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subject. Do not waste time with outdated hand-me-down review books.

Some students blindly advocate one publishers series without considering the broad range of quality encountered within most series. Weigh different opinions against each other, read the reviews and ratings in Section III of this guide, examine the books closely in the bookstore, and choose review books carefully. You are investing not only money but also your limited study time. Do not worry about nding the perfect book, as many subjects simply do not have one, and different students prefer different styles. There are two types of review books: books that are stand-alone titles and books that are part of a series. The books in a series generally have the same style, and you must decide if that style is helpful for you. However, a given style is not optimal for every subject. For example, charts and diagrams may be the best approach for physiology and biochemistry, whereas tables and outlines may be preferable for microbiology. You should also nd out which books are up to date. Some new editions represent major improvements, whereas others contain only cursory changes. Take into consideration how a book reects the format of the USMLE Step 1. Note that some of the books reviewed in Section III have not been updated adequately to reect the clinical emphasis and question format of the current USMLE Step 1. Books that emphasize obscure facts and minute details tend to be less helpful for the current USMLE Step 1 because there are now fewer picky questions and more problem-solving questions. Practice Tests Taking practice tests provides valuable information about potential strengths and weaknesses in your fund of knowledge and test-taking skills. Some students use practice examinations simply as a means of breaking up the monotony of studying and adding variety to their study schedule, whereas other students study almost solely from practice tests. There is, moreover, a wide range of quality in available practice material, and nding good practice exams is likely to become even more complicated with the introduction of the computerized Step 1. Your best preview of the new computerized exam can be found in the practice exams on the USMLE CD-ROM. The current generation of commercial software (both freestanding and bundled with books) poorly simulates the computerized Step 1, since most of the software was developed before design specications for the computerized exam were nalized (see section III for reviews). In addition, students report that many current practice-exam books have questions that are, on average, shorter and less clinically oriented than the current USMLE Step 1. Many Step 1 questions demand fast reading skills and application of basic science facts in a problem-solving format. Approach sample examinations and simulation software critically, and do not waste time with low-quality questions until you have exhausted better sources.

If a given review book is not working for you, stop using it, no matter how highly rated it may be.

Many students regret not using the same books for medical school exam review and Step 1 review.

Most practice exams are shorter and less clinical than the real thing.

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