You are hereForums / USMLE Forums / Usmle Step 3 / My tips for Step 3 preparation:
My tips for Step 3 preparation:
HIGH YIELD TOPICS FOR STEP 3 EXAM
INTERNAL MEDICINE:
Respiratory system:
Pneumonia:treatment COPD ? Treatment, Home Oxygen guidelines etc Obstructive/Restrictive diseases ? PFT; Pleural effusion ? transudate vs. Exudate; Pulmonary Embolism(PE)?Know treatment protocol very well(HY), Lung Cancer and Approach to solitary nodule; Asthma; Xray films and CT scans of common respiratory disease. CVS:
Angina ? Printzmetal angina, unstable angina; Drugs used in treatment MI ? Enzymes, ECG changes, thrombolytic therapy. Drugs used for treatment, Non Q MI, Complications of MI; Hypertension ? Drugs for each age group and co morbid illness; Congestive heart failure/Pulmonary edema; Valvular heart disease:Changes in Murmur with different maneuvers, diagnosis, treatment, valve replacement indication.
Cardiomyopathy esp HOCM; Cardiac tamponade/Constrictive pericarditis; ECG interpretation(HY) of AV Blocks, Tachy arrhythmias and metabolic abnormalities and management of AV Blocks, SVT, AF, Atrial flutter, VF(HY), VT and PEA. Best to read ACLS guidelines for this topic. Make yourself familiar with the EKG strips of angina, MI, Life threatening arrhythmias like Vfib and Electrolyte abnormalities like Hypo/Hyperkalemia, hypercalemia, digitalis toxicity. Endocrine:High yield topic for step 3
Diabetes Mellitus ? DKA, Late complications and factitious hyperinsulinism.
Know everything about-diagnosis and management of Hypo/hyperthyroidism and following thyroid disease pts; SIADH and Diabetes insipidus ? Nephrogenic vs. Neurogenic. Others:Hyperprolactinemia, Diagnosis and Treatment Types Hyperparathyroidism ? Lab features. Cushing?s syndrome ? Work up Pheochromocytoma, Diagnosis and Management Addison?s disease. Renal system:
very imp to know diagnosis and management of prerenal/renal and postrenal causes of ARF/Chronic Renal failure with special stress on Acute tubular necrosis and myoglobinuria; Nephritic and Nephrotic syndromes ? Diagnosis and characteristic age groups / associations. TTP HUS, diabetic nephropathy.
ABG interpretation, Indications of Dialysis. Nephrolithiasis Secondary Hypertension ? Workup and etiology. Electrolytes:
Hypo/Hypernatremia; Hypo/Hyperkalemia, hypo/hypercalcemia- ECG changes and management. Repiratory and metabolic causes of the acidosis and alkalosis and their diagnosis, anion gap calculation and interpretation. Hematology:
Anemia ? Diagnostic criteria for different subtypes esp the IDA, Megaloblastic and NN Anemia, peripheral smear recognition of common types of anemia/leukemia; Leukemia-Diagnostic criteria for different subtypes; Multiple myeloma-Know clinical presentation, DIC ?Clinical, Lab and Management; diagnostic approach to bleeding disorders esp ITP/Hemophilia/liver disease/vitamin K def. ; Sickle cell anemia. ID:
Meningitis & Encephalitis ? Clinical , CSF findings and treatment Otitis media, Clinical presentation, radiology and treatment of Lung Abscess,Pneumonia,Tuberculosis; Infective endocarditis prophylaxis. Infectious Diarrhea, Food poisoning, STD ? Know in and out/everything. UTI/Pyelonephritis management, Osteomyelitis vs. Septic Arthritis; and Prophylaxis Opportunistic infections in AIDS; hepatitis C/B. Preventive Medicines:
Adult and Pediatric Vaccination schedules; Screening for cancer esp colon ca and solitary pulmonary nodule; ipid disorders and screening; Know all the vaccines and PEP of common Infectious disease. Neurology:
