Crack the Code

USMLE STEPS are not your regular type of exam, in fact their design is really one of the most elaborate type of test you will ever see, it has it all, images, calculations, two step answers, double negatives, best possible, choosing the wrong answer, second best option, clinical cases, ethical cases, all against the clock. 

The series are really hard to master, in fact there are fewer and fewer direct questions and every year it gets tougher by using less high yield contents, hiding key signs and symptoms, using more clinical cases for everything and increasing the volume of contents specially for new treatments.

As every exam the series has a code, a way of doing their questions, breaking the code means knowing and being comfortable with all types of questions, knowing what to expect is half of the battle, for these exams is something that will help you in your preparation, it will give you a way to anticipate contents that may be asked while reading them. Think of these as a feeling or a sense to anticipate what could be asked.

Some people seem to have an easier way than others with these type of tests, and this is because they are more comfortable with the type of questions, maybe they have a more attentive mind for details, it’s hard to say, but it is also something that you can learn to do, it’s possible to learn the skill of test taking and making your own way of doing it at the same time.

Practice, that’s the key for cracking the code behind these exams, practicing questions that are similar in structure will give you a sense of how things can be asked, question banks have to be an integral part of your preparation, including questions early on your preparation will give you a sense as to when you need to memorize things like, second best treatment, lab data differentials, relevant images, ETC uncouplers etc.

When taking question banks every day you will form your own method to read and answer to blocks, not everyone has the same way of doing things and in practice you will find a way that feels more comfortable with both your way of analysis and the allotted time for each block.

To start practicing with questions, after you have finished a subject let’s say biochemistry, at the end of each day studying other subject take some blocks of questions from biochemistry this will refresh those contents while giving you a way of understanding how questions are made, then apply this insight to your next day studies, and so on until you finish all your subjects and then start making questions from subjects where you feel are weaker.

Again thanks for listening, if you have any comments leave them below, and don’t forget to visit us at www.usmleprepguide.com