o******u
发帖数: 60 | 1 What I want to say about FA is three points:
1, FA is not a good book.
2, should you read FA as a last material before you go to the test
3, FA does not help you ace your medicine thinking
Anyone who has read FA, probably heard of "FA step 1 is very good, but step
2 is rubbish!" With this forethought, while the time I first finished my
step 2 CK test, I start to think about the reason that can explain it. You
know what, FA step 1 and step 2 really have no difference in the way they
writing and presenting, but why everybody says that?
Answer is simple, questions run in step 2 CK are different than step 1. In
step 2 CK area, the fundamental questions are "likely dx? treatment? initial
test? accurate test? best next step?", which are very different from step 1
questions, basically asking you about those mechanism, relations, and etc.
In FA books, what they really do is try to grab anything they think useful
and cram into one book. This is nothing more than a truck full of garbage,
perhaps I should say "useful but unorganized trash."
But, before I list some examples, I have to explain why almost everyone
think FA step 1 is helpful. The truth is, they throw up every piece of
useful information in step 1, and as you reading it, you find out there are
so many words on the book appears in your questions. Spark! So awesome! BUT DOES IT HELP? As
soon as you star to come up with this idea, you may probably begin your way
biting up the poison apple.
Alright, let's see some examples. I use FA 2010 for example.
I start with random page.
Page 269, dilated cardiomyopathy, list a lot of etiology
need to remember? NO, coxsackie B virus? every virus could cause dilated
cardiomyopathy if they infect the heart. Every disease affect heart could
cause dilated CM. Every drug affect heart could cause DCM.
But what is important what is unique?
what is important what is unique?
what is important what is unique? What is the only one you focus?
Chagas! because this is the only bug cause dilation of your whole body! your
heart, ur colon, your esophagus. If you dont know the bug, patient die on
the way toward the transfer from hospital to hospital.
Drugs? Come on, you will monitoring heart as you treat.
hemochromatosis? you will monitoring heart as you diagnosis that.
Can we reverse drug or hemochromatosis caused heart damage?
NONONO!
How about Chagas? Sure! cheap antibiotics in time save a life!
(what i mean cheap is easy, the drug is quite expensive.)
That's why it is important and unique.
Did FA mention it? NO!
PE: S3? come on, every fluid overload could cause S3.
S4 in hypertrophy cardiomyopathy? is this important?
No! every hypertrophy in left ventricle could cause S4.
Quiz time again, S3 and S4, what comes more frequently on USMLE exam?
.
.
.
.
.
S3! why? S3 always need treatment, but S4 dont!
Again, FA talks about that?
Nope, if you are not so experienced as I was on that rime reviewing step 1,
you may go wrong and stick S4 as an important sign as HCM into your mind. | o******u
发帖数: 60 | 2 If you need any examples, just ask me, and I will show to you.
The way I want to say is that, FA authors just throw a lot of things to you,
but they are really unorganized.
They hold up a lot of key words, so what?
You finished again and again.
But after you finish the book, you hold a lot of waste memory, and I was
fool as well that time...
FA full of useful keywords, and that's it.
You should only use it as an index reference as your preparation through
USMLE.
In my opinion, there are at least 1/3~2/3 of line can be deleted on the FA
book...
Anyway, this is only my opinion, because I don't want to see another victims
like me before...
think carefully before you start the book!
GL everyone. | o******u
发帖数: 60 | 3 any other example, I just see next page 270....and it made me really throw
up.
please delete the whole page.
CHF...what you need to pass step 1?
just a little bit, CHF in step 1 plays really really small role.
Step 2, 3? HUGE!
1, pathology, know nutmeg liver for gross, heart failure cell under
microscopy.
2,physiology, know arrows question on end systole diastole volume...etc, and
also about the RAAS system
3, pharmacology, know what is the miracle drug, ACEI and its mechanism!and
the adverse effect!
Remember, CHF is more important than MI in any steps!
Why? As we make progress through treating MI, the more patients now live
after MI and they usually develops CHF now.
CHF is now the 1st most common reason for hospitalization.
And you must know that!
Why USMLE force you to remember the physiology of CHF? (it's hard I admit)
Because CHF drugs based on the mechanism of that drug...and it is related to physiology.
And, after all,
What you suffer studying today will help someone no suffering tomorrow.
GL everyone.
Hope what I say could be a little help to you. | T*******O
发帖数: 179 | 4 Step1就是一个考试而已。FA step1对考试还是很有帮助的。 |
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