USMLE® Step 1

USMLE® Step 1
Study Plan 2016
Released 5.10.16
PICMONIC.COM
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................ Page 3
The 3 Prong Approach ...................................... Page 4
How Our Study Plan Works .............................. Page 6
Study Plan ......................................................... Page 10
The Day Before The Exam .............................. Page 51
Good Luck ........................................................ Page 52
Try/Buy Picmonic ............................................. Page 52
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Introduction
Hi there!
If you already have our current Step 1 Study Guide, you might be asking yourself, why release
a new version? In our ever-enduring quest to be the best study resource for our subscribers,
we work tirelessly on creating and working to improve our content at Picmonic. That being
said, we decided to move from Playlists to Pathways in order to have as up-to-date of a Study
Guide as possible.
Now, instead of clicking and downloading a static playlist for a specific subject, you will be
linked to its relevant Pathway. Making this switch will ensure that you will automatically have
access to the most relevant Picmonics associated with the subject you are currently studying!
For example, with the old Playlist version, if we released a new Picmonic on Behavioral
Sciences, you would need to not only know about it, but would then have to reacquire the
Behavioral Sciences playlist. With this new version, once a Picmonic is created and tagged, it
will automatically be uploaded into the relevant Behavioral Sciences Pathway.
We also decided to put the power back into your hands with respect to our time breakdowns.
Now, instead of dictating to the minute how much time you spend on a question bank, we
provide the amount of time it requires to review a Picmonic and budgeted time for you to read
the related First Aid pages and test yourself via a question bank.
This Study Guide puts you in control. Follow it as needed to get what's best for you with the
time you have until Step 1. It comes at no cost, as does our assistance should you have any
questions regarding this or anything related to Picmonic.
Want to know who put this together? This plan was put together based on the feedback of many
subscribers, power users, and our Campus Advocates. With the creation of our Student
Consultant Program late last year, we were fortunate enough to have the assistance of Michael
Bustos to piece it all together.
- The Picmonic Team
Michael Bustos
Senior Contributor
Fourth year medical student at
McGovern Medical School in Houston, Texas.
Interested in becoming a Student Consultant?

Find out more by reaching out to feedback@picmonic.com.
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The 3 Prong Approach
Review Master Assess
That is the core of our “3 Prong Approach” and how this Study Plan will help you get the most
out of your studying time. When looking at First Aid®, Picmonics, and Qbank questions, follow
this guideline:
1 2 3
REVIEW the MASTER the ASSESS your
applicable pages in a Picmonics that knowledge with
specific chapter. Do correspond to each Kaplan® and/or
not skip any portions of the listed First Aid UWorld® Qbank
of the content. Revisit pages. Based on user questions. Each set
unfamiliar topics and experience, it of questions is
understand generally takes 3-5 spread evenly
mechanisms and views per Picmonic to throughout the study
concepts of disease understand it in its days, so you won’t
processes. entirety. risk being
overburdened.
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The 3 Prong Approach
The Study Plan is broken

