Kaplan USMLE Preparation

 

The Right Resources

As you embark on your studies for the USMLE Step 1, choosing the appropriate study materials is crucial to your success. There are tons of review books and sample test question books available for your preparation but money and time are two factors you must consider. Many of these review books cost over $25 and take a significant amount of time to go through. So, here are some recommendations for books that may maximize your study success. Do not stick to one series of review books because you like the format - in every series, there are good books and bad books, and the best strategy is to use the best books from each series as appropriate.

We have broken this guide into categories: general books , book series , anatomy , behavioral science , biochemistry , physiology , microbiology/immunology , pharmacology , pathology , and practice questions .

*Essential resources.

::::GENERAL::::

*First Aid for the USMLE 1 by Bhushan. Le, and Arnin (2003)

We have listed only one reference in this section because this is the best single comprehensive reference for the boards. The book is separated into three sections: the guide to efficient exam preparation, database of high-yield facts, and database of basic science review books. The book was written by med students and continues to be updated every year by med students. First Aid will answer all your picky questions about the exam (# of questions, time per question, scoring, etc.). The high-yield section is very handy and is a great review of all the topics. Reading this section over for the second or third time days before the exam will definitely score you some points. We recommend you use it as a supplement in your study effort. While no one book works for everybody, this book consistently receives the best reviews from students who have taken the boards. First Aid has no sample questions so other references are needed as well. Strong sections: Micro, Pharm and Behavioral Sciences . The sections pertaining to some of the lower-yield subjects (anatomy/embryo/histo) cover a huge chunk of the important and testable items that may show up on the exam, so it is certainly worth your while to know them well. Many people also add important facts in the margins as they study subjects so that during the final few days First Aid becomes the only thing you need to read. Bottom line: this book should become your best friend for the few weeks leading up to the exam, however it is not recommended as a stand-alone reference.

Step-Up to the USMLE Step 1 by Mehta, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

It does the high-yield approach by organ system, rather than the by-discipline approach of First Aid . Great organization, but has too many errors. Good as a supplement if you like the style.

::::BOOK SERIES::::

Board Review Series (BRS ), Lippincott Williams and Wilkins:
Subjects available are Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Gross, Histology and Cell Biology, Embryology, Neuroanatomy, Behavioral Science, Pathology , and Physiology . All books have a similar outline format, lots of charts, sample USMLE-style questions with annotated answers, and a comprehensive exam. These are not textbooks; they are intended for review.

Appleton-Lange Series:
Included in this series are an excellent review book for microbiology and
immunology (Levinson and Jawetz) and a pharmacology review book that is the companion to your
text (Katzung and Trevor). The formats vary. Both the microbiology and pharmacology books have
excellent cases and sample questions.

NMS, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins:
Same publisher as Board Review Series , but these are textbooks, not board review books. There is much more information and detail, with a "dense" format that makes them rather formidable. The only "must have" in this series is a question book/CD called Review for USMLE Step I, 6th edition .

Ridiculously Simple:
The series has Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Microbiology, and Physiology . Minimalist approach as the name suggests with silly, but helpful, mnemonics. The only must in the series is Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple .

Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews:
There are three books in this series, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, and Microbiology . Biochemistry is popular as a textbook; it is well-written and well-illustrated, but long for board review. Pharmacology also is excellent to use as a text, but long for a step 1 review book.

High Yield Series, Williams and Wilkins:
This series includes Gross, Neuroanatomy, Biostatistics, Embryology, Behavioral Science, Immunology, Histology, Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Pathology . The most popular books in the series are High Yield Neuroanatomy, High Yield Embryology, High Yield Gross Anatomy, and High Yield Behavioral Science. These books distill the content to an irreducible minimum. No indices, no questions.

::::ANATOMY::::

After spending so much time studying anatomy during first year it is kind of disappointing to find out that anatomy is not really a big topic tested in Step 1. You can use this to your advantage by spending more time on other topics. Stay away from Chung and Moore. First, understand that all of anatomy is 1/7th of boards. At a minimum, you will use the anatomy sections of First Aid for the USMLE Step I. We recommend the following books by subsection of anatomy:

(1) Gross: First Aid alone or in combination with High Yield Gross Anatomy. BRS Gross is much too long for board review.

(2) Cell Biology/Histology: BRS - read the first 4 chapters on cell biology; a book to borrow or share.

(3) Neuroanatomy: First choice is *High Yield Neuroanatomy . You must have a neuroanatomy review book in addition to First Aid . BRS Neuroanatomy is much too long for board review. We strongly suggest you review your neuroanatomy before Brainard's review session: it is a great session but don't worry if it scares you--it scared all of us. There are a fair amount of neuroanatomy questions.

(4) Embryology: First Aid alone or in combination with High Yield Embryology.

Bottom Line Minimum for Anatomy: Anatomy sections of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 , High Yield Neuroanatomy , first four chapters of BRS Histology and Cell Biology and, for more motivated students, High Yield Gross and High Yield Embryology .

::::BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE::::

BRS and High Yield are by the same author. Last chapters in either book have epidemiology and biostatistics that are essential for USMLE. Make sure you have a decent understanding of the main topics in biostats. The High Yield book has its fans, but we prefer BRS. Fadem's other review text BRS Behavioral Science Review is a lot thicker, and gives more information than may be needed for the USMLE, but may give a more complete biostats chapter. KNOW THE FIRST AID CHAPTER COLD .

