Throughout my medical education, I’ve been asked what resources I used to power through my studies. After finding myself answering this same question over and over again, I finally decided to create a page of the resources that were my saving grace throughout my medical education. Please keep in mind that this list is NOT all-inclusive. There are certainly other great resources out there. This is just a compilation of the resources that kept me afloat, along with a few others that I heard wonderful things about from multiple people.
Before we delve into the resources, I just want to make a few things clear:
- IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING: First things first, Black Man, M.D. is a proud affiliate partner for some of these resources, meaning if you click a link for one of the affiliate resources and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It will be clearly stated which resources have affiliate links embedded in its post, and the commissions earned will help provide Black Man, M.D. the funding it needs to sustain and bolster its platform so that it can continue carrying out its mission effectively. The recommendations that I provide on this list are based on my personal experiences, as well as the personal experiences of others that I am walking with on my journey in medicine. The resources and recommendations shared with you are here because I genuinely believe that they are helpful and valuable, not because of any commissions that the blog may receive. Please do not spend any money on any of these resources unless you believe that they will help you achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself.
- This is a dynamic list of resources, meaning that this page will be updated over time as the listed resources come out with new editions or are discontinued. If there are new resources I’ve never used that I believe have the potential to change the paradigm of medical education, they may be added.
- I was never much of a textbook guy, so while there will be some textbook recommendations listed, there won’t be a ton of them. I primarily used textbooks as a reference, especially if they had fantastic images, charts, and/or diagrams that I could study from. Visual elements such as those helped me a TON throughout my medical education.
- Everyone has their own unique way of learning and synthesizing information. You may find that these resources end up being very helpful to you. On the other hand, you may realize that most of them aren’t of much use to you. If you do decide to use any of the listed resources, don’t be afraid to utilize them in your own unique way. Please do whatever works for you because that is what’s most important at the end of the day.
- Please keep in mind that linking a blog, website, or a product does not mean that I 100% endorse everything they may say or do. That being said, I believe that you can learn many things from something or someone, even if you don’t necessarily agree with everything they say or do. If a resource is listed here, it is because I genuinely believe that it was helpful enough to get me and/or other people through our medical education.
- My goal isn’t to give you all the answers; I most certainly don’t have them all. I’m still learning as I progress through my journey in medicine. I just want to provide you with a multitude of resources that can be found in one place for your convenience.
General Resources
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
First Aid For The USMLE Step 1 Exam
This comprehensive review book of basic science high-yield facts is a MUST-HAVE for Step 1 prep! I was very fortunate to have received the 2016 edition from my medical school for free when I was an MS1, so I went ahead and used it as a supplement to my coursework.
Throughout my MS2 year, I leaned heavily on this resource and it was an absolute necessity during my preparation period for Step 1! If you’re starting medical school and your institution does not give you this book for free, I would strongly recommend getting your hands on First Aid sooner rather than later!
Pro Tip: When I started my dedicated study period for Step 1, I got my First Aid book spiral-bound and it made a world of difference. It was so much easier to use and navigate through! I would recommend trying it out; it’s relatively cheap to do so and you can get it done at your local FedEx. You can thank me later 😉
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
Throughout my MS2 year, I leaned heavily on this resource and it was an absolute necessity during my preparation period for Step 1! If you’re starting medical school and your institution does not give you this book for free, I would strongly recommend getting your hands on First Aid sooner rather than later!
Pro Tip: When I started my dedicated study period for Step 1, I got my First Aid book spiral-bound and it made a world of difference. It was so much easier to use and navigate through! I would recommend trying it out; it’s relatively cheap to do so and you can get it done at your local FedEx. You can thank me later 😉
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Sketchy
When I first heard about this resource back in 2015 as an MS1, I was in my Anatomy block and didn’t really have much use for it. I then used it during my Cellular/Subcellular and Neuroscience blocks of my MS1 year, and it made my life SOOO much easier. I proceeded to use it throughout the vast majority of my MS2 year, and frequently referred to it throughout my dedicated study periods for the two Step exams I took in medical school. It also helped me reinforce concepts throughout my clinical years in medical school and to this very day, I still think back to the images drawn in the videos when I think about specific bacteria, viruses, parasites, and drugs!
Previously known as “SketchyMicro” (and later “SketchyMedical”), Sketchy is a unique platform that applies visual-spatial memory strategies to everyday studying by using distinctive pictures and scripts to help you recall specific information. By using “The Method of Loci”, Sketchy takes complex medical concepts and anchors the important information within them to characters and objects in an imaginary story. They also offer interactive review flashcards and quiz questions to further cement the information you’re learning into your memory. While it initially started off as a platform that just explained concepts related to microbiology and commonly used pharmaceutical drugs, it has since evolved into a platform that spans topics geared towards not only medical students, but also towards students in PA school, pharmacy school, and nursing school. They cover a lot of critical material that is commonly tested on in the standardized tests (USMLE Step Exams, COMLEX, MCAT, PANCE, NAPLEX, NCLEX) administered to students in each of those professions. They even have an app now! 🤯
Honestly, it blows my mind just how much Sketchy has evolved over the years. It was a godsend when I first started using it in its early days, so I can’t even begin to imagine how crucial it is to students nowadays! In my humble opinion, purchasing a subscription to this resource is 100% worth the investment and is a MUST-HAVE. They even let you try it out for free for 14 days if you would like, so if you don’t find it helpful you can decide not to purchase it! If you haven’t already checked it out, I highly recommend doing so as soon as you can especially if you consider yourself a visual or auditory learner!