down into:
16
Categories
Each category is
broken up into days
and each day
2-4
represents: Hour Blocks
For example, Behavioral Sciences is estimated to take 16 hours to complete. Thus, it is broken up
into 5 days with each day averaging between 2 and 4 hours. If you’re looking to begin studying on
Monday, you can comfortably spend Monday through Friday studying in the determined blocks
of time and have the weekend off.
However, because everyone is on a different studying path and time frame, we put this entire
guide together to allow you to customize your study time. Regardless of where you are in relation
to Step 1, whether you’re six months out or two, you can accurately gauge how much time it will
take for each category and plan your personal life accordingly. Obviously, the sooner you start,
the more breathing room you’ll have, so don’t procrastinate!
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How Our Study Plan Works
Following our “3 Prong Approach,” you will begin your studying session by reading the prescribed
First Aid pages. After you feel confident that you’ve read (and not scanned) the content, it's time
to begin solidifying the information.
This is where Picmonic comes in. Follow the links to the correct Pathway and learn the Picmonics
associated with that day. Be sure to utilize all three of the features: Learn, Review, and Master, to
gauge how well you know the Picmonic.
Last, you will begin to test that information with question banks. Based on the feedback from our
Advocates and avid subscribers, we decided to provide the information specific to both the
Kaplan and UWorld question banks. If you do not have them but have another question bank or
way to assess your knowledge, please use the resource that is best available for you and do your
best to follow the recommended timing.
To Access Kaplan Qbank:
After purchasing your Kaplan Qbank subscription and registering your account, follow these
directions to access the Kaplan Qbank software:
1. Go to www.kaptest.com
2. Click on “Sign In” in the top right hand corner
3. Sign in using the email and password you used when purchasing your subscription
4. Once signed-in, you will see your “My Account” page
5. Under the tab “My Courses” you will see the name of your selected subscription (e.g.
Step 1 Qbank - 1 month).
6. Click the drop down menu link “Access My Online Resources” and select “Step 1 Qbank”
to view the resource options
7. Click “Qbank” to launch the Qbank software
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After launching the Kaplan Qbank software, follow these directions to generate a specific topic
question block:
1. You will see five purple tabs on your main page. Select “Create Test.”
2. Under Test Mode, you will have the option to choose a variety of settings to customize
the question block.
a. For the most similar to test day experience, select the following: Timed Test,
Category - Unused, Difficulty - All, Question Type - All.
b. We encourage assessing your knowledge under realistic conditions to gain
experience and build confidence for test day.
c. After using the Qbank for multiple subjects you may have to include used
questions to have an adequate amount for practice.
3. Under Organ System and Discipline, checkmark the boxes that pertain to either organ
system or discipline being currently tested.
a. In order to ensure inclusion of all possible questions, if testing an organ system
such as “Cardiovascular,” make sure that “All” under Disciplines is selected.
However if testing a discipline like “Microbiology,” make sure that ‘All” under
Organ System is selected.
4. Under “Create Test,” you may select the number of questions you want included per
question block.
a. On test day, each question block will contain no more than 40 questions to be
completed in 60 minutes per block.
b. If the selected topic does not have 40 questions, then enter the maximum
amount of questions available into the Test Size field.
5. Once you click the “Create Test” button, the test block will launch. Be prepared to start
answering questions immediately!
a. Once you create a question block, it cannot be reset. However it can be
suspended at any time throughout its duration and resumed later.
6. At the end of your test block, your score and statistics will be calculated and available for
viewing at anytime under the main page tab “Test Analysis & Review.”
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To Access UWorld QBank:
After purchasing your UWorld Qbank subscription and registering your account, follow these
directions to access the UWorld Qbank software:
1. Go to www.uworld.com/sign_in.aspx
2. Sign in using the email and password you used when purchasing your subscription
3. Once signed in, you will see “Step 1 Qbank” under your Subscriptions. You will need to
activate it in order to launch the software.
4. Click “Launch.” In order to use the UWorld Qbank software, you will need to download
the program to your respective platform using the links on this page.
5. After download is complete, launch the software like any other application.
6. Sign in with the same username and password used on your account page.
7. Activate the subscription if it has not already been activated.
8. Click “Launch” to open the program.
After launching the UWorld Qbank software, follow these directions to generate a specific topic
question block:
1. You will see seven tabs at the top of your main page. Select “Create Test.”
2. Under Test Mode and Question Mode, you will have the option to choose a variety of
settings to customize the question block.
a. For the most similar to test day experience, select the following: “Timed Test” and
“Unused Questions.”
b. We encourage assessing your knowledge under realistic conditions to gain
experience and build confidence for test day.
c. After using the Qbank for multiple subjects you may have to include used
questions to have an adequate amount for practice.
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3. Under Test Divisions, check the boxes that pertain to the subject being tested.
a. In order to select a sub-division, at least one main division must be selected.
4. Under “Specify No. of Questions,” you may select the number of questions you want
included per question block.
a. On test day, each question block will contain no more than 40 questions to be
completed in 60 minutes per block.
b. If the selected topic does not have 40 questions, then enter the maximum
number of questions available into the question amount field.
5. Once you click the “Generate Test” button, the test block will launch. Be prepared to
start answering questions immediately!
a. Once you create a question block, it cannot be reset. However it can be
suspended at any time throughout its duration and resumed later.
6. At the end of your test block, your score and statistics will be calculated and available for
viewing at anytime under the main page tab “Previous Test.”
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Study Plan
Each subject is broken down into categories based on First Aid 2016. As stated previously, each
day is broken down into 2-4 hour sessions using the time frame one can reasonably expect to
spend on each resource. If you finish early, you can review the material presented, or move on
to the next day.
Behavioral Sciences .............................................. Page 11

