USMLE Step I Exam Introduction

1) Mindset: Reader, Over the years that I’ve tutored for Cambridge Coaching, I’ve lovedworking with SAT, MCAT, and GRE students. Each test has differentchallenges and subtleties and tailoring each student’s preparation formaximizing success is always an interesting challenge. I’ve taken eachof these tests, and use my experiences in helping students learn. But,for all of these tests, it’s been some time since I’ve actually takenthem. The most important standardized test for medical students is the USMLEStep I exam. As a medical student (and a tutor) who just completedStep I, I wanted to write down my thoughts and experiences about thetest and share them in a coherent way that could help medical studentswho I wouldn’t have the chance to interact with directly. So, I’ll beposting a series of posts on this blog that talk different things thatI found helpful during my preparation. 1) Mindset: In this article, I’ll talk about some attitudes that youcan adopt for the Step I exam that can help during your preparation bykeeping you sane and keeping the test in perspective. 2) Materials: Every medical student has heard of pathoma, Uworld, andFirst Aid. But, I found that several other tools were even morecrucial in helping me become a good test taker.Briefly: Every successful test preparation involves four sets ofmaterials: 1. Good basic knowledge (Pathoma, Sketchymicro, etc). 2:Question banks (Uworld, practice tests, etc. 3: Tools forSelf-evaluation (an error log). 4: Tools for retention (Anki). In this post, I’ll talk through what gave the best and most efficientpreparation. I’ll also provide examples of some of the â€Å"homemade†tools I used. 3) Anki: Spaced repetition is a lifesaver. Use it to study for Step I,then realize you can use it to learn anything that relies on aremembered vocabulary (Art, computer science, Birdwatching, People’snames, foreign languages, etc). 4) Study Habits: A huge source of anxiety for my classmates came fromthe need to plan out a schedule and study habits. In this post, I’llbe talking about study strategies I used during second-year overall,and during my intensive (dedicated) study period that helped memaximize my time. 5) Test-Taking Strategies and Test-Day performance: This blog postwill serve as a smorgasbord of helpful information that doesn’t fitwell into the other posts. In this blog post, I’ll be talking aboutways that you can stay fresh during the test. I’ll also cover somestrategies that I use that and guess well that will help you extendyour knowledge into getting questions right that you didn’t deserveto. I hope that I can be as responsive as possible to anyone who isinterested. If you have questions or comments about the materialcovered, or you’re interested in talking through anything on the Stepexam, contact me atinfo@cambridgecoaching.com,subject line "Step Question for Mac." You're also encouraged to leave comments in the section provided below. Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don't miss the next chapter! Mac started teaching while he was a student at Middlebury, taught volunteer swim lessons and tutored friends in a variety of subjects. Since he began at Cambridge Coaching, Mac has tutored students in the SAT, the GRE, and the MCAT. He particularly enjoys working with students to achieve the highest score they can on the MCAT. Mac has a wide range of experience with different academic subjects, including the sciences, history, and political science and looks forward to using memorable analogies to make difficult topics accessible. Are you interested in working with Mac? He is available for tutoring in person in Boston, and anywhere around the world online. ; Craving more tips on the medical admissions process? Be sure to check out the following blog posts below: 4 AMCAS Essay Question Types and How To Plan Your Answers 5 Essential Tips for Managing Your Time as a Pre-Medical Student The #1 Pitfall for Pre-Medical Extracurriculars