If you have 6 months until Step 1 and love reading, pair a Kaplan chapter with the corresponding section in First Aid. Read Kaplan for context, then annotate your First Aid with the "pearls."

You are a video learner (go with Boards & Beyond or Sketchy), you are in a dedicated 6-week study crunch (stick to UWorld + First Aid), or you hate reading.

If you are a US medical student, your in-house lectures likely cover the same material. Kaplan books shine brightest for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) or students whose school curriculum is disorganized. The Strategy: How to Use Kaplan Books in 2025 Don't read a Kaplan book cover to cover. That is a recipe for burnout.