Headache(HY), CVA, Myasthenia gravis, SAH, Increased ICT. Rheumatology:
Gout, Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, Osteoarthritis, Septic arthritis. GI
GERD ? Diagnosis and treatment Achalasia, Scleroderma , Diffuse esophageal spasm , Zenker diverticulum -- Diagnosis and treatment. Esophageal Cancer -- Diagnosis and treatment. Pseudo membranous colitis -- Diagnosis and treatment Diverticulosis -- Diagnosis and treatment GI Bleeding -- Diagnosis and treatment Acute Pancreatitis ? Diagnosis, complications and treatment Viral Hepatitis ? Diagnosis. Wilson?s disease -- Diagnosis and treatment Miscellaneous:
Salicylates, TCA, Lead poisoning; Heat disorders(HY) ? cramps, exhaustion, stroke etc. Geriatrics:(HY)
Old Age -- Related changes & problems
All the medicare/hospice topic(HY) PEDIATRICS:
The strategy of studying medicine and Peds would be the best plan. high yield topics are: Normal NEONATE- what is normal/Abnormal; APGAR; PKU & Galactosemia screening; Respiratory distress in newborn ? HMD, sepsis, TTN, MAS and PPHN; Congenital infections ? TORCH, TOF; Breast Feeding; Developmental milestones; ADHD/Nocturnal enuresis/Autism/Asperger syndrome; poisoning:Acetaminophen, Iron, salicylates and Lead; Meningitis(HY); Fever with RASH(HY); esp Rubella/Rubeola/Scarlet fever/Kawasaki?s disease; Congenital Immune deficiency disorders; Croup/Epiglottitis ? Diagnosis & treatment; Cystic Fibrosis; Congenital Heart disease/Pyloric stenosis/Intussusception/Post streptococcal nephritis/Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia/Sickle cell anemia. Syndromes ? Down, Turner, Fragile X, Prader Willi and Trisomy 18. PSYCHIATRY:
Ethics:Doctor patient relationship(HY); diagnosis and treatment Schizophrenia/Bipolar/Depression; Delirium/Dementia/Substance Abuse(everything-in and out), Anorexia Nervosa/Bulemia Nervosa, Personality disorders and Anti psychotics ? Uses and Side effects. BioStats: Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV & NPV, Case control/Cohort study/RCT/Met analysis, calculating RR, AR, & OR, NNT; bias-all types. SURGERY:
General Surgery
Trauma(HY topic): Management of Pneumothorax(HY esp tension), cardiac tamponade, massive pleural effussion, lung contusion, aortic/diaphragmatic rupture, pelvic injuries in RSA esp urethral and others. GI Bleeding esp varices/PUD perforation, Cholecystitis, Appendicitis, Bowel perforation/peritonitis, UC/Crohns ds/diverticulitis, Ca Colon;
Pediatric surgery: all GI/GU topics.. ORTHO:
Pediatric Ortho ? Leg Calve Perthe?s disease, Slipped capital femoral epiphysis; fracures: colle's, femur, clavicle, hand. OBGYN:
OB: General PNC in a pregnant female, Triple marker test NST & BPP interpretation, Fetal Heart rate monitoring(early, variable and late decels) and its interpretation; 1st and 3rd Trimester bleeding(esp P.Previa/PPH); Hypertension in pregnancy, Abortion, Preterm labor, Diabetes in pregnancy; Post partum Fever/Postpartum depression/breast feeding.Drug safety in pregnancy/lactation.
GYN:Pap smear, all Vaginitis, Ca Cervix/Endometrium; diagnostic workup of Ovarian mass? Pre pubertal vs. Post pubertal; Diagnostic approach and Management Ectopic pregnancy/amenorrhea-primary and secondary. These are few HIGH YIELD topics. Make sure you have reviewed these topics before you sit for your step 3 exam. I would suggest taking a NBME exam after reading this all. make sure you write NBME 3 weeks before your exam date to assess your preparation and read the topics in which you scored low in NBME. Hope this helps you in some way. All the best and Cheers..
