Do you have to be a good standardized test taker to do well?

[gouda]

Most of my standardized tests have just been mediocre and I wonder if I can really pull off an above average score (with the exception of COMLEX where I did well above average). I have studied hard and long in the past for tests to no avail, and I just don't see how I can expect this one to be any different.

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[apar01]

Short answer: yes
Long answer: Some people are just naturally smarter than others. This translates into being able to remember more obscure facts and applying them to obscure questions on standardized tests. Now, you can study your butt off and do really well, but there are always going to be people in your class that hardly study and will still do better. It sucks, but they're just better 'test takers'.

Just study hard, do as best as you can and your hard work will pay off in the end.

 

[IzzyMD09]

the hard work payoff at the end isnt a score on some stupid test, like and MCAT or USMELLY

The hard work is pays off when you honor all the clinical parts of your rotations because you studied your ass off because you knew you suck at standardized tests and can answer questions on daily pimpings, as well as be amazing clinicians, come up with great differentials, and explain your decisions thoroughly

in the end no one cares about a 3 or 2 digit score, just put yourself in your own shoes 5 years from now, and think about how little it will matter what you got on your test

you are a future doctor

rock on!!!!

 

[Dr McSteamy]

in the end no one cares about a 3 or 2 digit score, just put yourself in your own shoes 5 years from now, and think about how little it will matter what you got on your test

unfortunately, everyone does care about the score.
without the score, you won't even get a chance to demo your other skills.


to me, being a good test taker = you can read superfast and think within 1 minute.

so practice with speed.
it's stupid, i know.

if i could manage pts in 1 minute, I'd be filthy freakin rich. say "hello" and "goodbye" within 1.3 minutes.

46 pts per hour. 46 x 8hrs x 5d x 50wk x $50/visit = $4.6 million, with 2 weeks vacation per year.

 

[gouda]

I am not sure test taking is something I can necessarily practice at...

My MCAT and USMLE prep was nothing short of 1,000's of questions from credible sources and lots of reviewing from books. I researched what others did to succeed, put the time, and the money down ... and came up completely, utterly average. I did very well on classwork and now clinical work, but have heard from so many people that step 2 is much better (ie - easier to do well). I am dubious, maybe those that did better on step 2 were not putting enough time and effort into step 1 - this was not the case for me. I have never had a hard time with the amount of material - and was doing really well on practice questions for the usmle...

I am trying to decide whether I have shot of improving my score, but feel disheartened by still not knowing what it takes to do well...if it really is test taking, then at the bare minimum I need to practice all the time just to be average.

Any other words of advice???

 

[IzzyMD09]

most of the people in my class who did the best on MCATs, STep 1, shelf exams etc

ended up doing the worst clinical evaluations,

and have horrible people skills to boot, I wish I could be in some of the interview rooms when the go in just so i can laugh when they are asked something about what they did besides study

I know someone in particular who honored several shelf exams but not a single clinical evaluation,

real life it doesnt matter what scores you get, it matters what kind of doctor you are, i know everyone on here is a gunner (present company sorta included) but you cant focus on what super powers other people have, focus on what you are good at

izzle

 

[EternalMD]

in the end no one cares about a 3 or 2 digit score, just put yourself in your own shoes 5 years from now, and think about how little it will matter what you got on your test

Unfortunately, those 3 or 2 digit scores determine what kind of shoes you will be wearing while you look back at them.

 

[Dr McSteamy]

most of the people in my class who did the best on MCATs, STep 1, shelf exams etc

ended up doing the worst clinical evaluations,

and have horrible people skills to boot, I wish I could be in some of the interview rooms when the go in just so i can laugh when they are asked something about what they did besides study

high scores and good clinical skills are not mutually exclusive.
maybe your classmates are just a cocky bunch.

 

[IzzyMD09]

as per the shoes comment, as far as I know even the dumbest of ******s can fail step 1 and step 2 and then barely pass it

still go into internal medicine

and then do a fellowship in GI/Cardio/Allergy Immuno

and make buttloads of money if shoes is your concern, I think family its even easier to get a residency and then get trained to give botox....if shoes is your thing

of course they are not mutually exclusive but when one of the best test takers in the class cant answer a simple question about shoulder dystocia because she is to afraid to speak ...it really says something about what is important...

thats just my two sense

 

[EternalMD]

by shoes I meant the specialty and location of where you did your residency/fellowship depend on those scores. The reason these tests are given weight is because PDs also want to take people who will be able to pass their inservice exams and the boards at the end. They would get a bad reputation if a good handful weren't making the cut. Also, while you may believe that some of the "dumbest of ******s" could match into those competitive medical subspecialties, it would be much harder with your given scenario (failure of steps). I'm sure there are a few rare cases but numbers help a lot more than you really want to accept. Also, that type of thing would obviously more likely to occur in internal medicine which has lots of choices than to go straight into something competitive from the get go (thus different shoes).

furthermore, the scenarios where you describe these best test takers are stumbling on rotations or being afraid to give the answer doesn't occur as often as you are portraying. Sure, it happens but as with the case with the residency selection, how often do you really think it does?

 

[IzzyMD09]

this is based on what I have seen within my program the past year, so it IS personal experience...which is ALL any of us have anyways, on that note you have a point

however, I fail to see how people are matching dermatology with 220's, and how people are getting into GI fellowships after getting less than 215 on their step 1, I know at least 3 people!

other examples from people from another program and 2 of my close friends who broke a 240 on step 1, 1 matched pathology as a second choice after not being able to match ob/gyn ( an antisocial vs. highly social field) the other couldnt match neurology and went into transitional year, again these are just examples, maybe are not the norm...which is fine, but i find it a little odd that the numbers scenario didnt play into their favor,

there is nothing really to accept, a higher score opens more doors, FOR INTERVIEWS, but beyond that PD's look at the individual because you are an investment, and they want to see the entirety of the candidate,

i mean cmon you wouldnt vote for a president of the USA based on 2 tests he/she took would you????


this is my 200th post.....hooray

 

[flumazenil]

"i mean cmon you wouldnt vote for a president of the USA based on 2 tests he/she took would you????"

these past 8 yrs i wish that was the case...cuz whatever the test is..other than perhaps doing lines or shots of jack...bush wouldn't be able to pass it..no wayy....

 

[EternalMD]

i mean cmon you wouldnt vote for a president of the USA based on 2 tests he/she took would you????

Depends on the tests. If its an IQ test and one gets a 50 while the other scores a 140, I'd learn more towards the less ******ed person (140).

 

[IzzyMD09]

Depends on the tests. If its an IQ test and one gets a 50 while the other scores a 140, I'd learn more towards the less ******ed person (140).

I just laughed and then snorted!!!! "Id lean towards the less ******ed person"