Previously known as “SketchyMicro” (and later “SketchyMedical”), Sketchy is a unique platform that applies visual-spatial memory strategies to everyday studying by using distinctive pictures and scripts to help you recall specific information. By using “The Method of Loci”, Sketchy takes complex medical concepts and anchors the important information within them to characters and objects in an imaginary story. They also offer interactive review flashcards and quiz questions to further cement the information you’re learning into your memory. While it initially started off as a platform that just explained concepts related to microbiology and commonly used pharmaceutical drugs, it has since evolved into a platform that spans topics geared towards not only medical students, but also towards students in PA school, pharmacy school, and nursing school. They cover a lot of critical material that is commonly tested on in the standardized tests (USMLE Step Exams, COMLEX, MCAT, PANCE, NAPLEX, NCLEX) administered to students in each of those professions. They even have an app now! 🤯
Honestly, it blows my mind just how much Sketchy has evolved over the years. It was a godsend when I first started using it in its early days, so I can’t even begin to imagine how crucial it is to students nowadays! In my humble opinion, purchasing a subscription to this resource is 100% worth the investment and is a MUST-HAVE. They even let you try it out for free for 14 days if you would like, so if you don’t find it helpful you can decide not to purchase it! If you haven’t already checked it out, I highly recommend doing so as soon as you can especially if you consider yourself a visual or auditory learner!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Pathoma: Fundamentals of Pathology
I was fortunate enough to be provided with this comprehensive pathology review book by my medical school. I would consider this another MUST-HAVE for Step 1 preparation. Both the book and its corresponding online videos review just about all the high-yield pathology you’ll need to understand to pass Step 1. I made it a point to integrate the information from this resource into my studies during my first two years of coursework in medical school, which helped strengthen my knowledge of key concepts in the pathophysiology of the many organ systems I was studying. I heavily relied on this resource throughout my dedicated study period for Step 1 as well and was extremely glad that I decided to do so! It was a key resource for me in medical school and I strongly recommend that you also make it one of your key resources!
Firecracker
This popular, personalized flashcard program, now owned by Wolters Kluwer, uses the strategy of spaced repetition to facilitate long-term memory of important concepts. You can also use it to review specific topics via study guides and flashcard quizzes that it provides to you. When I was an MS1, I bought an 18-month subscription during my Cellular/Subcellular block, but I didn’t really use it in an efficient manner until I got to my Neuroscience block. My school ultimately ended up purchasing the program for us and I was luckily able to get a refund for my purchase! 😊
Firecracker was a central part of my studies up until my dedicated study period for Step 1 and although I didn’t personally use it while studying for Step, it has a lot of helpful study materials that are specific to Step 1. As you look for resources to help you in your studies, I would keep in mind that this resource isn’t for everyone, especially if you don’t consider yourself someone that learns best from flashcards. While I did find it helpful and would certainly recommend it to those of you who live and die by flashcards, I do not personally consider it a “must-have” to pass your Step exams and to succeed in medical school.
Wolters Kluwer offers a 7-day free trial of Firecracker that you can check out to determine if this resource would suit you well in your studies. If you end up deciding to use Firecracker, I would recommend starting to use it well before your dedicated study period for Step so that you can maximize the benefit of its long-term spaced repetition strategy!
Firecracker was a central part of my studies up until my dedicated study period for Step 1 and although I didn’t personally use it while studying for Step, it has a lot of helpful study materials that are specific to Step 1. As you look for resources to help you in your studies, I would keep in mind that this resource isn’t for everyone, especially if you don’t consider yourself someone that learns best from flashcards. While I did find it helpful and would certainly recommend it to those of you who live and die by flashcards, I do not personally consider it a “must-have” to pass your Step exams and to succeed in medical school.
Wolters Kluwer offers a 7-day free trial of Firecracker that you can check out to determine if this resource would suit you well in your studies. If you end up deciding to use Firecracker, I would recommend starting to use it well before your dedicated study period for Step so that you can maximize the benefit of its long-term spaced repetition strategy!
Google Search Engine
Do NOT underestimate the power of Google. I’ve probably used Google more than any other resource on this list throughout my medical training. It’s free, efficient, and has the capability of providing you with some other solid (and not-so-solid) resources. I did my best to use it to its full potential throughout medical school and I obviously still use it on a daily basis. If you’re lost and are looking for an answer, Google will always be there for you!
Wikipedia
Just as you shouldn’t underestimate Google’s power, you should not underestimate the value of Wikipedia. Sure, there’s always a chance that someone could edit information on a page to whatever they would like. That being said, I’ve still found it to be an incredible source of information over the years and just like Google, it’s free and efficient. What’s really special about Wikipedia is that there are links on the bottom of most of the pages on the platform that will link you to the sources they used to draft the information shared with you on the page. If all else fails and you can't find what you're looking for in Wikipedia, just click on another link in your Google search. 🙃
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UWorld QBank
I’m just going to go ahead and say it. Every medical student who plans to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step Exams should have the UWorld Question Bank in their possession. There’s really no way around it.
I used this extremely popular resource in an intense fashion during my preparation period for all three of my USMLE Step exams and it was single-handedly the best thing I could have done to prepare myself for each of them. It was the core study tool I used to study for the Step exams, and my review strategy was heavily based on how I performed on the questions I answered in the UWorld question blocks and on the practice tests that the company provides. The high-yield conceptually-focused questions in the QBank, coupled with the in-depth explanations that are provided for each question, makes this resource such a critical learning tool. I cannot recommend this MUST-HAVE resource highly enough! I’ll never say it is impossible to do well without using UWorld, but I honestly believe that you would be seriously selling yourself short if you decide not to use it!
Alongside the question banks for USMLE Step Exam preparation, UWorld has expanded its portfolio of products to include QBanks for COMLEX Level 1, COMLEX Level 2, the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Certification Exam, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Certification Exam, the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE), and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). I obviously haven’t used UWorld for any of these other exams but if the quality and robustness of the QBanks are anything like the ones I used for the Step exams, I would certainly recommend that you seriously consider investing in them!
