USMLE Prep During MBBS

Doing USMLE in MBBS:

By Waqas Nawaz M.D

Uptil now I explained how one can do steps after MBBS or after house job. Doing this thing in MBBS is more challenging but at the same time more advantageous. It has lot of benefits like:
1- You save 2 years.
2- You don't have to do house job. 
3- You can get good electives as most good programs require step 1 before they give you electives.

In out days not much people used to do steps as undergrad as there was less guidance and prof. exams used to be more subjective than today . Today exam is more objective and they can be passed by reading step books.
I will explain year wise how one can prepare for steps in MBBS so that each year students may be benefited.

First and Second year and USMLE:
One can read all three subjects from Kaplan books and start preparing for steps right away. Only anatomy needs to be read from BD. along with Kaplan as Kaplan is deficient in anatomy. By end of 2 years, one must have read these 3 books of Kaplan 3 times at least that is sufficient to make him familiar to the language of step books . Your target should be more to pass Profs and less on to get familiar with Kaplan.

Third year and USMLE:
People who still have not started USMLE can still be familiar with it in third year. 
1-Pharmacology can be easily passed by only reading Kaplan pharma. One should finish pharma 3 times by the time of prof which is more than enough for 1st read of pharma in steps. 
2- There is no Kaplan for general patho. So read it from Robins.
3- Forensic is not tested in USMLE
4- Microbiology / Immunology can be easily prepared from Kaplan. It's more than sufficient.

Fourth year and USMLE:
This is the year when you should officially start preparing step 1. When I say officially I mean you should be more focused and more systematic.

1- Pathology is main subject in this year. It can be easily passed by reading Kaplan and Goljan. No need to go through Robins. You should read at least twice which makes you well prepared for prof 
2- If one can also read pathology u world in 4th year , it will be highly beneficial taking only 1 more week than can be given in summer vacation 
3- Bio-statistics part of community med can be prepared from Kaplan behavioral science book. 
After fourth year prof, you should give 2-3 more reads to all step subjects as explained in my step 1 general scheme. One should take step 1 in early part of final year or summer vacation of final year. This way you can apply for electives after step 1 result and that elective you can do immediately after final year.

Step 2Ck and Final year:
Preparing step 2 Ck in final year is relatively easy than step 1 as all final year subjects are covered by Ck books.

1- Medicine is main subject, should be read from Kaplan, U world and MTb. You can pass medicine prof after reading these books. 
2- For passing surgery, one should read Kaplan as well as some other book especially for general surgery. 
3- Pediatrics can be passed from Kaplan Peds and U world with MTb. 
4- Gyn/ Obs can be passed easily through Kaplan, U world and MTb. 
5- Psychiatry can be passed from Kaplan and U world / MTB.

By the time of prof, one should have finished these subjects 2-3 times which will be equal to 1 read of step 2.

Take prof and then start second and third reads after that in same way as explained in Ck general plan. Plan Step 2 in March.
One can then go to electives applied in summer of final year. While doing electives, one can do Cs and step 3. This way he can apply in September of same year he graduated without doing house job.

Although what I explained seems a lot theoretical but I have seen people doing this. If you have to save 2 years you will have to put extra efforts. Those saved years can be utilized in doing some good research instead of house job and that will help you not only in residency but in fellowship too.

Believe in Allah because if you believe you receive!

Article by: Waqas Nawaz MD