USMLE: STEPS I DID FOR STEP 1

1) Got to know USMLE
In every battle such as this exam, it is very important to get to know what you are up against. After all, knowing what you are to face decreases the anxiety and increases the likelihood of success. So that’s exactly what I did. I read about it on the internet. I went to the official site as well as various forums. And, there are indeed, a lot of forums out there so better choose wisely (I listed some of them under USMLE LINKS). I also asked friends who already took the exam regarding materials to read and how much study time it would take. The bottom line is you should get to know USMLE.

2) Set my goal
“If you aim for the sky, should you fall, you’ll fall on the roof; but if you aim just for the roof, when you fall, you’ll fall on the ground.” This had been my motto ever since I heard this line some years back and it has definitely worked for me. Thus, I’m sharing it again. Needless to say, I aimed for a 99

3) Checked out what other people did to get a 99
I visited the different forums on the net, browsed through different topics and filtered out everything that does not say 99 on it. Then I checked out what they did. If they got a 99, I can do it too. It’s just a matter of adequate preparation using the right materials.

4) Made Step 1 my priority for a little less than 3 months

5) Became familiar with the type of questions that may be encountered in the exam
Sometimes, it’s not about just knowing what to answer. It definitely helps if you understand how the questions are constructed and what it is exactly that they are asking. I used the Qbook from Kaplan but their questions were nowhere near the type of questions on the actual exam. The test-taking guide chapter was quite helpful though. USMLEworld questions seemed to work for some.


You too can get a 99!