Step 1 Book Recommendations

[Betsy]

Here is a list of books that I used for Step 1. Everyone has their own study strategy and opinion, so take it for what its worth. I used a subject based approach, and did not take the Kaplan course.


General Books:
• First Aid for Step 1 - my backbone of study. As I went through each review book, I would annote my first aid heavily with additional information that I read in the other books that I felt were high yield. Then, in my last week of studies, I reviewed ONLY first aid with my annotations. I felt this was a solid last minute review
• Step Up to the USMLE Step 1 (used mainly during the year, not for step 1 review)
• Kaplan Qbank – I got the Q review, and this was a waste. I didn’t even have enough time to finish qbank, much less the IV qbank.
• Blackwell’s Underground Clinical Vignette Series – I bought the whole set, but really didn’t use a lot of it. It was a good way to review the material in a different format. I read it when I got tired of reading text, or just needed a clinical approach to a topic.

Anatomy
• High Yield Gross Anatomy - excellent

Histology
• High Yield Histology – too much info, but good overview of everything. This is the first book that I started my studies with. Gives good background info.

Embryo
• High Yield Embryology – good review, maybe overkill

Neuroanatomy
• High Yield Neuroanatomy – must have.

Biochemistry
• BRS Biochemistry – very detailed, possibly try high yield
• High Yield Molecular and Cellular Biology (highly recommend) – great book and short

Physiology
• BRS Physio – first aid is weak in physio, so you need a good physio book

Behavioral Science
• High Yield – good quick read

Pathology
• BRS Pathology – must read
• Goljan audio – good to listen to when you get tired of reading.

Pharmacology
• Kaplan subject book in Pharm
• PharmCards – mostly used throughout the school year
• BRS Pharm Flash Cards – good review of high yield before shelf and USMLE

Microbiology
• Microbiology made Ridiculously Simple – I love this book
• Immuno chapters in Lange textbook – MMRS doesn’t have an immuno section, so I just read the 60pgs or so in Lange. You may also try High Yield. There is a new edition out this year.

[Stella]

This is what I used to prepare for Step 1:

Anatomy, Embryology, Stats, Behavioral, Histo
First Aid. I wasn't a huge fan of First Aid for Step 1, so I only used it for the lower yield subjects.

Physio
BRS Physiology

Biochem, Pharm, Micro/Immuno
Kaplan IntensePrep - it was awesome and definitely worth the money

Pathology
Goljan audio + Goljan Rapid Review book. I listened to the audio through out 2nd year and took detailed notes. It saved a lot of time when I was preparing for Step 1 because it takes forever to listen to the audio - reading notes is so much faster. Memorize everything he says because I easily had 6 or 7 questions word-for-word from the audio.

Neuro
RoadMap for USMLE Neuroscience

Question Banks
- Kaplan QBank - Completed 100%. More representative of the real thing.
- USMLE World - Completed 60%. Much harder than the real thing so it prepares you better.
- Practice NBMEs - Took the free one and 1 paid one. Much easier and not very representative of the real thing, but still might be a good idea to at least take the free one because I did have one of the images from it on the real thing.