Page 74 - First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 2020, Thirtieth edition [MedicalBooksVN.com]_Neat

30 SECTION II HIGH-YIELD GENERAL PRINCIPLES HIGH-YIELD GENERAL PRINCIPLES

` `HOW TO USE THE DATABASE

The 2020 edition of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 contains a revised and
expanded database of basic science material that students, student authors,
and faculty authors have identified as high yield for board review. The
information is presented in a partially organ-based format. Hence, Section
II is devoted to the foundational principles of biochemistry, microbiology,
immunology, basic pathology, basic pharmacology, and public health
sciences. Section III focuses on organ systems, with subsections covering
the embryology, anatomy and histology, physiology, clinical pathology, and
clinical pharmacology relevant to each. Each subsection is then divided
into smaller topic areas containing related facts. Individual facts are
generally presented in a three-column format, with the Title of the fact in
the first column, the Description of the fact in the second column, and the
Mnemonic or Special Note in the third column. Some facts do not have a
mnemonic and are presented in a two-column format. Others are presented
in list or tabular form in order to emphasize key associations.

The database structure used in Sections II and III is useful for reviewing
material already learned. These sections are not ideal for learning complex
or highly conceptual material for the first time.

The database of high-yield facts is not comprehensive. Use it to complement
your core study mate rial and not as your primary study source. The facts and
notes have been condensed and edited to emphasize the essential material,
and as a result, each entry is “incomplete” and arguably “over-simplified.”
Often, the more you research a topic, the more complex it becomes, with
certain topics resisting simplification. Work with the material, add your own
notes and mnemonics, and recognize that not all memory techniques work
for all students.
We update the database of high-yield facts annually to keep current with
new trends in boards emphasis, including clinical relevance. However, we
must note that inevitably many other high-yield topics are not yet included
in our database.

We actively encourage medical students and faculty to submit high-yield
topics, well-written entries, diagrams, clinical images, and useful mnemonics
so that we may enhance the database for future students. We also solicit
recommendations of alternate tools for study that may be useful in preparing
for the examination, such as charts, flash cards, apps, and online resources
(see How to Contribute, p. xix).

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