I used this extremely popular resource in an intense fashion during my preparation period for all three of my USMLE Step exams and it was single-handedly the best thing I could have done to prepare myself for each of them. It was the core study tool I used to study for the Step exams, and my review strategy was heavily based on how I performed on the questions I answered in the UWorld question blocks and on the practice tests that the company provides. The high-yield conceptually-focused questions in the QBank, coupled with the in-depth explanations that are provided for each question, makes this resource such a critical learning tool. I cannot recommend this MUST-HAVE resource highly enough! I’ll never say it is impossible to do well without using UWorld, but I honestly believe that you would be seriously selling yourself short if you decide not to use it!
Alongside the question banks for USMLE Step Exam preparation, UWorld has expanded its portfolio of products to include QBanks for COMLEX Level 1, COMLEX Level 2, the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Certification Exam, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Certification Exam, the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE), and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). I obviously haven’t used UWorld for any of these other exams but if the quality and robustness of the QBanks are anything like the ones I used for the Step exams, I would certainly recommend that you seriously consider investing in them!
Kaplan QBank
I used the Kaplan Step 1 Question Bank alongside my coursework during my first two years of medical school after it was highly recommended by almost all of the MS3s and MS4s I had talked to during my MS1 year. The QBank reinforced what I was learning in my classes, and I remember being impressed at what it had to offer. There are 3300+ practice questions in this bank, and each question has very thorough explanations for each answer choice. In addition, the QBank tracks your progress as you answer each question and analyzes your performance over time, giving it a very personalized feel. Kaplan offers two full-length practice exams that help you prepare for the real test, as well as a diagnostic exam that gives you a starting point to grow from.
I remember feeling like the questions that I completed really challenged my understanding of the relevant material I had been studying. I managed to obtain a huge discount on the QBank during my MS1 year because of my student membership in the American Medical Association and my attendance at a lunch talk promoting this product. While I used it off-and-on during my MS1 and MS2 years, I ultimately did not use it during my dedicated study period for Step 1 since I decided to fully commit to the UWorld QBank. That being said, I do think that it is certainly worth looking into because it can serve as a very helpful supplement to what you’re learning in the classroom without exhausting the UWorld QBank that will be instrumental during your dedicated study period!
Unlike UWorld, Kaplan also offers on-demand and live courses that you can use to help further cement your understanding of foundational and integrated basic science concepts commonly tested on Step 1. These courses are quite pricey, with the on-demand option costing $1999, the live online option costing $4399, and the New York In-Center option costing an eye-popping $8000! (And that latter price is after you use the code NYCENTER20). I personally did not use any of the Kaplan courses for Step 1 because 1) I don’t think I even knew about them at the time, 2) I already had the resources that I felt I needed to effectively learn what I needed to comfortably pass my classes and the Step 1 exam, and 3) even if I did know about them during my MS1 year, the courses would have been waaayyyy out of my price range. That being said, if you feel that you may benefit from any of these courses and you have the means to afford one of them, by all means check it out! Kaplan is offering a free trial for the on-demand course as well as a free live event for the live-online course, so you can see if these methods of learning suit you before you decide to bite the bullet and pay for it!
Kaplan also offers QBanks and courses for USMLE Step 2 CK, USMLE Step 3, COMLEX Level 1, COMLEX Level 2 , and the MCAT. I don’t have any personal experience with using its resources for Step 2 CK, Step 3, or COMLEX, but I did participate in a Kaplan course for free while preparing for the MCAT, thanks to a remarkable summer program I was fortunate enough to participate in prior to my senior year of college. I do remember the live course giving me some much-needed structure as I prepared for the exam and the weekly practice tests were really helpful in assessing how well I was retaining and applying the knowledge I was accumulating. The On-Demand MCAT Course is currently the cheapest option and it sits at $2099, with the Live Online MCAT Course, Private MCAT Tutoring + Live Online Course, and the MCAT Bootcamp Online Course costing $2699, $3399, and $7299, respectively. Feel free to take a look at what each of these options have to offer if you are someone who may benefit from having a structured study schedule built for you!
I remember feeling like the questions that I completed really challenged my understanding of the relevant material I had been studying. I managed to obtain a huge discount on the QBank during my MS1 year because of my student membership in the American Medical Association and my attendance at a lunch talk promoting this product. While I used it off-and-on during my MS1 and MS2 years, I ultimately did not use it during my dedicated study period for Step 1 since I decided to fully commit to the UWorld QBank. That being said, I do think that it is certainly worth looking into because it can serve as a very helpful supplement to what you’re learning in the classroom without exhausting the UWorld QBank that will be instrumental during your dedicated study period!
Unlike UWorld, Kaplan also offers on-demand and live courses that you can use to help further cement your understanding of foundational and integrated basic science concepts commonly tested on Step 1. These courses are quite pricey, with the on-demand option costing $1999, the live online option costing $4399, and the New York In-Center option costing an eye-popping $8000! (And that latter price is after you use the code NYCENTER20). I personally did not use any of the Kaplan courses for Step 1 because 1) I don’t think I even knew about them at the time, 2) I already had the resources that I felt I needed to effectively learn what I needed to comfortably pass my classes and the Step 1 exam, and 3) even if I did know about them during my MS1 year, the courses would have been waaayyyy out of my price range. That being said, if you feel that you may benefit from any of these courses and you have the means to afford one of them, by all means check it out! Kaplan is offering a free trial for the on-demand course as well as a free live event for the live-online course, so you can see if these methods of learning suit you before you decide to bite the bullet and pay for it!
