USMLE Books: The Best Review Books for USMLE Step 1

If you are preparing for the medical boards, you may feel slightly overwhelmed by the number of different books and study guides available.

This is a collection of the best general review books for the USMLE Step 1. A good general review book for the USMLE is the best starting point for your studies because these books typically contain high yield facts and study guides, practice questions and cases, and study tips.

Working through one or more of the following books will give you a good foundation of knowledge for boards, and also help you figure out which of the different subjects covered on the test you need the most practice on. This will help you choose which specialized review books will be most helpful for you.

USMLE Step 1 Contents

About 40-50% of the questions on a typical USMLE Step 1 exam focus on general principles of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and behavioral sciences.

Another 50-60% deal with specific organ systems, including the hematopoietic/lymphoreticular, nervous/special senses, skin/connective tissue, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal/urinary, reproductive, and endocrine systems.

The questions are further broken down as follows:

• 30%-50% Normal structure and function
• 30%-50% Abnormal processes
• 15%-25% Principles of therapeutics
• 10%-20% Psychosocial, cultural, occupational and environmental considerations

This is the single best book you can buy for your USMLE Step 1 preparation.

Buy this book and memorize it cover to cover, and you will be well on your way to a great score on the USMLE Step 1!

This is a great supplemental book for First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 with over 1000 questions keyed to the content of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1, making it easy to quiz yourself on the material you've just studied.

The questions tend to be slightly easier than those on the test, but overall, an excellent resource.

Like First Aid Q&A for the USMLE Step 1, this is a great supplemental book because it is keyed to the content of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1, making it easy to study high yield facts and concepts, then study related cases to help relate the materials you've studied to actual clinical situations.

Beware of a few errors.

Though somewhat light on pathology, this is another excellent choice for a general USMLE Step 1 review. It is structured by organ systems, giving it a slightly different focus than the First Aid books, and some students prefer the Kaplan book's organization as a result.

A good supplemental resource for those who like to do as many practice questions as possible, the Kaplan Medical USMLE Step 1 QBook offers more than 850 high yield questions to help you prepare for the USMLE Step 1.

For those who need a more comprehensive review, consider investing in the Kaplan USMLE Step 1 Review Home Study Program, a comprehensive review of all major subject areas covered on the tests.

Most recent graduates and current medical students will not require such a comprehensive approach, but the program is a great investment for medical school graduates who have been away from the field for a few years due to family or other reasons.