I’m really glad (and a little surprised) that many have found my Step 1 Anki deck useful. Due to the way I constructed many of the cards, which at times require recollection of long lists of symptoms and side effects, I figured most people would get frustrated with the deck and swiftly kick it to their computer’s trash bin.

The deck is pretty different from Bros/Zanki at times, so before downloading I’d recommend reading my “guide” and explanation of the deck here: Anki: Soze’s Step 1 Master Deck. I find that I understand and retain topics better from quizzing myself with in-depth (harder) questions compared to more cards with one fact per card. Some cards will be difficult (and frustrating) at first, but this helps me compartmentalize disease presentations, side effects, mechanisms, etc. And from the responses I’ve received, it seems that a good amount of people feel the same way, so I’m happy that I have helped in some capacity.

As I stated in that original post, I created the deck without any idea that I’d be sharing it at some point, so I didn’t make cards for every fact or every video I watched. For example, if I watched a video on cardiovascular physiology and understood the principles, I probably didn’t make many cards for that video. Anyone who uses the deck should fill in the gaps and add cards as they see fit. Also, sometimes when I’ve been studying all day, I’m prone to making a messy card here and there, so I have been periodically going through the cards to “clean them up” a bit.

Anyways, here’s what’s new:

1. Subdecks – Again, the deck was originally created without knowing I’d be sharing it, so as I went through each system, every card and subject was located in one massive deck. (In my first update, I had added subdecks for Hematology and Reproductive systems, so it may have appeared to some users that only Heme and Repro were downloaded).
2. Musculoskeletal – Musculoskeletal section has been completed. I wanted to add one thing – for many of the anatomy videos, I selectively made cards based on what I presumed would be “high yield”. For example, I wouldn’t ask “list all the muscles innervated by the radial nerve”, but rather “what are the presenting symptoms of radial nerve lesions?” Hope that makes sense.

Next, I’ll be tackling Neuro then Derm. Afterwards I’ll hit the “general” subjects like Genetics, Immunology, etc. So stay tuned and check back for updates if you like the deck.

Also, remember that this deck is not a substitute for learning and topics like physiology do not lend themselves well to Anki cards. I highly recommend purchasing a subscription to Dr. Ryan’s Boards and Beyond (read my review here) and supplementing the videos with the Anki deck of your choice. In my opinion, no Anki deck can replace spoken and visual explanation, so use a pre-made Anki deck (mine, Zanki, Bros) or create your own to use as a companion to your learning; not as your main source.

Here’s the link to my updated deck:

Soze’s Step 1 Master Deck (Update 2)

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Follow me on Twitter for updates: @JordanSoze

It’s officially springtime, and you know what that means – it’s board season (for us Vitamin D deprived second year medical students).

First Aid is our bible. UWorld blocks will (or should) take the place of Fortnite. We’ll watch Sketchy in favor of Netflix. And Dr. Sattar will become our new best friend. (This is hyperbole… you should still make time for leisure).

Anyways, as the famous saying goes: “A goal without a plan is just a wish”. I believe that was from Michael Scott. When formulating a plan of any sort, it is always wise to seek the advice of elders – people who have “been there and done that”. Throughout the past year, I have enjoyed reading posts about peoples’ Step 1 experiences in which they share a comprehensive breakdown of how they achieved a certain score on the UMSLE Step 1 exam. I find these posts extremely insightful, and at times, inspiring. I’m sure many of you feel the same way.

So, I thought it might be a cool idea to “interview” a handful of medical students who have conquered and destroyed Step 1, scoring a 250 or above. How did they do it? What resources did they use? How did they use them? And what advice would these students impart to someone currently preparing for the big test?

(Click here to read my personal Step 1 Experience and how I scored > 250)

One last, but very important, comment before reading: a 250 is an awesome score, yeah. But that does not mean you have to hold yourself to the standard of 250. It is an arbitrary number. Each and every person has different goals. Take pride in your work, do the best you can, and don’t compare yourself to others.

Scroll down below to read the experiences, study strategies, and advice of 10 students who have scored over 250 on the USMLE Step 1 exam. I have received more than 10 submissions, but for the sake of brevity, I will post a Part 2 (and perhaps Part 3) with more submissions in the near future.

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In my original post on my Step 1 Anki deck, I claimed that I’d upload a new version of the deck every week or so when I finished a new system. I totally lied because that was over a month ago and this is my first update. I’ve been busy and stuff. My bad.

This updated version of the deck includes cards on the Reproductive and Hematology systems, minus cancer pharmacology. Also importantly – I “cleaned up”, edited and revised many of the cards.

In the original version of the deck, all cards were in one giant deck, which wasn’t stratified by subject. I prefer studying like this (reviewing everything randomly compared to studying system by system), but I understand many others may not. So, I decided I’d begin the laborious process of sorting 2000+ cards into sub-decks by system or subject. Yeah that didn’t happen. BUT, I have begun working on this, and the subjects I’ve recently covered (Heme & Repro) have their own sub-decks.

Link: Soze’s Step 1 Master Deck (Update 1)

Up next will be Musculoskeletal, Neuro, and Dermatology.

For a “guide” to using my deck and my methodology behind my card making (it’s a little different from Bros/Zanki), check out my original post on the deck here.

This stuff gets exhausting, but keep working hard and remember the purpose of all of this. A 4th year friend of mine texted me today saying that he matched into his #1 program, a top tier academic program recognized across the globe. He reached the light at the end of the tunnel and now he’s celebrating with joy and pride. What we’re doing now is preparing us to experience the same euphoria on that day in two years when our fates our decided by a computer algorithm. It’ll all be worth it in the end.

Ok, motivational spiel over. Have a good weekend. Drink green beer. Kiss someone. Do something that makes you happy.