Well, if you read my earlier blog, I was in the process of pre-reading for my Renal block. That paid off nicely, I aced the exam :) Gastrointestinal didn't go as well, and I still feel as though I don't have a good grasp on that stuff. I will have to teach it to myself since we have a cumulative exam coming up soon.
With regards to the USMLE, I have been trying to do a little bit of prep here and there. I bought the Kaplan Qbank, and have done 300 questions so far, with 55%. That sounds pretty bad, but I am not too worried about it at this point since I haven't reviewed the material as yet. Also, I found this website that has this score-relator, and it shows that if I complete the bank with this percentage I would be in the 218 or so range. Since I have a lot of review to do, that's fine for now. I am basically using the questions as a way to familiarize myself with the material so that when I get my dedicated study time none of the material is new.
I have decided to change my class strategy; instead of reading the class syllabus, I am going to rely on Robbins and Costanzo. That way I will be preparing for the boards while studying for classes. I go to class and review the powerpoints, so I feel like I will still be able to pick up any little specific details the professors want us to know. I also have BRS Physiology and Robbins and Cotran Review of Pathology which are great question books (I actually have an older edition of Robbins Qbook and I think it works just fine, if you're trying to save some money).
Anyway, it's Saturday and I'm going to get some R&R. Will try to update more frequently in the future, and please please post a comment and let me know your thoughts, or if there's anything you'd like me to comment on! I would also love to hear your study strategies and tips :)
