SOM Academic Skills Counselor
For advice on developing a study plan, study tactics, and test taking skills, please contact Dr. Jamey Cheek, Academic Skills Counselor. Appointments can be arranged by email,
cheekj@uw.edu.
Self-Assessment and Access Sample Test Questions
Information on how to evaluate your readiness to take the USMLE can be found on the NBME website (fees may apply).
The USMLE website contains sample test content and practice materials.
SOM Counseling Service
The counselors can assist you with issues related to managing stress, test anxiety, procrastination, time management, or attention problems. Additionally, if personal stressors such as family or relationship issues are impacting your ability to study, individual counseling may help you manage your way through this period, including development of skills for focusing on your exam preparation and boundary setting, when appropriate.
Joanne Estacio-Deckard, LICSW
206.616.3024, joanneed@uw.edu
Mark Wicks, Ph.D.
206.616.3022, wicks@uw.edu
Managing Step 1 Before Step 1 Manages You
The counselors present this small group workshop in the spring for students who tend to have anxiety or high stress with standardized exams. We review strategies for dealing with test anxiety, procrastination, barriers to study, etc.
Presentation to second-year students, 4/1/2011:
Video
PowerPoint presentation
(These links are accessible to second year students only)
Review Books for Step 1
Here are some of the highly rated books that have been recommended by students. Remember these are only recommendations. You should find books that match your learning style.
- Comprehensive:
- First Aid for USMLE Step 1, 2010. A student-to student guide.
- Step-Up, A High-Yield, Systems-Based Review for the USMLE Step 1
- Blackwell’s Underground Clinical Vignettes
- NMS, Review for USMLE Step 1
- By Subject:
- Physiology: Board Review Series (BRS)
- Pathology: BRS
- Anatomy, Embryology , Neuroanatomy: High Yield series
- Biochemistry: Lippencott, BRS, or High yield
- Pharmacology: Katzung & Trevor’s Pharmacology
- Microbiology: Micro Made Ridiculously Simple
- Behavioral Science: BRS or High Yield
- Genetics: Your syllabus
- Case Books:
- MSKAP for Students
- First Aid Cases for USMLE Step 1
Practice Questions
- It is very important to do practice questions. Resources include the USMLE World, found at www.usmleworld.com, Kaplan Qbank, found at www.kaplan.com and USMLEasy, found at www.usmleasy.com and the National Board of Medical Examiner Self-Assessment Program, located at www.nbme.org. Other resources for test questions include the UW bookstores (many choices) and the Student Resource Center in T-557 (donated review books with test questions).
Study Tips from the Academic Skills Counselor
- Every student is unique in how she or he studies for the USMLE exams. Some work best in study groups; others prefer to study alone. Some study a few hours/week for 6 months; others focus heavily for the 3 weeks prior to the exam. The best way is your way.
- When taking the test, do not “over think” the questions. They are meant to be answered in an average of 65 seconds. Practice your timing. Read ALL answer choices because the majority of the questions are in the “best answer” format, so more than one answer may be fairly consistent with the information given, but only one is the BEST.
Outside Review Courses/Programs
The courses listed below are those about which we have information. The School is not endorsing any particular commercial course, but wants you to be informed about them to enable you to make a decision on whether a structured course would be a helpful way for you to organize your study plan. Any costs associated with these courses (tuition, travel or living expenses, etc.) are your responsibility.