STEP 1 Experience (256) NON-US IMG from NEPAL

Total Preparation Time - 18 months

(May 2018-Oct 2019)

Exam Date - 22nd Oct 2019

Score Reporting Date - 13th Nov 2019
Step 1 Score - 256

First 12 months- 6-7hrs/day 4-5 days a week

Next 6 months- 7-8 hrs everyday

I. Resources Used

1. Pathology - Goljan (first 10-11 chapters)- 2 weeks

2. Kaplan Videos 10 weeks
Biochem dr turco 2014
Micro and immuno 2010
Pharma dr raymon 2010
Anatomy neuro 2014 rest 2010
Physiology 2014
Behav science and Biostat 2010

Pathoma videos all 2 weeks

2. First aid express video 2016 with first aid 2016 3 weeks

3. Sketchy micro all 1 week

Sketchy pharma all 1 week
Sketchy patho about 50% 1 week

Physeo biochem/genetics sketchy type videos

Pixorize biochem/others sketchy type videos

4. UWORLD

uw offline 2016 questions and explanations 10 weeks

uw offline 2019 questions only 2 weeks
uw offline 2019 questions and explanations 4 weeks
uw online questions only (unused then all incorrect) 2 weeks
uw online explanations of incorrect and educational objectives of rest done in 2 weeks

5. KAPLAN QBANK offline 2017 3 weeks

6. FIRST AID RX QMAX online (5days trial) 1400q 1 week

7. AMBOSS QBANK ONLINE 2weeks

8. Boards and Beyond videos all 2 weeks

9. Osmosis videos 50% 1 week

10. Youtube Dirty usmle videos

11. Youtube the Noted Anatomist videos

Anatomy shelf note

100 cases of medical ethics
BRS Physio
Heart Sounds from uw/amboss/littmann/zeneca
Heart sound from youtube medzcool
ECG - the only ekg book you will ever need malcolm thaler
Histology from Shotgun Histology Videos & Lecturio
Webpath

12. Amboss Qbank and Knowledge Library

13. Assessments:- NBME, UWSA, Free 120, AMBOSS

Amboss Step 1 Self Assessment (April 3rd, 2019 ) 250 (40 incorrects)

Nbme 11-24 all offline (with explanations) 3 weeks.

done in order
1-2 months out

Nbme 11 offline - incorrects 21

Nbme 12 offline - incorrects 18
Nbme 13 offline - incorrects 15 (250)
Nbme 15 offline - incorrects 13 (257)
Nbme 16 offline - incorrects 16 (253)
Nbme 17 offline - incorrects 12 (255)
Nbme 18 offline - incorrects 07 (269)
Nbme 19 offline - incorrects 13 (252)
Nbme 20 offline - incorrects 25 (250)
Nbme 21 offline - incorrects 23 (255)
Nbme 22 offline - incorrects 19 (260)
Nbme 23 offline - incorrects 26 (250)
Nbme 24 offline - incorrects 25 (252)

Score conversions are done with help from reddit posts.

Uwsa 1 online 273 (16 incorrects) 1 week out

Uwsa 2 offline 270 (12 incorrects) 1 week out
Free 120 86% (17 incorrects) 1 week out
II. Preparation Experience -

I was motivated to prepare for step 1 but i had no idea about resources, what to use, how to use and
how much to use.. with time i found out myself., credit to facebook usmle step 1 group and past step 1
experiences.

I wanted to get acquainted, so i started with Goljan Pathology, just thorough reading, along with Audio
lecture, found out each and every sentences had a concept behind it.

My basics was poor, By poor i mean very poor..

Started with kaplan video and lecture notes.
Dont regret doing it, because it was what made my base for other resources.

dr turco, dr raymon, dr white, dr david, dr steven were great.

That was all but once for kaplan. never did it again thanks to UFAPS.

Then I did Pathoma Videos and Lecture Notes (Built proper basics for pathology)

I had problem with passive reading and re-reading and memorising, then i found Sketchy.

Sketchy worked perfectly for me.

