

The neuroscience part of the Kaplan book is really good. The book is 652 pages, and it is divided into three main sections: Early embryology and histology, Gross anatomy, which is further divided by system, and neuroscience. The Kaplan STEP1 lecture notes and videos are useful resources to understand anatomy for STEP1. We will write a separate blog post about the best strategy to use First Aid STEP 1 and other resources. Some students prefer to use First Aid STEP 1 after they finish their first read of other STEP 1 materials while others like to incorporate First Aid STEP 1 with studying other STEP 1 resources. So one strategy is to use resources other than First Aid STEP 1 to have a general idea about the topic, and then memorize the take-home points from First Aid STEP 1. On the other hand, subjects like physiology and biochemistry, that need a deep understanding and knowledge of the mechanisms, need to be read from other resources before going to First Aid STEP 1 (unless you have a solid understanding of these topics from your medical school). You will realize that the First Aid STEP 1 is best with topics that need memorization, comparing and contrasting, and plenty of mnemonics such as Microbiology. 📚🛒: Here is the link for the latest version: That’s why I recommend reading the latest version of the First Aid STEP 1 before taking your exam. In contrast, the second half of the First Aid STEP 1 is divided system-wise, where the book takes one system, and it covers it from its anatomy and embryology, continuing to its physiology and pathology, and ending with the pharmacology related to that system.įirst Aid STEP 1 is always updated to reflect the newest tested materials on the STEP 1 exam.

The first half of the First Aid STEP 1 covers the general principles tested on the USMLE Step 1 exam (behavioral science, statistics, microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, general pathology, general pharmacology). You can think of it as a collection of all the high-yield topics that are tested on the exam, collected and presented to you in this book. First Aid STEP 1 is basically a pack of all the information you need for the USMLE STEP 1, condensed into 860 pages. However, it will not provide you with explanations to form a solid understanding of the complicated STEP 1 concepts.

Once you have a clear idea about these questions, you can tailor your STEP 1 study plan based on your needs.įirst Aid STEP 1 is a great review book. To know what resources are best for you, start by asking yourself some simple questions: Do you have a solid knowledge of the STEP 1 materials? Are you a fresh graduate? How long was it since you studied the basic sciences? Was your medical school in English or your native language? Were you an average student or a top-class student? How high do you want to score? How much time do you have to prepare for the step 1 exam? A student who will prepare for the USMLE STEP 1 exam in 3 months will not use the same resources as a student who has one year to prepare for the STEP 1exam.Ī student might feel very confident with one subject that they would want to go directly to First Aid and UWorld, while another student might need to spend more time reviewing STEP 1 books and watching STEP 1 lecture videos before they start solving questions. Before we dive into the different books and resources, you need to understand that the choice of study resources is highly individual.
