Sunday, July 06, 2008

USMLE Step 1 Resources (Organized by Subject)

General
-First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 (had a love/hate relationship with this book (mostly hate), but it is good as an outline and for tips and mnemonics)

Anatomy
High Yield Gross Anatomy (good for people like me who need extra review, but probably not a very high yield subject for most people)

Behavioral Science
-High Yield Behavioral Science (great, concise book and I highly recommend it)

Biochemistry
-Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry (strong subject for me, so I only read the 40-page review at the back of this book)
-If I had more time, I would have read Rapid Review Biochemistry

Cell Biology/Molecular Biology
-Didn't study anything specific for this, mainly because I ran out of time and this was one of my stronger areas.
-A lot of people like to use High Yield Cell and Molecular Biology.

Embryology
-High Yield Embryology (cannot say enough about how much I loved this book. Finally felt like I understood embryo, and I wish I had used it during my embryo sessions last year)

Immunology
-Review of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (immuno section only, which I highly recommend)

Microbiology
-Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple (good mnemonics and funny drawings to help you remember the bugs and drugs)
-Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Microbiology (mainly just read the earlier sections on lab tests for the pictures)

Neuroanatomy and Neurobiology
-Clinical Neuroanatomy Made Ridiculously Simple by Stephen Goldberg (short, easy to read review of neuroanatomy)
-Some of my classmates liked Roadmap Neuroscience, but I found it to be dense and too tough to get through during my study period.

Pathology
-Rapid Review Pathology by Goljan. (Got through this once and most of a second time. Best to use it along with his lectures, but start early if you're going to do this)

Pharmacology
-Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology (intensive 500 page book with questions; start early if you're going to use this one!)
-High Yield Pharmacology (short, outline format, good later review)

Physiology
-BRS Physiology (looks long and hard, but it's a quick read, especially if you don't do the questions!)

Question Books
-Robbins Review of Pathology (great book for reviewing path, although the questions are easier than the real USMLE)
-Kaplan USMLE Step 1 Qbook (used this to review after I finished studying each subject)

Question Banks and Practice Tests
-Kaplan Step 1 Qbank (used about half of this earlier on in my studying)
-USMLE World Step 1 Qbank (used about half of this toward the end of my studying)
-NBME CBSSA Exams 1-6 (best way to monitor your studying progress. Test 5 was the most predictive for me. CCLCM students get two free tests paid for by the school.)

2 comments:

YS said...

Didn't you read anything for physiology?

CCLCM Student said...

Oops, yes, you're right. I added it.