Behavioral Sciences/Psychaitry (Merged) ........ Page 12 By following this
Biochemistry .......................................................... Page 14 guide, you will:
Cardiovascular ....................................................... Page 17
Endocrine ................................................................ Page 20
Gastrointestinal .................................................... Page 22 Complete 620+ hours
Hematology & Oncology ...................................... Page 25 worth of study
Immunology ........................................................... Page 27
Microbiology ........................................................... Page 28 Review 559 First
Musculoskeletal, Skin, & Connective Tissue ... Page 32
Aid pages
Neurology ............................................................... Page 34
Pathology ................................................................ Page 37
Pharmacology ........................................................ Page 41 Master 935 First
Psychiatry ................................................................ Page 44 Aid Specific
Renal ......................................................................... Page 45 Picmonics
Reproductive .......................................................... Page 47
Respiratory ............................................................. Page 49
DISCLAIMER
This study guide does not guarantee a specific score but rather provides a framework of effective practices to help students get the most
from their Picmonic subscription. The success and results of those that follow it will vary. Picmonic does not guarantee a certain level of
results or accept any legal liability whatsoever arising from the use of this study guide.
Picmonic is not affiliated or endorsed by any third party mentioned herein. Reference to third parties or external websites do not constitute
an endorsement or recommendation by Picmonic of any material on those sites or of any third party products or services offered by such
third parties. All third party resources referenced herein are owned exclusively by such respective third parties.
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Behavioral Sciences
16 Hours
First Aid Pages 31-46 | 20 Picmonics | 54 Kaplan Questions | 166 UWorld Questions
First Aid: Read pages 31-34
DAY
Picmonics for Page 32 Picmonics for Page 33 Picmonics for Page 34
1 Review 10 Kaplan Questions

4 hours Review 32 UWorld Questions
DAY First Aid: Read pages 35-38

Review 32 UWorld Questions
3 hours

3 hours
DAY
Picmonics for Page 43

DAY

2 hours
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Behavioral Sciences/Psychiatry
36 Hours
First Aid Pages 508-528 / 21-46 | 83 Picmonics | 54 Kaplan Questions | 280 UWorld Questions
Editor's Note: Due to recent feedback, it was brought to our attention that many students will cover the material covered in both
Behavioral Sciences and Psychiatry. Because of this, we decided to offer an alternative to those subscribers by merging the two.
If you wish, you can follow this version, or simply follow the traditional version in which both are treated as separate sections.

DAY
1 Picmonics for Page 511
Review 5 Kaplan Questions

4 hours

DAY
2 Picmonics for Page 512 Picmonics for Page 513 Picmonics for Page 514 Picmonics for Page 515

4 hours

DAY
3 Picmonics for Page 516 Picmonics for Page 517 Picmonics for Page 519

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Behavioral Sciences/Psychiatry
DAY Picmonics for Page 524 Picmonics for Page 525 Picmonics for Page 526 Picmonics for Page 527
4 hours

DAY
4 hours Review 5 Kaplan Questions

DAY
3 hours
DAY
3 hours

DAY

DAY

2 hours
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Biochemistry
51 Hours

DAY
1 Picmonics for Page 48 Picmonics for Page 50

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

3 hours
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Biochemistry
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Biochemistry
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Cardiovascular
43 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

3 hours
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Cardiovascular
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Cardiovascular
DAY

4 hours
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Endocrine
28 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Endocrine
DAY

4 hours
DAY Picmonics for Page 332 Picmonics for Page 333 Picmonics for Page 334 Picmonics for Page 335
4 hours
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Gastrointestinal
44 Hours

DAY

4 hours
DAY
4 hours
DAY
4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Gastrointestinal
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Gastrointestinal
First Aid: Read pages 376
DAY

