USMLE World Scores and Step II Scores

need some advice here..

Scored 220s in step 1, have step 2 coming up at the end of August.

Did UW in tutor mode 1st time around, scored ~high 60's. Supplementing with MTB and Secrets.

Currently doing UW 2nd time around on timed, random mode, scoring between 73-77%. I'm a little concerned that my average UW score has not increased that much from my 1st go.

I'm aiming for 240s....should I use another resource for studying, like SU2S2? or SU2Medicine?

Thanks

Congrats to everyone that passed.

Iride said:

Step 1: low 230's
Step 2: High 240's

NBME: before I started studying: 220
Didn't take anymore cause that motivated me enough.

WORLD average: 67% tutor mode by section first pass

Study methods: studied 3 weeks. 1- WORLD tutor 1 time complete and then ones I missed OR sections I felt weak on reviewed/re-done
2- MTB: read through it twice and took notes to review second time through.

Thats it. Honestly- the sections I did best on aligned almost perfectly with the shelfs I did well on and vice versa. I think WORLD is the key to this test (p.s.- my score is dead on the "100 cases" thread prediction) I saved WORLD until I studied for boards, and I think that was a good decision for me. I mostly used some combination of 2 of the following: case files, first aids (psych, surgery), pretest, and Lange Q & A for shelfs during the year.

Also- I felt pretty awful afterwards. I easily marked 10+ in most sections that I didn't have time to return to.

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Congrats on your score.
Just wondering...how much do you think MTB helped?

NoWayOut said:

Congrats on your score.
Just wondering...how much do you think MTB helped?

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Good question. As I studied I wasn't super confident in it, as I had used FA for step 1 but made the switch to MTB for step 2. I think that it definitely helped, but you need to supplement with some BIOstats, which it lacks, (used the brief FA step 2 section).

In short, I think that if you have studied other resources during the year and have a decent baseline knowledge, this is the perfect book for you. However, its probably not great for someone who struggled on shelfs (mine ranged in upper 70s-upper 80s). I would probably supplement sections if you did very poorly on any particular shelf, but think it is easily very sufficient if you were atleast above average on shelfs.

Also: GREAT EM/arrythmias section, and pretty good Medicine sections. Psych and OB sections were pretty weak.

I also think its great for the "next best step" questions, which I considered a weakness of mine as I started studying.

Took it yesterday, I felt just like I did after Step 1 which was that I had gotten my butt kicked.

1st time through UW (During year): 72%
2nd time through (40%): 84%
NBME 2 (3 wks out): 230
NBME 4 (1wk out): 244
USWA (1 wk out): 263

I used UW throughout 3rd year and ended on Medicine. I took about 2 weeks after 3rd year to study and did mainly UW again, I took handwritten notes like I did for step one and tried to review those as much as possible. I also used Step up to Step 2, which I really regret. I used it instead of FA because it was fewer pages and I had less time. But I looked through FA that last week and regretted it because FA seemed to have more high yield information and the pages weren't as dense as SUS2 so it was actually about the same time commitment.

I'll let you know how it went in 4 weeks.

Iride said:

Good question. As I studied I wasn't super confident in it, as I had used FA for step 1 but made the switch to MTB for step 2. I think that it definitely helped, but you need to supplement with some BIOstats, which it lacks, (used the brief FA step 2 section).

In short, I think that if you have studied other resources during the year and have a decent baseline knowledge, this is the perfect book for you. However, its probably not great for someone who struggled on shelfs (mine ranged in upper 70s-upper 80s). I would probably supplement sections if you did very poorly on any particular shelf, but think it is easily very sufficient if you were atleast above average on shelfs.

Also: GREAT EM/arrythmias section, and pretty good Medicine sections. Psych and OB sections were pretty weak.

I also think its great for the "next best step" questions, which I considered a weakness of mine as I started studying.

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Thanks. I definitely agree about the bio, psych and OB. Good luck on your future exams.

Step 1: 234
UWorld first pass, random and timed blocks: 70%
UWSA (two weeks out): 240-ish
Step 2: 265

Four weeks to study during an anesthesia rotation. Read Secrets, single pass of UWorld while starring questions that were "high yield," went through the high-yield questions again, and read Secrets again. Note: this was after an EM month during which I actually studied (Casefiles and PreTest). Good luck!

Step 1: 217
Step 2: Uworld, Kaplan, Rx qbanks (same as for step one, no DIT).. 250

I did questions for three weeks solid, and my school has a great reputation for the clinical years, so I attribute some of the bump to better education.

PS: get world early, use it for shelf exams. Reset after rotations for step study.

