Contemplating preparing with only AMBOSS for shelf exams and using UWORLD once I get closer to Step 2 dedicated…

[14_karat]

AMBOSS has been out for a couple of years at this point. I would like to know how people who relied on it faired on *shelf exams!

I credit using AMBOSS all throughout MS1 and MS2 for giving me a strong knowledge base in preparation for NBME-based block exams and ultimately Step 1. Didn’t use UWORLD until dedicated (and even then only did like 17%) and I passed within 4 weeks. Though I will say that the actual exam felt similar to UWorld’s format than AMBOSS…

Can a similar strategy be used for 3rd year? Can you get high shelf scores with AMBOSS alone?

If I can use AMBOSS only during rotations and do well, I’ll take it. I don’t really want to have to fork over hundreds of dollars for UWorld right now and shelf exams count for less than 25% of the clerkship grade at my school. However, I am aiming for a high Step 2 score (at least 25X).

ETA: Clarified my questions.

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[Captain_Falcon]

I used amboss exclusively in addition to the practice NBME shelf exams ($20/per test) until around mid way through the year I got through all of the 2-4 hammer questions and switched to UWORLD (still purchased the NBME shelf tests).

Scored 26x

 

[14_karat]

I used amboss exclusively in addition to the practice NBME shelf exams ($20/per test) until around mid way through the year I got through all of the 2-4 hammer questions and switched to UWORLD (still purchased the NBME shelf tests).

Scored 26x

What was the reason you switched? Or was it just to incorporate UWorld more as you got closer to Step 2? Did Amboss help you get good shelf scores when you were using it exclusively?

 

[Zen Arcade]

Thats what I did and it was fine. I'm doing UWORLD now for step 2 and its helpful doing the questions without having seen them before. I will say that Uworld is overall more comprehensive, but you can still do well on shelves with just AMBOSS. If you do choose to do all of Uworld just during dedicated, prepare yourself - there's over 4000 questions to get through.

 

[Billiam95]

MS3, but haven't taken step 2 yet. I think Amboss can be hit or miss for shelf exams - better used as a supplement to UW rather than a primary resource for shelf exams IMO.

 

[PathNeuroIMorFM]

Can you get high shelf scores with AMBOSS alone?

The Anking guy did this and claimed to score impressively on shelves and step 2. He matched derm, so I will take his word for it.

Tbh, I think how you use a question bank is more important than which you use. As long as you stick to one and use it effectively, you're probably fine. I'm biased towards UWorld because specific questions are tagged in the Anking deck, which works for my learning style.

For Step 2: I would definitely not bet on doing most or all of UWorld during your dedicated. 4000 questions in 2-6 weeks sounds devastating... I've also read that Amboss has far superior ethics and QI questions.

 

[Captain_Falcon]

What was the reason you switched? Or was it just to incorporate UWorld more as you got closer to Step 2? Did Amboss help you get good shelf scores when you were using it exclusively?

Two fold:
1) I finished the 2-4 Amboss questions (1 hammers are too easy, you should get >90% of those right especially if you use the Anking deck), and 5 hammer ones are too in depth to waste your time on
2) I wanted to complete UWorld before taking step 3 in the spring, so in order to have a manageable questions per day I started Uworld

This way I did not do the same questions twice, but I did all questions once. I finished those amboss questions (about 3k IIRC), and all of UWorld questions (~4k IIRC), in addition to the NBME practice forms (~1k questions IIRC), and I sprinkled in the full practice tests from Amboss (one) and UWorld (3 i think? could've been only 2), and NBME (multiple, can't remember now).

I was using Amboss exclusively for the first half of M3 year essentially before I ran out of questions. The shelves I took during that time was IM (just missed honors on the shelf), Peds (honored) OBGYN (just missed honors), Psych (honored).

The shelves that I took while starting Uworld was FM (just missed honors again), neurology (honored), and surgery (honored).

Ultimately, I would not have changed anything I did, I did emphasize studying ahead for material that may not have been on my next shelf (ie on my OB rotation I studied for my next rotation to keep up with the sheer amount of practice questions and anki cards for each clerkship)

The Anking guy did this and claimed to score impressively on shelves and step 2. He matched derm, so I will take his word for it.

Tbh, I think how you use a question bank is more important than which you use. As long as you stick to one and use it effectively, you're probably fine. I'm biased towards UWorld because specific questions are tagged in the Anking deck, which works for my learning style.

For Step 2: I would definitely not bet on doing most or all of UWorld during your dedicated. 4000 questions in 2-6 weeks sounds devastating... I've also read that Amboss has far superior ethics and QI questions.

Highly recommend not waiting to start UW until "dedicated." I used 3 weeks for dedicated, at that point I think I only had three more full-lengths to take and half the UW questions and all of Amboss ethics/QI questions (HIGHLY recommend spending the two or three days before Step 2 date doing all Amboss ethics/QI questions, they're far more reliable and in line with the real deal than Uworld)

 

[Zen Arcade]

Highly recommend not waiting to start UW until "dedicated." I used 3 weeks for dedicated, at that point I think I only had three more full-lengths to take and half the UW questions and all of Amboss ethics/QI questions (HIGHLY recommend spending the two or three days before Step 2 date doing all Amboss ethics/QI questions, they're far more reliable and in line with the real deal than Uworld)

What did you find different about the Uworld and Amboss QI q's? I find this is my worst topic when it comes to the Uworld questions but generally do better on the NBME questions.

 

[Captain_Falcon]

What did you find different about the Uworld and Amboss QI q's? I find this is my worst topic when it comes to the Uworld questions but generally do better on the NBME questions.

UWorld just seemed to trick me every time, my percentile for Ethics questions was like 30th and for QI questions was like 60th. Amboss seemed more straight forward and is what I felt was the real deal on shelf exams and Step 2

 

[14_karat]

Two fold:
1) I finished the 2-4 Amboss questions (1 hammers are too easy, you should get >90% of those right especially if you use the Anking deck), and 5 hammer ones are too in depth to waste your time on
2) I wanted to complete UWorld before taking step 3 in the spring, so in order to have a manageable questions per day I started Uworld

This way I did not do the same questions twice, but I did all questions once. I finished those amboss questions (about 3k IIRC), and all of UWorld questions (~4k IIRC), in addition to the NBME practice forms (~1k questions IIRC), and I sprinkled in the full practice tests from Amboss (one) and UWorld (3 i think? could've been only 2), and NBME (multiple, can't remember now).

I was using Amboss exclusively for the first half of M3 year essentially before I ran out of questions. The shelves I took during that time was IM (just missed honors on the shelf), Peds (honored) OBGYN (just missed honors), Psych (honored).

The shelves that I took while starting Uworld was FM (just missed honors again), neurology (honored), and surgery (honored).

Ultimately, I would not have changed anything I did, I did emphasize studying ahead for material that may not have been on my next shelf (ie on my OB rotation I studied for my next rotation to keep up with the sheer amount of practice questions and anki cards for each clerkship)



Highly recommend not waiting to start UW until "dedicated." I used 3 weeks for dedicated, at that point I think I only had three more full-lengths to take and half the UW questions and all of Amboss ethics/QI questions (HIGHLY recommend spending the two or three days before Step 2 date doing all Amboss ethics/QI questions, they're far more reliable and in line with the real deal than Uworld)

Thank you so much!