USMLE Step 1 Success Stories

It's that time of year again! The Step 1 study season is upon us so be sure to download the ITB app to get all of the resources we offer or follow along on the Study Smarter podcast. Learn more on our website.

Study on the go

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Keep studying with our other podcasts:

Crush Step 1

Step 2 Secrets

Physiology by Physeo

Step 1 Success Stories

The InsideTheBoards Podcast

Legal Stuff and Credits

InsideTheBoards is not affiliated with the NBME, USMLE, COMLEX, or any professional licensing body. InsideTheBoards and its partners fully adhere to the policies on irregular conduct outlined by the aforementioned credentialing bodies.

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ITB is proud to announce a collaboration between Ars Longa Media and a group of medical students from Johns Hopkins University: The Health Beat. This show aims to deliver medical news in a digestible fashion for fellow students and the general public as well. The group has been following the coronavirus pandemic extensively and posting daily to their social accounts @CovidUp2Date. Check it out and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!

ITB Audio Qbank and iOS Beta App

Our audio qbank is THE PERFECT companion for studying for the boards on the go. And we're adding content and improving it all the time. The Audio Qbank by InsideTheBoards mobile app has both free and premium features and is available on both Android and iOS. Create a free Boardsinsider Account to get started.

Legal Stuff and Credits

InsideTheBoards is not affiliated with the NBME, USMLE, COMLEX, NBOME or any professional licensing body. InsideTheBoards and its partners fully adhere to the policies on irregular conduct outlined by the aforementioned credentialing bodies.

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This is a special episode we're posting across the InsideTheBoards network to educate med students on the clinical issues surrounding COVID-19 like how ventilators work, how patients are assessed and some potential questions students may have about the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Ted O’Connell, ITB’s chief content officer, and author of Crush Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 Secrets interviews Dr. Raj Dasgupta.“Dr. Raj” is a Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine physician and assistant program director for the University of Southern California’s Internal Medicine residency program. Dr. Raj is actively involved in media and has appeared on The Doctors, Bill Nye Saves the World and many others. He is one of the hosts for TNT’s Chasing the Cure and author of author of Morning Report: Beyond the Pearls, which you can learn more about at beyondthepearls.net. Dr. Raj is well worth following on social media. Check him out on Instagram (@dr_raj_), Facebook (@doctorRajD) or Twitter (@DoctorRajD)   The Audio Qbank by InsideTheBoards Mobile AppThe Audio Qbank by InsideTheBoards mobile app has both free and premium features and is available on both Android and iOS. To get started, first, create a Boardsinsider Account on our website insidetheboards.comFree Features All of our podcasts in one place organized into playlists for easy studying (also with less ads and exclusive content) Mindfulness meditations designed specifically for medical students A monthly offering of high yield content (questions dissections, audio qbank samples) available only on our mobile app. Early Access and exclusive content like a preview of the soon to be released "Crush Step 1" podcast and the "Inside ITB" podcast where we "get real" about the challenges of building ITB and the day to day behind the scenes stuff. Premium FeaturesSubscribe to an ITB premium account and get additional features Access to 500+ audio optimized board style practice questions in our Audio Qbank. The Step 1 version is powered by Exam Circle and the Step 2 Version is powered by OnlineMedEd. New questions added each month. High Yield Pharmacology (powered by Lecturio) with 100 of the top pharm questions you need to know for both Step 1 and Step 2 Audio Flashcards (coming soon) Our audio qbank is THE PERFECT companion for studying for the boards on the go. And we're adding content and improving it all the time. Learn more about the Audio Qbank by InsideTheBoards mobile app hereWhat Can You Do? You can help spread commonsense about COVID-19 by supporting this podcast. Hit subscribe, leave a positive review, and share it with your friends especially on social media. We can each do our part to ensure that scientifically accurate information about the pandemic spreads faster than rumors or fears. Remember to be vigilant, but remain calm. For the most trusted and real time information on COVID-19 and the coronavirus pandemic, both the CDC and WHO have dedicated web pages to keep the public informed. The information presented in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice.

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In this episode Michael and Rhett talk with Forrest Hamrick, one of the stellar members of the 4-person Anking team. Operated by four 2nd year medical students from the University of Utah, Anking demystified the flash card program for med students all around the world and became a Youtube sensation. In the interview, Forrest explains his commitment to Anki starting in the first few weeks of medical school and how its helped him ever since. He also emphasized the importance of using stellar premade Anki decks such as Zanki and Physeo.

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In this interview Nick Curran, an MS3 at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, discusses how he was able to identify what strategies he needed to employ in order to succeed. Nick makes the argument that one should stick with a strategy that works, even though it may defy conventional wisdom.

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In this episode we talk with Neil Mehta, an MS3 at St. George’s University. He did exceptionally well on Step 1 (and humble about it) and shares his pearls of wisdom for anyone else trying to achieve that type of score. Not all of us love every part of medical school and Neil shared his personal experience coming to the conclusion you don’t have to love everything to be a solid doctor. He also shared insight into how he navigated topics that didn’t come easily to him and ultimately succeeded!

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In this episode, Danny talks about how he managed to figure out a super-simple study schedule right out of the gate. He shares some time-saving insights that helped his time management and retention.

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In this episode, resourceful Rajshree speaks from Nepal about studying for Step 1 as an international medical graduate. She discusses how she balances her school and social life, work and studying for step 1 while dealing with unexpected setbacks. She shares some innovative study strategies, including audio lectures and a color-coded post-it note system and her personal 6 phase plan for tackling such a daunting test.Phase 1  a.Materials: Kaplan books, Pathoma, 1st round First Aid (FA),  b.Color code on FA: Bluesticky notes or blue pen  a.Time duration: 3.5 months during internshipPhase 2  a.Materials: 1st round Uworld system wise (73 %), 2nd round FA, BRS physiology, 100 clinical cases of medical Ethics by Conrad Fischer, Goljan Audio lectures from Spotify (1 week when I had Keratitis)  a.Color code on FA: Yellow sticky notes and black pen  a.Time duration: 2.5 monthsPhase 3  a.Materials: 2nd round Uworld Random (89%), ANKI cards (24K cards), 3rd round FA (removed low yield sticky notes)  a.Color code on FA: Yellow sticky notes and black pen  b.Time duration: 2 monthsPhase 4  a.Materials: Uworld marked questions, 4th round FA with circling high yield texts, Physeo videos in weaker topics of physiology, Boards & Beyond (B&B only difficult topics), ANKI 7K cards (couldn’t finish)  a.Color code in FA: Green pen or Green Sticky note for NBME & UWSA, 6-B Pencil for circling (glossy papers need darker pencil), Red pens and red sticky notes for Physeo, B&B, internet/forum resources  b.Time duration: 20 daysPhase 5  a.Materials: 5th round FA reading only the circled text, Qmax 7 day free trial –8 blocks/day for endurance  a.Color code in FA: Subject-wise color coded index sticky notes to marking topics to revise day before test  b.Time duration: 10 daysPhase 6  a.Materials: 6th round FA reading selected topics in indexed sticky note  b.Time duration: 10 hours

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In this unusual episode, Michael, one of the content creators and co-founders of Physeo, talks about how he would study for Step 1 if he had the chance to do it all over again. Michael talks about specific strategies from your first semester all the way to your dedicated study time, distilling information from the numerous interviews he's conducted, the hundreds of Step 1 videos he’s created, as well as his own personal experience preparing for Step 1.

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