Step 1: 207
Step 2: 253

I used uworld through all the rotations, reset when completed and did it again for step 2 prep. Also finished DIT a couple months before the exam during a lighter rotation. The last month was all questions. Also read secrets when doing questions drove me crazy. I've been told over and over again to just do uworld. Don't give up..you can have an extremely humble step 1 score and do well on step 2.

Ava said:

Step 1: 207
Step 2: 253

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Well done!!!! That's a huge jump.

I'm sure this question has been answered before but an advisor made me a little nervous - if I took Step 2CK on 7/5, is my score automatically released? I was under the impression that it was but my advisor wasn't so sure, so I checked on the NBME website and couldn't find any score release option?

And on a completely unrelated note, I am a huge fan of Step Up To Medicine with First Aid for Step 2 CK for all the non-medicine sections. And I didn't start UWorld until my last rotation, so don't feel like you have to shell out the big bucks to have it all year. There are other resources for shelf exams (see previous post) that'll get you prepped for the shelf exams and keep you on track for doing really well on CK.

And one more thing - I got in the 240s on the UWSA ~2.5 weeks out. So it's definitely possible to go up 20+ points in a pretty short amount of time if you're committed.

I took my test on 7/16. Permit link is still there. When is permit link supposed to disappear..thursday before the wednesday of reporting? what are the chances il hear back within 3 weeks?

Member111111 said:

I took my test on 7/16. Permit link is still there. When is permit link supposed to disappear..thursday before the wednesday of reporting? what are the chances il hear back within 3 weeks?

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Mine disappeared the Monday morning before (mid-morning) and my score was released that Wednesday (2 days later) pretty close to 11:00 am. Also, it was three weeks for me.

Ava said:

Step 1: 207
Step 2: 253

I used uworld through all the rotations, reset when completed and did it again for step 2 prep. Also finished DIT a couple months before the exam during a lighter rotation. The last month was all questions. Also read secrets when doing questions drove me crazy. I've been told over and over again to just do uworld. Don't give up..you can have an extremely humble step 1 score and do well on step 2.

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WOW CONGRATS!!! You've given me so much hope. I just took my Step 2 7/20 and I am hoping for a blowout difference like you.

I also scored a similar Step 1 score and seing your post now makes me feel better as I wait for my scores to be released.

Cheers!

Member111111 said:

I took my test on 7/16. Permit link is still there. When is permit link supposed to disappear..thursday before the wednesday of reporting? what are the chances il hear back within 3 weeks?

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Mine disappeared the Sunday night before, around 10:30 PM CST. Just to give you something to obsessively check on tonight.

shemarty said:

i know, its been so long since our pre-allo days! im doing ophtho, but im taking a year off for research first. you?

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nice!
i am applying to radiology. not taking time off (unless im forced to bc i dont match haha).
im so glads we're almost past med school!

my print permit just disappeared this morning- it was there at 8am, gone now... hopefully Wednesday is a good day;

My link disappeared too but I only took the exam on 7-26, is this possible? Wondering if early reporting is some indication I failed??

justdoit31 said:

my print permit just disappeared this morning- it was there at 8am, gone now... hopefully Wednesday is a good day;

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Hope you get great news, fellow Red Raider!

msVII said:

My link disappeared too but I only took the exam on 7-26, is this possible? Wondering if early reporting is some indication I failed??

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I have no idea- I took mine 7/18 (on a Wed) so I was a lil unsure if mine would come this week or next... sure hope it doesn't mean we failed!

I dont think the print permit thing really matters. Mine disappeared 5 days after taking the test. I think it has to do with your 3 month eligibility period more than anytthing.

M

Uhhhhhh what the heck. Am i going to get mine a week and a half after taking it then? Maybe they want to get all the old format done fast before the new one kicks in?

I took the test on July 30 (July 31 in Australia) and my print permit link is still there.

Let us know what you guys find out tomorrow...

shan564 said:

I took the test on July 30 (July 31 in Australia) and my print permit link is still there.

Let us know what you guys find out tomorrow...

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When does/did your eligibility period expire?

msVII said:

When does/did your eligibility period expire?

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September 30.

I took my test on 7/21 and my print permit link is STILL THERE! Eligibility period ends 9/30 though. Is this bad? :\ It seems like other people who have tested around my same time have already had their links disappear...

meckels said:

I took my test on 7/21 and my print permit link is STILL THERE! Eligibility period ends 9/30 though. Is this bad? :\ It seems like other people who have tested around my same time have already had their links disappear...

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Took mine on 7/23, Print Permit link is still there... Look's like it'll be another week. What happened to the "3 Wednesdays" rule?

.

