Aiming for 240-250

[lyth0s]

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I only have about 2.5 months of studying left while continuing to study for classes in school. It seems like I have a really solid Endocrine/Renal/Repro scores and I'm really lacking in Psych/Heme/Musculo and pathophysiology. Do I just continue doing practice questions? Or do I need to re-read those trouble areas in FA then more practice questions? I plan on finishing BRS physiology and pathology as well, but should I read them before continuing on with my practice questions? ---I'm Lost!

What I have Done:
1) Finished one pass of FA
2) Then took UWSA1 and scored 221 😱
3) Started Lange Pharm cards
4) about 3/4 through Pathoma
5) 500 Questions on USMLE-RX complete, currently averaging 70% correct (started at 59% correct)

USMLE-RX breakdown:
---Anatomy: 75-100% correct per exam
---Behavioral: 71-100%
---Biochem: 67%
---Epidemiology: 100%
---Genetics: 100%
---Histology: 50-67%
---Immuno: 67%
---Micro: 83%
---Neuroanatomy:100%
---Pathology: 58-70%
---Pathophysiology: 33-75 (huge range)
---Pharmacology: 64%
---Physiology: 50-80%

By System
---Cardio: 67-100%
---Endocrine: 80-100%
---GI: 50-71%
---Heme: 55%
---MSK: 50%
---Neurology: 50%
---Oncology: 80%
---Psych: 60%
---Pulmonary: 67%
---Renal: 100%
---Repro: 100%

Please remember that I only have 2.5 months of studying left. I tried doing a forum search and most of the information to achieve a 240+ is given for 4-6 months or for someone that was in a better position that I was 🙁

 

[Rock13]

I "only" studied for 2.5 months and was in the range you are after (IMG, no basic science background). Finish Pathoma, making sure you understand all of it, probably forget about BRS Path (though I know there are a couple of big proponents for it here), then however much of Rx you've done, at the T-2month mark, transition to UWorld instead. Focus less on the %iles, and focus more on understanding, and not making the same mistakes again.

The other thing is, there will always be someone (especially on here) who had more time to study, or even topped your aims in half the study time. Just figure out what you're after, cover your weaknesses, and titrate the study according to your NBME and UWSA results.

 

[lyth0s]

Thanks for your input Rock13, I recently read your post in the 2013 thread and found that to be useful as well. Congrats on your score BTW 🙂 . With their being only around 2200 or so UWorld questions that is only about 47 days of doing UWorld at 1 block a day. If I followed your previous post right you were doing 2 blocks a day. If you finished UWorld early (about 23 days?) what did you do in your remaining time?

 

[Rock13]

Thanks for your input Rock13, I recently read your post in the 2013 thread and found that to be useful as well. Congrats on your score BTW 🙂 . With their being only around 2200 or so UWorld questions that is only about 47 days of doing UWorld at 1 block a day. If I followed your previous post right you were doing 2 blocks a day. If you finished UWorld early (about 23 days?) what did you do in your remaining time?

When I was doing UWorld blocks at night, I was studying FA, in some form, during the day - I spoke at length about Anki flashcards - when I started the Qbank I still hadn't finished my first run through for many subjects. Personally, I couldn't do two blocks every single night, so in total it took me 30 days to finish UWorld.

When I finished UWorld (I had about 10-14 days of study time left), I focused more on doing some NBMEs, UWSAs, etc. and continuing to revise FA as I covered the weaknesses revealed by the aforementioned exams.

If you feel you're in a good position to get through all of Rx and UWorld, then by all means finish Rx first. Personally I didn't find the qbank that useful. It gives you a false sense of performance when you're scoring in the 80s for certain subject, before dropping 20+ %ile points when you start UWorld.

From your post, I didn't get a sense if you have daily school commitments leading up to your test date, or if you have an upcoming dedicated study period. If it's the former, look to start UWorld sooner rather than later.

The final thing is that you have to find what works for you - whether its heaps of questions, flashcards, reading FA aloud to yourself, or noting everything - and then run with that. It's useful to see how people fared on here - but ultimately the study plans and sources used are similar and everyone who has sat the exam has a sample size of no more than 1.

 

[lyth0s]

When I was doing UWorld blocks at night, I was studying FA, in some form, during the day - I spoke at length about Anki flashcards - when I started the Qbank I still hadn't finished my first run through for many subjects. Personally, I couldn't do two blocks every single night, so in total it took me 30 days to finish UWorld.

When I finished UWorld (I had about 10-14 days of study time left), I focused more on doing some NBMEs, UWSAs, etc. and continuing to revise FA as I covered the weaknesses revealed by the aforementioned exams.

If you feel you're in a good position to get through all of Rx and UWorld, then by all means finish Rx first. Personally I didn't find the qbank that useful. It gives you a false sense of performance when you're scoring in the 80s for certain subject, before dropping 20+ %ile points when you start UWorld.

From your post, I didn't get a sense if you have daily school commitments leading up to your test date, or if you have an upcoming dedicated study period. If it's the former, look to start UWorld sooner rather than later.

The final thing is that you have to find what works for you - whether its heaps of questions, flashcards, reading FA aloud to yourself, or noting everything - and then run with that. It's useful to see how people fared on here - but ultimately the study plans and sources used are similar and everyone who has sat the exam has a sample size of no more than 1.

Ok awesome. Thanks for taking the time to help me out.

 

[Phloston]

You'll be fine, bud. I'll keep my answer simple because it's the truth. Just keep memorizing FA and do as many practice questions as you can. It seems like you're on the right track doing that already, so just keep pushing onward.

1) Memorize FA
2) Get questions under your belt

 

[lyth0s]

You'll be fine, bud. I'll keep my answer simple because it's the truth. Just keep memorizing FA and do as many practice questions as you can. It seems like you're on the right track doing that already, so just keep pushing onward.

1) Memorize FA
2) Get questions under your belt

Awesome I was hoping the great Phloston would reply. Thanks! As far as pathoma/BRS pathology goes would you recommend I finish pathoma at all? Or just devote 100% of my time to FA + Questions? My current plan is to finish USMLE-Rx + UWorld, would you suggest I add on Kaplan Qbank too or just know UWorld really well?

Thanks again for helping!