Enjoy writing this exam. If you go preparing this exam well, its fun writing this exam because it has all the clinical stuff with lots of EKG's and pictures/slides on board, which I like the most. Anju :)
Respiratory system:
Pneumonia:treatment COPD ? Treatment, Home Oxygen guidelines etc Obstructive/Restrictive diseases ? PFT; Pleural effusion ? transudate vs. Exudate; Pulmonary Embolism(PE)?Know treatment protocol very well(HY), Lung Cancer and Approach to solitary nodule; Asthma; Xray films and CT scans of common respiratory disease. CVS:
Angina ? Printzmetal angina, unstable angina; Drugs used in treatment MI ? Enzymes, ECG changes, thrombolytic therapy. Drugs used for treatment, Non Q MI, Complications of MI; Hypertension ? Drugs for each age group and co morbid illness; Congestive heart failure/Pulmonary edema; Valvular heart disease:Changes in Murmur with different maneuvers, diagnosis, treatment, valve replacement indication.
Cardiomyopathy esp HOCM; Cardiac tamponade/Constrictive pericarditis; ECG interpretation(HY) of AV Blocks, Tachy arrhythmias and metabolic abnormalities and management of AV Blocks, SVT, AF, Atrial flutter, VF(HY), VT and PEA. Best to read ACLS guidelines for this topic. Make yourself familiar with the EKG strips of angina, MI, Life threatening arrhythmias like Vfib and Electrolyte abnormalities like Hypo/Hyperkalemia, hypercalemia, digitalis toxicity. Endocrine:High yield topic for step 3
Diabetes Mellitus ? DKA, Late complications and factitious hyperinsulinism.
Know everything about-diagnosis and management of Hypo/hyperthyroidism and following thyroid disease pts; SIADH and Diabetes insipidus ? Nephrogenic vs. Neurogenic. Others:Hyperprolactinemia, Diagnosis and Treatment Types Hyperparathyroidism ? Lab features. Cushing?s syndrome ? Work up Pheochromocytoma, Diagnosis and Management Addison?s disease. Renal system:
very imp to know diagnosis and management of prerenal/renal and postrenal causes of ARF/Chronic Renal failure with special stress on Acute tubular necrosis and myoglobinuria; Nephritic and Nephrotic syndromes ? Diagnosis and characteristic age groups / associations. TTP HUS, diabetic nephropathy.
ABG interpretation, Indications of Dialysis. Nephrolithiasis Secondary Hypertension ? Workup and etiology. Electrolytes:
Hypo/Hypernatremia; Hypo/Hyperkalemia, hypo/hypercalcemia- ECG changes and management. Repiratory and metabolic causes of the acidosis and alkalosis and their diagnosis, anion gap calculation and interpretation. Hematology:
Anemia ? Diagnostic criteria for different subtypes esp the IDA, Megaloblastic and NN Anemia, peripheral smear recognition of common types of anemia/leukemia; Leukemia-Diagnostic criteria for different subtypes; Multiple myeloma-Know clinical presentation, DIC ?Clinical, Lab and Management; diagnostic approach to bleeding disorders esp ITP/Hemophilia/liver disease/vitamin K def. ; Sickle cell anemia. ID:
Meningitis & Encephalitis ? Clinical , CSF findings and treatment Otitis media, Clinical presentation, radiology and treatment of Lung Abscess,Pneumonia,Tuberculosis; Infective endocarditis prophylaxis. Infectious Diarrhea, Food poisoning, STD ? Know in and out/everything. UTI/Pyelonephritis management, Osteomyelitis vs. Septic Arthritis; and Prophylaxis Opportunistic infections in AIDS; hepatitis C/B. Preventive Medicines:
Adult and Pediatric Vaccination schedules; Screening for cancer esp colon ca and solitary pulmonary nodule; ipid disorders and screening; Know all the vaccines and PEP of common Infectious disease. Neurology:
Headache(HY), CVA, Myasthenia gravis, SAH, Increased ICT. Rheumatology:
