USMLE Step 1 Study Tips

Joe Walsh, UI-Chicago, Class of 2007


  • DOWNLOAD Joe Walsh's USMLE Prep Powerpoint

  • Bottom line: set a goal, make a plan and stick to it. It's that simple. At the beginning of the studying season concentrate on content and be sure to actively read and ask yourself if you actually understand the big concepts or if you're just going through the motions. It's much better to sit down and spend a solid 4 hrs/day with quality studying than 8 hrs of tedious memorization and skimming long text. Physio and Path are HUGE - constanzo, BRS Path and pathophys for the B & W are bottom line must know. You need to constantly reassess your strengths and weaknesses while studying with questions. In the months before the test you should be pushing more and more questions and really taking the time to read and understand the explanations. Take the last week to re-read first aid and look over high yield facts and photos. And lastly, RELAX - don't burn yourself out - stress hormones are known to be detrimental in memory consolidation and your family and friends will eventually hate you if you don't learn to chill out under stress. Exercise is extremely beneficial in that last month when you're on your ass 8 hrs/day studying. Oh yeah and when the test is over.......run, don't walk to the nearest pub.

    MY SCHEDULE:
    Before mid-April Practicum:
  • Read First-Aid once

  • Anatomy
  • Biochem
  • Behavioral science
  • Micro/Immuno
  • Physio
  • Path
  • Pharm
    During and after april practicum - mostly questions
  • Alpha Omega Alpha
    http://www2.uic.edu/stud_orgs/hon/aoa/