Any advice appreciated- Optional repeat 2nd year vs possible Step 1 fail

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My school has LP P H HP and I am on the borderline with a LP
During the year my grades on NBMEs in the year have been in the 70s-80s and I have at least 2 failed courses remediated

I am concerned about passing step I at this point and am wondering if it would be better to repeat 2nd year and try to relearn the material well the second time around, do better on step I, or to suck it up and try to pass this time around, with the possibility of failing step I and having to repeat the year/retake it anyway

Any advice at all appreciated

Have you taken any Step 1 practice exams yet?

taking one today to assess-- what score range would you think would be doable with 1 month of prep?

Originally Posted by koogles

taking one today to assess-- what score range would you think would be doable with 1 month of prep?

Depends on what you get on your practice. If you get a 150, you're not going to get a 240 with 4 weeks of prep. But you could comfortably pass.

Originally Posted by koogles

My school has LP P H HP and I am on the borderline with a LP
During the year my grades on NBMEs in the year have been in the 70s-80s and I have at least 2 failed courses remediated

I am concerned about passing step I at this point and am wondering if it would be better to repeat 2nd year and try to relearn the material well the second time around, do better on step I, or to suck it up and try to pass this time around, with the possibility of failing step I and having to repeat the year/retake it anyway

Any advice at all appreciated

Would reapeating your classes help you? Or do you think that with a bit of extra time and some self study, you could learn the material pretty well?

You might want to talk to your Dean of Student Affairs if you haven't already.

Another option is to take an LOA or defer Step 1. The Dean might be able to give you some guidance.

Take extra time to study for step 1 and take an intensive prep course if you need to but definitely do not repeat second year if you don't have to.

You're getting ahead of yourself. I have friends who barely passed their classes and got 250+ on the boards because they focused on board prep all of second year instead of low yield minutia from class.

Take at least 2 practice exams, then decide how to proceed from there.

Many at my institution were able to use a 4th year elective block to add extra time to their STEP 1 study cycle. When 4th year rolled around they had less electives, but that was the only consequence. Taking a whole year to redo second year courses seems like a waste of time. You need between 4-8 weeks to prepare for STEP 1 depending on your skill level. I agree, take a few practice tests, relax, and objectively judge your performance. If its below par then talk to your dean about requesting more time.

No need to relearn potentially low-yield 2nd year material. you need intensive, Step 1-focused remediation plan which should consist of:
1) meet with your Student Affairs office for evaluation/consultation, this is usually already done for you. Student affairs will usually have 1:1 talk with students that are high risk
2) Ask for more time to prepare, take the maximum allowable time that will still let you graduate on time which may mean no vacation for 4th year,
3) enroll in live or online test prep course,
4) read First Aid 3-4x,
5) take USMLEWorld 2-3x,
6) Take some or all NBME/USMLEWorld practice exams, x1 for baseline, then x1/week starting after 2 passes of First Aid, 1 pass through USMLEWorld, up to the last week prior to intended exam date for Step 1, to gauge performance and look for areas of weakness. Report score(s) to Student Affairs office to reevaluate preparation,
7) Take a practice exam at a Prometric site, report score to Student Affairs. Dont schedule exam until you get an estimated of at least a 200 projected score on a simulated exam for at least 2 consecutive exams.
8) You will need your school's approval to get certification for the exam