Yeah, but I took it on a Monday. So that's 3 Wednesdays. Unless the rule only applies if you took it at a certain time of the week. For the person who took it on the 20th whose permit disappeared, it hasn't been 3 weeks yet either (or for the one who took it on the 26th for that matter)

I know someone who took it 7/14- exactly a week before me- and got scores last Wednesday, so I expected scores this week.... looks like that's not happening? I don't know why my score would be "delayed" though... unless I failed or something. :\

msVII said:

My link disappeared too but I only took the exam on 7-26, is this possible? Wondering if early reporting is some indication I failed??

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This person took it on 7/26 and their print permit is already gone.

This is just speculation from what I have read and what I've seen others post about the dates they have taken the test and when their score was actually released, but it appears that if you take the test at the beginning of the week (Mon, Tues, Wed) then your score will be 4 Wednesdays later. If you take it Thurs, Fri or Sat, then generally it should be reported on the 3rd Wednesday.

For example, I took the test on July 20 and I'm hoping my score will be released tomorrow (my print permit link disappeared yesterday).

So tomorrow's score releases should range from Monday July 16 - Saturday July 21, if what I've read/deduced is correct.

Makes sense, that's why I expected my print permit to disappear and my score to be reported tomorrow... guess I'll just have to wait and see.

BRTiger said:

This is just speculation from what I have read and what I've seen others post about the dates they have taken the test and when their score was actually released, but it appears that if you take the test at the beginning of the week (Mon, Tues, Wed) then your score will be 4 Wednesdays later. If you take it Thurs, Fri or Sat, then generally it should be reported on the 3rd Wednesday.

For example, I took the test on July 20 and I'm hoping my score will be released tomorrow (my print permit link disappeared yesterday).

So tomorrow's score releases should range from Monday July 16 - Saturday July 21, if what I've read/deduced is correct.

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I don't follow this logic- I took mine on a Wed (the 18th) and this is 3 Wednesdays later and my permit has dropped. so if I get my score tomorrow it will be exactly 3 weeks from test date (not 4)

what about people who took on Sunday? Do they get it on the third wed as well?

justdoit31 said:

I don't follow this logic- I took mine on a Wed (the 18th) and this is 3 Wednesdays later and my permit has dropped. so if I get my score tomorrow it will be exactly 3 weeks from test date (not 4)

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If you count the day you took it (Wed July 18) then it will be posted on the 4th. If you don't count it then it's 3 Wednesdays. It doesn't really make a difference does it? Either way, the dates for the score release should be July 16 - July 21, which mean's your score should be out tomorrow.

As far as Sunday goes, I have no idea... I didn't even realize you could take the test on a Sunday. Not sure if that's counted as an end of the week or the beginning.

Just as a heads up, I took it Saturday, July 21st - print permit still there. You may be right that it depends on the day of the week (in this case, Friday as someone from the 20th had their permit disappear), or it could simply be a work load issue. It could be that they work to get the scores out as soon as possible, but a lot of people took it on the 19th and that made it so they couldn't get around to doing the 21st scores. Or there were a lot of people on the 21st who took it, they couldn't finish that day's scores, so they delayed all the scores from that day by a week. In any case, looks like next week for me.

RedSox1982 said:

Just as a heads up, I took it Saturday, July 21st - print permit still there. You may be right that it depends on the day of the week (in this case, Friday as someone from the 20th had their permit disappear), or it could simply be a work load issue. It could be that they work to get the scores out as soon as possible, but a lot of people took it on the 19th and that made it so they couldn't get around to doing the 21st scores. Or there were a lot of people on the 21st who took it, they couldn't finish that day's scores, so they delayed all the scores from that day by a week. In any case, looks like next week for me.

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I think you still have a good chance of rec. your score tomorrow. I'm not sold on the significance of the link disappearing, or at least the timeline in which it disappears. It may not be related to date taken, but rather could disappear in order of last name, AAMC, etc. So it could still disappear tonight or even in the morning! Post and let us know either way!

BRTiger said:

This is just speculation from what I have read and what I've seen others post about the dates they have taken the test and when their score was actually released, but it appears that if you take the test at the beginning of the week (Mon, Tues, Wed) then your score will be 4 Wednesdays later. If you take it Thurs, Fri or Sat, then generally it should be reported on the 3rd Wednesday.

For example, I took the test on July 20 and I'm hoping my score will be released tomorrow (my print permit link disappeared yesterday).

So tomorrow's score releases should range from Monday July 16 - Saturday July 21, if what I've read/deduced is correct.

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This makes sense, although it means I likely won't get my score until next week...

Good luck for tomorrow everyone!

.

meckels said:

I know someone who took it 7/14- exactly a week before me- and got scores last Wednesday, so I expected scores this week.... looks like that's not happening? I don't know why my score would be "delayed" though... unless I failed or something. :\



This person took it on 7/26 and their print permit is already gone.

