examination. Figure out where
you are weak or had trouble, and review that material.
Maintain a balance, don't go overboard studying for
the USMLE and ignore the Second Year curriculum. If
you need guidance, contact me, Dr. Wile, or the
Society Deans. In addition, suss out the USMLE. You
can download the information on USMLE Step 1 from its
Website:
www.usmle.org; Review the USMLE Step 1 Content
Outline. Correlation of your weak points and strong
points using the USMLE Content Outline and your
performance on the subtests related to that content on
the Year I Comprehensive Examination will allow for
some more directed review.
- January to May: Begin daily USMLE study, using
the USMLE questions. I would start with a constant
30 minutes a day in January, and gradually increase
the time and amount of questions answered. By May, you
should be up to 350 questions in two hours. When I
took the USMLE, I met weekly with like-minded people
and went over questions. We went through a chapter at
a time, then reviewed the answers and made sure we
figured out the reasons behind the answers. Dr. Wile
suggests using resources with recent publication dates
(2003 and 2004). Practice tests should be diagnostic;
don't flip back and forth to the back of the book,
approach the questions as if this was the exam. When
reviewing the answers, look for areas of strength and
weakness, and then study the material where you're
weak and review areas of strength. I found flash cards
to be helpful, some people work better with summary
sheets or what have you. It is wise to read the
material, analyze it, and then make the cards,
whatever from memory. This improves retention and
really enforces learning rather than copying.
Take practice tests before the exam. Take
practice tests as if they were the real thing; this
familiarizes you with the process, the environment,
and the procedures. As the Marines say, "you fight as
you train." Training in the environment that you need
to perform in will minimize any nasty surprises when
the real thing happens. Aim for a minimum of two
350-question tests taken in an 8-hour period: 420
minutes for actual tests; 60 minutes for lunch,
breaks, etc.
Graphical timeline
- Now through New Year's
- Review Year One
- Determine weaknesses and strengths
- Seek help from school resources
- Go to class
- January-March
- Begin systematic USMLE study
- Concentrating on questions
~ 30 minutes/day every day
Keep going to class
April
- Continue systematic USMLE study
- Concentrating on questions
- ~ 60 minutes/day every day
- Keep going to class
May
- Continue systematic USMLE study
- Concentrating on questions
- ~ 120 minutes/day every day
Take at least two practice exams as if they were
the real thing.
Keep going to class
June
- Take the exam successfully
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