USMLE
(United States Medical License Examination)
As a IMG (International Medical Graduate) I am supposed to take USMLE Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3 as well as Clinical Skills Exam and TEFL exam in order to be able to practice medicine in the USA. It is not an easy task but I decided to do it. I have lost a lot of time trying to figure out the best information sources and the best way to prepare myself. In fact I am still collecting and developing information about this issues. In case you do not know an education system is pretty different here in USA comparing to the former soviet block. This means that I have to understand the test system that is in use in USA to be able to take my exams. It is funny but I feel like I make more efforts understanding how to prepare myself then in reading and studding itself. Back in Bulgaria I have questionnaire for each exam. This was a list with titles of all questions I could be asked at the exam. The list usually contained recommended literature as well. I proceeded dividing my time according to the literature I had to read and according the number of the questions in the list. The exam usually was a conversation between the professor and the student. Of course we had to take a written exam as well but it was literally writing your answer for the given question.
However now I have to deal with test exams that are welknown in USA. I think that you can save a lot of time if you start with visiting USMLE and ECFMG official sites. Start with www.usmle.org There you will find a lot of usefull info including the new computer test samples and links to other sites as ECFMG (Educational Commision for Foreign Medical Graduates) web site. I haven't took any exams so far but I can tell you what books I use to prepare myself. Here is the list:
1. Pathology (board review series) Arthur S.Schneider Philip A. Szanto $22.45 2. Medical Microbiology & Immunology (examination & board review) Warren Levinson Ernest Jawetz $31.95 3. Biochemistry(Lippincott's illustrated reviews) -secand edition Pamela C. Chample Richard A. Harvey $29.95 4. Physiology (Sanders text and review series) linda S. Costanzo $24.95 5. Review for Usmle : United States Medical Licensing Examination, Step 1 (National Medical Series for Independent Study) John S. Lazo, Bruce R. Pitt, Joseph C. Glorioso Amazon.com price 33.00 6. High-Yield Neuroanatomy (Board Review Series) James D. Fix Amazon.com price 15.95 7.Rypins' Basic Sciences Review (17th)by Edward D. Frohlich (Editor) Amazon.com price 34.95
I put curent prices in the Amazon.com virtual bookstore. You have to add about 4$ for sheeping and handling of each item within US. You can find some good deals at the E-bay virtual auction under books section. The most important book to start with is "First aid for the USMLE Step 1" 1999 edition Vikas Bhushan MD The price is 30$ in the bookstore. What I am convinced in is that there is no need neither time to read all the medical topics. First of all you have so called high yelded topics that give you more scores. Of course you have to understand what you are reading but it seems to me that very important is to remember certain frases and words. As most of my friends allready taken the exams told me doing tests before the exam is very important. I will check on it in near feuture and will write my opinion here. It seems like good advice.
What was the week point of the former soviet block system of education? That was the lack of interrelations between the different scientific topics. The socialist scientists are very knowledgeable in their areas. But most of the practical fields require knowledge in many scientific areas with given interrelations. Socialists science was not practically oriented. This interrelations are different for different practices. American test system represents this interrelations in practice. That is why tests are constructed as questions are put in random order from the point of view of the eastern physician. But this is the order of questions you will need to answer in real practice. There they will not come in order of different topics. The western physicians start working in Hospital facilities with patients with different problems. When I started work back in my country I was pretty confused about the difference between theory and practice. It took me about an year to get along with my work and the same was with my friends that graduated with me. I don't think American students need that much time to do so. That is because the test system of their education prepares them to the common practice problems. They have the right answer in given typical practice situation as they are supposed to have it at the test. The answer comes automatically and they don't waste the time....
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