Meet the Educators behind the Medical Student Study Strong System

By now, you've probably heard about the Medical Student Study Strong System. And, most importantly, how it's an evidence-based learning system with three essential components that work together to ensure you truly LEARN the foundations of medicine—in the easiest way possible.

To that end, we worked with expert physician-educators to help us craft all the content in the Medical Student Core and Step 1 and Step 2 Qbank+, and we think it’s time for you to meet them!

Meet Paul Catalana, MD

MedStudy Contributor, Paul Catalana, MD has been working with MedStudy since 2012 to bring pediatricians the best in high-yield review materials, and most recently, to help bring medical students the same! He went to school at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and did his pediatric residency at Prisma Health–Upstate, formerly Greenville Health System. He is currently Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine—Greenville in Greenville, SC.

Dr. Catalana wrote questions for the Medical Student Qbank+ for Step 1 and Step 2, so we asked him about why he thinks self-testing is important and how he liked writing questions for the qbanks.

Q- Why do you think self-testing is so important?

A- I don't think there's any better way to assess how well you've learned material than through questions! The advantage of using questions alongside the material [Student Core] is that the questions will allow you to determine your areas of weakness and your areas of strength. The questions relating directly to the Medical Student Core material will help to reinforce those topics. As we are reading we get a sense that we understand the material, but you really can't confirm that without testing yourself.

Quote from Paul Catalana, MD

Want to test out the Medical Student Study Strong System? Start a free trial now and get the full Musculoskeletal section for 30 days.
An inside look at the Musculoskeletal section in the Core as part of the Medical Student Study Strong System

Q- How was your experience writing questions for the Medical Student learning tools?

A- I've learned a lot myself! And, I learned things for the first time, the whole process of writing questions is something that, for me, has allowed me to stay up to date. So, hopefully when I am working with students and residents I can be more knowledgeable and hopefully, a better teacher. So, it has reminded me of the importance of staying up-to-date.

Start studying with the Medical Student Study Strong System now and begin your self-testing with the Qbank+ for Step 1 and Step 2.