Kaplan also offers QBanks and courses for USMLE Step 2 CK, USMLE Step 3, COMLEX Level 1, COMLEX Level 2 , and the MCAT. I don’t have any personal experience with using its resources for Step 2 CK, Step 3, or COMLEX, but I did participate in a Kaplan course for free while preparing for the MCAT, thanks to a remarkable summer program I was fortunate enough to participate in prior to my senior year of college. I do remember the live course giving me some much-needed structure as I prepared for the exam and the weekly practice tests were really helpful in assessing how well I was retaining and applying the knowledge I was accumulating. The On-Demand MCAT Course is currently the cheapest option and it sits at $2099, with the Live Online MCAT Course, Private MCAT Tutoring + Live Online Course, and the MCAT Bootcamp Online Course costing $2699, $3399, and $7299, respectively. Feel free to take a look at what each of these options have to offer if you are someone who may benefit from having a structured study schedule built for you!
USMLE Rx QBank
As I rounded out my MS1 year, my original plan was to use this question bank alongside my coursework during my MS2 year to prepare for Step 1, but I ultimately decided to go with the Kaplan QBank instead. With that said, I remember having friends back then who used it and absolutely loved this QBank, especially since it is designed to be in sync with First Aid (The Editor-In-Chief is Dr. Tao Le, who also happens to be the Editor-In-Chief of the First Aid series!). There were also some people in their MS3 and MS4 years at the time who had told me that in hindsight, they would have preferred to have prepped for Step 1 with another QBank. At the end of the day, you just have to see what works for you!
Similar to the UWorld and Kaplan QBanks, the USMLE Rx QBank is a source of high-yield, conceptual questions that you can practice with and learn from. However, I will say that this resource has supercharged its offerings in the years that have passed since I took Step 1. From what I remember back then, all that USMLE Rx had to offer was a QBank. Nowadays, this platform complements its Step 1 QBank with other supplementary resources such as the Rx Bricks (~800 high-yield, patient-centered modules), Step 1 Flash Facts ( ~15,000 flash cards fully integrated with First Aid), and Step 1 Express videos (~80 hours of high-yield, interactive videos)! You can purchase them a la carte or bundle them up in their Rx360+ pricing plan.
Additionally, they offer you the opportunity to try out the Rx360+ plan for five days for free to see if you like it, and then allow you to keep your free access to over 150 of its Rx Bricks after the trial ends, even if you don’t end up purchasing anything from them! And last but not least, if you end up trying this resource out and likes what it has to offer, you can use its Step 2 CK QBank to prep for that exam!
Similar to the UWorld and Kaplan QBanks, the USMLE Rx QBank is a source of high-yield, conceptual questions that you can practice with and learn from. However, I will say that this resource has supercharged its offerings in the years that have passed since I took Step 1. From what I remember back then, all that USMLE Rx had to offer was a QBank. Nowadays, this platform complements its Step 1 QBank with other supplementary resources such as the Rx Bricks (~800 high-yield, patient-centered modules), Step 1 Flash Facts ( ~15,000 flash cards fully integrated with First Aid), and Step 1 Express videos (~80 hours of high-yield, interactive videos)! You can purchase them a la carte or bundle them up in their Rx360+ pricing plan.
Additionally, they offer you the opportunity to try out the Rx360+ plan for five days for free to see if you like it, and then allow you to keep your free access to over 150 of its Rx Bricks after the trial ends, even if you don’t end up purchasing anything from them! And last but not least, if you end up trying this resource out and likes what it has to offer, you can use its Step 2 CK QBank to prep for that exam!
Anki Flashcards
I had a number of classmates who swore by this resource when I was in medical school. This flashcard system is designed like Firecracker in that it uses a spaced repetition approach to develop and retain knowledge about a particular subject. Unlike Firecracker however, this platform is free! But with that said, you do have to make your own flash cards. In essence, with Anki you make your own digital flashcards and the computer shuffles the deck in a systematic way that is programmed to help you remember things.
Prior to my Step 1 dedicated study period, I used Anki intermittently but not at all to the extent that I used most of the aforementioned resources on this page and much less to the extent that some of my classmates & friends used it. However, when I entered my step study period I found myself heavily using Anki, specifically the Step 1 Anki deck (~1800 flashcards indexed by major organ groups) that the creator of Yousmle.com put together. As I grinded throughout my study period, I found that the deck really helped me not only solidify important concepts relevant to Step 1, it also really helped me with retention of the knowledge that was being reinforced and I could review flashcards on-the-go with the Anki app.
While I didn’t end up scoring as high on the exam as I would have liked to, I do credit the Yousmle Step 1 Anki deck with helping me achieve a score that I was comfortable working with when it came time to apply for residency. I don’t think the Anki deck was 100% necessary for me to have passed Step, but just like the people who shared their testimonials on the site describing how much the deck helped raise their scores, I certainly did not regret buying it! Yousmle.com also offers a small pharmacology deck that I used for Step 1, a Step 2 CK deck that I used for most of my MS3 clinical rotations but not for my Step 2 CK preparation, and an online course that was offered well after my Step 1 days!
Bonus: Here’s an article authored by the creator of the Yousmle.com Step 1 Anki Deck that describes how he used Anki in a way effective enough for him to score a 270 on Step 1. Even though Step 1 is pass/fail now, the information he shares may still prove to be helpful for you if you end up using Anki as a study tool!
Prior to my Step 1 dedicated study period, I used Anki intermittently but not at all to the extent that I used most of the aforementioned resources on this page and much less to the extent that some of my classmates & friends used it. However, when I entered my step study period I found myself heavily using Anki, specifically the Step 1 Anki deck (~1800 flashcards indexed by major organ groups) that the creator of Yousmle.com put together. As I grinded throughout my study period, I found that the deck really helped me not only solidify important concepts relevant to Step 1, it also really helped me with retention of the knowledge that was being reinforced and I could review flashcards on-the-go with the Anki app.
While I didn’t end up scoring as high on the exam as I would have liked to, I do credit the Yousmle Step 1 Anki deck with helping me achieve a score that I was comfortable working with when it came time to apply for residency. I don’t think the Anki deck was 100% necessary for me to have passed Step, but just like the people who shared their testimonials on the site describing how much the deck helped raise their scores, I certainly did not regret buying it! Yousmle.com also offers a small pharmacology deck that I used for Step 1, a Step 2 CK deck that I used for most of my MS3 clinical rotations but not for my Step 2 CK preparation, and an online course that was offered well after my Step 1 days!
