Best time to use the UWSA/NBME practice exams?

[TexasTriathlete]

I've still got a little ways to go before the actual boards, so I was curious when was the best time to do the self-assessments and NBME practice tests?

That is, I don't need a practice test right now to tell me that I suck. I've got UW for that.

I'm thinking that it will be good to do something like this after I've already been through the Qbanks once or twice (going to do them all at least once), and that way, I'll get a feel for what I need to spend extra time studying on during crunch time.

That is, I'll have been over absolutely everything, and I think these practice tests will tell me "okay, you've been over the autonomic nervous system (or whatever) a million times and you still don't know it".

So how far out should I do this? I want to make sure I've got enough time to get it down, but I don't want to do it so far out that I forget everything else.

Any ideas? I'm assuming that some of you are looking at these things the same way, and have given this some thought?

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[MilkmanAl]

I don't really buy into the concept of diagnostics tests at all. Like you said, you don't really need to take a test to tell you that you haven't studied. Not counting the CBSE (which told me we have a bad path program and that I needed to study endocrine and GI, the two units we hadn't done yet: shocking!), my first practice test was after we had all of our NBME subject exams done, so I'd studied for all the second year material about as thoroughly as you can in 2 weeks.

I'd recommend taking practice exams after breakpoints in your study schedule. For example, when you finish a question bank, take a test. When you get all the way through a Taus pass, take a test. When you've finished reading through RR path from cover to cover, take a test, etc. Personally, I'll be doing one after I finish this system-based review I'm currently doing, after I go back through UW in random, and after I go through UW again after that to cap off my studying.

 

[Rabbit Hole]

I'd recommend taking practice exams after breakpoints in your study schedule. For example, when you finish a question bank, take a test. When you get all the way through a Taus pass, take a test. When you've finished reading through RR path from cover to cover, take a test, etc. Personally, I'll be doing one after I finish this system-based review I'm currently doing, after I go back through UW in random, and after I go through UW again after that to cap off my studying.

I would go with Al the Ass Mod's recommendation.
Don't be afraid of the NBME exams. I think it would be beneficial to take one early on because it will give you a good measure of where you're at and provide you with just the right amount of crippling motivation to study effectively during the remainder of your schedule. Take the first one 1/3 into your prep period so you have enough time to adjust your schedule if needed.

By the way, your post in the "inspiration" thread = super 👍

I played high school basketball, and we had a pretty good team every year.

My sophomore year, we played for the state championship. We were the little country school going up against the inner-city powerhouse for the title. At 6'5", I was the tallest guy on our team (and I didn't play much that year). We had a pair of all-state guards, but they were pretty small guys.

The opposing team had a 6'8" center who could run and jump. They had quick guards who weren't as good as our guys, but they were pretty good, and they were very athletic, and bigger.

We had a really good team that year, but there was no doubt that we were the major underdog. So naturally, as a team, we watched Hoosiers the night before the game.

Then we went out the next day and got the **** kicked out of us. But its a good movie, and very inspirational.