Shah Sonali J. - USMLE Step 1 Secrets

USMLE Step 1 Secrets

Third Edition

Thomas A. Brown, MD

Internist/Hospitalist, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Sonali J. Shah

MD/PhD Candidate, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Copyright

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USMLE STEP 1 SECRETS, THIRD EDITION

ISBN: 978-0-323-08514-4

Copyright 2013 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.

Copyright 2008, 2004 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.

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Notices

Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.

Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

With respect to any drug or pharmaceutical products identified, readers are advised to check the most current information provided (i) on procedures featured or (ii) by the manufacturer of each product to be administered, to verify the recommended dose or formula, the method and duration of administration, and contraindications. It is the responsibility of practitioners, relying on their own experience and knowledge of their patients, to make diagnoses, to determine dosages and the best treatment for each individual patient, and to take all appropriate safety precautions.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Brown, Thomas, 1972

USMLE step 1 secrets / Thomas A. Brown, Sonali J. Shah. 3rd ed.

p. ; cm. (Secrets series)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-323-08514-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)

I. Shah, Sonali J. II. Title. III. Title: USMLE step one secrets.IV. Series: Secrets series.

[DNLM: 1. Clinical MedicineExamination Questions. WB 18.2]

LC classification not assigned

610.76dc23

2012015347

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Content Development Specialist: Andrea Vosburgh

Publishing Services Manager: Patricia Tannian

Senior Project Manager: Sharon Corell

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Printed in the United States of America

Last digit is the print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contributors

Thomas A. Brown, MD

Internist/Hospitalist, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Dana M. Carne

Fourth-Year Medical Student, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire

Bjorn I. Engstrom, MD

Intern, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

Raj Ganeshan

Third-Year Medical Student, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Nikki Goulet, MD

Resident, Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Jessica M. Intravia, MHA

Third-Year Medical Student, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Douglas W. Jones

Fourth-Year Medical Student, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire

Khoshal Latifzai

Fourth-Year Medical Student, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire

Stephen B. Marko

Third-Year Medical Student, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Henry L. Nguyen

Research Associate, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

Brandon Olivieri, MD

Internal Medicine Intern, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut

Radiology Resident, Diagnostic Imaging, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida

Anna Radwan

Third-Year Medical Student, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Allyson M. Reid

Third-Year Medical Student, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Eric B. Roth

Fourth-Year Medical Student, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire

David Austin Schirmer, III, MD

Resident, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

Sonali J. Shah

MD/PhD Candidate, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut

Jaime Stevens, MD, MPH

Resident, Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida

J. Pedro Teixeira

Fourth-Year Medical Student, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire

Edmund Tsui

Third-Year Medical Student, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire

Preface

Preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 can be an intimidating and nerve-wracking experience. For one thing, this score actually counts! Although for many of you the most important goal in taking Step 1 is passing this exam, we know that is not enough. Earning a spot in a competitive field or residency program requires you to do more than just pass in order to compete with other high-caliber students. Let us pause right here and take a moment to introduce ourselves. We are the authors of USMLE Step 1 Secrets, and we have one aim in writing this book: We are here to help you earn the highest score you possibly can on this exam.

How early should you begin studying for the USMLE?

Students frequently ask this question, but unfortunately there is no simple way to answer it. Students commonly allocate anywhere from 1 to 6 months to study for boards, but some take more time and a rare few may need less. The point is that each student should begin his or her preparations at a time that makes sense for that particular individual. When planninig your own study schedule, consider how busy you estimate you will be in the months leading up to your exam (do not neglect your coursework!), how many hours per day you are willing to dedicate to productive study time, and how well you think you retain information in the short term versus the long term. Most medical students will have figured out which study styles work best for them long before they even begin to think about boards. Do not drastically change your study habits for the USMLE if you have found methods that work well for you.