4 hours
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Hematology & Oncology
34 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Hematology & Oncology
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
DAY

2 hours
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Immunology
19 Hours

DAY

4 hours

3 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Microbiology
64 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY
Picmonics for Page 125 Picmonics for Page 126

4 hours

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Microbiology
DAY Picmonics for Page 127 Picmonics for Page 128 Picmonics for Page 129
4 hours
4 hours
4 hours

DAY

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Microbiology
DAY

4 hours

DAY


DAY


DAY

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Microbiology
4 hours
4 hours
4 hours
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Musculoskeletal, Skin, & Connective Tissue
34 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Musculoskeletal, Skin, & Connective Tissue
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
4 hours
DAY

2 hours
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Neurology
60 Hours

DAY

4 hours
DAY
4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Neurology
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Neurology
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
DAY

2 hours
DAY

2 hours
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Pathology
100 Hours
DAY Angina Hypertension & Hypercholesterolemia Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure
1 Cardiomyopathies Heart Murmurs
5 hours
DAY Inflammatory Heart Disorders Heart Malformations Small Vessel Vasculitides
2 Medium-Small Vessel Vasculitides Large Vessel Vasculitides
5 hours
DAY Hypothalamic & Pituitary Disorders Thyroid Disorders Thyroid Cancers
3 Parathyroid Disorders Multiple Endocrine Neoplasias Diabetes
5 hours

DAY
4 Mineral & Bone Disorders Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Adrenal Tumors Other Adrenal Disorders

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Pathology
DAY
5 Intestinal Disorders


DAY
6 Stomach Disorders Pancreatic Disorders Esophageal Disorders Biliary Disorders

DAY Liver Disorders Nephritic Syndromes Nephrotic Syndromes

Acid & Base Disorders Renal Tumors Prostate Disorders Incontinence

DAY
8 Other Renal Disorders Sepsis

DAY Anemias Leukemias Lymphomas Myeloma

Coagulation Disorders Cell Basics B Cell Disorders T Cell Disorders

DAY
10 B & T Cell Disorders Phagocyte Disorders

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Pathology
DAY Autoimmune Disorders Hypersensitivity Antibodies Pediatric Vaccination Schedule

DAY Skin Cancer Skin Disorders Knee Injury Arthritis

DAY Gout Bone Tumors Other Musculoskeletal Disorders Movement & Degenerative Disorders

DAY Neuromuscular Junction Disorders Brain Tumors Neurocutaneous Disorders Headaches

Seizures Ear Disorders Infectious Disease Common Causes of Meningitis

DAY
15 Nerve Palsies Visual Field Defects

Glaucoma Other Eye Disorders Head Injuries Intracranial Hemorrhage

DAY
16 Stroke Genetic Sex Disorders

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Pathology
DAY Uterine Disorders Breast Tumors Male Disorders Ovarian Tumors

DAY Pregnancy Complications Implantation Abnormalities Delivery & Postpartum Complications

DAY Nutritional Deficiencies Vitamins

DAY Respiratory Disorders Common Causes of Pneumonia

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Pharmacology
64 Hours
Editor's Note: In this section, we currently have 42 Picmonics that directly correspond with this First Aid section, they have been
front loaded on the playlist. There are an additional 134 in the Pharmacology Playlist that span all topics in First Aid, they are
spread out evenly throughout the days if you wish to review them in addition to what is covered in this First Aid section.
DAY
4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY


DAY

4 hours
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Pharmacology
DAY


DAY

DAY
Antihypertensives Inotropes

Antiarrhythmics Dyslipidemia Medications Diabetes Medications

DAY
9 Pituitary & Thyroid Medications

DAY
Immunosuppressants Anticoagulants Hematopoietics Genitourinary Pharmacology

Antimetabolites Antitumor Antibiotics Alkylating Agents Other Oncology Medications

DAY
11 Reproductive Pharmacology

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Pharmacology
Antiinflammatories Other Musculoskeletal Pharmacology Integumentary Pharmacology
DAY
12 Gastrointestinal Pharmacology Respiratory Pharmacology

