to cue -

[ArchivalUser]

lazyboy

Hey Cue!!

I have read some of your earlier post and know that you used/are using Step Up and First Aid for step 1. I was just wondering what you found to be the best way to go about studying these books. Did you just read them cover to cover, one after the other. Was it better to through them together instead? Just curious, I was planning to use both of these books when I get out of school. I will have 6 weeks to study for the boards and will not have time for much more than 2 books.

Thanks for any tips

[ArchivalUser]

lazyboy

If anyone else has any advice, it would be much appreciated as well.

[ArchivalUser]

similar

lazyboy...I don't know if this will work for you but I did it so they I was forced to recite the information and not just recognize it.

I did not use the Step up but I did use the First Aid.

I took a piece of lined paper and folded it in half lenthwise. I wrote the bold print from the left hand section of the first aid. For instance, the section on Cardiac output variables...I gave myself a few hints like SV affects CAP and Contractitily increases with 1-4 and decreases with 1-4. I did this section by section until I could tell you everthing under that block of material. Toward the end...I could tell you what was under each section from cover to cover. I no longer had to even carry the book. I just would carry my sheets of paper folded in half (with my notes to myself on how I was remembering each section). By test time I could review the entire first aid in about 5-6 hours. The section in the back called rapid review, I tore out of the book and folded it in half along with the rest of my work.

To most of you this probably sounds dumb but I had no one to study with but myself. And I found that I need to do more than just recognize things. I need to know them. Using this methods, after I had studied hard...then my family could take the first aid from me and ask me anything and I could tell them about that little section of material. It was fun for me and fun for them. It also allowed me to study for a longer period of time each day. Because I felt that for part of the day, I would just sit and talk to myself about each section.

I have already picked up the Step two book and started the same process. No regrets!

[ArchivalUser]

Easy

Similar,

You are my hero, I am doing the same thing, but do not reach your level yet, awsome!

But one question for you, what your step 1 score is? At leaset some practicing score to show me the effectiveness.

What book you chose for step2?

[ArchivalUser]

Easy

Similar,

How long does it take you to be a master of FA?

[ArchivalUser]

Similar

Similar,

I read your previous post, sorry to raise all those questions, you pretty much answered them before.

Good luck! & Keep us posted!

[ArchivalUser]

similar

for easy...
I took 3 days per subject. So three days for each of the anatomy, Behav Science, Biochem....etc...If you read my earlier post...I folded a lined page in half and only wrote the item in bold on the line. If I felt i needed a que for the section...I would write my memory key or whatever....After I made the pages....usually only about four per subject...I would go over it with the first aid open...I would put a check mark it I got it right and a dash If i got it wrong. I usually took about three days per subject. When I took step one...Some of them I had reveiw 20-30 times. I counted the dashes and check marks. Eventually, I would only review the ones I kept getting wrong....I found this really worked for me...otherwise, I would look at the first aid and say yeah I know that...But really I only recognized it....Again, I was by myself...and I needed solid goals...I knew that I could not go wrong with the first aid...I had limited money and the only other study books I used were the Kaplan home study kit....

my score is yet to be seen!

[ArchivalUser]

cue

lazyboy,
sorry for not responding fast! I try not to get on the net as much these days, so I can study.

Here is how I use the first aid and step up:

I study by organ system, which is how step up is set up. FA although is by subject , it does give you the correspoding pages for organ system review at the inside coverpage! First I would read an organ system in step up since it's more organized, then I would try to match the the corresposding pages of of FA with it. Between the two I clear lots of grounds!
Anything ambiguous, I use my references to clear the issue. And I would take side notes on either one.
More importantly, I would do the qbank, and then realize that 80 to 90% can be answered by these two books alone! However, I would continue to write side notes from qbank into these books.
After you're done with these processes, you've got yourself and very good collection of high yield info to read for the exam! review both books again, and again, do more quesions from other sources to test yourself (but this time limit your side noting), and make sure your score is improving.
best of luck

[ArchivalUser]

lazyboy

Thank you everyone for the great advice. I have gone to this site many times during the last year. Now that I am finally out of school and can concentrate fully on the boards, I am really ready to buckle down the next 5 weeks or so.

Cue, I had already pretty much decided to do exactly what you suggested. I have gone through first aid during the school year along with my courses, so I will probably read Step Up, review the appropriate pages in FA and then do lots of practice qeustions. THanks again for the tips, everyone!!

[ArchivalUser]

cue

sounds like a plan to me. I'll let you know if my method really works, since I'm taking the exam this month.