Gout, Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, Osteoarthritis, Septic arthritis. GI
GERD ? Diagnosis and treatment Achalasia, Scleroderma , Diffuse esophageal spasm , Zenker diverticulum -- Diagnosis and treatment. Esophageal Cancer -- Diagnosis and treatment. Pseudo membranous colitis -- Diagnosis and treatment Diverticulosis -- Diagnosis and treatment GI Bleeding -- Diagnosis and treatment Acute Pancreatitis ? Diagnosis, complications and treatment Viral Hepatitis ? Diagnosis. Wilson?s disease -- Diagnosis and treatment Miscellaneous:
Salicylates, TCA, Lead poisoning; Heat disorders(HY) ? cramps, exhaustion, stroke etc. Geriatrics:(HY)
Old Age -- Related changes & problems
All the medicare/hospice topic(HY) PEDIATRICS:
The strategy of studying medicine and Peds would be the best plan. high yield topics are: Normal NEONATE- what is normal/Abnormal; APGAR; PKU & Galactosemia screening; Respiratory distress in newborn ? HMD, sepsis, TTN, MAS and PPHN; Congenital infections ? TORCH, TOF; Breast Feeding; Developmental milestones; ADHD/Nocturnal enuresis/Autism/Asperger syndrome; poisoning:Acetaminophen, Iron, salicylates and Lead; Meningitis(HY); Fever with RASH(HY); esp Rubella/Rubeola/Scarlet fever/Kawasaki?s disease; Congenital Immune deficiency disorders; Croup/Epiglottitis ? Diagnosis & treatment; Cystic Fibrosis; Congenital Heart disease/Pyloric stenosis/Intussusception/Post streptococcal nephritis/Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia/Sickle cell anemia. Syndromes ? Down, Turner, Fragile X, Prader Willi and Trisomy 18. PSYCHIATRY:
Ethics:Doctor patient relationship(HY); diagnosis and treatment Schizophrenia/Bipolar/Depression; Delirium/Dementia/Substance Abuse(everything-in and out), Anorexia Nervosa/Bulemia Nervosa, Personality disorders and Anti psychotics ? Uses and Side effects. BioStats: Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV & NPV, Case control/Cohort study/RCT/Met analysis, calculating RR, AR, & OR, NNT; bias-all types. SURGERY:
General Surgery
Trauma(HY topic): Management of Pneumothorax(HY esp tension), cardiac tamponade, massive pleural effussion, lung contusion, aortic/diaphragmatic rupture, pelvic injuries in RSA esp urethral and others. GI Bleeding esp varices/PUD perforation, Cholecystitis, Appendicitis, Bowel perforation/peritonitis, UC/Crohns ds/diverticulitis, Ca Colon;
Pediatric surgery: all GI/GU topics.. ORTHO:
Pediatric Ortho ? Leg Calve Perthe?s disease, Slipped capital femoral epiphysis; fracures: colle's, femur, clavicle, hand. OBGYN:
OB: General PNC in a pregnant female, Triple marker test NST & BPP interpretation, Fetal Heart rate monitoring(early, variable and late decels) and its interpretation; 1st and 3rd Trimester bleeding(esp P.Previa/PPH); Hypertension in pregnancy, Abortion, Preterm labor, Diabetes in pregnancy; Post partum Fever/Postpartum depression/breast feeding.Drug safety in pregnancy/lactation.
GYN:Pap smear, all Vaginitis, Ca Cervix/Endometrium; diagnostic workup of Ovarian mass? Pre pubertal vs. Post pubertal; Diagnostic approach and Management Ectopic pregnancy/amenorrhea-primary and secondary. These are few HIGH YIELD topics. Make sure you have reviewed these topics before you sit for your step 3 exam. I would suggest taking a NBME exam after reading this all. make sure you write NBME 3 weeks before your exam date to assess your preparation and read the topics in which you scored low in NBME. Hope this helps you in some way. All the best and Cheers..
Enjoy writing this exam. If you go preparing this exam well, its fun writing this exam because it has all the clinical stuff with lots of EKG's and pictures/slides on board, which I like the most. Anju :)
Tags