Can somebody explain the NBMEs to me?

[aspire123]

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Ok, so I'm from Irealnd so a lot of this is confusing to me.

Are NMBEs basically sample tests? Do you have to pay to take them? if so are they worth it? Can i take them online even though I'm in Ireland?

Im concerned about cost because it's all shaping up to be pretty expensive already with flights over, review books, uworld etc

 

[LongIslProdigy]

you gotta spend money to make money playboy👍

 

[Captopril]

Ok, so I'm from Irealnd so a lot of this is confusing to me.

Are NMBEs basically sample tests? Do you have to pay to take them? if so are they worth it? Can i take them online even though I'm in Ireland?

Im concerned about cost because it's all shaping up to be pretty expensive already with flights over, review books, uworld etc

They are practice tests you do online in a time/untimed mode (your preference) that are very good markers of what you would score on the real test if you took it at that moment in time. You can take it in Zanzibar if you want, so Ireland shouldn't be a problem. They are definitely worth whatever they cost.

you gotta spend money to make money playboy👍

 

[aspire123]

cool thanks guys.

I see there are 6 tests? How do they differ?

 

[illixir]

They have different questions.

 

[aspire123]

They have different questions.

Which ones are best for step 1 preparation?

 

[wAyRadikull]

Which ones are best for step 1 preparation?

All of them are meant to gauge your step 1 progress, so I guess the answer to your question is all of them, NBME 1 being the oldest, and NBME 7 being the newest.

 

[McGillGrad]

There are 7 tests. I would not do the first 3. I would focus on 4-7.

 

[aspire123]

Ah I see, they are just arranged by how recently they were made. Thanks guys. I'll probaly do 5, 6 and 7 when I get closer to step 1

 

[deleted103644]

Is there any good source for explanations to the answers for the NBME questions?

 

[illixir]

Are you allowed to look back at the questions after you've completed the test? I.e. if you wanted to figure out the correct answers and look them up, would you have to write down the pertinent information or look it up as you're taking the test?

 

[McGillGrad]

Is there any good source for explanations to the answers for the NBME questions?

Nope. I have seen unofficial explanations blatantly wrong on questions.

 

[McGillGrad]

Are you allowed to look back at the questions after you've completed the test? I.e. if you wanted to figure out the correct answers and look them up, would you have to write down the pertinent information or look it up as you're taking the test?

No.

You can only see your wrong questions on the extended form of NBME 6.

 

[EyeFun]

Are the NBME tests the same thing as the comprehensive basic science self assessment (CBSSA) available on the NBME website? Also, it appears that they have six tests available unless I am mistaken, where is the 7th located?

 

[Pkboi24]

The 7th one is there, it's right under the 6th one. I don't know what else to tell you, lol. You can get screenshots of them for free online if you just google it. However, the answers that come with them are not official. Then again, if you take the official one and pay for it, they don't tell you what you get wrong or right either. So either way, you have to figure out the answers for yourself.