Step 1 score recheck worthwhile?

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I received my Step I score yesterday and was a bit disappointed with my results, so I am wondering if requesting a recheck would be worthwhile?

My score was 232, which I know isn't awful, but I was averaging about 75% on USMLE World (unused questions, timed mode) in the month leading up to the exam, and received score predictions in the 250s from the USMLE World diagnostic exams, including a 253 the day before the exam. Is it normal for the diagnostic exams to be so far off? I was especially surprised to see my score because the exam itself felt very similar to the USMLE World and I honestly came out expecting a score in the 240s at worst.

I am an IMG who graduated more than 10 years ago, but I have US experience as an ICU RN and am a US citizen. I am interested in becoming a hospitalist, cardiologist, or intensivist. I do not have any research, but can get LORs from a couple of doctors in each field I'm interested in.

In light of these facts, do you think requesting a recheck would be worthwhile to improve my chances of getting interviews and ultimately matching, or should I just concentrate on knocking Step II out of the park?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Don't give them anymore money

Did you take any NBMEs? those are more accurate predictors. I think uworld tend to overestimate your score by 10-20 points

No, I did not do any NBMEs, just USMLE World's self-assessment tests, all the USMLE World and USMLERx Qbanks, and about half of the Kaplan Qbank.

Thanks for the info about score overestimation. Going forward, do you think it would be a wise idea to take the NBMEs for Step 2, and if so, about how far in advance of the exam?

UW% does overestimate at the top end, but the UWSAs are supposed to be fairly good predictors up into the 250s. i think you had a bad day. it happens. don't pay for a rescore, there is no way it will come out any different. you didn't fill out a scantron. the data they have for you won't change.

Originally Posted by djne

I received my Step I score yesterday and was a bit disappointed with my results, so I am wondering if requesting a recheck would be worthwhile?

My score was 232, which I know isn't awful, but I was averaging about 75% on USMLE World (unused questions, timed mode) in the month leading up to the exam, and received score predictions in the 250s from the USMLE World diagnostic exams, including a 253 the day before the exam. Is it normal for the diagnostic exams to be so far off? I was especially surprised to see my score because the exam itself felt very similar to the USMLE World and I honestly came out expecting a score in the 240s at worst.

I am an IMG who graduated more than 10 years ago, but I have US experience as an ICU RN and am a US citizen. I am interested in becoming a hospitalist, cardiologist, or intensivist. I do not have any research, but can get LORs from a couple of doctors in each field I'm interested in.

In light of these facts, do you think requesting a recheck would be worthwhile to improve my chances of getting interviews and ultimately matching, or should I just concentrate on knocking Step II out of the park?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

If you go back and look at the experience threads of the past years, you will see that UWOLRD Self-Assessment consistently overpredicts by about 15-20 points.
NBME is a much better predictor.
In my opinion you would be wasting your money if you want a recheck.

Okay, thank you very much for the information. I guess I'll save my $ and skip the recheck, but add NBME as a must-do for my Step 2 prep.

Once again, I appreciate your time and advice!

If you go back and look at the experience threads of the past years, you will see that UWOLRD Self-Assessment consistently overpredicts by about 15-20 points.

I don't think that's true at all. For my year, the UWSAs and NBME 7 were pretty good predictors for just about everyone. That was a year and a half ago, so I seriously doubt the relationship between Step 1 and the UWSAs has changed that dramatically since then.

That said, I agree that you should skip the recheck. You just had a "bad" test.

Originally Posted by MilkmanAl

I don't think that's true at all. For my year, the UWSAs and NBME 7 were pretty good predictors for just about everyone. That was a year and a half ago, so I seriously doubt the relationship between Step 1 and the UWSAs has changed that dramatically since then.

That said, I agree that you should skip the recheck. You just had a "bad" test.

true story. maybe Chirurg is thinking of the free 150?? i never took it so have no idea, just read here that it was often inflated.

Originally Posted by djne

I received my Step I score yesterday and was a bit disappointed with my results, so I am wondering if requesting a recheck would be worthwhile?

My score was 232, which I know isn't awful, but I was averaging about 75% on USMLE World (unused questions, timed mode) in the month leading up to the exam, and received score predictions in the 250s from the USMLE World diagnostic exams, including a 253 the day before the exam. Is it normal for the diagnostic exams to be so far off? I was especially surprised to see my score because the exam itself felt very similar to the USMLE World and I honestly came out expecting a score in the 240s at worst.

