2015 STEP 1 changed!?

[Slade009]

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The Step 1 exam will change sometime in the middle of May. The total questions will be from 322 down to 308. And each block will be brought down from 46 questions to 44.


What does this mean in terms of scoring?

Do you think they removed the experimental questions?

Does each question have more value?

So for each question you get wrong then more points will be cut off (making the exam harder)?

 

[syoung]

don't know, probably will get lower initially

no

probably, imagine if they went down to 100, then yes each question would be worth considerably more

same as above

 

[lucky01]

There are all kinds of rumors i've heard
"they've made the stems longer and harder"
"average step 1 scores are higher (true) hence the exam is made harder"
"they've removed the clinical management questions"
"they've made the exam easier"

you hear them but there's absolutely no credibility until it comes from an official source. So yea it would've really helped if USMLE gave out official reasoning towards their decisions..

 

[PL198]

its a curved standardized exam. the changes mean nothing because they affect everyone equally.

if they magically reset the exam so the mean is 210, PDs will be aware of this. you're not going to be screwed by the changes, I promise.

 

[Transposony]

So I won't be getting what I paid for ?
I paid the same amount as others and I'll be getting only 308 as compared to 320 ?
It's classic "Bait & Switch"........

 

[RAY QUEST]

SO what has changed

 

[syoung]

everything you used to know...

 

[seminoma]

Who cares. We're all in the same boat.

 

[syoung]

you mean we're all competitors 😉


jk jk jk lurb all yall

 

[Slade009]

its a curved standardized exam. the changes mean nothing because they affect everyone equally.

if they magically reset the exam so the mean is 210, PDs will be aware of this. you're not going to be screwed by the changes, I promise.

I like how you promise in the end lol.

Well based on syoung's answer I'm more stressed.

 

[PL198]

I like how you promise in the end lol.

Well based on syoung's answer I'm more stressed. I guess it's time to raise my studying level over 9000!

if it lowers the average score, then PDs will be aware of this..... they're not idiots.

you're not going to get screwed from changes to step 1. everyone is in the same boat.

 

[TheBunkMD]

if it lowers the average score, then PDs will be aware of this..... they're not idiots.

you're not going to get screwed from changes to step 1. everyone is in the same boat.

I want to believe you, I really do.
I think I should just avoid sdn and my classmates as much as possible during my 5 weeks to lessen my anxiety as much as possible.

 

[PL198]

I want to believe you, I really do.
I think I should just avoid sdn and my classmates as much as possible during my 5 weeks to lessen my anxiety as much as possible.

how is it difficult to believe.... like why do you think the PDs live in a vacuum where they want to inadequately evaluate candidates.

there's no logical basis for them not being aware of a theoretically new step 1 mean.

any of your classmates that are spouting that this is screwing you, are idiots.

 

[Slade009]

I want to believe you, I really do.
I think I should just avoid sdn and my classmates as much as possible during my 5 weeks to lessen my anxiety as much as possible.

I actually like that idea and it was what I had planned regardless, from the beginning. I think in my last month I'm going into SOLITARY CONFINEMENT mode!