NEUROSURGERY INTEREST SOCIETYCHAD CLAUSKEVIN ZHAO

How to Rock Step 1/Level 1

Disclaimer

Philosophical perspective on what’s to come

The strategy YOU decide is the right one There is no wrong strategy – only wrong for you!

It’s too early to know what you don’t know Importance of Fall learning – not reviewing!!!

Throw your FirstAid away – at least for now

Secret to SuccessWhere do I start?

Pick a resource:

Establishing best fit How do I study? What optimizes my learning environment? What compliments my weaknesses?

Secret to SuccessWhere do I start?

Pick a question bank: Uworld, Uworld, or Uworld

The only way to assess your learning and thinking capabilities Should be the staple of your schedule/plan

How many questions should I do? Until they shut it off!

You never know which question will expose your ignorance

Knowing all the wrong answers are more important than knowing the right ones!

Secret to SuccessWhere do I start?

Stick to that resource:

Get familiar – know it in and out EVERYTHING HAS A WEAKSPOT!!!

Use the fall to expose them and find an adequate replacement for that spot.• WRITE THAT S*** DOWN – you’d be surprised how many

there can be Use that source to GUIDE your fall classes

Do not use it to solely facilitate your learning

Secret to SuccessWhere do I start?

Formulate a plan:

Collect all your resources: How many pages/videos do I have to get through? How many hours/day? How many questions/day? Do I want designated days off? How many? When? Do I want catch-up days in case I might fail the Repro

final? Do I want to use a day(s) for practice exams? How many?

When?

Cramfighter.com – only $9.99/mo

When/How to Start??

Winter BreakSpring BreakAprilMay

Winter Break

Self reflection & Implementation

Use these two weeks to make sure your schedule/plan is flawless double check with spring calendar for any possible conflictions Last minute second-guessing?

You should have spent all fall tweaking/altering

Mentally prepare for the most stressful yet exciting 6 months of your life Remember – you’ve already done all the hard work and

planning Stick to the plan

Spring Semester

Your priority is USMLE/COMLEX However, don’t make the mistake of neglecting your

spring courses – Find an appropriate balance and find it fast!

1 hour/day of board review is enough in the beginning Slow and steady progression will build endurance

No one can immediately wake up one day and run a marathon!

10-15 questions/day Take your time and really understand WHAT and HOW

they’re asking the question – this should initiate investigation/intellectual curiosity!!

Spring Break

Consider a practice NBME/Kaplan test

You should be well into your review You should have an idea of strengths/weaknesses

You should feel more comfortable picking up the pace Increasing hours/questions per day

2-3 hours/day 15-25 questions/day

You can go on vacation next year – what’s more important? You can sleep next year during psych rotation

April

School semester should be winding down in proportion to your board review building up You should be well into your review and thinking

about a second pass through your material You have plenty of time! The more times you see it the least likely you’ll forget it

You should have no problem spending 3-5 hours/day You should be comfortable getting through >30

questions/day

Practice NBME?

May

The next 4-5 weeks should be no more stressful than the rest. You’ve already put in 4 months of work. With school out you should be very comfortable with a 5-10

hour/day Stay away from 12-15 hour/day

It’s ridiculous – you’re human not machine

You shouldn’t be doing anything less than a question block/day (46) If you haven’t already, start taking these blocks in timed mode so

you can begin to train yourself for the actual test environment

NBME practice tests? Simulating real test environments – more relaxed on test day?

Resources

General First Aid Goljan Kaplan

Microbiology Sketchy Micro Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple

PharmBiochemistrySystemsBehavioral/BiostatsQbank – UWORLD, COMQUEST, Kaplan

Scheduling Your Exams

Everyone SHOULD take USMLE! Don’t be the applicant who has to justify his/her reasoning

during an interview There is no good reason!

Typically, people take their USMLE before COMLEX. Preparing for USMLE will prepare you for COMLEX

OMM on the side

Schedule early June You don’t want to have to worry about studying during

rotations – it’ll never be adequate

Score Prediction

NBMENBOMEUWSAUworldCOMQUEST

Goals

Look up Osteopathic GME Match Report

Be aware of the ACGME/AOA single accreditation – it will effect us all in some way Good or bad?

Be realistic With your time/schedule/score

Recap

Find a way that works for YOU. Know yourself

Know how you learn and how you don’t

This is a thinking test – it should go without saying – PRACTICE THINKING!!! Questions, questions, questions

Find out what you hope they won’t test you on – study it until you beg for it to be on your exam

Encourage intellectual curiosity Don’t be content with the right answer – find out all the wrong

ones!

GOOD LUCK!!

GOOD LUCK!!Kevin Zhao – kzhao@westernu.eduChad Claus – cclaus@westernu.edu