USMLE Step 1(Boards) Mnemonics

If I could do it again. how to study for the USMLE Step one.

2009-04-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

Now that the terror is over I can give my opinions for how to study for this test. Here are my 5 points

1. QUESTIONS. Work lots of questions. I personally did all of USMLE World and much of RX. Read all of the explanations and take notes in First Aid about the questions you get wrong.

2. Do not read too may or any books. All I used was First aid, Goljan path and Micro Ridiculously Simple. In retrospect Micro RS was more depth then was needed and I would recomend it only for refernce(especially good are the tables at the end of chapters). First Aid was good for organization of concepts and Goljan was the only book worth reading. Read Goljan while referencing First Aid for the matching physiology. Do this in the first two weeks and after that you should pretty much be only doing questions all day. The Goljan text is a great complement to the audio lectures that are being passed around.

3. LWW Pharm cards are really good for explaination of drug mechanisms. I would use them like a book doing 10 and taking notes in First aid. Don't stress about memorizing them as any relevent content will come up in one of the question banks.

4. Take your memorization slowly. Work on one hard table from first aid a day.

5. Have fun suckers I am DONE!

Krabbe's disease mnemonic image

2009-04-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

Edwards Syndrome Mnemonic Image

2009-04-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

Edwards syndrome trisomy 18. He is a politician and voting age is 18.

Glycogen synthase and glycogen phophorylase

2009-04-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Regulated by phosphorylation
phosphorylated in the phasting state. Phosphorylation activated catabolic enzymes while inactivating anabolic enzymes.

If you Break you ARM

2009-04-01T15:32:00.001-07:00

from proximal to distal:
Fractured Surgical head of the humerus or dislocation (A)Axillary
Fracture at midshaft of humerus (R)Radial
Fracture of supracondylar humerus (M) Median

Hypothalamus

2009-03-31T07:28:00.001-07:00

Lateral area is hunger (LUNCH)
VentroMedial is satiety (MODERATION)

sensory corpuscles

2009-03-31T06:22:00.000-07:00

Meissners are misers and are sensitive to very small changes.
Merkels Disks- Imagine GW putting his hands on Angela Merkels shoulders and him feeling the exact couture of her shoulders. This is with his hands just resting there.

Vasopressin receptors

2009-03-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

V1- works on vessels 1 is a linear number and so are vessels.
V2- 2 functions
-inserts Aquaporin-2 receptors.
-releases 2 clotting factors from endothelium: (vWF,VIII)

Cranial nerve mnemonic classic (correcting an error in First Aid)

2009-03-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

Some(I) Say(II) Marry(III) Money(IV) But(V) My(VI) Brother(VII) Says(VIII) Big(IX) Boobs(X) Matter(XI) More(XII).

Cranial nerves that are (S)sensory (M)motor or (B)both

c7

2009-03-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

You won't go to heaven if you are always flicking people off with c7.

Thanks Margret.

Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, Phenobarbital

2009-03-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, Phenobarbital (all anticonvulsants that start with P or C induce cytochrome p450)

Il-4

2009-03-14T14:45:00.001-07:00

4 eg.
Stimulates B cells to grow and class switch to IgE and IgG

Il-12

2009-03-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Il-12 is a macrophages way of saying "I need some 1 2 help me" This gets the Tcell to give them Gamma.

NO

2009-03-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

NO is a veNOdilator

Ptt v. Pt

2009-01-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

Ptt is longer name longer chain. Intrisicc
Pt short name short chain of rxn

dermatome mnemonics

2008-12-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

T4- teet pore
T10- belly-but-10
L1-1nguinal ligament
s4- knees. down on all four

CMV vs. HSV gastritis

2008-12-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

CMV is in the canal and HSV is on the hill. If you imagine the ulcer as a canal with hills on the sides

VinBlastine

2008-11-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

Depolymerizes micro tubules.
It Blasts the Vines (MT are like vines)

Asprin

2008-11-24T15:46:00.001-08:00

Why do you not take Asprin to the Bar?

It is a nonspecific COX block.
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

Ondansetron

2008-11-16T12:58:00.001-08:00

On Da Serotonin Receptor. Selective 5-HT3 antagonist central antiemetic.

Misopprostol

2008-11-16T12:53:00.001-08:00

Mi So PROtected by mucous.
also Prost in the name for PGE1.

Used for NSAID peptic ulcers. Also maintain PDA. (MI SO Patent)

Hamartoma

2008-11-16T12:35:00.000-08:00

Think of a toe shaped like a hammer. It is the correct tissue type and benign but it is not the correct organization.

