How to Rock Step 1/Level 1

1. How to Rock Step 1/Level 1 Neurosurgery Interest society Chad claus Kevin zhao

2. 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

3. 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?

4. 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!

5. 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

6. 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

7. When/How to Start?? Winter Break Spring Break April May

8. 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

9. 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!!

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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?

13. Resources • General • First Aid • Goljan • Kaplan • Microbiology • Sketchy Micro • Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple • Pharm • Biochemistry • Systems • Behavioral/Biostats • Qbank – UWORLD, COMQUEST, Kaplan

14. 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

15. Score Prediction NBME NBOME UWSA Uworld COMQUEST

16. 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

19. 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!

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