Bonus: Here’s an article authored by the creator of the Yousmle.com Step 1 Anki Deck that describes how he used Anki in a way effective enough for him to score a 270 on Step 1. Even though Step 1 is pass/fail now, the information he shares may still prove to be helpful for you if you end up using Anki as a study tool!
Lange Pharmacology Flashcards
The third edition of these flashcards was given to me by a friend back in medical school, and they ended up being pretty useful to me as I closed out my Step 1 Study Period. I used this resource during the last week of my study period, where they served as a rapid review of must-know pharmacology details that I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget on test day. The flashcards go over a ton of information about various drug classes such as mechanism of action, clinical uses, and side effects, just to name a few. It ultimately ended up being a worthwhile resource; I was able to pull some facts from these cards while I was answering pharmacology questions on test day! The fourth edition is the latest one, and it has ~260 high-yield flashcards in its deck!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Crush Step 1 Review
This is definitely one resource that I wish I had gotten my hands on earlier in medical school. I remember some people dubbing it as “First Aid in paragraph-form”. I stumbled upon Crush Step 1 during my Dermatology block midway through my MS2 year and it proved to be pretty helpful at that time. I then experienced the true magic of this resource in the subsequent Renal block! Simply put, it literally saved my ass.
The way it broke down the physiology of the nephron and described the pathophysiology of the ailments that could affect the kidney just made so much sense to me. I was officially hooked. I continued to use it heavily during the rest of my MS2 courses (Musculoskeletal/Rheumatology & Endocrinology/Reproductive Systems Blocks), where it continued to serve me well!
Crush Step 1 would have been a very-handy resource to have had earlier in medical school during my MS1 year, but I’m just glad that I was able to come across it when I did! I then primarily used it as a reference text during my Step 1 Study Period, where it continued to be a useful resource to review various concepts. If I were you, I would certainly check out this review book sooner rather than later to see how well it may work for you in the long run, especially if you’re a visual learner and learn well with text, pictures, and diagrams!
Bonus Tidbit: Based on the VARK test I took in medical school, my strongest learning styles at that time were kinesthetic and auditory, yet I still found this resource to be immensely helpful!
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The way it broke down the physiology of the nephron and described the pathophysiology of the ailments that could affect the kidney just made so much sense to me. I was officially hooked. I continued to use it heavily during the rest of my MS2 courses (Musculoskeletal/Rheumatology & Endocrinology/Reproductive Systems Blocks), where it continued to serve me well!
Crush Step 1 would have been a very-handy resource to have had earlier in medical school during my MS1 year, but I’m just glad that I was able to come across it when I did! I then primarily used it as a reference text during my Step 1 Study Period, where it continued to be a useful resource to review various concepts. If I were you, I would certainly check out this review book sooner rather than later to see how well it may work for you in the long run, especially if you’re a visual learner and learn well with text, pictures, and diagrams!
Bonus Tidbit: Based on the VARK test I took in medical school, my strongest learning styles at that time were kinesthetic and auditory, yet I still found this resource to be immensely helpful!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
Lectures/Professors: At the end of the day, your subject tests are (for the most part) going to be entirely dependent on your professors and the lectures that they give. You definitely should NOT neglect these, especially if your professors are the ones writing the questions for your exams. Also feel free to use your professors as resources if they make themselves available, but be aware that you aren’t the only student trying to compete with their attention!
MS1 Resources
(Unless otherwise stated, I typically used the General Resources above for the courses listed below with minimal additional resources. Especially Google. And First Aid, Sketchy, Wikipedia, Pathoma & Firecracker. Don’t sleep on Google though.)
My MS1 Courses
- Anatomy
- Cellular & Subcellular Processes
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Molecular Genetics
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Neuroscience
- Pathology
Lippincott’s Illustrated Q&A Review – Anatomy & Embryology
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⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Board Review Series: Gross Anatomy
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⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Netter's Anatomy Flashcards
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⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
MS2 Resources
(Unless otherwise stated, I typically used the General Resources above for the courses listed below with minimal additional resources. Especially Google. And First Aid, Sketchy, Wikipedia, Pathoma & Firecracker. Don’t sleep on Google though.)
My MS2 Courses
- Hematology/Oncology
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Gastroenterology
- Dermatology
- Renal
- Musculoskeletal/Rheumatology
- Endocrinology/Reproduction
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Board Review Series: Physiology
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MS3 Resources
Internal Medicine
Step-Up To Medicine
Great, all-encompassing resource that tackles just about all of the topics that you need to know in your Internal Medicine clerkship in a digestible format.
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This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
OnlineMedEd
The videos on this website are very high-yield and I was able to learn about various topics in a very structured way that was easy to follow. What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here). There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features.
OnlineMedEd very quickly became a staple in my studies throughout my MS3 year! Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UWorld Step 2 CK QBank
Just get it. You’ll be glad you did, even if you have to shell out a ton of money on the front end. I didn’t manage to get through all 1000+ of the Internal Medicine questions, but I did answer a sizeable chunk of them. I was more focused on drilling the 500+ questions in the IM Essentials QBank, which unfortunately no longer exists. 😭
Anki Flashcards
I used the Internal Medicine section of the Step 2 Anki Deck that the creator of Yousmle.com put together. It helped primarily with retention of knowledge of material that I wouldn’t have otherwise remembered.
Sketchy
I mainly used this resource as a reference tool throughout my Internal Medicine clerkship.
Firecracker
Other than using it for questions here and there and as a reference tool for information I wanted to know quickly, I didn’t really use this resource much during this clerkship.
Pocket Medicine
This is a small book full of quick facts that is primarily used as a reference text on the wards. To be honest, I barely used it to study for the Shelf Exam but it can be helpful while on the wards!
