Dr. Mike Ren also contributed to this post. At first, the endocrine system might seem like an elusive topic—no singular organ to visualize or dissect. Without a big sexy organ (like a heart, brain, or lungs) to rally behind, it…
Dr. Mike Ren also contributed to this post. We’ve tried to condense the introductory microbiology content for Step 1 into a single post, but the microbial universe had other plans! Heck, even squeezing it down to two posts feels like…
Dr. Mike Ren also contributed to this post. If you’re anything like me, thumbing through the microbiology section of First Aid makes your stomach churn just a little. That chapter—yes, the one titled “High-Yield Principles in Microbiology”—is over 80 pages…
How many times have we heard, “it’s all right there in your syllabus”? We get this reassurance from our professors and leaders throughout our education. That a few sheets of paper lay out everything you need to learn, when you’ll…
Originally published 2016 It was January of MS2 year, and after winter break, excitement for Step 1 was starting to build. Within a few weeks, our administration laid out a calendar for one-on-one meetings with faculty to discuss our prep…
Gather round, brethren. And bring a bleeding desire to master Hematology. I can imagine the hematologic system advocating for itself, explaining that “without me, what are the heart and lungs really doing? The blood is everything!” All the body’s systems…
How would you describe studying for Step 1? Is it internalizing data? Or would you call it pattern recognition? Is it retaining facts, or applying knowledge? Likely all the above. But at some level, studying for Step 1, or any…
You’re prepping for the USMLE. You have your UWorld subscription, a shiny new copy of First Aid, a subscription to Boards&Beyond, and a tattered, well-loved copy of BRS Physiology. But have you taken an NBME? The National Board of Medical Examiners compiles…
Originally published September 22, 2021 We recognize that many students use UWorld to help prepare for their Step 1 exams. But where do they go wrong? What are potential pitfalls that second year med students should make sure to avoid…
OMG, they are changing USMLE Step 1 again! Why now, during your medical school tenure, do all of these changes have to happen? The two things you thought you could bank on when starting medical school were: 1. Step 1…