High-Yield Behavioral Science by Fadem

*BRS Behavioral Science Review by Fadem

::::BIOCHEMISTRY::::

Biochemistry is a topic that is easily forgotten by the time boards roll around. Going back over all the major metabolic pathways will take time. Choose between Lippincott's and BRS. Both have too much depth and detail. If you used one of these books during first-year Biochemistry, that's your ideal choice for board review. If not, then it's strictly your preference - dense outline of BRS vs. bigger pages and pictures of Lippincott's. High Yield Biochemistry has a concise, no-fat approach; We recommend it only for those with a very strong background in biochemistry. The NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners) always like to ask something about several of the metabolic pathways, esp. glycolysis, citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid oxidation, glycogenolysis, and gluconeogenesis.

*Biochemistry by BRS , by Marks

Lippincott 's Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry by Champe

::::PHYSIOLOGY::::

BRS Physiology is a must read book for the USMLE 1. Costanzo does an excellent job summarizing a topic that is high-yield on the boards. You will do well on this subject if you review physiology with the ICM portion of your second year courses; this is essential for doing well in the courses and on USMLE. If you have a firm understanding of everything in the book you will definitely score solid points on the exam. The book is reader friendly and has great clinical correlations that briefly go over ICM topics. By May, you should have been through a review of
physiology at least once. Know this book COLD!

* Physiology by BRS , Costanzo

::::MICROBIOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY::::

These two topics are well liked by the NBME so it is to your advantage to have a decent understanding of all the bugs and weapons in the body used to fight them. It is important to choose a reference that has brief and concise descriptions of all the microbes so you don't waste your valuable time. For immunology, get Medical Microbiology and Immunology--Examination and Board Review (Levinson and Jawetz) or High-Yield Immunology . High-Yield Immunology is a fairly quick read and covers most of the high points for the exam. Levinson and Jawetz has a great section called "Brief Summaries of Medically Relevant Organisms" and a must-read 70-page section on immunology. Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple will be your major resource for board review in microbiology; it can be a long read for step 1 review, but it's well worth it.

Medical Microbiology & Immunology: Examination and Board Review by Levinson

*Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple by Gladwin

High-Yield Immunology by Johnson

::::PHARMACOLOGY::::

This is the toughest call - there is not one "best" book. The same said above with micro/immuno applies to pharm. You want a reference that doesn't waste your time but gets to the point as this topic is high-yield on the USMLE step 1. Tables, outlines and index cards are very helpful in studying for pharm. Lippincott's Pharmacology has excellent illustrations and tables that are worth looking at. The book is cross-referenced to its brother, Lippincott 's Biochemistry . Johannsen's Pharm Cards are index cards highlighting the major drug/drug classes that are very useful. The index cards have great diagrams and charts. We recommend you use the pictures and tables in Lippincott's with Pharm Cards . If you are looking for good pharm questions, Katzung authors a board review book that has tons of them in the back. The text is good, but is too detailed and takes time to read. If you have been using the companion all year and are familiar with it, stick to it, it will be easy to go through what you've seen before. Again, know the section in First Aid COLD!

*Lippincotts's Illustrated Reviews Pharmacology by Harvey

Pharm Cards: A Review for Medical Students by Johannsen

Pharmacology: Examination and Board Review by Katzung

::::PATHOLOGY::::

This subject represents the foundation of your medical knowledge, and not surprisingly, the foundation of this exam. BRS Pathology is the best review book for pathology. Buy it early and use it along with every course The BRS path book does an outstanding job of taking the vast subject matter in pathology and presenting it in an easy-to-read outline format that highlights "key points" (there are literally small keys in the margins next to important tidbits of information). By May, you should have been through this book at least once. It is also worth your while to do the study questions at the end of each chapter. Finally, be familiar with the slides and path photos presented both in BRS and in First Aid ; you will see slides similar to this on test day, so being familiar with these is another endeavor worth your time. Above all, be confident that your preparation in taking ICM and Pathology this year has provided you with a good foundation for preparing for this exam. You will find that this, too, is information that you will rapidly synthesize as you review it.

* BRS Pathology by Schneider

::::PRACTICE QUESTIONS::::

If there is anything that really needs to be stressed in this study aid, then it should be making time for sample questions. It is imperative that you get the "feel" for exam questions. Do as many questions as you can and look at the explanations. At a minimum, complete as much of Q-Bank as possible. Kaplan's tests are probably the most similar to the real board questions. You will learn that as you do more and more questions there are certain topics that are gone over multiple times. It is your duty to pay attention to these topics during your question taking and develop a firm understanding of them. The other books have flaws (too easy or too hard). The retired questions are great to get a hold of because they are past Step 1 questions. These questions are out of print, but they are around, look for them. There is also an excellent book of answers that goes along with the Underground questions. The NMS book has longer questions simulating Step 2 a little, but nevertheless it is a good source of questions. Do the practice question CD that comes with your Step 1 registration materials when you first begin to study, and do it again a day or two before you take Step 1 - it's not uncommon to find repeats of these questions on the actual exam!

* Kaplan Services Q-Bank :
Full-length on-line practice tests, the standard questions that most students use. The Q-Bank should be saved for the month right before you take the exam. Highly recommended.

Review for USMLE I Step 1 Examination by NMS, Lazo:
USMLE-style questions with explained answers; the vignettes are good, although the questions tend to be pickier than the actual USMLE exam, and the explanations are long. There is a CD version of this NMS question book that students did not like as much as the book.

Board Simulator Series by Gruber:
Integrated organ-system approach to questions. Board Simulators include 5 books ( Systems I and II cover most of the organ systems) or a CD that has the same content as the 5 books. The Board
Simulators are more challenging than the boards), although with the right attitude, they are great to
learn from. Do not grade yourself (too discouraging).

Retired NBME Basic Medical Sciences Test Items by NBME:
Outdated and difficult to find.

Appleton & Lange Review for the USMLE Step I by Barton

Full Length Practice Test for the USMLE by Stanley Zaslar