Happy Sunday friends! 🌞
There are two things that are certain every summer: It's going to get hot 🥵, and medical students are going to be taking board exams 😵💫.
While I can't do anything about that first one, I can definitely help with the second! So this month during rounds, I want to share some tips on how to prepare for your next board exam ✔️. This information will be useful if you're taking any of the USMLE/COMLEX exams or if you're preparing for board certification 🥼.
- Question banks do the heavy lifting 💪🏽. No matter what exam you're studying for, the consensus is that you need a good question bank 🏦. Question banks are an ideal way to study because they can simulate the actual exam and rapidly expose you to a lot of information 💫. Ideally you should go through your question bank at least once, completing and reviewing more question blocks leading up to test day (more on that below). If you're looking for strategies on how to approach these questions, be sure to watch this video.
- Find the study resources that work for you 📚. Board exam resources are a dime a dozen nowadays, and it can be easy to waste time researching all of them. My recommendation is finding a few resources that work for you and sticking with those 🔑. Resources that are considered the gold standard (such as First Aid for the USMLE Step 1) should be at the top of your list ⭐. Don't waste time "testing" new resources...remember, all these resources generally cover the same information, so more resources doesn't mean more knowledge 🤨.
- Vary your study patterns 🚶♂️. You don't need me to tell you this, but studying for board exams can get exhausting 😫. Because of this, it's important to switch up your study habits. Study in a group sometimes as opposed to alone 👯. Talk through concepts (alone or with a friend) instead of just reading about them. Try a board review podcast if you're stuck in the car 🎧. Shameless plug, but my YouTube videos covering content for Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 are great to pull up on your phone while on the treadmill or even on the TV for review 😇.
- Spaced repetition is critical 🔁. All that studying means nothing if you can't recall information. One of the best ways to ensure you're committing what you study to long term memory is to use spaced repetition 🧠. My go-to method for this is to keep a journal of key points or concepts when reviewing question blocks and then reviewing that journal at least once a week 📖. This is a method I still use today to stay up to date on information in Emergency Medicine 🚑.
- Take breaks ❤️. I already told you, board exam study is exhausting! It's easy for students to get caught in the trap of feeling like they need to spend all their free time studying 😵, but the truth is this just leads to diminishing returns and burnout 📉. Spend time with family, go grab dinner with your classmates, and take time to do the things you love 🔋. For me, having evening vent sessions with my roommate and playing video games did wonders to help me stay sane 🎮. Take the time you need and you'll find yourself more recharged when you do hit the books again.
Happy studying!
🛍️ USMLE Study Kit: Check out my USMLE Study Kit in the official Med School Moose Amazon Shop for some products to help you get ready for test day.
🗺️ Something I discovered: I recently found out that you can play games like Pictionary and Jackbox on Netflix directly from your phone. Great for a study break or a fun night in!
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Thank you to TrueLearn for sponsoring this edition of Sunday Morning Rounds!