I am an IMG who graduated more than 10 years ago, but I have US experience as an ICU RN and am a US citizen. I am interested in becoming a hospitalist, cardiologist, or intensivist. I do not have any research, but can get LORs from a couple of doctors in each field I'm interested in.

In light of these facts, do you think requesting a recheck would be worthwhile to improve my chances of getting interviews and ultimately matching, or should I just concentrate on knocking Step II out of the park?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Also keep in mind - you can end up with a lower score if the score recheck flags additional wrong answers that would have otherwise been thrown away. It happened with other standardized exams that my friends have taken when their computer crashed. They got a high score because the computer didn't record all their answers and so their final score was extrapolated from their initial score. When they asked for a recheck and all their answers were evaluated, it turned out they actually got more answers wrong so that dragged their score down by a few points.

Originally Posted by MilkmanAl

I don't think that's true at all. For my year, the UWSAs and NBME 7 were pretty good predictors for just about everyone. That was a year and a half ago, so I seriously doubt the relationship between Step 1 and the UWSAs has changed that dramatically since then.

That said, I agree that you should skip the recheck. You just had a "bad" test.

I had the same experience. NBME and UWSA's predicted similar scores. I took NBME7 and UWSA#2 5 days before my real exam. My actual score and the 2 practice tests were within 4 points of each other.

Originally Posted by djne

I received my Step I score yesterday and was a bit disappointed with my results, so I am wondering if requesting a recheck would be worthwhile?

My score was 232, which I know isn't awful, but I was averaging about 75% on USMLE World (unused questions, timed mode) in the month leading up to the exam, and received score predictions in the 250s from the USMLE World diagnostic exams, including a 253 the day before the exam. Is it normal for the diagnostic exams to be so far off? I was especially surprised to see my score because the exam itself felt very similar to the USMLE World and I honestly came out expecting a score in the 240s at worst.

I am an IMG who graduated more than 10 years ago, but I have US experience as an ICU RN and am a US citizen. I am interested in becoming a hospitalist, cardiologist, or intensivist. I do not have any research, but can get LORs from a couple of doctors in each field I'm interested in.

In light of these facts, do you think requesting a recheck would be worthwhile to improve my chances of getting interviews and ultimately matching, or should I just concentrate on knocking Step II out of the park?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Rescores made sense when things were on a scantron, and someone had to go through an manually check for dot errors. In this era, there aren't errors like that, warranting rescoring. If you got in the 180s, it would be worth while. You got above average. Its likely where you belong, is a competitive score for any medicine program (weak for top tier name brands, great for mid tier and communities), and not worth giving anyone any more money just to have them give you the same score (or worse, a lower one)

Originally Posted by djne

I received my Step I score yesterday and was a bit disappointed with my results, so I am wondering if requesting a recheck would be worthwhile?

My score was 232, which I know isn't awful, but I was averaging about 75% on USMLE World (unused questions, timed mode) in the month leading up to the exam, and received score predictions in the 250s from the USMLE World diagnostic exams, including a 253 the day before the exam. Is it normal for the diagnostic exams to be so far off? I was especially surprised to see my score because the exam itself felt very similar to the USMLE World and I honestly came out expecting a score in the 240s at worst.

I am an IMG who graduated more than 10 years ago, but I have US experience as an ICU RN and am a US citizen. I am interested in becoming a hospitalist, cardiologist, or intensivist. I do not have any research, but can get LORs from a couple of doctors in each field I'm interested in.

In light of these facts, do you think requesting a recheck would be worthwhile to improve my chances of getting interviews and ultimately matching, or should I just concentrate on knocking Step II out of the park?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

What if they recheck your score, and boards under predict your score

Originally Posted by Gheorgia

Also keep in mind - you can end up with a lower score if the score recheck flags additional wrong answers that would have otherwise been thrown away. It happened with other standardized exams that my friends have taken when their computer crashed. They got a high score because the computer didn't record all their answers and so their final score was extrapolated from their initial score. When they asked for a recheck and all their answers were evaluated, it turned out they actually got more answers wrong so that dragged their score down by a few points.

that's gotta hurt