Props to Aaron on this one.

Papillae

2008-11-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Filiform fill most of the space.
Fungiform are mixed Among them.
circumVallate form the the letter "V".

2008-11-05T07:49:00.000-08:00

Long acting b2 agonists

2008-11-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

Salmeterol is Slower and is a semi(partial)B2 agonist

Formoterol is Faster and is a Full agonist.

tiotropium.

2008-11-03T12:32:00.000-08:00

Uncle tropium and aunt choline.

Tiotropium is an Anti(aunti)cholinergic. This make more sense if you know Tio means uncle in Spanish.

antileukotrienes

2008-11-03T12:11:00.001-08:00

There are two targets for these drugs.

5-lipoxygenase inhibition- This reduces the amount of leukotrienes. (Zileuton is Diluton the leukotrines)

Blocking the leukotriene receptor (zarfirluKast and monteluKast are like a Cast around the receptor blocking the action of leukotrienes.

Intersitial lung disease

2008-10-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

I wasn't feeling Dr. Gibson's mnemonic so I anagram generatered a new one:
Cilia Poems (Sillica Poem and Fiasco Lime tied for a close second place)

Collagen vascular diseases
Infection
Labor (asbestosis....)
Idiopathic
ARDS

Pharm
Oxidant mediated
Eosinophilic Granuloma
Malignancies
Sarcoidosis

The function of Cillia (a poem)

Cilia Cilia you make me complete.
When you are dysmotile I know we must treat.
The sum of nine and two.
must be I love you.
but your function has got me beat.

(the rhythm or meter or whatever of this poem is awful so please comment with a better cilia poem or an improvement of this one)

Emphysema

2008-10-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

of the obstructive lung diseases this is the one that causes hypoxemia with exercise.

EMPHYsema
Exercise May Precipitate Hypoxemia.

Bronchiectasis (Bronchiectasaurus)

2008-10-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

Also Imagine the Vd/Vt ratio on this guy. Talk about some dead space in that neck. I heard once that they breathed in a circle so that the air going out went a different path then the air going in. I have no idea if that is true and God knows I am not going to be the one to look it up.

Uric Acid Calculi

2008-10-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

(U)ric (A)cid (C)alculi
Radiolucent (UnAble to C)
only acidic urine stone others are Alkaline. It has acid right in its name.

RTA I

2008-10-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

RTA (I)ntercalated cell are the problem.

What renal disease are the Olson Twins most fearful of?

2008-10-17T09:48:00.001-07:00

Lupus Nephritis. Fullhouse on IF. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Renal Papillary Necrosis

2008-10-16T17:17:00.001-07:00

Three causes.

1.Regulation of Glucose(DM)
2.Pyelonephritis
3.Nsaid and Phenacetin

MebranoProliferative Glomerulonephritis

2008-10-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tram tracks (trams get really good MPG)

Trichomonas vaginalis.

2008-10-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

What bug is contracted the same way it is diagnosed....

Trichomonas vaginalis (a wet mount)

Membraneous(trainous) Glomerulonepropathy

2008-10-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

Train tracks on Sliver stain.

The IF is diffuse granular (looks like a brain) so maybe you could also say memBrainous. (thanks Dan)

Acute Proliferative Glomerulonephritis

2008-10-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Actually caused by Positive Gram organism. post strep.

Cathereter associated bugs

2008-10-14T20:31:00.001-07:00

Proteus and Providencia like Plastic in the Penis.

Liddle

2008-10-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

over activity of EN (liddle a) C

Bartters

2008-10-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

is a problem in TAL where K+ is bartered back and forth across the membrane.

MDRD

2008-10-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

What do you need to know to use this test.

is is a Man.
Draw blood for cr.
Race.
know when the person was Delivered? (how old)

Pax-2

2008-10-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

Pax in 2 defects:
Can't See, Can't Pee.

Intercalated/principal

2008-10-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

What goes on in an Intercalated cell. H+ secretion. H is nothing more then a sideways I.

What about the principAL cell. Well as we heard in class the AL represents Aldosterone responsiveness and like the principal in your school it kicks out the K+razy K+ids. But even though it tries the principal still has a ENaC for letting in Na+ughty students.

