How To Study for USMLE Step 1
Manik Madaan
My Experience and Tips for Scoring 260+
on USMLE Step 1
Greetings, everyone! I am Mike Madan, a medical intern
currently studying at the Kempegowda Institute of Medical
Sciences in Bangalore, India. I recently took the USMLE Step 1
on March 12, 2020, and scored a 260. In this article, I will be
sharing my tips and experience on how to score 260+ on the
USMLE Step 1.
Believe in Yourself
Before delving into the tips, I want to share my philosophy on
life, which is to believe in yourself. If you do not believe in
something, you will never achieve it. Therefore, the first step
to achieving anything is to believe in it and then put in all the
hard work required to achieve it.
Understanding the USMLE Step 1 Pattern
The USMLE Step 1 requires multilevel thinking and reasoning,
and most questions are not straightforward. A typical question
on the exam will present a clinical vignette of a patient
presenting with symptoms, and you will have to figure out the
diagnosis from the symptoms presented. The exam requires
deep and strong concepts to solve most of the questions.
First-Order Questions
First-order questions are the easiest questions on the exam,
and they require minimal thinking. For example, a question
that presents a clinical vignette and asks for the most probable
diagnosis is a first-order question.
Tactical Empathy
To solve questions on the USMLE Step 1, you need to think like
the question writer. This is what I call tactical empathy, and it
involves understanding the point of the question, what concept
the question writer wants you to elicit, and what the question
wants you to do.
Best Resources for USMLE Step 1
Manik Madaan
My Experience and Tips for Scoring 260+
on USMLE Step 1
Greetings, everyone! I am Mike Madan, a medical intern
currently studying at the Kempegowda Institute of Medical
Sciences in Bangalore, India. I recently took the USMLE Step 1
on March 12, 2020, and scored a 260. In this article, I will be
sharing my tips and experience on how to score 260+ on the
USMLE Step 1.
Believe in Yourself
Before delving into the tips, I want to share my philosophy on
life, which is to believe in yourself. If you do not believe in
something, you will never achieve it. Therefore, the first step
to achieving anything is to believe in it and then put in all the
hard work required to achieve it.
Understanding the USMLE Step 1 Pattern
The USMLE Step 1 requires multilevel thinking and reasoning,
and most questions are not straightforward. A typical question
on the exam will present a clinical vignette of a patient
presenting with symptoms, and you will have to figure out the
diagnosis from the symptoms presented. The exam requires
deep and strong concepts to solve most of the questions.
First-Order Questions
First-order questions are the easiest questions on the exam,
and they require minimal thinking. For example, a question
that presents a clinical vignette and asks for the most probable
diagnosis is a first-order question.
Tactical Empathy
To solve questions on the USMLE Step 1, you need to think like
the question writer. This is what I call tactical empathy, and it
involves understanding the point of the question, what concept
the question writer wants you to elicit, and what the question
wants you to do.
Best Resources for USMLE Step 1