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I took the test on 7/26 and my link is indeed gone, but my eligibility period expired on 7/31, wondering if this could be the reason it disappeared? I.e. does anyone whose permit expired on 7/31 still have a link present?

step 1: 227
step 2: 257 (oh the stories surrounding this score. i will speak about this later)

UWSA 236 10 days out. did not do the NBME's.
read MTB and secrets for my weak sections. i really only read this in my last 10 days of studying. it just better organized the information for me in my brain.
primarily used uworld for 90% of my study time. reset uworld after 3rd year (i used uworld through out 3rd year and scored >90 percentile on the big shelf exams (med surg peds). i did something like 150 blocks over third year.). i did close to 90 blocks over 4 weeks of solid studying. all untimed tutor mode. i averaged about 80% second pass through. towards the end of those 90 blocks i was seeing 90-100%. if this is your second or third time doing it, just make sure you know WHY you know the right answer is the RIGHT answer and the wrong answers are the WRONG answers.

the test was difficult. i was finishing with 10+ spare minutes with every block so i had time to go over all of my 8-10 marked questions in each block. 1-4 seemed much easier than 5-8.

as the mantra goes, uworld uworld uworld uworld. i am a firm believer that this is ALL you need. to all of those who want a boost from your step 1 score, you can definitely do it!

49ers said:

Hopefully those that took it on Wed the 18th get their scores tomorrow because I took mine on the 25th and don't want to wait 4 weeks just because I took it on a Wednesday.

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You should get it next Wednesday, which should be July 23-28 releases.

Took the test recently and felt I should contribute. I ended up doing DIT, UWorld (once during the year and once during the 4.5 week study period), and read through Secrets the week prior.

The test is LONG. I couldn't sleep the night before and by the middle of the fourth block I was zoning out pretty hard and had to chug a bunch of caffeine to refocus. World is the best resource as many have said, but it doesn't exactly mimic the real deal. In UWorld when someone has schizophrenia, they make the symptoms very clear. On the real exam they will mix in some symptoms of bipolar disorder/major depressive disorder so you just have to narrow your choices and make an educated guess. This happened to me A LOT and I don't really think it's something that can be changed much with excessive preparation. Also, the drug Ads are either very easy or near impossible. If you notice the latter, skip those questions and come back after you finish the rest of the block or you will waste 10 mins and be no closer to the right answer!

That was one of the frustrating aspects of this exam. It's more vague and ambiguous as opposed to step 1 which had numerous questions that were straight up First Aid fact recall. If I were to do it again, I would read secrets x 2 and do UWorld + UWorld incorrects. I think that is the most efficient use of time and will get you where you need to be for the most part. In retrospect, I would have definitely gone back and done my incorrects.

Hoping for 235+, good luck to everyone in their prep

Scores are up- got an email at 9:42 CST saying that they would be up at 10am CST (actually 11 EST)...

Step 1: 200's
Step 2: 210's

CCSE 2 weeks 4 days out- 213
UW- 1st time did about 60% in clerkships- 58%, 2nd time through all of it timed, random- 64%; range from 55-80% never a consistent increase. Wishing now I would have kepts and reviewed notes on the questions.
Also used Kaplan videos which were good just time consuming, and read Secrets the last few days.

Not as much improvement as I had hoped for. I felt much better stepping out of this exam than step 1. Overall for Peds it should work but I was a little disappointed as my score was extremely close to what my CCSE predicted a lil over 2 weeks out and I was wanting to raise it 10 points.

Oh well a pass is a pass- I have never been a natural test taker and I know God will put me where he wants for residency despite lower scores.

I've followed this thread for a while, and I just got my score back. Thought I'd actually contribute a bit.

Step 1: 238
USMLE World: 69% (first time), 84% (second time)
NBME #4: 272

Step 2: 265

Study methods: I studied throughout the year, using first aid or step up for each rotation and doing the questions on UWorld. I took three weeks off to study for Step 2, but it was nothing like studying for Step 1. I studied 5-6 hours each day. I read First Aid for Step 2 and most of Secrets. I also re-did the UWorld question bank all the way through again. After I finished the questions for the second time, I repeated about 300 of the questions I got wrong. I took a practice NBME test one week before the actual test. I felt that #4 was way easier than the real thing, but the score predicted mine fairly accurately. I really didn't expect to get better than a 272. I'm very happy with my Step 2 score!

For those watching the dates for the scores to be release, I took my test on Wed. July 18th and got my score Wed. Aug 8th at 11am sharp. Exactly three Wednesdays after the test.

Question: My score was reported as 265/88. I would have thought that the two digit score would be 99, since my Step 1 score was 238/99....anyone have any thoughts?

Good luck to everyone with ERAS and with your writing personal statements. Has to be the worst thing ever.

Looks like the "print permit" link really does matter - no scores for me today Will have to wait 7 more agonizing days. lol