DAY
Anxiolytics & Hypnotics Opioids CNS Stimulants Antidepressants

DAY Antipsychotics Anesthetics Antiepileptics Other Nervous System Pharmacology

4 hours
DAY
Antibiotics

DAY Antivirals Antifungals Anti TB Medications

4 hours
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Psychiatry
20 Hours

DAY

DAY

DAY

DAY

DAY
4 hours Picmonics for Page 528
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Renal
24 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Renal
DAY

4 hours
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Reproductive
32 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Reproductive
4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Respiratory
30 Hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
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Respiratory
DAY

4 hours

DAY

4 hours
DAY

2 hours
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The Day Before the Exam
Take the day off from studying. Research has shown that anything
1
you study right before an exam is more likely to hurt than help your
performance. Why? Because the last-studied information is still floating
around in your short term memory and actually interferes with recall of
information that you studied days, weeks, or even months before.
Plan something fun to do as a reward for all the effort you
2 have put into getting ready. Call friends to make plans for after the
exam is over. Take in a good movie or shop at a favorite store. In short, do
something appealing that you put off during the previous weeks of preparing
and treat yourself to something special. Maybe hit the bars for a post-exam
drink with some friends!
3 Watch your intake of caffeine. Nothing drives up your anxiety level

faster than not being able to fall asleep the night before an exam. Avoid
beverages like coffee, tea, or colas unless they are decaffeinated.
Try to relax with physically tiring activities like swimming,
4
jogging, or biking so that you will feel tired enough to
sleep. A warm shower or bath close to bedtime will also help relax you.
Unless you know exactly how it will affect you the next day, avoid taking any
sleeping medications because they may leave you feeling groggy.
Lay out everything you will need the night before so you
5 won't have to stress out locating your lucky shirt or the

test permit tomorrow morning. If you plan to drive to the test
center, make sure you have enough gasoline and ensure that you step out
early enough to account for traffic jams, accidents, or anything that can
possibly go wrong.
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Good Luck
If you’ve come this far, you’ve definitely put the time, effort, and energy into making sure your
Step 1 score is the best it can be. Aside from studying, there are a few things you can do to
help ensure you arrive at the test center ready to go. Check out the following blog on “What
to do Before the Exam: Prepping the Mind and Body” for some last minute tips and pointers
for your big day.
Best of luck, and let us know how you did!
The Picmonic Team

feedback@picmonic.com
Try/Buy Picmonic
TRY FREE BUY NOW
PICMONIC.COM 3
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Study Plan 2016

- The Picmonic Team

Interested in becoming a Student Consultant?

Review Master Assess

The Study Plan is broken

To Access Kaplan Qbank:

Behavioral Sciences .............................................. Page 11

First Aid: Read pages 31-34

1 Review 10 Kaplan Questions

DAY First Aid: Read pages 35-38

2 Review 10 Kaplan Questions

DAY First Aid: Read pages 39-42

First Aid: Read pages 43-46

4 Review 10 Kaplan Questions

5 Review 14 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 508-511

1 Picmonics for Page 511

Review 5 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 512-515

Review 5 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 516-519

Review 5 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 520-523

Review 5 Kaplan Questions

5 Picmonics for Page 528

First Aid: Read pages 31-34

6 Picmonics for Page 32 Picmonics for Page 33 Picmonics for Page 34

4 hours Review 5 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 43-46

9 Picmonics for Page 43

Review 5 Kaplan Questions

10 Review 9 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 47-50

1 Picmonics for Page 48 Picmonics for Page 50

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 51-55

2 Picmonics for Page 51

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 56-59

3 Picmonics for Page 57 Picmonics for Page 58

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 60-64

4 Picmonics for Page 63

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

DAY First Aid: Read pages 65-69

5 Review 4 Kaplan Questions

6 Picmonics for Page 71 Picmonics for Page 72 Picmonics for Page 73

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 74-77

7 Picmonics for Page 74 Picmonics for Page 75 Picmonics for Page 77

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 78-81

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 82-85

9 Picmonics for Page 82

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 86-89

10 Picmonics for Page 86 Picmonics for Page 87 Picmonics for Page 88

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

Review 4 Kaplan Questions

First Aid: Read pages 95-99

12 Picmonics for Page 95 Picmonics for Page 96 Picmonics for Page 99

Review 4 Kaplan Questions