Key Lessons for Effective USMLE Preparation Strategies

The USMLE requires a unique preparation strategy, focusing on key topics and a marathon approach to studying.

### Key Insights for Effective USMLE Preparation
* 📚 Many students mistakenly believe that the USMLE tests **every detail in medicine**, but in reality, it focuses on a **select few topics** presented in **specific ways**.
* 🕒 A common pitfall is spending excessive time on every subject; instead, it's crucial to **concentrate on what the examiners prioritize** to improve scores.
* 🔍 The USMLE requires a different study approach than medical school exams, and **blindly applying past strategies** may lead to **frustration and inefficiency**.
* 📝 Traditional study methods like note-taking and flashcards may not be effective for the USMLE, so **exploring new techniques** is essential for success.
* 🏃 Preparation for the USMLE should be viewed as a **marathon rather than a sprint**, requiring a **long-term strategy** rather than short bursts of intense studying.
* ⚠ Overcommitting to study without balance can lead to burnout, so **maintaining connections with family and friends** is vital for sustainable preparation.
* 💬 Many successful students regret not reshaping their study approaches earlier, realizing that **motivation and discipline have limits** when it comes to long-term studying.
* 🙌 Ultimately, a balanced strategy that accommodates **personal needs and well-being** will yield the best results in USMLE preparation.

all right, what's up guys, welcome back to the channel, Santiago IQ over here, and today we're going to be discussing the three things that people learn way too late in their use and will be prep, and well, hopefully with this video, you can learn them a little bit sooner and take advantage of them. And so, the first thing that people learn too late in their prep is that the USMLE is not an exam that tests for everything in medicine, because I think that's a very common misconception. People believe, Oh my god, everything can appear on this exam, every single detail, every single thing. And at first, it seems like that. It seems like the examiners can really ask you about anything, but as you move on with your prep, you quickly realize that they don't just ask about anything. They ask about a very few selected topics in a few and a very few specific ways. And again, I think that's important when you're prepping for the USMLE, because you have to keep in mind, I'm not trying to learn everything about

every disease or every concept I'm trying to learn specifically what they like me what what they want me to know. The sooner you do that, the better score you'll have. And I just think that's important because I get a lot of emails from people saying stuff like, I spent way too many minutes and hours reading about every subject. I, for example, do a question and then spend an hour, a total, a whole hour learning about the topic that was embedded in that question. And once we dig a little deeper in exactly what are they doing, they are approaching each subject as if everything of that subject can appear in the test. And again, that's true to an extent. Every single thing can appear, and you can get some questions, some really weird questions on your exam. But most of the times, 80% of the time, 90% of the time, you're just getting spin-offs of the same question, just reshaped, just changed a little bit, a little bit which is over here, a little bit which is over there, and that's it. But it's the same script.

over and over and over again, so keep that in mind. But in any case, the second point that a lot of people realize way too late in their USMLE prep is that the USMLE is a totally different beast. So, trying to copy-paste the strategy that you use for your medical school exams is really not a good strategy here because, again, it has a different set of conditions. And if you think, Oh, I have learned all of my life by taking notes, doing flashcards, and doing these, so I'm going to do exactly the same with the USMLE, you're probably going to bump into all sorts of walls because it's not the same beast. It has a totally different set of conditions, and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you're on your way to creating a system that actually works for you. So, again, don't be closed to the fact that you may have to experiment with other ways of learning for this exam because those hidden techniques that you may have never come across, they have never tried.

may be the best strategy for you. I personally found that the things that I used for my medical school exams, like taking notes, doing flashcards, really didn't work for the USMLE. For example, the notes were useless in the USMLE. I love my notes from medical school; they help me organize my thoughts. I have a few videos detailing how I use them, but for the USMLE, completely useless. So again, keep that in mind. I have a few videos detailing approaches and techniques to use. Emily, just keep in mind it's really not the same as your medical school, okay? And the last point that I wanted to bring up is that the USMLE is really not a race; it's a marathon. And this is one of the things that people, again, learn way too late and usually through the hard way. And I say that people learned this way too late because when you break down their strategies to study, most of their approach is targeted like if they were gonna study for a couple of days, a couple of

weeks, not for a couple of months, and you should really have a different strategy when you're trying to go for the long run, for the two-month, three-month, six-month period, and not for the couple of days period. Your approach should be totally different because think of it again, think of it like a marathon. If you start your marathon going all balls to the walls, trying to outrun everybody, chances are you're gonna be the guy who doesn't even finish the marathon. Now, in a race, that would be the best strategy, try to outrun everyone right from the get-go. In a marathon, that's not the case. And again, that's not to say that in a marathon you can't have short periods of bursts when you go all balls to the walls, like at the end of the race, at the end of the marathon. But you have to be very cautious how you distribute your efforts because they are really limited, and the same thing applies here. And so that's why I get very triggered when I see advice such as

this one, which is it literally says, get rid of your family, sell your children, lock yourself in a closet with books and Red Bull, which is a tweet from Conrad Fisher, which is a guy that I actually love. I love how he teaches medicine, but I couldn't disagree more with that advice because, again, I think that should be your strategy if you're trying to study for a couple of days for a medical school exam that's really important, not for a couple of months because, as much as you want, you're not a machine. You have desires, feelings, you get unmotivated all the time, you get tired, you don't want to do stuff. Being a human being, you're tied to a set of conditions that you really cannot just dispense with. And so, the best strategy is not the strategy that takes a leap forward in a couple of days and then burns you out. It's a strategy that keeps you studying for the longest time you can in the most efficient way you can for the longest time possible. And that

strategy often involves things like keeping your family by your side, staying in touch with your friends, staying in touch with the things you'd love to do with your hobbies, because that strategy is the best strategy in the long term. And believe me, I've spoken with dozens of successful AMGs and IMGs, and all of them tell me the same: I wish I had reshaped my approach. I wish I didn't have the approach of going all both the walls of the attitude of 'well, I'm just gonna push through this,' because there's a limit to the stuff that just pure motivation and discipline can do. So keep that in mind, because believe me, being burned out just sucks. But in any case, that's really all I have for this video. I hope you find it useful. As always, thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you guys in the next video.

3 Things People Learn Too Late in Their USMLE Prep

Santiago AQ

The USMLE does not test everything in medicine, focusing instead on a few selected topics in specific ways.

Many students mistakenly spend excessive time learning every detail, while the exam often presents similar questions with slight variations.

Understanding the exam's pattern and focusing on what is truly important can lead to a better score.

The USMLE requires a different approach than medical school exams, and copying the same study strategies may lead to frustration.

Experimenting with new learning techniques is crucial, as traditional methods like note-taking and flashcards may not be effective for the USMLE.

It's important to view USMLE prep as a marathon rather than a race, as a rushed approach can lead to burnout and ineffective studying.

A different approach is needed for long-term goals compared to short-term bursts of effort.

It's important to distribute your efforts wisely, much like pacing yourself in a marathon.

The best strategy for studying or achieving goals is to maintain consistent, efficient effort over a longer period, rather than trying to make drastic changes in a few days.

A successful long-term strategy involves keeping family, friends, and hobbies close.

Many successful AMGs and IMGs regret their push-through mentality and wish they had reshaped their approach.

Burnout is a real issue, and pure motivation and discipline have their limits.