Would you rather do all the NBMEs (including forms 1-6) or RX with 4 weeks to go?

[YeahNoMind]

Just wondering what the popular opinion is on opting to grind through all of RX (after Uworld obviously!), or completing all of the NBME forms with FA & Pathoma

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[Ismet]

What have you done so far? How much UWorld have you done? How many passes of FA and Pathoma?

IMO Rx is more useful at the beginning of your study period in conjunction with your first and second passes through FA. It's meant to test you on and hammer home the stuff in FA. It's generally easier and I don't think it's indicative of actual exam questions, they're more straightforward and single-jump questions. If you have a few weak areas, then maybe it would be useful just to do those questions in Rx to make sure you have the content down, but I wouldn't do all of Rx if you still have a lot of UWorld to get through. I'd say prioritize FA/Pathoma/UWorld and use Rx as extra questions in your weak areas.

 

[YeahNoMind]

I've gone through pathoma twice, uw and first aid once. I printed out my annotations from uworld, and some notes I made on rx questions I got wrong.
I've been going through my Uw annotations along with first aid at the speed of one system per day.

You're right about RX in thats its really a single jump question bank. However, I've found nbme questions to be just as straight forward as RX questions. Either you know it or you don't.

Nbme 1-224(offline) 10 weeks out
Nbme 2-227(offline) 9 weeks out
Nbme 11-238
5-6 weeks until the real thing

 

[thehundredthone]

For the sake of the highest possible score, the NBMEs. There will be a few questions on your exam straight from the self assessments. For learning purposes, Rx, since they have explanations to questions in case you are still unsure of certain concepts/facts.

 

[dyspareunia]

For the sake of the highest possible score, the NBMEs. There will be a few questions on your exam straight from the self assessments. For learning purposes, Rx, since they have explanations to questions in case you are still unsure of certain concepts/facts.

So you're saying that NBMEs outweigh a question-based pass of FA? Because Rx is FA in question format...

 

[Ismet]

I've gone through pathoma twice, uw and first aid once. I printed out my annotations from uworld, and some notes I made on rx questions I got wrong.
I've been going through my Uw annotations along with first aid at the speed of one system per day.

Going through Rx certainly wouldn't hurt, maybe add on a block of system-based questions from Rx as you're going through FA again? With 4 weeks left, I think you have plenty of time to work in several NBME's as well as Rx in focused areas.

 

[thehundredthone]

So you're saying that NBMEs outweigh a question-based pass of FA? Because Rx is FA in question format...

Yes, for the sake of those last few possible points on the exam, given that they repeat questions. Like I said, if one still feels they're in the learning phase, then Rx could be warranted. I have no experience with the bank so I can't say anything about it's utility as FA in question format, but in that case like lsmet said, doing both is a perfectly good idea too.

Personally, I was doing a second pass of UWorld with incorrect and marked questions (along with revision of notes) 4 weeks out. I then followed up with NBMEs 1-6 over the course of a week around 2 weeks out and did NBME 13+UWSA1 a week out followed by the Free 150 the evening before. I easily had 5-6 questions straight out of the practice material and a few more in a very similar vein which all meant easy points.

 

[Apoplexy__]

I vote NBME's. Better than another QBank I was starting to do after UWorld. I'm surprised how much I'm learning from the NBME's.

 

[YeahNoMind]

I should have mentioned that the uworld notes are comprehensive. The marked and incorrects have been annotated. I think one system in first aid with uw notes a day and some questions is a good goal.

I also like Ismet's idea of a block of system specific questions from Rx.

Since my goal is the get all of the nbmes done, ill do 2 a week, and the free 150 a couple of nights before.

 

[Polymyxin]

You're right about RX in thats its really a single jump question bank. However, I've found nbme questions to be just as straight forward as RX questions. Either you know it or you don't

I've only taken one of NBMEs (13) a week ago and was surprised how straightforward it was. (and I was even more surprised by the discrepancy between my %correct vs final score) Like YeahNoMind mentioned... most of it was single jump like Rx. Is this true for the other NBME's as well??? (i've only done one).

Regarding the original Q, I now feel it might be better to do Rx, especially bc it has explanations and it'll force another repeat of FA.