1. NEUROSURGERY INTEREST SOCIETY CHAD CLAUS KEVIN ZHAO How to Rock Step 1/Level 1

2. Disclaimer Philosophical perspective on what’s to come The strategy YOU decide is the right one  There is no wrong strategy – only wrong for you! It’s too early to know what you don’t know  Importance of Fall learning – not reviewing!!!  Throw your FirstAid away – at least for now

3. Secret to Success Where do I start? Pick a resource:  Establishing best fit  How do I study?  What optimizes my learning environment?  What compliments my weaknesses?

4. Secret to Success Where do I start? Pick a question bank: Uworld, Uworld, or Uworld  The only way to assess your learning and thinking capabilities  Should be the staple of your schedule/plan  How many questions should I do?  Until they shut it off! You never know which question will expose your ignorance  Knowing all the wrong answers are more important than knowing the right ones!

5. Secret to Success Where do I start? Stick to that resource:  Get familiar – know it in and out  EVERYTHING HAS A WEAKSPOT!!! Use the fall to expose them and find an adequate replacement for that spot. WRITE THAT S*** DOWN – you’d be surprised how many there can be  Use that source to GUIDE your fall classes  Do not use it to solely facilitate your learning

6. Secret to Success Where do I start? Formulate a plan:  Collect all your resources:  How many pages/videos do I have to get through?  How many hours/day?  How many questions/day?  Do I want designated days off? How many? When?  Do I want catch-up days in case I might fail the Repro final?  Do I want to use a day(s) for practice exams? How many? When?  Cramfighter.com – only $9.99/mo

7. When/How to Start?? Winter Break Spring Break April May

8. Winter Break Self reflection & Implementation  Use these two weeks to make sure your schedule/plan is flawless  double check with spring calendar for any possible conflictions  Last minute second-guessing? You should have spent all fall tweaking/altering  Mentally prepare for the most stressful yet exciting 6 months of your life  Remember – you’ve already done all the hard work and planning Stick to the plan

9. Spring Semester Your priority is USMLE/COMLEX  However, don’t make the mistake of neglecting your spring courses – Find an appropriate balance and find it fast! 1 hour/day of board review is enough in the beginning  Slow and steady progression will build endurance  No one can immediately wake up one day and run a marathon! 10-15 questions/day  Take your time and really understand WHAT and HOW they’re asking the question – this should initiate investigation/intellectual curiosity!!

10. Spring Break Consider a practice NBME/Kaplan test  You should be well into your review  You should have an idea of strengths/weaknesses  You should feel more comfortable picking up the pace  Increasing hours/questions per day 2-3 hours/day 15-25 questions/day  You can go on vacation next year – what’s more important?  You can sleep next year during psych rotation

11. April School semester should be winding down in proportion to your board review building up  You should be well into your review and thinking about a second pass through your material  You have plenty of time!  The more times you see it the least likely you’ll forget it  You should have no problem spending 3-5 hours/day  You should be comfortable getting through >30 questions/day  Practice NBME?

12. May The next 4-5 weeks should be no more stressful than the rest. You’ve already put in 4 months of work.  With school out you should be very comfortable with a 5-10 hour/day  Stay away from 12-15 hour/day It’s ridiculous – you’re human not machine  You shouldn’t be doing anything less than a question block/day (46)  If you haven’t already, start taking these blocks in timed mode so you can begin to train yourself for the actual test environment NBME practice tests?  Simulating real test environments – more relaxed on test day?

13. Resources General  First Aid  Goljan  Kaplan Microbiology  Sketchy Micro  Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple Pharm Biochemistry Systems Behavioral/Biostats Qbank – UWORLD, COMQUEST, Kaplan

14. Scheduling Your Exams Everyone SHOULD take USMLE!  Don’t be the applicant who has to justify his/her reasoning during an interview There is no good reason! Typically, people take their USMLE before COMLEX.  Preparing for USMLE will prepare you for COMLEX  OMM on the side Schedule early June  You don’t want to have to worry about studying during rotations – it’ll never be adequate

15. Score Prediction NBME NBOME UWSA Uworld COMQUEST

16. Goals Look up Osteopathic GME Match Report Be aware of the ACGME/AOA single accreditation – it will effect us all in some way  Good or bad? Be realistic  With your time/schedule/score

19. Recap Find a way that works for YOU.  Know yourself  Know how you learn and how you don’t This is a thinking test – it should go without saying – PRACTICE THINKING!!!  Questions, questions, questions Find out what you hope they won’t test you on – study it until you beg for it to be on your exam Encourage intellectual curiosity  Don’t be content with the right answer – find out all the wrong ones!

20. GOOD LUCK!! Kevin Zhao – kzhao@westernu.edukzhao@westernu.edu Chad Claus – cclaus@westernu.educclaus@westernu.edu