One of the biggest problems in medical school is finding a good quality study resource to not only help you pass your school classes but also to help you pass your board exams. There are many resources out there currently each with their own individual pros and cons. One such Resources is Osmosis Medical which contains a question bank that is geared towards helping students prepare for the USMLE exam.

What is the USMLE exam

The USMLE exam is the medical licensing exam that all medical students must take in order to move on to residency and begin practicing medicine. It is divided into 3 parts which are termed step 1, step 2 and step 3. Step 1 focuses on basic sciences while step 2 focuses on clinical sciences. Both Step 1 and Step 2 are taken in during medical school while Step 3 is taken when you are a resident doctor.

What is Osmosis for medical students?

• Osmosis for medical school is a learning platform which delivers medical knowledge  in the form of creative and simple video lectures. The videos are organized by topic and can be watched in a playlist or individually on their own.
•  In addition to videos, the platform contains the basic sciences as well as some clinical sciences.
• The platform also contains flashcards, which re quiz you on certain topics through spaced repetition.

Is osmosis good for USMLE?

In order to answer this question, we have to first identify what makes a good study resource. The main way to study for the USMLE is through the use of question banks. In evaluating if the osmosis question bank is a good tool for the USMLE exam the following questions have to be answered: Is the interface similar to the USMLE exam, are the questions similar to the USMLE exam, Does it contain all for the subjects areas for the USMLE exam, and does it compare your results to other Osmosis users.

Is the Osmosis interface similar to the USMLE exam

The Osmosis interface is not similar to the USMLE exam. The USMLE exam testing interface has a very unique look. The look of the USMLE interface is very close to what is seen below, which is a question taken from the Med bootcamp question bank.

If we take a look at the Osmosis Question bank, we can see that everything from he color scheme to the font size is very different than what you should expect to see on the actual USMLE exam.

Finally, the Osmosis question contains a good amount of high yield topics. Unlike a lot of other question banks it does not test you on obscure details or disease pathologies that you are unlikely to see on test day.

Does Osmosis contain all of the subject areas for the USMLE exam

Yes the Osmosis question banks pretty much covers all of the organ systems and disciplines that are on the USMLE exam.

Does the Osmosis question bank compare you to other users

Osmosis does not show your performance compared to other individuals. It only shows how you performed compared to other individuals for a particular question. This is another reason why I don’t believe Osmosis can stand alone as a sole resource for Step  A good step 1 resource has to be able to serve as a measuring tool that students can use to guage  how they are doing nationally. 

Is it worth it to purchase Osmosis for the USMLE?

It is worth it to purchase it if you have enough time to go through all of the questions. It can definitely improve your scores if you use it ahead of of your dedicated studying period. In my opinion it is best used in the beginning of medical school alongside your course curriculum. Using it in this way will help you absorb the information because of all of the accessory learning tools the platform has such as the high quality videos and the flashcard which utilize spaced repetition. 

How can I use Osmosis to prepare for the USMLE?

Osmosis is a good resource for identifying your weaknesses, reviewing content, and doing targeted practice. If used in this way it can definitely be a good study tool for the USMLE exam.

Additionally, because the Osmosis question bank has a flashcard feature, it can also help you retain the information long term through spaced repetition.

What are alternatives to Osmosis

The best Alternatives to Osmosis are the True Learn Question banks as well as Lecturio. The lecturio question bank offers an interface which resembles the USMLE exam.

The True Learn Question Bank, in addition to offering a similar interface to the USMLE exam, has many other unique features such as User data tracking, and links to helpful resources such as Picmonic. Additionally, the questions are slightly more difficult and thought provoking which will provide an extra element of preparation for exam day. Using the code FITMEDIC and the link below you can actually get $25.00 off if you decide to purchase any of the True Learn question banks.

Is Osmosis Better for USMLE Step 1 or Step 2

The Osmosis question bank is better for step 1 given that it does not contain an appreciable amount of questions that are clinically focused. It focuses primarily on the basic sciences and will help you cement your understanding on basic concepts.

In Conclusion

As you can see Osmosis is definitely a good choice to add to your studies if you are preparing for the USMLE exam. While I do not think Osmosis should be the only question bank you use to prepare for the USMLE exam, It definitely has features that can ensure you pass and come one step closer to your dream of becoming a doctor.

If you found this article helpful, then you might find the following articles helpful

• Osmosis Question Bank Review: is it Worth it?