GUIDE TO EFFICIENT EXAM PREPARATION SEC TION I 13

F I G U R E 3 . Median USMLE Step 1 Score by Specialty for Matched US Seniors.a,b

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240 239 240
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224 226
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aVertical lines show interquartile range.
bData from National Resident Matching Program. Charting outcomes in the match. https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Charting-Outcomes-US-Allopathic-Seniors-2016.pdf. Published September 1, 2016. Accessed October 1,
2017. Ophthalmology data from SF Match Residency and Fellowship Matching Services. Ophthalmology residency. https://www.sfmatch.org/PDFFilesDisplay/Ophthalmology_Residency_Stats_2017.pdf. Accessed October 1, 2017.

LEARNING STRATEGIES
``

Many students feel overwhelmed during the preclinical years and struggle to
find an effective learning strategy. Table 4 lists several learning strategies you
can try and their estimated effectiveness for Step 1 preparation based on the
literature (see References). These are merely suggestions, and it’s important
to take your learning preferences into account. Your comprehensive learning
approach will contain a combination of strategies (eg, elaborative interrogation
followed by practice testing, mnemonics review using spaced repetition, etc). ` The foundation of knowledge you build
Regardless of your choice, the foundation of knowledge you build during your during your basic science years is the most
basic science years is the most important resource for success on the USMLE important resource for success on the USMLE
Step 1. Step 1.

HIGH EFFICACY

Practice Testing

Also called “retrieval practice,” practice testing has both direct and indirect
benefits to the learner.4 Effortful retrieval of answers does not only identify
weak spots—it directly strengthens long-term retention of material. 5 The
more effortful the recall, the better the long-term retention. This advantage ` Research has shown a positive correlation
has been shown to result in higher test scores and GPAs.6 In fact, research between the number of boards-style practice
has shown a positive correlation between the number of boards-style practice questions completed and Step 1 scores
questions completed and Step 1 scores among medical students.7 among medical students.

Practice testing should be done with “interleaving” (mixing of questions

from different topics in a single session). Question banks often allow you to
intermingle topics. Interleaved practice helps learners develop their ability to
focus on the relevant concept when faced with many possibilities. Practicing
topics in massed fashion (eg, all cardiology, then all dermatology) may seem
intuitive, but there is strong evidence that interleaving correlates with longer-

FAS1_2018_00_Section_I_indexed_1-26.indd 13 10/12/17 10:37 AM