Anyone planning to take step/level 3 before intern year?

[SurgDoc95]

Class of 2021 currently can’t register for level 3, but is anyone considering taking step 3 in May/June before intern year? Wondering if it wouldn’t be a bad idea to knock it out so I can focus solely on ABSITE prep once intern year starts.

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[DOVinciRobot]

Not sure we can take it that early. The school has to certify our graduation to the FSMB which takes a fairly significant chunk of time after our actual graduations from what I've heard.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Is that even allowed? LOL

 

[SurgDoc95]

Not sure we can take it that early. The school has to certify our graduation to the FSMB which takes a fairly significant chunk of time after our actual graduations from what I've heard.

Haha my idle mind is having problems doing nothing for the next 3 months. Guess it’s time to rekindle some hobbies lol

 

[Sardonix]

Just enjoy your time before the intern fun begins.

 

[SLC]

Take level 3 at the end of intern year. It’s an easy exam, especially after an FM or Medicine internship

 

[FutureInternist]

My answer from a previous thread...

There are a lot of “not your reseidency specific” questions on the exam (although IM may have an advantage) and getting it out of the way earlier is best before your mind gets all blurried up by what your attending says, what insurance says, what case manager says etc.

The “real world” answers work in the real world only and do not help on exam.

I had to postpone my exam from Dec of intern year to Dec of 2nd year (this was before the rule about having passed Step 3 to advance to 2nd year) and it SUCKED having to re-learn fetal heart tones, vaginal discharges, where the appendix is etc

“Using up” what little free time you have left before residency is worth it to have it over and done with and then you can use the downtime in elective to relax during intern year when you actually need a break. Most of my 4th year rotations (after the Match) were easy so I don’t buy the “you need time off” argument.

Also, if you haven’t started doing this then you should try it with Step 3 UW questions.... read the answer choices first. It really helps focus your thoughts on the disease, body part, syndrome etc.

 

[SOCalXtine]

Not to bump but is COMQUEST or combank more representative of the cases on comlex level 3?

 

[SLC]

Not to bump but is COMQUEST or combank more representative of the cases on comlex level 3?

Either one would be fine. I didn’t even study for this test, at all. Scored high 700’s. Don’t overthink this one.

 

[FutureInternist]

Not to bump but is COMQUEST or combank more representative of the cases on comlex level 3?

The Qs one misses on any COMLEX have less to do w/ intellect and more to do w/ the vagueness, multiple correct answer possible having Qs

 

[Chibucks15]

If I tried to take a licensure exam I would fail so terribly right now haha vacations and such I’m not working hard. Props to you for doin it though

 

[Neopolymath]

Im pretty sure most of us could pass it without studying if we didn't miss every biostat question from being noodle brains.

 

[Brules_Rules]

My school allows us to graduate early (finished up last month). I'm definitely taking Step 3 prior to intern year. I've got pretty much nothing else going on until July and no money to travel (not even really sure where I would go since travel is so restricted still). My thought is that intern year is going to be super intense, and the last thing I'm going to want to do at the end of a grueling 12+ hour work day is Uworld or Anki (and I definitely dont want to spend my one day off every week studying). Moreover, having an extra 5 or 6 hours every week free during intern year to exercise, spend time with my SO, go out to dinner, etc. without this exam hanging over my head feels like it will be worth way more than me just playing video games for the next 3 months (and forgetting the bulk of my medical knowledge).

Right now I can study for 6 or 7 hours a day, work out for an hour or two, cook dinner, and still relax in the evenings, watch some TV, read non medical books, etc. It seems entirely manageable to study for this exam for 2 months semi full time right now (while a lot of the information is still fresh) and is probably substantially easier than waiting until the busiest and most stressful part of my adult life (intern year) to study and take it.

 

[FutureInternist]

My school allows us to graduate early (finished up last month). I'm definitely taking Step 3 prior to intern year. I've got pretty much nothing else going on until July and no money to travel (not even really sure where I would go since travel is so restricted still). My thought is that intern year is going to be super intense, and the last thing I'm going to want to do at the end of a grueling 12+ hour work day is Uworld or Anki (and I definitely dont want to spend my one day off every week studying). Moreover, having an extra 5 or 6 hours every week free during intern year to exercise, spend time with my SO, go out to dinner, etc. without this exam hanging over my head feels like it will be worth way more than me just playing video games for the next 3 months (and forgetting the bulk of my medical knowledge).

Right now I can study for 6 or 7 hours a day, work out for an hour or two, cook dinner, and still relax in the evenings, watch some TV, read non medical books, etc. It seems entirely manageable to study for this exam for 2 months semi full time right now (while a lot of the information is still fresh) and is probably substantially easier than waiting until the busiest and most stressful part of my adult life (intern year) to study and take it.

This is the way...

 

[Joseph Beverly Hills]

My program recommends getting it out of the way ASAP, especially with the uncertainty in scheduling with the pandemic. They say we will be reimbursed for the registration fee once intern year begins.