USMLE+Step+1

=Book / Study resource advice= =Practice Tests=
 * Do not use too many. This is key. It is easy to go overboard with everything that is out there.
 * **First Aid should be your main resource.**//Your first goal is to learn / memorize everything in here.//
 * Rapid Review Pathology (Goljan) - This book is awesome. BRS Pathology is great too, but not as in depth.
 * Goljan audio is great for use in down time when you would not otherwise be studying (running, driving, etc)
 * BRS Physiology
 * High-Yield Neuroanatomy - only a few sections from this to remind me of the spinal cord tracts etc because that is one area where FA is deficient.
 * __QBanks__
 * USMLE World: the best by far. The gold standard. **Do all of these questions**. Schedule out your time so you are able to get through all these questions. Make sure to read the explanations in depth and annotate FA as needed. If time gets short, just review your wrong answers.
 * Kaplan is good too because it has references to the pages in FA where the question stem originated.
 * USMLERx - OK as a supplemental resource because it cheap and has images of the pages in first aid where the question came from. Questions are less challenging than the real exam.
 * USMLEasy - This is the pretest series. Not great for Step 1. Good for Shelf exams in third year and Step 2 CK.
 * WikiTestPrep - an evolving resource run by students at Mt. Sinai. I used this a few times during the year. OK as a supplemental resource.
 * Score Predictor - This was accurate for me using my CBSSA score, UWorld Qbank %, and my best score on USMLE World Practice Exams
 * Do the NBME CBSSA at the testing center at the outset of your studying. This is a great way to get a baseline. Don't freak of you don't get a passing score - you haven't started studying yet! Plenty of people "fail" the initial practice test and do well on the real thing.
 * I don't recommend doing many of the other available NBME practice tests. They will give you a predicted three-digit score, but they won't tell you which questions you missed and there are no answer explanations. Why spend 4 hours of your time taking a test if you don't know specifically how you can improve as a result? Conversely, the explanations in the USMLE World practice tests are awesome.
 * Purchase and do both of the USMLE World practice. Space them out and do one every few weeks. Try to avoid doing one during your last week of studying.

=**Planning**= media type="googlecalendar" key="o72q7shhsc8abban296vks7ikc%40group.calendar.google.com" ARG0="&ctz=America/New_York&height=400&dates=20100501%2F20100620" height="400" width="800"
 * Example schedule
 * Methodology: I took the number of pages in FA in each of the various topics, and accordingly spent a proportionate amount of time on each subject.
 * I had ~49 days of studying and 10 days of vacation
 * I was a mostly HP student during MS-1 and MS-2 but was able to do very well on Step 1 using this schedule (250/99).
 * [[file:USMLE Study Plan 2.0.xls]]

Daily Schedule
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=Resources=


 * [[file:USMLE Step 1 Study Schedule Blank.docx]]
 * [[file:Glaucoma + Autonomics.doc]]
 * Cardiac Murmurs
 * [[file:USMLECardio-MurmursOutline.pdf]] from AEC Step 1 Lecture

**Myofibril and Muscle Contraction animation with interactive quiz**

 * http://www.brookscole.com/ chemistry_d/templates/student_ resources/shared_resources/ animations/muscles/muscles. html

=Mnemonics=

"How I learned the 6 major heme/onc translocations in 15 min" -From Bill M.

 * **Phaladelphia CreaM cheese Light costs $9.22**t(9;22) "Philadelphia chromosome": CML
 * **See Mike Burkitt at 8:14**t(8;14) Burkitt's Lymphoma. Mutation: // c-myc =// //"see mike".//
 * **Ewing's sarcoma.** Patrick Ewing's Jersey number was 33=11+22. t(11;22)[EDIT]
 * **M3 type of AML is an ODD one**t(15;17) M3 type of AML. //The numbers of the translocation are ODD, and add up to 32. Also M3 is odd, if you forget which is which.//...//I know the 32 seems arbitrary, but it goes with the next step. Wait for it...//
 * **B-cell Follicular Lymphoma is EVEN worse!**t(14;18) Follicular Lymphoma comes from B-cells. Mutation: bcl-2 //sounds like "B-cell". The numbers are EVEN, and add up to 32.//
 * //This last one is tricky, see if you can follow it. (Do you like Transformers? I do.)//**1114** → | | | **4** → **|\/**4 **→** **M ** → M antle cell lymphoma //(// // ta-daa!) //   t(11;14) Mantle cell lymphoma.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)

 * FAT-RN.(Fat nurse): **F**ever, **A**nemia (hemolytic with schistocytes), **T**hrombocytopenia, **R**enal failure, **N**eurological

Testicular Cancer Drugs - Lara M.

 * **E**radicate **B**all **C**ancer: Etoposide, Bleomycin, Cisplatin

**Vitamin B6 Reactions - Kiran K.**

 * **CHANG**e**D: C**ystathione synthesis, **H**eme synthesis, **A**LT/**A**ST Transamination, **N**iacin/**N**eurotransmitter synthesis (epinephrine, gaba, serotonin), **G**lycogen phosphorylase, **D**ecarboxylation reactions

**Amphotericin B Toxicity - Kiran K.**

 * **APE HAN**d**: A nemia, P hlebitis (iv), E lectrolyte imbalances (low mg and k), H ypotension, A rrhythmias, N ephrotoxicity. **

**Porphyrin Synthesis Intermediates and Enzyme deficiencies- Mark T.**

 * **A**L**A**'s **P**oops **H**urt **U**. **C**old **P**oops - **A**LA Synthase, **A**LA Dehydratase, **P**orphobilinogen, **H**ydroxymethyl bilane, **U**roporphyrinogen III, **C**oporporphyrinogen III, **P**rotoporphyrin
 * **SLAPL** - **S**ideroblastic anemia (X-linked), **L**ead poisoning, **A**cute intermittent porphyria, **P**orphyria cutanea tarda, **L**ead poisoning

Remembering that Stavudine (NRTI) is the same as D4T - Einstein

 * ** If I were to STAb you, you would fall D own on all 4 's **

The 5 big cyanotic heart diseases - all you need is to be able to count to five on one hand! - Einstein

 * 1) Stick your thumb out like you're a hitchhiker with a **TRUNK** - **Truncus Arteriosus**
 * 2) Wrap your middle finger across your ring finger (so they cross over) - **Transposition of the Great Vessels**
 * 3) Hold out your first **__3__** fingers - **__Tri__cuspid atresia**
 * 4) Hold out all **__4__** fingers - **__Tetralogy__ of Fallot**
 * 5) Open up your hand, with all 5 fingers out (now **totally** encompassing) - **__Total__ anomalous pulmonary venous return**