Our First USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is USMLE Help Step 1 Biochemistry Q&A. For the USMLE Step 1 we recommend a review book that is rather short and to-the-point, and USMLE Help Step 1 Biochemistry Q&A is a book that fits the bill. Many students finds that because the USMLE Step One is a culmination of the first two years of medical school, there tends to be a little less of the “basic” biochemistry on the USMLE Step 1 exam, and more of the “clinical” biochemistry, and high-yield topics.  Disclaimer - Apollo Audiobooks produced the USMLE Help Step 1 Biochemistry AUDIO - so we admit we may be a little biased toward this book. That being said, USMLE Help Step 1 Biochemistry is still a review of biochemistry for the USMLE Step 1. We recommend  USMLE Help Step 1 Biochemistry Q&A as the text for a rapid review of your biochemistry knowledge for the USMLE Step 1.

 

 

Our Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is USMLE Help Step 1 Anatomy Q&A . Basically, we recommend this USMLE Step One review book for many of the same reasons we recommend the biochemistry book above. More of the USMLE Step 1 is focused on the pathology and pathophysiology of human disease than straight-forward clinical anatomy – so you need a quick anatomy review – and USMLE Help Step 1 Anatomy Q&A fits the bill. It is a quick, high yield, hard-hitting question and answer book that covers applicable anatomy. Disclaimer - Apollo Audiobooks will produce the USMLE Help Step 1 Anatomy AUDIO scheduled for release in April 2009 - se we admit we may be a little biased toward this book. That being said, USMLE Help Step 1 Anatomy is a great review of anatomy for the USMLE Step 1.This USMLE Step 1 review book is recommended because it is quick and to the point.

 

 

High-Yield Biostatistics  – “Highly Recommended”

The Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is High-Yield Biostatistics.

We had a hard time deciding whether to place High-Yield Biostatistics as a “Must Have” or a “Highly Recommended” USMLE Step One book – and finally decided to place it here. High-Yield Biostatistics is almost a “Must Have” because there is no way to avoid a little biostatistics on the USMLE Step 1. This book covers all the basics of biostatistics, and although short, will be more than sufficient for a USMLE Step 1 Review. Sensitivity and Specificity, Types of Clinical Trials, and more all laid out in a simple and relatively understandable format in High-Yield Biostatistics – and that’s why it is one of our recommended USMLE Step 1 best books.

 

 

 

The Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is First Aid Q&A for the USMLE Step 1.

As most medical students will agree, people use First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 because it is a great comprehensive source of information and really helps promote USMLE 1 Success. The First Aid team has translated that expertise into First Aid Q&A for the USMLE Step 1 with over 1000 exam style USMLE questions, organ systems break-down, basic science sections, and a large “practice test.” We recommend using First Aid Q&A for USMLE Step 1 along with the First Aid book – as the two compliment each other nicely, covering many of the same important USMLE topics while each goes into a little different details on other topics. In addition, we recommend this Step1 USMLE took because the explanations are more thorough than other resources. First Aid Q&A for the USMLE Step 1 provides explanations of both the correct and incorrect questions – allowing you to see and evaluate the answer choices from both sides. That’s why First Aid Q&A for the USMLE Step 1 is another USMLE Step 1 Best Book Recommendation for the USMLE Step 1.

 

 

The Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is Rapid Review Pathology.

If there is one book that has really taken the USMLE world review by storm in the last few years, it has to be Rapid Review Pathology by Dr. Goljan. This pathology text has many devotees who swear that is this path to USMLE success because it is a comprehensive pathology text with great color slides and photos, and quick discussion of other USMLE applicable topics such as biochemistry, anatomy, and physiology. In addition, many students utilize Dr. Goljan’s audio reviews and USMLE study materials which compliment the text – making this USMLE book a great comprehensive resource and one of our USMLE Recommendations as a Best Book. On the other hand, as far as pathology for the USMLE goes – each person seems to have his own preference and there are three camps that recommend three books as the Best USMLE Recommended Pathology Text. One group, and our bias, is that shorter is better and recommend BRS Pathology for the USMLE over Rapid Review Pathology. Another group that want the absolute most-comprehensive USMLE 1 scores pathology text possible recommend Robbins Review of Pathology. And the third group who like a great comprehensive text, and one that is a little shorter and is associated with Dr. Goljan’s audio and other review materials, recommend Goljan’s Rapid Review Pathology above all else. So for pathology, pick your poison – any way you look at it, you’ve got to cover a lot of pathology for USMLE Step 1 Success – and that’s why Rapid Review Pathology is one of our USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Best Books for the USMLE Step 1.

