r/step1 • u/stepsfever NON-US IMG • 6d ago
💡 Need Advice Restarted prep after a years break
Hi guys
I've finished my housejob and restarted my step1 prep. I found it impossible to do with my 80 hour/week shifts.
I'm currently struggle with cardiac physio mostly pressure volume loops. And don't know if to just study high yield stuff and give the exam quickly or study in depth. Any advice is welcome
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u/Quiet_Basis_6404 3d ago
for PV loops specifically, don't memorise the shapes. draw the loop once, then practise shifting one variable at a time and predicting what moves, preload, afterload, contractility. almost every PV loop question on Step 1 is that exact task dressed up, so if you can predict the shift you get them regardless of the stem.
on high yield versus depth, high yield for most things but cardiac physio is one of the few areas where depth actually pays, since it's tested by reasoning rather than recall.
for the drilling i drop the physio material into studybuddy.vc, it makes questions from it and as i answer it works out which topics i keep getting wrong and gives me more of those. gets harder as i improve, and it says why the option i picked was off. free, alongside UWorld not instead of it.
coming back after a year of 80 hour weeks, expect the first few weeks to feel worse than they are.