High Yield StudyGuide FINAL PDF
High Yield StudyGuide FINAL PDF
High Yield StudyGuide FINAL PDF
I. Introduction
Welcome to Kaplan’s Step 1 High Yield course! This Study Guide will help you manage your time and meet your
learning needs. A description of the course materials will be provided first, followed by suggested methods for
creating your study plan.
II. Description of Kaplan’s Step 1 High Yield Course
1. Warm-up Question Sets
• 28 sets of questions, divided into General Principles and Organ Systems, as outlined by the USMLE.
• Open-ended questions written by Kaplan’s Master Faculty to ensure review of the most High Yield,
foundational concepts prior to viewing the High Yield course lectures.
• Each set of questions has a corresponding Video Explanation on the Warm-up Questions page, recorded
by the same faculty who wrote the questions.
2. Diagnostic Exam
• Access via the Step 1 QBank.
• 3 blocks of 50 multiple-choice, exam-like questions.
• Take Kaplan’s Step 1 Diagnostic Exam to set a baseline performance level for yourself before you begin
intense exam preparation.
• Analysis of your performance will identify your strengths and weaknesses so that you can make informed
adjustments to your study plan.
3. Lecture Videos
• The Step 1 High Yield lecture videos are organized into General Principles and Organ Systems.
• Each General Principle and Organ System is subdivided into Topics, with each Topic corresponding to a
lecture video.
• Each lecture video is launched into a video player, with a selectable menu on the right to guide you
through the content.
• Lecture videos can be viewed at both 1x and 1.5x speed.
• Page references are provided in the bottom right corner of the video player.
o These include references to First Aid, MedEssentials, and Pathoma.
• The “My Playlists” feature is provided to help you organize the videos you plan to view or want to revisit.
• Runtimes of each General Principle and Organ System are listed in the table at the end of this section.
• Each Topic has a corresponding Quiz, containing 3-5 multiple-choice, exam-like questions.
4. Course Pack
• On the Dashboard page next to each General Principle and Organ System is a downloadable PDF of the
slides that appear in each lecture video.
• Page references appear at the bottom of each slide, except for Behavioral Medicine and Neuroscience,
where page references appear in the bottom right corner of the video player.
5. High-Yield Workbook
• Over 2000 questions written by Kaplan’s Master Faculty.
• Questions relate directly to the content presented in the lecture videos.
• Question types include open-ended, fill-in-the-blank, complete-the-table, multiple-choice, and matching.
• By working with content in multiple interactive ways, these exercises will help build and solidify long-
term memory.
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6. High-Yield Workbook Video Explanations
• Recorded by the same Kaplan Master Faculty who wrote the questions, these video explanations provide
answers to the Workbook questions, as well as additional clues for how you might see concepts on your
exam or with patients presenting to you during clinical rotations.
• A selectable menu on the right-hand side of the video player allows for navigation to the explanation for a
particular question.
• Playable at the end of each lecture video, at both 1x and 1.5x speed.
7. Animations, Clinical Correlates, and Clinical Videos
• When applicable, these videos appear at the end of Topics to further enhance content.
• Animations provide a visual representation of high yield concepts across the General Principles and
Organ systems.
• Clinical Correlates use a case-based approach, integrating the basic sciences to answer questions related
to high yield conditions.
• Clinical Videos demonstrate commonly tested physical exam findings.
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STUDY PLAN
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QUESTION PRACTICE
• Start doing ~15 USMLE questions per week that align with your coursework. Understanding the way the
USMLE tests material will help you identify the test-relevant material.
• Create mixed topic tests out of incorrect questions and questions from your QBank MyQuestions pool.
• If you have time, repeat questions you answered correctly in areas where you are weak.
• You have 78 seconds per question. You should start using the timed-tutor mode in QBank as early as a
possible. Aim to finish practice blocks with at least 2-3 minutes to spare.
• Do not waste time checking the timer. Check your timer at the halfway point and then with 10 questions
remaining to make sure you have a chance to answer each question.
• Treat any correct answer that you were uncertain about as incorrect.
• For incorrect items, review full explanations and then reKaps. For correct items, it is better to read
explanations but you may find that the reKaps are enough.
• Bear in mind that you will answer re-used questions more quickly and score higher on them.
• You will be provided with a white board for note-taking on test day—keep scrap paper handy when using
QBank to determine how you will want to use this resource.
• QBank and the test software both provide access to lab values. Many questions include panels of lab
values. Being able to quickly recognize abnormal values will save you time. Lab values on your test will
not be gray; learning to recognize key values will save you time.
• On test day, students taking other, shorter tests come and go throughout the day. Consider taking your
practice tests in a library environment so you can practice shutting out distractions.
• We don’t recommend taking a simulated exam less than 2 weeks from test day. A poor practice
performance could unsettle you and damage your test-day performance.
• You are not going to know every question on test day. Practice picking the most plausible choice,
marking the question, and returning if time allows.
• The test includes a few experimental questions that do not count towards your score; however, assume
that even the most bizarre question will count.
• Questions that you perceive as unfair or obscure can throw off your performance on subsequent questions.
Practice moving on calmly.
• Don’t expect any obvious clues on the test (e.g., correct answers more precisely defined than distractors).
Buzzwords still appear occasionally but don’t count on them.
FINAL MONTH
• Consider scheduling a practice test at the Prometric center. Using the exam software in exam conditions
will alleviate any uncertainty on test day.
• If you decide not to schedule a practice test, know your route to the testing center. Download the NBME
test software, work through some questions, and take the tutorial. This will give you the confidence to
click through the tutorial on test day and add that time to your break. The only part of the tutorial you
must complete on test day is testing your headphones.
• If you change your test date within 30 days of the test, you will incur a fee. We strongly recommend that
you avoid changing your test date. If you follow a good study plan, delays will be counter-productive.
• At the end of each week, set aside time to review your notes from the previous week.
• Use 1.5x speed to compress your review time, but be honest with yourself. If you are not absorbing
information at the faster speed, use the regular 1x speed.
• Answering the questions at the end of each section a second time is helpful but optional.
• QBank
o Consider purchasing an additional, 1-month QBank.
o Do two blocks of mixed questions a day and complete the QBank within 1 month.
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FINAL WEEK
• Avoid studying new material during the last week.
• Create a cheat sheet for yourself with topics that remain challenging.
• Study material with facts you find difficult to retain last. Subjects like immunology, microbiology, and
pharmacology.
• Continue doing two 46-question mixed topic blocks.
FINAL DAY
• Your goal today is to ensure that you are well rested and relaxed on test day.
• Some students take the day off.
• Some students find a day off more stressful than studying.
o If studying, limit yourself to 5 hours and focus on reviewing your cheat sheet.
o Absolutely no study of new material.
• Keep the same sleep schedule/meal schedule you have been using up until this point.
• Avoid talking about the test with others who have taken the exam. It will only stress you out.
• Make preparations for test day. Buy snacks, drinks, and make yourself lunch.
• Plan how you will take your breaks: if you skip the tutorial, you will have 60 minutes of break time to use
between 8 blocks of questions.
TEST DAY
• We recommend that you do NOT review material on the morning of the test.
• Get to the Prometric test center on time.
• Bring snacks, water, and a simple lunch.
• Wear layers of clothing so you can adjust for temperature.
• You can’t bring anything into the exam room except your ID. No watches or hats.
• Keep in mind that it takes a few minutes to get in and out of the testing room, when you schedule your
breaks.
• Many students report seeing strings of related questions—don’t be distracted by perceived patterns or
over-sampling.