 

 

The Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is BRS Physiology.

BRS Physiology is the only “physiology” text to make our USMLE Step 1 Best Books Reviews because it is consistently recommended as the best physiology book for the USMLE year after year. In the view of many, BRS Physiology is the best BRS Book of the entire series. It is a comprehensive USMLE Step 1 resource, it covers all aspects of physiology in bullet format, and has several comprehensive tables and figures that summarize important and high-yield topics for the USMLE Step 1. BRS Physiology can be used a “quick and dirty” read a few times through before the USMLE Step1 exam, or it can be used during your med school physiology course (again our bias for a little shorter text whenever you can get away with it). In addition, the explanations are clear and the book even covers neurophysiology – and that’s why BRS physiology is a USMLE Best Books “Highly Recommended” USMLE Step 1 Review Book.

 

 

The Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is First Aid Cases for the USMLE Step 1.

First Aid Cases for the USMLE Step 1 makes the list because clinical cases are a great way to put together all the “stuff” you learn in medical school into a functional, testable, usable format. We believe that studying clinical cases will really help you on the USMLE Step 1 as well as for your rotations on the wards and your future career as a “real” physician. Classic cases are “classic” because these are the cases you will see in real life, and they are often tested on USMLE boards exam such as the NBMEs and USMLE Steps. Going over these clinical cases will help you for both the USMLE Step 1 and all future USMLE Step exams, because the most questions are written in a “clinical vignette” format. Now as far as the best clinical cases books for the Step 1 USMLE goes – there are two options – depending on your time commitment and cost you are willing to bear. The Underground Clinical Vignettes for the USMLE Step 1 are our favorites simple because the cases are great and you get a lot more of them and they are in our “Must Have” USMLE Books category. The downside is that the UCV series is expensive when you buy the whole series. The First Aid Cases for the Step One USMLE are also great cases, but there are fewer of them. The advantage of First Aid Cases for the USMLE Step 1 is that the text is much less expensive than the Underground Clinical Vignettes series, and that’s why First Aid Cases for the USMLE Step 1 has gained Apollo’s Book Review as a USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book.

 

 

The Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is High Yield Neuroanatomy.

Neuroanatomy is another one of those subjects on the USMLE Step 1 that can get lost in shuffle between Physiology, Pathology and Pharmacology, but is a subject that certainly cannot be ignored! That’s where High Yield Neuroanatomy comes into play. The book is truly “high-yield,” short at 160 pages, and covers almost everything that would be tested on the USMLE Step 1. High Yield Neuroanatomy should not serve as your only neuroanatomy textbook during your class, but once you have a basic understanding of the concepts and pathways that are important and will be tested time-and-time-again, High Yield Neuroanatomy is a great review for you. Some have pointed out that this book makes up for some of the shortcomings of First Aid in the area or neuroanatomy. Additionally, it has consistently be rated highly by medical students and even neurology residents as a good quick review – and that’s why High Yield Neuroanatomy has made Apollo’s Best Books Review as a “Highly Recommended” Book for the USMLE Step1.

 

 

The Next USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is BRS Gross Anatomy.

Gross Anatomy, another subject that absolutely consumed your first year of medical school and is not tested as heavily on the USMLE Step 1. . . a little disappointing. The best thing to remember about studying gross anatomy for the USMLE Step 1 is that all pathology and physiology grows out of you gross anatomy experience and knowledge. BRS Gross Anatomy is almost a comprehensive resource – which means it contains more information than what will actually be tested on the USMLE. Therefore we recommend you use BRS Gross Anatomy while studying for you exams in class and along the way. It has a lot of the information and minutia that you will encounter in your gross anatomy tests and dissections. While using BRS Gross Anatomy to study for the USMLE Step 1, we recommend you give the book a quick read get a few more details on some of the high points that are also mentioned in First Aid and Step-Up to the USMLE Step 1.

 

 

The Final USMLE Step 1 “Highly Recommended” Book is High Yield Behavioral Science. Again, our bias is to find the shortest book possible that hits the really high-yield, tested information and High Yield Behavioral Science is it. As we find with so many of the USMLE Step 1 subjects that are tested not as tested, many of the comprehensive USMLE review books are a little lacking in these areas. We recommend you use High Yield Behavioral Science to supplement your more comprehensive resources and also hit those important points.  Although this short text is not a comprehensive Behavioral Science text, it does contain much of the information that will be test on the USMLE Step 1 in adequate detail for the test, assuming you have a basic understanding of the field to begin with; and that’s why Apollo’s USMLE Best Books Book Review for High Yield Behavioral Science is “Highly Recommended” for the USMLE Step1.