In most cases, people don’t just hand each other business cards--they trade them. Facilitate a business card swap by keeping your own cards with you in professional settings like meetings and trade shows, but also in your everyday life.  You never know when you’re going to meet a new contact.  If you’re having trouble keeping your cards neat, try designating a special pocket or folder for them. A rubber band also works, in a pinch. Never just hand over your card without asking--this can be seen as pushy. Instead, say something like “I’d really like to talk to you more about what you do. Would you like to exchange cards?” Examining the business card for a second or two is a good way to make note of important information about a new contact. If you struggle with remembering names, use cards as a tool to connect names to faces. The person's title is usually printed on a business card, too. This is another clue about who they are and what they do. If you carry a notebook or bag with you to meetings, designate a place in it for the business cards of new contacts. Or, use the second pocket on your own business card carrier to collect cards you receive.  Don't stick cards in your notes, or stuff them in a pocket. They might easily go missing, or even go through the wash. If you’re traveling and expect to receive a lot of business cards, you can stash them in a Ziploc bag in your hotel or briefcase to keep them neat and dry.  Make sure the place you put new business cards is not the place you keep your own cards. You don’t want to mix them up. Wherever you put the cards right now is not a permanent place--remember that you’ll be removing and organizing them later. Whenever you get a new business card, write down the name of the place where you met within a few days of meeting. This way, you won’t forget. Also, jot a brief note about what you talked about. Then when you contact the person later, you can remind them of the details of your conversation. If the card is glossy and you can’t write on it with a normal pen, try sticking a post-it to the card instead.

Summary: Have your own cards handy. Read the card when you receive it. Have a place to put new business cards. Handwrite notes.


When you still are a year or more away from taking the exam, your goal should be to familiarize yourself with the Pathoma text and website. Get to know its structure by browsing through the materials. Note any and all questions that you have. This is also the stage where you should begin to take general notes over the text’s content. This is when you need to transition your studying to fit your test-taking goals. Set aside 30 minutes each day for quizzing yourself over your Pathoma notecards or question sets. Keep track of your weak areas and target those in subsequent days. For example, if a certain Pathoma chapter is your weakest subject area, then spend extra time getting it down. Not all of this study time should be spent on Pathoma, but some of it should. Use Pathoma as a reference as you answer world bank questions. Add new notecards to cover more complex concepts. Watch a Pathoma video segment to break up your on-paper preparation. The website www.uworld.com provides a comprehensive collection of questions for students planning to take the Step 1 exam. These questions are generally referred to as “world bank” questions.

Summary: Start with Pathoma 1-2 hours each day 2 years out from Step 1. Quiz yourself each day if you are less than a year out from Step 1. Study 6-8 hours per day when you are 6-12 weeks out from the test.


Creativity can be contagious, so it can be valuable to make friends with people who work in a creative field or pursue creative hobbies. Depending on your interests, you may get along well with painters, photographers, writers, sculptors, or filmmakers. Attend events, take lessons,  or join groups where you will have the opportunity to meet such people.  Seek out artists and painters by attending vernissages, or taking painting or drawing classes. Meet photographers by taking a photography course or visiting photography exhibitions. Get in touch with writers by attending writing seminars or book readings. Look for meet-up groups online that are dedicated to your interests. Read as many books as you can about a particular niche that interests you. Research the history of a certain topic, or read memoirs or  studies about it to understand it better. Knowing subject inside out  and reading different perspectives will make it easier to be creative about it.   Gain access to books for free by getting a membership card at your local library. Access peer-reviewed scholarly articles online to get reliable information about different topics. Motivational speeches can be catalysts for creativity by drumming up your optimism and incentive. Hearing about other people's experiences and creative efforts can be a great push to pursue our own artistic goals. Look online for TED talks pertaining to your creative interests, or attend lectures at a local college or university.  Browse available TED talks at https://www.ted.com/talks. Visit the websites for educational institutions in your area to look at upcoming events. Travelling to new places jump starts our creative processes by exposing us to new cultures and experiences. Since we have been conditioned by our society and local traditions, visiting new destinations can offer unique perspectives. Plan trips whenever your schedule and budget allow you to do so to get inspired.  Even short day trips can improve creativity by exposing us to a new environment for a period of time. Make the most of your trips by visiting cultural landmarks like museums, art galleries, monuments, and famous buildings (e.g. the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.)

Summary: Surround yourself with other creative people to get inspired. Read as much as possible to discover new ideas and themes. Listen to TED talks or other inspiring lectures. Travel whenever you can to gain new experiences.


Knitting on your arms uses the same basic technique as knitting with needles. However, it can be more challenging at first since you will be using your fingers to create the new stitches.  To knit the first row, take the free end of the yarn (set the tail aside) and loop that yarn around your hand. Then, insert this loop into the first loop on your right arm. As you pull the loop through, slide the old loop off your right arm and slide the new loop onto your left arm.  Continue to knit the stitches in this way until you reach the end of the first row. As you knit using your arms, you will be transferring the stitches from one arm to the other. That means that if you started on your right arm, then you will be transferring the stitches over to your left arm by the end of the first row, and then back to your right arm by the end of the second row. Continue knitting until you have achieved the desired length. You will need to bind off the stitches to finish the blanket. As with knitting using needles, you will be casting off by knitting the first two loops and then pulling each loop through the one that is behind it.  For example, start by knitting the first two loops in your row. Then, stop knitting and grasp the first loop in your row with your fingers. Pull this loop up and over the second loop on your hand so that it is secured and you only have one loop on your hand. To continue casting off, follow the pattern of knitting one and looping the first loop over the second loop until you reach the end of the row. As you cast off, you should never have more than two loops on your casting off arm. After you have cast off the final loop, pull the free end of the yarn through the loop. Then, weave the tail end of the yarn through the loops on the edge of the blanket to hide it.  You can also tie the end of the yarn in a knot going through one of the stitches to secure it. Trim off any excess yarn from the tail and your blanket is complete!
Summary: Knit your first row. Transfer the stitches back to the right arm for your second row. Bind off the stitches. Weave in the ends.