First Aid For The® USMLE Step1 2021: A Student to Student Guide
By Tao Le, Vikas Bhushan, Matthew Sochat, Humood Boqambar, Mb Bch Bao, Kristina Damisch, Connie Qiu, Jordan Abrams, Caroline Coleman, and Kimberly Kallianos
Contents:
Contributing Authors vii
Associate Authors viii
Faculty Advisors ix
Foreword xi
Preface xiii
Special Acknowledgments xiv
General Acknowledgments xv
How to Contribute xvii
How to Use This Book xix
Selected USMLE Laboratory Values xx
First Aid Checklist for the USMLE Step 1 xxii
SECTION I GUIDE TO EFFICIENT EXAM PREPARATION 1
Introduction 2
USMLE Step 1—The Basics 2
Defining Your Goal 12
Learning Strategies 13
Timeline for Study 16
Study Materials 20
Test-Taking Strategies 22
Clinical Vignette Strategies 23
If You Think You Failed 24
Testing Agencies 25
References 25
SECTION I SUPPLEMENT SPECIAL SITUATIONS 27
SECTION II HIGH-YIELD GENERAL PRINCIPLES 29
How to Use the Database 30
Biochemistry 33
Immunology 95
Microbiology 123
Pathology 205
Pharmacology 231
Public Health Sciences 259
SECTION III HIGH-YIELD ORGAN SYSTEMS 283
Approaching the Organ Systems 284
Cardiovascular 287
Endocrine 333
Gastrointestinal 367
Hematology and Oncology 413
Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue 455
Neurology and Special Senses 503
Psychiatry 575
Renal 601
Reproductive 635
Respiratory 683
Rapid Review 713
SECTION IV TOP-RATED REVIEW RESOURCES 737
How to Use the Database 738
Question Banks 740
Web and Mobile Apps 740
Comprehensive 741
Anatomy, Embryology, and Neuroscience 741
Behavioral Science 742
Biochemistry 742
Cell Biology and Histology 743
Microbiology and Immunology 743
Pathology 743
Pharmacology 744
Physiology 744
Abbreviations and Symbols 745
Image Acknowledgments 753
Index 775
About the Editors 842
Preface
With the 31st edition of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1, we continue our commitment to providing students with the most useful and up-to-date preparation guide for the USMLE Step 1. This edition represents an outstanding revision in many ways, including:
- 104 entirely new or heavily revised high-yield topics reflecting evolving trends in the USMLE Step 1.
- Updated ethics section and introduction of new communications skills section to reflect the recently changed Step 1 exam.
- Extensive text revisions, new mnemonics, clarifications, and corrections curated by a team of 25 medical student and resident physician authors who excelled on their Step 1 examinations and verified by a team of expert faculty advisors and nationally recognized USMLE instructors.
- Updated with 179 new and revised diagrams and illustrations as part of our ongoing collaboration with USMLE-Rx and ScholarRx (MedIQ Learning, LLC).
- Updated with 62 new and revised photos to help visualize various disorders, descriptive findings, and basic science concepts. Additionally, revised imaging photos have been labeled and optimized to show both normal anatomy and pathologic findings.
- Updated exam preparation advice for USMLE Step 1 pass/fail, Step 1 blueprint changes, and COVID-1 impacts.
- Revised language to support diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Updated study tips on the opening page of each chapter.
- Improved organization and integration of text, illustrations, clinical images, and tables throughout for focused review of high-yield topics.
- Revised and expanded ratings of current, high-yield review resources, with clear explanations of their relevance to USMLE review.
- Real-time Step 1 updates and corrections can be found exclusively on our blog, www.firstaidteam.com.
We invite students and faculty to share their thoughts and ideas to help us continually improve First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 through our blog and collaborative editorial platform. (See How to Contribute, p. xvii.)
Louisville Tao Le
Boracay Vikas Bhushan
Goldsboro, NC Matthew Sochat
Kuwait Humood Boqambar
Iowa City Kristina Damisch
Philadelphia Connie Qiu
New York City Jordan Abrams
Atlanta Caroline Coleman
San Francisco Kimberly Kallianos