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This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio: Internal Medicine Clerkship Review
This two-hour review lecture, given by Dr. Emma Holliday while she was an MS4 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, serves as an all-encompassing summary of the information that you should have learned while on the Internal Medicine rotation. I watched it about a day or so before my exam and I found it pretty helpful in further synthesizing what I had already learned. I also ended up learning a few new things while watching this lecture! PowerPoint to the lecture can be found here!
Obstetrics & Gynecology
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
APGO UWise Questions
This question bank, provided by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, was SO clutch during my Ob/Gyn rotation! This QBank was so clutch that I consider it a “MUST-HAVE” resource for this clerkship. There are 600+ questions to answer, and studying is made easier by the fact that all the questions are divided into specific topics/objectives. I highly recommend using this resource for your Ob/Gyn rotation!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Case Files: Obstetrics & Gynecology
I started using this book on this rotation and I fell in love with it! Its case-style format really meshed with my style of studying and it really helped me understand important concepts. It ended up being a crucial resource for me throughout this clerkship, so for that reason I consider it to be a “MUST-HAVE” asset! I recommend trying it out at least once to see if it works for you!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
OnlineMedEd
This resource very quickly became a staple in my studies over the course of my MS3 year. High-yield videos that are efficiently presented with a hilarious delivery by Dr. Dustyn Williams. What more could you ask for?
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UWorld Step 2 CK QBank
Like I said before, just get it. You’ll be glad you did, even if you have to shell out a ton of money on the front end. I got through all of the Ob/Gyn questions and it definitely helped me in understanding important topics.
Anki Flashcards
I used the Ob/Gyn section of the Step 2 Anki Deck that the creator of Yousmle.com put together. It helped primarily with retention of knowledge of material that I wouldn’t have otherwise remembered.
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
NBME Practice Questions
These practice shelf exams, provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners, helped polish my understanding of all the material I learned during the rotation. I completed all the Ob/Gyn forms the week of my Shelf exam and I’m absolutely certain that it played a huge role in my performance on test day, especially since it’s in the exact same format that the Shelf exam is in! If you’re able to, I would recommend completing as many of these questions as you can!
Pediatrics
Aquifer Pediatrics Cases
This resource, previously called Computer-assisted Learning In Pediatrics Program (CLIPP), includes 32 interactive patient cases that are designed to serve as a useful learning resource for those who, like me, learn best via case-centered learning. We were given free access to this resource by my medical school and I really liked this resource, but I wasn’t able to complete more than what was required of me (10 cases) because each case was sooo long and comprehensive. If you’re feeling shaky on a certain topic though, I believe that doing one of these cases related to that topic will serve you well!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Case Files: Pediatrics
This resource served me well in Ob/Gyn, so I just used it again for Peds and it was just as useful! If your system ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
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This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
OnlineMedEd
This resource very quickly became a staple in my studies over the course of my MS3 year. High-yield videos that are efficiently presented with a hilarious delivery by Dr. Dustyn Williams. What more could you ask for?
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UWorld Step 2 CK QBank
In case you didn’t catch the hint before, it would be wise for you to go ahead and use this resource! I was able to get through all of the Pediatrics questions and it definitely helped me in synthesizing important topics in this field of study.
Anki Flashcards
I used the Pediatrics section of the Step 2 Anki Deck that the creator of Yousmle.com put together. It helped primarily with retention of knowledge of material that I wouldn’t have otherwise remembered.
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio: Pediatrics Clerkship Review
This two-hour review lecture, given by Dr. Emma Holliday while she was an MS4 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, serves as an all-encompassing summary of the information that you should have learned while on the Pediatrics rotation. I watched it about a day or so before my exam and I found it pretty helpful in further synthesizing what I had already learned. I also ended up learning a few new things while watching this lecture! PowerPoint to the lecture can be found here!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
NBME Practice Questions
These practice shelf exams, provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners, helped polish my understanding of all the material I learned during the rotation. I completed all the Pediatrics forms the week of my Shelf exam and I’m absolutely certain that it played a huge role in my performance on test day, especially since it’s in the exact same format that the Shelf exam is in! If you’re able to, I would recommend completing as many of these questions as you can!
Psychiatry
Case Files: Psychiatry
I didn’t use this resource as much as I had in the aforementioned rotations, but it served as a useful reference point whenever I wanted to learn a bit more about a specific psychiatric condition!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
OnlineMedEd
This resource very quickly became a staple in my studies over the course of my MS3 year. High-yield videos that are efficiently presented with a hilarious delivery by Dr. Dustyn Williams. What more could you ask for?
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UWorld Step 2 CK QBank
In case you didn’t catch the hint before, it would be wise for you to go ahead and use this resource! I was able to get through all of the Psychiatry questions and it definitely helped me in synthesizing important concepts in this field of study.
Anki Flashcards
I used the Pediatrics section of the Step 2 Anki Deck that the creator of Yousmle.com put together. This specific deck was very small and didn’t really help much with Shelf preparation, but I went through them regardless since it had become a habit to do so by the time I had gotten to this point in my MS3 year.
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio: Psychiatry Clerkship Review
This two-hour review lecture, given by Dr. Emma Holliday while she was an MS4 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, serves as an all-encompassing summary of the information that you should have learned while on the Psychiatry rotation. I watched it about a day or so before my exam and I found it pretty helpful in further synthesizing what I had already learned. I also ended up learning a few new things while watching this lecture! PowerPoint to the lecture can be found here!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
NBME Practice Questions
These practice shelf exams, provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners, helped polish my understanding of all the material I learned during the rotation. I completed all the Psychiatry forms the week of my Shelf exam and I’m absolutely certain that it played a huge role in my performance on test day, especially since it’s in the exact same format that the Shelf exam is in! If you’re able to, I would recommend completing as many of these questions as you can!