K+ secretion/resorbtion cells

2008-10-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

Intercalated brings it in while the principal kicks it out.

afferent v efferent

2008-10-05T10:53:00.001-07:00

Afferent approaches
efferent exits

Aortic Stenosis symptoms

2008-09-30T21:06:00.001-07:00

Thanks Jamie Moore:

"My patient HAS Aortic Stenosis" The HAS also stands for the 3 classic symptoms that we should recognize: Heart Failure(sometimes presenting simply as dyspnea), Angina, and Syncope.

Strep Bovis in endocarditis

2008-09-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Strep bovis is associated with Colon (pronounced Cowlon) cancer.

AngII receptor blockers

2008-09-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

If on ace a cough is starten'
you can switch to cande- or val-sartan'

Barlows

2008-09-21T15:55:00.001-07:00

Barlows billows into the atrium.

ADP

2008-09-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

Attaches Dee Platlets

Thromboxan A2

2008-09-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

Tightens the vessels like the chords around a Boxan ring. It is a platlet Activator 2.

Protein C

2008-09-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

Protein C (activated by Thrombomodulin) makes Va and VIIIa Cease to funciton.

prostacyclin

2008-09-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

keeps the blood cyclin
This is an endothilial secretion that inhibits platelet aggregation through increasing cAMP.
It also keeps blood cyclin through vasodilatation.

ST elevation v non-ST Eleveatoin

2008-09-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

in ST elevation the vessel is Shut Totally
in non ST elevation MI the vessel is Not Shut Totally.

Wenckebach

2008-09-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

When-ke-Back up the P wave a little more each time until you drop a beat. Mobitz 1

Mobitz 2 may have 2p waves for every qrs.

Anterior v Posterior Hemiblock

2008-09-20T22:10:00.001-07:00

That girl has a R.A.D. Posterior .

Roth spots

2008-09-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

Roth spots are Red Rings on the Retina. A result of infective endocarditis.

Libman-Sacks Endocarditis

2008-09-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Might(mitral) be better to call it Sacks-Libman Endocarditis as it is associated with of SLE.
Unlike Marantic it is non embolic.

Malignancies lead to Marantic that Marches to other parts of the body through eMbolism.

Leplace

2008-09-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

What can cause Tension? (T)
Pressing(P) on rebar(R) for over(/) two(2) hours(H).

T=Pr/2h

P=Pressure
r=radius
h=thickness

Titan

2008-09-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is a boring one.

The Cardiac form is less stretchy so so they could only give it three random symbols but the skeletal form is more stretchy so it got four.

Cardiac titan- N2B
Skeletal- N2BA

Cardiac muscle works in a smaller ranges of lengths and has a tighter length tension curve.

Phases of ventricular APS

2008-09-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

0- in the direction of 0mv
1- the top is #1
2- is Plateau (pla-two)
3- free fall (threefall)
4- is the floor

If it is a pacemaker cell or a cell getting digoxin. The floor is like the floor of my old appartment.

Reynold's Number

2008-09-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

Reynold hit Nick on the head with at DVD.

Re= dvD/n

Re= Reynolds number
D= diameter
v= velocity
n= viscosity

Nick could not get out of the way in time because he is viscous.

Resistance

2008-09-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

R= ΔP/F
ΔP= MAP-RAP

I am resistant(R) to looking over your MAP of Colorado(CO).
R=MAP/CO (this is ignoring RAP so only applies to systemic and not pulmonary)

Poiseville

2008-09-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

Nick(n) was late(l*8) so he did not(/) get our four(r^4) Pies(π).

R= nl8 / r^4π

R=resistance
n=viscosity
l=length
r=radius

Why was nick late?

Because he is viscous.

What are the funniest treatments for heart failure?

2008-09-03T15:31:00.001-07:00

Beta Blockers. Cuz they all end in -LOL.

Gen1:
PropranoLOL- nonselective competitive antagonist
PinoLOL- B1 antagonist, B2 partial agonist

For when you PINe for Propranolol but can't have it because you are diabetic or asthmatic. B2 partial antagonism reduces asthmatic and diabetic side effects caused by propranolol's B2 blocking

Gen2:
MetoproLOL- competitive B1 selective antagonist. Crosses BBB.
AtnoLOL- Just like Metoprolol but with ATENuated CNS symptoms becuase it does not cross BBB.
Esmolol- Es the one that Es needed when B blockade Es Especially Urgent.

Gen3:
Labetalol
Carvedilol
Nebivolol

Why shouldn't you lie to your cardio professor?

2008-09-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

Cardiologists know A Fib when they see it.

Image from wikipedia commons