Breaks between Step 1 sections

[sam harment]

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Is studying allowed at these times, provided you are away from the secure area?

 

[kryptik]

yes

 

[Phur]

Anecdotal story... friend of mine brought FA with her. At the end of the first block, she went out and checked answers to a couple she was unsure of. Got them wrong and got really flustered for the rest of the test and didn't do great. So be careful if you bring study materials with you.

Personally I studied hard for the weeks prior to taking it (like everyone else), so I felt it a lot more worthwhile to use the little bit of break time I did use to relax and re-center myself than to try and cram more in.

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

yes you're allowed, but like Phur said, using your break time to relax will probably help you do better than if you were to study during the breaks.

 

[kryptik]

on the contrary i looked in FA during my breaks to memorize stuff that frequently escape my mind, didnt use it to look up answers from previous blocks though that can definitely throw you off

 

[golfman]

There was a strip mall where I took the test, and I went and wandered around a radio shack during one of my breaks, while sucking down a gatorade.

 

[footcloud]

So can you break between each section? (biological needs lol...esp w/ diuretics like coffee).

 

[knuckles]

I took a lunch break after 3 blocks, and reviewed murmurs during it, since up to that point, I hadn't had my heart sound questions yet. Had both heart sounds right after lunch, with the murmur info fresh in my mind. I thought that this worked out nicely. Other than studying something that you easily confuse/forget, I wouldn't recommend this. Like the other posters mentioned, DEFINITELY stay away from the areas you've been tested on. DO NOT LOOK UP YOUR ANSWERS.

 

[WellWornLad]

So can you break between each section? (biological needs lol...esp w/ diuretics like coffee).

You get about an hour or so of free time to spend however you wish outside of blocks. You can even spend longer than that, although it'll start eating through your block time at that point. You can even take an "unexcused absence" during the block. It doesn't stop the block time and a note gets put into your record that you took a break during a block, if I remember correctly, but it can be done. Seemed like a pretty drastic option, though, and I doubt they'd let you go rifle through your FA in the middle of a block. Probably for emergency bathroom breaks and whatnot.

I took half an hour for lunch and that was it. I wanted to be done...

 

[knuckles]

While that may be true, I was told by the Prometric staff that I couldn't leave in the middle of a block. Theoretically you could look up answers if you were quick enough. Obviously nobody intelligent would try this though.

 

[1nycdoc8]

I looked up one of my questions after a break and got a similar question to it later on so that worked out.