Some people also recommend to start reading the books with your weaknesses. Some people recommend doing one reading and THEN watching the videos but in my opinion this is a waste of your time. Phase 2 - Second reading, memorization, and Kaplan Q Bank Phase 3 - UWorld Q Bank Phase 4 - Final Review The material I used was: - Kaplan Lecture Notes and Videos: Great material, has all the information you need to know (probably except pathology) - BRS Rapid Review Physiology: Excellent, concise and easy to learn - Goljan's Pathology: a MUST, great pathology review - Kaplan Q Bank: not as good as UWorld but great for learning - First Aid USMLE Step 1: your BIBLE - UWorld Q Bank PHASE 1 (2-3 months) So I started off by reading all Kaplan Lecture Notes at the SAME TIME as I was watching the Lecture Videos.
My technique was dividing my study into four phases: Phase 1 - First reading of material, without active memorization.
This will be a moment to sacrifice friends, family, and free time but believe me it is worth it. Once you set your mind on a date, work for it no matter what. I think a total of 6 months is more than enough to fully prepare for Step 1. Many people can take from 3 months up to a year, depending on your learning capacities and previous knowledge. Therefore, I think your first step is to make up your mind and fix a date for your exam. I'm an IMG so I knew that it would take more work and time than US medical students due to different medical education systems. First of all, I was aiming for a score of 240 or higher since I hope to match in a very competitive specialty. This will be a LONG post so forgive me but I really think it could help you on your path. I've received my score of 249, so I decided to write this post and help others by sharing my experience. Hey everyone, When I was preparing to study for Step 1 I couldn't find a thorough explanation on a study plan.