Neurology
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
American Academy of Neurology Practice Questions
This question bank was provided to my class by our clerkship director early on into our rotation. Made up of 100 questions, it hit on numerous topics that we had to know for both the wards and the Shelf exam. The explanations were very insightful, and the information I learned from these questions ended up helping me out quite a bit during the rotation as well as on the Shelf exam! This website also has other educational resources to help medical students study for the Shelf exam that you can access by clicking here!
Case Files: Neurology
I didn’t use this resource as much as I had in the aforementioned rotations, but it served as a useful reference point whenever I wanted to learn a bit more about a specific neurological condition!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
OnlineMedEd
This resource very quickly became a staple in my studies over the course of my MS3 year. High-yield videos that are efficiently presented with a hilarious delivery by Dr. Dustyn Williams. What more could you ask for?
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
NBME Practice Questions
These practice shelf exams, provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners, helped polish my understanding of all the material I learned during the rotation. I completed all the Neurology forms the week of my Shelf exam and I’m absolutely certain that it played a huge role in my performance on test day, especially since it’s in the exact same format that the Shelf exam is in! If you’re able to, I would recommend completing as many of these questions as you can!
Surgery
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Pestana's Surgery Review
This study guide, curated by Dr. Carlos Pestana, succinctly highlights most of the necessary information that you definitely need to know to maximize success on the Shelf exam. Although it’s more of a review guide as opposed to a textbook, I found it very helpful throughout my rotation and as I studied for the Shelf exam! At some point well after my MS3 year, a pocket-sized review for the surgical clerkship and shelf exam (as shown on this display) was created and is now being sold on Amazon! Click here to check it out if you would like!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
Surgical Recall
This book has a lot of information listed in a flashcard-like fashion. It was mainly created to help students answer questions that are likely to be asked to them in a pimping-like fashion by their supervising residents and/or attendings. I found it helpful to look at when I was either on-the-go or trying to kill time while waiting for the next surgical case to begin. And whaddya know, I did get pimped on some questions that I read almost verbatim from this resource! I wish I had been able to read the whole book…but then again, I definitely did not have the time nor patience to read through 800+ pages (I had the 6th edition of this resource).
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
Surgery: A Case-Based Clinical Review
I actually intended to use this resource early on in the rotation but with all the other resources I had on hand, I just simply never got around to using it. However, I wanted to include it because I know some people who did use it and said that it was very helpful to them! I’m sure there’s a lot of good information in this book, plus it’s structured in a case format so if you find that this style of learning suits you well, I would recommend at least taking a look at it!
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Case Files: Surgery
I tried to read as much as I could in this book for this rotation, but I had to eventually choose and pick certain topics that I needed to do some heavy-duty review on. It ultimately served as a very useful reference point for a variety of conditions pertinent to the field of Surgery!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
OnlineMedEd
This resource very quickly became a staple in my studies over the course of my MS3 year. High-yield videos that are efficiently presented with a hilarious delivery by Dr. Dustyn Williams. What more could you ask for?
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
What made this resource so special during my time in medical school was that it used to be absolutely free, but that has since changed (explanation from the creator of OnlineMedEd can be found here).
There are now pricing tiers based on how long you want access to a subscription and they’ve really super-charged the platform with a lot of new information and features. Knowing what I know about it now, if I had to pay to use it as I went through my clinical rotations, I likely would still shell out the money for it. Or at the very least, I would try to get my institution to pay for it for everyone. It was just that great of a resource!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UWorld Step 2 CK Qbank
In case you didn’t catch the hint before, it would be wise for you to go ahead and use this resource! I was able to get through all of the Surgery questions and it definitely helped me in synthesizing important concepts in this field of study.
Anki Flashcards
I used the Surgery section of the Step 2 Anki Deck that the creator of Yousmle.com put together. It helped primarily with retention of knowledge of material that I wouldn’t have otherwise remembered.
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
UT Health Science Center at San Antonio: Surgery Clerkship Review
This two-hour review lecture, given by Dr. Emma Holliday while she was an MS4 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, serves as an all-encompassing summary of the information that you should have learned while on the Surgery rotation. I watched it twice before my exam and I found it pretty helpful in further synthesizing what I had already learned. I also ended up learning a few new things while watching this lecture! PowerPoint to the lecture can be found here!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
NBME Practice Questions
These practice shelf exams, provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners, helped polish my understanding of all the material I learned during the rotation. I completed all the Surgery forms the week of my Shelf exam and I’m absolutely certain that it played a huge role in my performance on test day, especially since it’s in the exact same format that the Shelf exam is in! If you’re able to, I would recommend completing as many of these questions as you can!
Family Medicine
University of Virginia SOM Question Bank
This free question bank from the UVASOM was provided to my class by our clerkship director early on into our rotation. Made up of 125 Shelf-like questions, it helped a lot with studying for the actual Shelf exam. The explanations were very thorough, and the questions were about as challenging as the questions on the Shelf exam were. And best of all, this question bank was free! Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like you can get it from the UVASOM website anymore, but traces of it still live on various websites on the internet and PDFCoffee.com is one of them!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Rosh Review
I gotta say, this is an awesome learning platform. I first learned about it on this rotation and had heard pretty great things about it from numerous people. After checking out the 20-question free trial, I decided to go ahead and purchase a month-long subscription. I was able to answer 500+ questions and review all the explanations while learning a ton of new concepts in the process. What makes this resource even more convenient is that there’s an app associated with it, so I could review questions on-the-go! Granted, the questions aren’t really Shelf-style, but I learned so much from the explanations that it made the purchase worth it!
