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Hi everybody. I am a newcomer,so i really need your help
Now I have some questions;
1/ what i have to learn to pass step 1 ?
2/what material i should prepare?
3/do you have any group that learning step 1?

[1/ what i have to learn to pass step 1 ?]

Hi newcomer!
Let's try to answer your questions:
1/ what i have to learn to pass step 1 ?
- You need to learn the knowledges of medical basis sciences for Step 1.
- You can read more detail informations here: http://www.usmle.org/Examinations/step1/step1.html
or http://vmgus.org/forum/index.php?topic=24.0

2/what material i should prepare?
- The most importance book is: First Aid for USMLE Step 1
- Others: Many test takers recommend the Kaplan lecture note for USMLE step 1 except Pathology, better use Goljan Pathology Rapid Review or Board Review Series Pathology. Personally, I do not use Kaplan lecture note then I have no idea. Perhaps, others, whose used these books can give you advices.
- Question banks: many question banks are available for practice: Kaplan Q bank, Q book, USMLErx, USMLE World, Pretest series, NBME...

You can find out and download many of them here: http://vmgus.org/forum/index.php?topic=40.0

3/do you have any group that learning step 1?
Many, many.... physicians everywhere in the world is studying to take USMLE . We are a small group among them.

Hope it hepls. If you have another questions, please post here.
Good luck.

Thanks a lot for answering my questions but the last question , i mean are there any groups that learning step 1 in Ho Chi Minh city.who are they? may i participate  with that groups.Thanks so much and happy new year

newcomer,
Yes. There is a group study USMLE in Hochiminh City, lead by Huong. I'll give you more update informtion once we confirmed the group arrangement. They're taking off for Tet Holidays and will come back to study soon. In the meantime, feel free to ask any USMLE related questions or anything else.
Regards,

Hi all,
I am completely sure that if you know First Aid inside out, you'll pass step 1 (187). With step 1, the more you practice doing questions, using different questions banks, the better. Kaplan Qbank questions are unnecessarily hard. They're good for your preparation; however, don't stress out if you only get 60-70% correct on there. You are doing well with that percentage. Get a hold of the 4 official NBME tests. They are the most representative questions, so what you get on those, you will most likely get on the real test.
Practice doing questions on a computer so as to familiarize yourself with the test taking conditions.
Students here usually spend only 4 to 6 weeks of hardcore studying, and they do pretty well, so there is no reason that our intelligent and experienced Vietnamese doctors cannot score a 230 or above on the test.
The most important thing is to find out what works best for you to study for step 1. Once you feel comfortable, stick with it.
Saint Louis University IM program seems to accept a lot of foreign graduates. It has been a tradition here at the school. So if anyone is applying for next year, take a look.

USMLEs are not easy as you thought, they are among the most difficult exams in the world. AMGs may need some weeks to sit for each exam but for IMGs need some months. Most of IMGs take more than 1 year for step 1.

Mastering FA for step 1, one can answer correctly 70% of questions in the real exam. But FA is very short and hard to remember, people need to read other review books before reading FA.


If you are AMG (American Medical Graduate, like kidreturn), you can get a position in any university program.

If you are IMG (International Medical Graduate, like me), think about community, university affiliated, or less famous university.

I have interviewed at some famous programs and had the feeling that they absolutely rank IMGs after AMGs, even though IMGs have better scores/experiences.

St Louis University is a big name one, each year it takes 1-2 excellent IMGs only for residency (this year very few IMGs offered IVs). But for research fellowship it may take more IMGs because AMGs like to work after they finish their residency. Why? Any IMG try to stay in the US and get a GC, getting a position after residency will help them to continue their status in the US and then apply for GC.

Hi Robin N!
Do you know how many questions in each block we need to answer correctly in order to get score above 90?

Robin N is right. Programs will always rank AMG before IMG. However, that doesn't mean that IMGs are at a clear disadvantage since programs do want to hire competent and unique doctors. The most important thing, as I have been told by most of the program directors at my school is the IV because committee members do not have access to your grades anymore after you got selected for the interviews. Basically, they're judging how well you can communicate and how well you will fit into their program. I believe that with clinical experience, already practicing doctors have a clear advantage over students when it comes to PBLs and test questions. Everything makes more sense, and by associating facts with real life experience, you can remember and make association better. Everything makes more sense to me now during my clinicals. In the end, step 1 is word association. So the more you do practice questions, the better. IMGs might take longer to prepare since you guys have to work and such, but you guys are not on a schedule either. Students have to study for the regular classes and study for the test, and we must pass the test in order to move on, if not then there are remediations, and a a lot of hassle to deal with.

Nobody knows for sure how step 1 is graded since it is curved and adjusted depending on the difficulty of your individual test, national average etc. All you know is in order to pass you have to answer 2 out of 3 questions correctly. We don't know how they convert from 3 digit score to 2 digit score. All we know is 75 is always the passing score. In general, the USMLE tests mechanics are shrouded in secrecy. For example, you don't know how they organize and take out those  experimental questions etc.? So my advice is not to get bogged down here, just give it your best shot.

May I ask Robin N where are you a resident at and what specialty? I will definitely need some pointers from you, and others here when I have to apply for residency because I am pretty clueless about the specific programs and the visa situation.

Cheers.

No one knows how scores are calculated. Your performance will be compared with other test takers. If other test takers get less correct answers, you score will be high.

Vice versa, if you did well in the exam, but others did well too, in this case your score will be change to low direction.

To Kidreturn,g

I strongly recommend that you should take step 3 early and apply to programs that sponsor H1B visa.

If you apply in programs that sponsor J1 only, you may have difficulty because getting the Letter of Need from The Vietnam Ministry of Health is very hard.

I will do my Internal Residency at New York Medical College/Lady of Mercy.

My future hospital sponsor H1B visa, lots of Indians like H1B visa.

Thank Robin N and kidreturn! I am going to take step 1 soon. Do you have any suggestions for the final 2 weeks and the exam day?

sorry Tet holidays are over.Any groups that learning step 1 in HCM city have started??
Please update information and show me how to participate with this groups

@ ducicu: personally I would do the official NBME tests to see what your strong and weak areas are. The questions are dead on, and you might find some on your test verbatim. Next I would focus on the high yield stuff. On test day remember to pace yourself and use your 1 hour break wisely. Taking a test on the computer might throw you off a little. Important not to run out of time on each block! I found this to be the most common complaints among test takers. Since it's computer timed, you can't go back, so beware, pace yourself.
Good luck on the exam! Let us know how you fared.

@Robin N: thanks for your advice! I'll be looking out for those H1B programs. I've been told that you can ask for H1B as long as you do all the paperwork for it, meaning paying for the lawyer and legal fees? All they have to do is write you that sponsorship letter. Are you starting out this coming July?

For H1B visa:

You can do it yourself, it's easy, download the form on www.uscis.gov and follow their instruction.

I met a lady from El Salvador, she apply for residency programs that sponsor H1B only, accepted a prematch, and change her student visa to H1B visa. She did not have to return home country to do paperwork, no lawyer, no letter of need, just submit a copy of her contract and documents from her hospital.

PS: quota for H1B visa is decreasing (CURRENTLY about 50 000 yearly) and service is first come first served. IF YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR H1B VISA YOU HAVE TO PASS STEP 3.

GOOD LUCK.

Thank you very much, kidreturn