Tips for maximizing your performance
on Step 1


A physician sits and writes a question based
upon the discipline they want to assess
A psychologist rewords the question the way
your mind thinks..

This is why the wrong answers always look good
1. Cover the Answers
2. Read the last sentence and decide if it is a clue
or concept question

Clue words = which, cause, and diagnosis
3. Read the vignette, and isolate the facts of the
vignette
4. Comprise a thought process
5. Look down, find your answer, click and move!
Example 1:
A 38 y/o woman has congestive heart failure,
premature ventricular contractions and
repeated episodes of ventricular tachycardia.
Her blood pressure is normal and there are no
murmurs. Her heart is markedly enlarged.
Coronary angiography shows no
abnormalities.
Which is of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
Read the last sentence:
A 38 y/o woman has congestive heart failure,
premature ventricular contractions and
repeated episodes of ventricular tachycardia.
Her blood pressure is normal and there are no
murmurs. Her heart is markedly enlarged.
Coronary angiography shows no
abnormalities.
Which is of the following is the most likely
diagnosis? (clue)
Isolate the facts:
A 38 y/o woman has congestive heart
failure, premature ventricular contractions
and repeated episodes of ventricular
tachycardia. Her blood pressure is normal
and there are no murmurs. Her heart is
markedly enlarged. Coronary
angiography shows no abnormalities.
Which is of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
Organizing your thoughts:
Keeping time in consideration,
come up with a reasonable
answer BEFORE looking at the
answer choices.
Now you’re ready to look at the
options…
Scan to find your answer:
A. Acute Rheumatic Fever
B. Congenital fibroelastosis
C. Constrictive pericarditis
D. Myocardial infarction
E. Primary cardiomyopathy
1. Cover the Answers
2. Read the last sentence and decide if it is a clue
or concept question

Clue words = which, cause, and diagnosis
3. Read the vignette, and isolate the facts of the
vignette
4. Comprise a thought process
5. Look down, find your answer, click and move!
Practice this method while going through
questions in your Qbank.


Organ system based
Omit biochem, genetics, behavioral and statistics
initially



Blocks of 48 questions



Biochem and genetics should be done by themselves
Behavioral and statistics should be set aside until the week of
the test (repeat as many times as necessary to comprehend)
Start out with 1/day, build up to blocks of 4 the week before
the test (endurance!)
Untimed initially (NOT tutor mode)
Look at missed questions as a way to find holes in your
knowledge

patterns in what you miss can help guide your studies

7 forms total
Once you have completed 50% of your QBank
 Begin with Form 1 or 2
 Do not take form 3
 Save form 4 until the end (it has shown the best
correlation with Step 1)
 Form 6 is available with expanded performance
feedback

CBSSA Score
Approximate
Step 1 Score
CBSSA Score
Approximate
Step 1 Score
800
288
680
262
790
286
670
260
780
284
660
258
770
282
650
255
760
280
640
253
750
277
630
251
740
275
620
249
730
273
610
247
720
271
600
244
710
269
590
242
700
266
580
240
690
264
570
238
CBSSA Score
Approximate
Step 1 Score
CBSSA Score
Approximate
Step 1 Score
560
236
440
209
550
234
430
207
540
231
420
205
530
229
410
203
520
227
400
201
510
225
390
198
500
223
380
196
490
220
370
194
480
218
360
192
470
216
350
190
460
214
*340
188
450
212
330
185