Case Files: Family Medicine
Again, I tried to read as much as I could in this book for this rotation, but I had to eventually choose and pick certain topics that I needed to do some heavy-duty review on. It ultimately served as a very useful reference point for a variety of conditions pertinent to Family Medicine!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
NBME Practice Questions
These practice shelf exams, provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners, helped polish my understanding of all the material I learned during the rotation. I completed all the Family Medicine forms the week of my Shelf exam and I’m absolutely certain that it played a huge role in my performance on test day, especially since it’s in the exact same format that the Shelf exam is in! If you’re able to, I would recommend completing as many of these questions as you can!
Emergency Medicine
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
Rosh Review
After successfully using this learning platform for Family Medicine, I went ahead and bought another month-long subscription for Emergency Medicine. I went through another 500+ questions and reviewed all the explanations to them while learning a ton of new concepts in the process. And again, having the Rosh Review app on my phone was very convenient because I was able to review questions on-the-go! It’s important to note that these questions aren’t really the type of questions that you’ll see on the Shelf exam. However, the amount of information that I was able to take in and synthesize was more than enough to justify the purchase to myself!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
QuickEM
I didn’t find out about this useful app until about midway through my EM rotation, and I wish that I had been able to have put it to good use from the very beginning of the rotation! QuickEM is a free reference tool that helps you formulate a differential diagnosis based on the specific complaints of a patient. In addition, it has a calculator function that does the work of calculating the scores of various clinical prediction criteria for you, such as the Well’s criteria, Ranson’s criteria, Centor criteria, etc. There’s even a section that provides very helpful tips on performing well on the EM rotation! There are other pretty cool features to this app, but you will need to shell out some cash to access these other features. However, being able to access those features could be very well worth it, especially if you’re considering a career in Emergency Medicine!
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
EM Basic
I found this resource to be extremely useful during my time in this rotation. Created by an EM physician, EM Basic is a blog that has a podcast series designed to help medical students and EM interns review the basics of Emergency Medicine. There are over 40 episodes in his podcast series that are based on chief complaints commonly encountered in the Emergency Department. In my opinion, the best part of this resource is the fact that the material in the podcasts have been compiled into a PDF document, which makes reviewing all the great material in these podcasts even easier! I highly recommend checking this free resource out!
Case Files: Emergency Medicine
I honestly barely used this book on this rotation because I spent the majority of my time using other very useful and comprehensive resources. That being said, I still flipped through this book around a week or so before my exam to briefly review conditions that I may have missed in my studying. I found that I had already covered most of the material in this book in my other resources, but even with that said, there is very good information found in these pages if you are a die-hard Case Files fan!
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
This post contains an affiliate link. If you use this link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! 😊
⭐️ MUST-HAVE!
NBME Practice Questions
The practice shelf exam that I used for this rotation, provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners, helped polish my understanding of the material I learned during the rotation. I completed the Emergency Medicine form during the week of my Shelf exam and I found that it played a huge role in my performance on test day, especially since it’s in the exact same format that the Shelf exam is in! If you’re able to, I would recommend completing as many of these questions as you can!
Resources No Longer In Existence
Doctors In Training: I’m sorry to say that this resource no longer exists! I’m adding it to this list for completeness sake because it was one that I used heavily throughout medical school. Doctors In Training was known for its highly informative videos that tended to highly correspond with First Aid. These videos also came with worksheets that could be filled out in order to serve as study guides. Doctors In Training, or DIT for short, was used by many students preparing for all three Step exams as well as students preparing for the COMLEX exams. They did a wonderful job describing the material that was tested on the board exams. It was a pricey resource, but the company regularly gave out various discounts to students looking to use DIT!
IM Essentials – I primarily worked with this QBank during this clerkship and did a second-pass through my incorrect questions. It was a very helpful resource, and I learned a ton from it! Both this Qbank and UWorld helped me adequately prepare for my shelf exam, but the exam was still a tough one regardless. With that said, it’s important to understand that simply answering all the questions on both QBanks won’t suddenly make you a master of Internal Medicine, but it will definitely help you reason through questions in a confident manner. Although this QBank unfortunately is no longer offered by the American College of Physicians, you can still get the IM Essentials Questions Workbook on Amazon that has really helpful IM questions to work through! (This is an affiliate link. If you use these link to buy something, we will earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!)
Hey thank you so much for this post. I’m rolling into my Step studying now. Quick question though. Do you still stand by that yousmle deck for step 1? Been getting mixed reviews about it.
Hey man, no problem! The page is here to help students like you prosper. As for the yousmle deck, I think that it did help me reinforce concepts and information as I was studying for Step 1, plus I could do the cards on the go since I got the app. The person who created the cards used many of the UWorld questions to create the cards, which again helped key information stick into my head.
That being said, I think they are priced quite high and looking back I don’t think it is a very necessary tool to do well on Step. If I were to study for Step again, I don’t know if I would want to purchase the deck at the price I bought it for, which I think was cheaper than the price it is now. But then again, if I hadn’t bought the deck, I would have probably been wondering “what if I had bought the deck?” To be honest, I don’t regret getting it at all, even though it wasn’t a perfect deck. He also may have added more cards to it over the past couple of years and may have tweaked some of the cards to be even more useful.
I didn’t get a score in the high 200s on Step 1 like the people on the website got, but I did get a score I was comfortable working with. So if you decide to get the deck and purchase it not fully expecting to get like a 260, then you most likely won’t be disappointed. But remember, the deck should serve as an adjunct to doing questions and using your other resources.
Hey Bro… I’ve been talking with some of our current 2nd years here at UNC as they approach their step season and would love to add 2 resources to your list here that i think are now MUST-HAVE’s for pre-clinical years / Step 1 Prep. One of them theoretically to replace First-Aid
1. USLME Step 1 Secrets (Thomas A Brown ; Sonali J Bracken)
2. Lange Pharmacology Flashcards (978-0071792912)
*ok honestly, you can’t really replace first-aid but maybe set it aside for a lil bit, till you get a point where you actually feel confident in how much you know*
Okay good to know bro, thanks for your input!