Best Resources for Medical Exams

A list of the best med-school resources, books, websites & applications you should know about if you are preparing for a medical exam.

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Paul J. Boylan

Textbooks and Review Books

First Aid for the USMLE Step 1: A highly popular review book with summaries, mnemonics, and high-yield information.

Rapid Review Pathology by Edward Goljan: Comprehensive pathology review with practice questions.

BRS Physiology by Linda S. Costanzo: Detailed explanations and review questions for physiology.

Step-Up to Medicine: A great resource for internal medicine, especially for clinical rotations and Step 2.

Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple: Simplifies complex microbiology concepts with humor and mnemonics.

Question Banks

UWorld Widely regarded as one of the best question banks for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, with detailed explanations and performance tracking.

Kaplan Qbank: Another comprehensive question bank with a large number of practice questions and detailed rationales.

AMBOSS: Combines a question bank with an integrated library for quick reference and in-depth explanations. Accurate summaries from your documents in seconds

Flashcards

Anki: A popular spaced-repetition flashcard app used by many medical students to memorize vast amounts of information efficiently. Many students use pre-made decks such as "Zanki" and "Brosencephalon".

Quizlet: Offers a variety of flashcard sets for different medical topics and exams.

Online Courses and Video Lectures

Boards and Beyond: Comprehensive video lectures covering basic sciences and clinical topics, often used alongside UWorld.

SketchyMedical: Visual learning through illustrations and stories, particularly useful for microbiology, pharmacology, and pathology.

Pathoma: Video lectures and a corresponding book by Dr. Sattar that cover pathology in a high-yield and easy-to-understand format.

OnlineMedEd: Video lectures focusing on clinical knowledge, often used for Step 2 CK and clinical rotations.

Study Guides and Notes

Osmosis: Offers video tutorials, flashcards, and practice questions. The platform integrates with study schedules and provides personalized recommendations.

Picmonic: Uses visual mnemonics to help remember medical information.

Practice Exams

NBME Practice Exams: Official practice exams that mimic the format and difficulty of the USMLE Step exams.

Kaplan Practice Exams: Full-length practice exams that provide a good simulation of the test day experience. Accurate summaries from your documents in seconds

Apps

Medscape: A comprehensive medical reference app with a vast library of medical articles, guidelines, and drug information.

Epocrates: A drug reference app that is useful for pharmacology review and clinical rotations.

Study Groups and Online Communities

Reddit: r/medicalschool, r/step1, r/step2 online communities where students share resources, study tips, and advice.

Student Doctor Network (SDN): Forums for medical students to discuss exam preparation and other aspects of medical education.

Supplementary Books

The Princeton Review and Kaplan Review Books: Provide structured review courses and materials for USMLE and COMLEX exams.

Lippincott's Illustrated Q&A Review of Biochemistry: Useful for biochemistry review with practice questions. Get it here.

Workshops and Tutoring

Kaplan and Princeton Review Workshops: Offer intensive review courses with personalized tutoring and strategies.

Private Tutors: Many students opt for one-on-one tutoring for personalized guidance and targeted review. Accurate summaries from your documents in seconds

I hope you found what you were looking for. Good luck for your exams!

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