MS2 FAQ: Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Campus

MS2 FAQs

Q:	*How can I make sure I’m preparing myself for boards from day one?*
A:	Do well in class…it sounds too simple, but if you learn it well the first time it will make everything easier when it does come time to solely prepare for the boards.
Q:	*Are there any worthwhile internet resources that could be helpful during second year?*
A:	Up to Date (accessible through the library home page)
Q:	*What board review books should I be using during second year, and how should I use them?*
A:	Many students use First Aid and Pathoma and jot down notes in these books as you cover the topics THROUGHOUT second year. A few students choose to use other resources like Firecracker, Kaplan, various Q banks. Students have variable experiences with many review resources, ask around and get a feel of what may be right for you.
Q:	*With the massive amount of information I will receive during second year, how can I best make sure it sticks?*
A:	One of the best ways is to take your OWN notes (i.e. rewrite or type them in your own words, charts, etc.).
Q:	*Would you recommend reviewing old material during second year?*
A:	Yes. Most second years agree that it is a good idea to review your old anatomy/physiology for the system you are studying in pathology. (i.e. While you are studying the cardiac section in path, find time to go back and review cardiac anatomy and physiology).
Q:	*Any advice for pharmacology?*
A:	SketchyPharm was useful for memorizing the drugs (note that sketchy doesn’t cover all of the drugs discussed in class but does a good job with most of them). Drug charts that are floating around in the class SAS drives were also helpful. What helped was covering the mechanism of action (MOA), side effects, etc of the drugs and testing yourself to see if you can recall from memory. One thing to also note is that there are fewer overall Pharmacology questions as the year goes on, so try and keep your grades up in Pharm (as it will be more difficult to rack up points later on in the semester).
Q:	*Is there such a thing as having too many review books for boards?*
A:	Yes, keep it simple. It is much better to master a few resources (First Aid, Pathoma) than spread yourself too thin and not have enough time to thoroughly review your resources.
Q:	*Would you recommend reading a number of different review books to get various view points on certain topics or would you suggest sticking with the same books for boards?*
A:	Definitely, stick with the SAME books for boards (refer to book chart for specific book suggestions).
Q:	*Whose advice should I listen to for Step?*
A:	Including this website, many people and sources are out there for advice on Step 1. Our advice is to look into who is giving you advice. Is it someone or a source with similar study habits as you? Will you have to throw out all your good study habits to go to another plan based on someone else's advice? Did that source do well themselves?
Q:	*Should I buy Q-bank (Kaplan’s online bank of board style questions)?*
A:	You should at least buy a few months membership to Q-bank before you take the boards. Some students who paid for three months even recommended using Q bank as study questions for your remaining pathology exams.

Book recommendations for second year:
Subject	Class	Boards
Pathology	Robbins Pathoma	BRS Pathology BRS Review flash cards
Pharmacology	Lippincott Pharm Pharm Flash Cards First Aid	Lippincott Pharm Pharm Cards First Aid BRS Pharm Pharm section of Micro Ridiculously Simply
Other	First Aid (for everything as you go) Lange Unical Micro & Immuno	First Aid

MS2 FAQs

Book recommendations for second year:

Step 1 Resources