Did all of micro, pharm and 50% of patho.

Also did sketchy like video mnemonics of pixorize and physeo for topics not covered in sketchy, which
also worked great for me.

I had problem in concentration esp with passive reading/re-reading of FA.

I did first read of FA with 2016 first aid express videos.(not bad/not great- but worked well for me
because something is better than nothing).

I couldnt have read FA for the first time without FA Express Videos, that is what i think about express
videos.

Then i started Qbanks.

I started with uw 2016 offline,

then kaplan qbank 2017 offline,
again uw 2019 offline then online,
fa rxqmax online 1400q
amboss online qbank 2300q+
nbme over 2600q+

In the mean time, while doing questions, opened FA and saw that specific topic to strengthen memory
and consolidate that topic..

Lastly, i thought i could now read FA properly, again i couldnt..

I did Boards and Beyond videos with its lecture notes again to consolidate remaining concepts.
In the mean time i also did few of osmosis videos, all of youtube dirty usmle videos, all of youtube the
noted anatomist videos, anatomy shelf note, 100 cases of medical ethics, BRS Physio, Heart Sounds from
uw/amboss/littmann/zeneca, heart sound from youtube channel medzcool and ECG from - malcolm
thaler ekg book.

I revised each of snapshots from videos time and again. I also revised whatever resources i used 3-4
times before exam.
(But I watched videos only once)..

I did NBME 11 onwards with explanation. Each NBME assessment took me one day to solve and review
their explanations from nbmeanswers.com , google, facebook groups and usmleforum.

I also used Amboss knowledge library just like wikipedia and searched topics of confusion. I also helped
me alot. Amboss is also a great step 1 study tool.

Finally, this study resources and pattern suited me and may not suit for so many other aspirants. I have
low concentration esp on passive reading. Videos helped me maintain concentration on topic for longer
period of time. Multiple Qbanks helped me prepare for the real exam.

III. My advice - It took me many weeks if not days to find out my study pattern that suited me. So it is
best to explore study materials and study pattern for first few weeks to determine what would work
best for you. Then you can master on that resource and study pattern up until exam.

Never did i ever passively read FA fully during my entire prep. FA was like index of medical wikipedia for
me which i could never got hold of.( i think no one does).

At the end of my preparation and assessment i was confident of scoring 260+ but exam day
performance matters alot.

III. Pre-Exam Status - I have severe anxiety about facing the exam. I had similar issues during my
university exams aswell. I knew i wudnt be able to sleep the day before exam. So i took advice from my
senior and used Zolpidem 10mg the day before exam. I had also tried it for few times before to know of
it worked for me and it was fine. I got 7-8 hours of good sleep.
IV. Exam Day Experience - First thing i want to tell is that Exam is Doable.

my plan was

skip tutorials,
1st block-5min break on table-2nd block-10 min break outside(snacks)

3rd block-5min break on table-4th block-20min break outside(lunch)

5th block-5min break on table-6th block-10min breakoutside

and finally do the last of block,7th one.

I had many concentration lapses during the exam. It is very important to simulate 7-8hr exam before
hand to improve endurance, stamina and concentration, simulate atleast 2-3 times.
Step 1 exam is not only about knowledge but concentration and stamina.

I made almost 10-12 very silly mistakes. might be due to the pressure of high profile exam. I could have
done better. But i am very happy with my score considering my exam day performance.

V. Finally, all of this wouldnt be possible without my study partner. Every Videos we watched together,
Every questions we discussed after each assessment, Each confusion, we would talk to eachother and
clear the same, Everything helped.
She helped me stay on course with my study targets. It wouldnt have been possible to come this far
without her support.

VI. Things i regret not doing-

not Starting qbank/uw early
not doing more online assessment

VII. Things i regret doing-

Nothing. Everything i did helped me in someway or other.

VII.Past experience and Facebook Groups also helped me to carve my way.Thanks to this group.!!

VIII. IF I CAN DO IT. YOU CAN DO IT TOO.ALL THE BEST !!!