hey guys so i've been studying for awhile now and my last six, 46q random/timed question sets I have been ranging from 71 to 89% consistently. my last 15 sets average about 73 with about 150Q remaining in the qbank (this is still my first pass of uworld). I took a DIT predictive exam after finishing their course and it had my score predicted at 250s. So I decided to take an NBME exam yesterday and I've gotten my worse score yet. I dont know how this happened but i'm really bummed about it. I got a 224. My goal is to get at least a 236 so I can get 99. Test is in 5 days, and COMLEX is in 3 weeks. I'm thinking about moving usmle to two weeks after the comlex. would this be a good idea? what else can i do to improve my score? I was thinking about going through all the wrong uworld questions I did and focus mostly on uworld this week before I start studying for the COMLEX. Any advice or suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys 🙁
advice
- Thread starter Hokie06
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(1) I would not put much faith in the DIT predictive exam. It's a nice thing, but it hasn't really been in line with my other tests.
(2) Take another NBME and then decide. I know it's only 5 days away but if you have the time to postpone and think it would help then by all means, do.
One 224 doesn't mean a whole lot. Trends mean more.
would it be more high yield to read through all of my uworld question again or should i try to squeeze in another pass of first aid? I'm leaning towards moving it to 2 weeks after my comlex 🙁
Hey,
I was in the same situation as you. I scored "well" in UW (mid 80's) and also got 224 and 226 (see previous posts if needed). I was surprised at how poorly I did, and people even thought I was a troll for scoring that high on UW and performing so "poorly" on a NBME.
The key is to be well calibrated for the exam questions. It is quite obvious that you know what you're doing (UW 89% is incredible) but the style of the NBME questions is probably what's throwing you off (as it did for me). NBME questions require that you don't over-think things too much. Take a few earlier NBMEs (1-4) and get calibrated. Then take a later one 6,7,11, or 12 and then see how you do. I'm sure you'll do much better.
Furthermore, I was told that real questions are headed towards UW type questions (which is great for both of us). I haven't taken the test myself and cannot confirm this but I sure hope this is indeed true.
Good luck!
I was in the same situation as you. I scored "well" in UW (mid 80's) and also got 224 and 226 (see previous posts if needed). I was surprised at how poorly I did, and people even thought I was a troll for scoring that high on UW and performing so "poorly" on a NBME.
The key is to be well calibrated for the exam questions. It is quite obvious that you know what you're doing (UW 89% is incredible) but the style of the NBME questions is probably what's throwing you off (as it did for me). NBME questions require that you don't over-think things too much. Take a few earlier NBMEs (1-4) and get calibrated. Then take a later one 6,7,11, or 12 and then see how you do. I'm sure you'll do much better.
Furthermore, I was told that real questions are headed towards UW type questions (which is great for both of us). I haven't taken the test myself and cannot confirm this but I sure hope this is indeed true.
Good luck!
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You know they are taking the double digit score away right?
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thank you so much for your advice it really means a lot. I felt so demoralized yesterday but reading your response made me feel better. I decided to move back my test date to two weeks after my COMLEX exam so hopefully it'll give me time to tackle more NBME exams. appreciate it thanks!
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nobody knows what it actually means except some state medical boards require a 75 to be eligible for a license.
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Got this off of their website:
Since its beginning in the 1990s, the USMLE program has reported two numeric scores for the Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 examinations, one on a three-digit scale and one on a two-digit scale. The three-digit score scale is considered the primary reporting scale; it is developed in a manner that allows reasonable comparisons across time. The two-digit scale is intended to meet statutory requirements of some state medical boards that rely on a score scale that has 75 as the minimum passing score. The process used to convert three-digit scores to two-digit scores is designed in such a way that the three-digit minimum passing score in effect when the examinee tests is associated with a two-digit score of 75.
The USMLE program requires its governing committees to reevaluate the minimum passing score every three to four years. This process has, at times, resulted in changes in the minimum passing score, expressed on the three-digit scale, and an accompanying change in the score conversion process, to ensure that a two-digit score of 75 is associated with the new minimum passing requirement. A by-product of the adjustment of the score conversion system over time has been a shift in the relationship between the two score scales. This shift has no impact for USMLE score users who use the three-digit scoring scale or for those using the two-digit scale with a primary interest in whether the examinee has a passing two-digit score of at least 75. However, it may create challenges in interpretation for score users who are focusing on two-digit scores, other than 75, and are doing so for purposes of comparing USMLE scores that span several years.
To simplify matters and make interpretation of USMLE information more convenient for score users, the USMLE Composite Committee has asked staff to report two-digit scores only to those score users for whom the scale is intended, i.e., the state medical boards. The Committee also asked that examinees continue to receive scores on both scales so that they are fully informed about the information that will be reported when they ask that results be sent to a state medical board. When examinees request that their results be sent to other score users, only the three-digit score will be reported. Current plans call for these changes to begin with the elimination of the two-digit score from USMLE transcripts reported through the ERAS reporting system starting July 1, 2011. Other systems and procedures for reporting results will be similarly modified as soon as possible after the July 1, 2011 date.
http://www.usmle.org/General_Information/announcements.aspx?contentId=62
Since its beginning in the 1990s, the USMLE program has reported two numeric scores for the Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 3 examinations, one on a three-digit scale and one on a two-digit scale. The three-digit score scale is considered the primary reporting scale; it is developed in a manner that allows reasonable comparisons across time. The two-digit scale is intended to meet statutory requirements of some state medical boards that rely on a score scale that has 75 as the minimum passing score. The process used to convert three-digit scores to two-digit scores is designed in such a way that the three-digit minimum passing score in effect when the examinee tests is associated with a two-digit score of 75.
The USMLE program requires its governing committees to reevaluate the minimum passing score every three to four years. This process has, at times, resulted in changes in the minimum passing score, expressed on the three-digit scale, and an accompanying change in the score conversion process, to ensure that a two-digit score of 75 is associated with the new minimum passing requirement. A by-product of the adjustment of the score conversion system over time has been a shift in the relationship between the two score scales. This shift has no impact for USMLE score users who use the three-digit scoring scale or for those using the two-digit scale with a primary interest in whether the examinee has a passing two-digit score of at least 75. However, it may create challenges in interpretation for score users who are focusing on two-digit scores, other than 75, and are doing so for purposes of comparing USMLE scores that span several years.
To simplify matters and make interpretation of USMLE information more convenient for score users, the USMLE Composite Committee has asked staff to report two-digit scores only to those score users for whom the scale is intended, i.e., the state medical boards. The Committee also asked that examinees continue to receive scores on both scales so that they are fully informed about the information that will be reported when they ask that results be sent to a state medical board. When examinees request that their results be sent to other score users, only the three-digit score will be reported. Current plans call for these changes to begin with the elimination of the two-digit score from USMLE transcripts reported through the ERAS reporting system starting July 1, 2011. Other systems and procedures for reporting results will be similarly modified as soon as possible after the July 1, 2011 date.
http://www.usmle.org/General_Information/announcements.aspx?contentId=62
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And it has nothing to do with percentile. Because the 99th percentile is well above 240.
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