Biggest Mistake Students Make On USMLE First Aid Exam

The USMLE( The United States Medical Licensing) test is a medical test that incorporates the grounds to give a license to exercise drugs in the United States. This is one of the prominent examinations and holds the utmost significance. 

This test is patronised by the FSMB( Federation of State Medical Boards) and the NBME( National Board of Medical Observers). These two honored realities govern the proper functioning of examination and ensure that the USMLE gets proper alignment with the set of protocols and follows all the norms laid down by the FSMB and NBME.

The USMLE examination is carried out in three ways. There's an original or first step, after that only campaigners will move on to step 2 which is the clinical knowledge and clinical chops test wherein the seeker’s knowledge about clinical chops is estimated. Step 2 clinical knowledge is a computer-grounded test and step 2 clinical skills are conducted in offline mode. also incipiently, there's a third step that evaluates a seeker wholly.

Though USMLE is the most profound examination in the medical sector, in essence, there are several challenges faced by the candidate which sometimes happen to be immense stumbling blocks in the way of the USMLE examination. 

In this article, you will find several mistakes which are considered the biggest ones and create a lot of absurdity for the USMLE examination. We will also try to include some best resources from which you can overcome the mistakes. 

Some Biggest Mistakes Students Make On USMLE First Aid Exam:

1. Excessive Resources: 

As per current scenarios or status, there is a bombardment of resources available in the commercial market these days which seems to be a major advantage, but in actuality, it is a big disadvantage and loophole in the arena of the USMLE First Aid Exam. 

For USMLE, there are umpteen books, manuals, journals, and guides present in the market. A lot of content is also available on the web and which ultimately creates a ruckus in the aspirant’s minds. 

Aspirants and medical students are often bewildered by abundant resources and materials. And it's difficult to choose content and stick to some fixed books as we keep shuffling between the books and many of us end up getting overwhelmed. 

To overcome this issue, you need to wisely and calmly explore the content and then try to stick to that only. Try to keep it as simple as possible and don't overburden yourself with a lot of content and books.

Some of the most recognized and suggestive USMLE First Aid books are available on AIBH (All India Book House) platform such as 

i) First Aid for The USMLE STEP 1 2022 book which is considered the most suggestive book for medical students to prepare for the Step 1 USMLE examination.

ii) Master The Boards USMLE Step 3 which is dedicated to preparing step 3 which is the last level of the USMLE first aid exam. 

iii) First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CK (Clinical skills) imparts abundant knowledge with regards to USMLE Step 2 CK (Clinical Skills). This book incorporates all the content and guidance which is needed to prepare for USMLE step 2 (Clinical Knowledge).

There are many more that you can explore on the AIBH platform. There you will find the dedicated segment with regards to USMLE first aid wherein you will find the best and most recognized books. 

2. Enhance your speed on the first half of the USMLE exam: 

Students often take a lot of time during the first half or pass the exam. During the first half, you only need to focus on your speed. 

You have to be very fast and make decisions very quickly. Because the second half takes more time as it includes some advanced questions and questions which usually take time. So, to attempt those well, you need to be quick in your first half. 

If you are stuck in between any of the questions, then mark them so that you can do it later on instead of pondering over them and wasting your crucial time. So, it's very important to manage your time and utilize your time accordingly. Try to keep a track of each question. 

3. Do work on your weak areas:

Many students or aspirants often forget to work on their weak spots. Indeed, there are several strategies that you can follow to prepare for your weak spots. One such technique is to make flashcards and write them down wherever you are stucking, and review them regularly. In a way, it will ultimately aid you to get rid of your issues and obstacles in learning. Hence, instead of leaving to one single day, modularize your schedule and replenish your learning regularly. 

4. Review explanations instead of questions:

There is one such profound technique that you can follow during your USMLE first aid examination wherein you can adapt in such a way that for a final touch, you only cross-check your answers albeit questions because of time constraints. Though giving answers to questions is crucial, this is something that you can do while writing your answers. But manage your time in such a way that eventually you will get some minutes to review your answers only. 

5. Glimpses and Previous year's papers: 

It is very important to have a glimpse and final touch on what you have studied for preparing for the USMLE first aid exam. It has been claimed by scientific studies that if you don't do a final revision then, you most probably fail to achieve optimality in the test. If you tend to miss this final review and glance, then you end up creating a blunder in your test and you will also realize that you are missing basic concepts or fundamentals. 

Hence, it is evident for any examination that final revision and a glimpse are a must. It is recommended to always glance at what you have studied for the last time and don't read any extra or new things at the last moment. Before the examination, it is also advisable to once go through the previous year's papers which will make you aware with regards to the pattern of the USMLE first aid paper. 

Final Words:

I hope the above points will make you prepare best for the USMLE first aid exam. And this will aid you to avoid all such mistakes which are mentioned above. This will help you to achieve optimality in your examination and this article also somewhat motivates you to crack the exam. You can also follow the techniques and strategies which were discussed above in the article. 

This will ultimately serve you the best and encourage you to do your best. You can also align with the mentioned books as they are considered the best and they all are available on the AIBH (All India Book House) platform which is one of the recognized medical book portals.