Failed by 10 points

[sd1984]

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I failed the step by 10 measly points, Im not sure what to do now. Where do I even begin to start studying? I looked at my score report and everything is prettymuch average to high fail range. Any advice? I did Uworld, FA, DIT, Goljan Audios. I mean even if I were to get those 10 points, it would still be a horrible mark but atleast a pass. I rescheduled for End of September, is this is a good idea? Should I take a review course?

 

[SalseraDoctora]

How did you study? I recommend just doing nothing but questions all day long every day. That is what I did, and it worked out for me. I didn't do spectacularly--I got a 219--but considering that I am a non-traditional student who got 29 on the MCAT and was a History major undergrad I am satisfied. I bought both USMLE World and Kaplan and did questions all day long every day, looking up everything I didn't know as I went along. That is my only recommendation. I hope it helps. GOOD LUCK!

 

[hksun]

i think it would depend on what your goal is.

if your goal is just to pass, then going back and restudying those really well and you'd probably be prepared by september. On top of that I suggest Goljan high yield notes (36pgs).


if your goal was higher, then you'd probably need more time and some detailed review material for individual subjects.

how did you do on practice tests? maybe you know enough and just had a bad day / unlucky?

 

[nogolfinsnow]

I think a lot depends on your school's policy. If you're in rotations, how the heck are you going to study? At my school anyone who fails retakes after 3rd year (not something I know from personal experience, fortunately). According to the dean who told us this, people tend to pass the 2nd time. Hopefully someone at your school will help you figure out what needs to be done for you to succeed the 2nd time around.

 

[emailaddress]

i would reschedule the test for 3 months later. I would watch the kaplan videos for pharm, phys, path, and biochem. And after completing each of those subjects transcribe all the important info (practically everything) into your first aid. Then i would just study the notes from kaplan for the rest of the subjects and transcribe into first aid. I also used a high yield book for embryo, immuno, nueroatomy (which was really good), behavioral science, and biostats. after going over those once and highliting, i went back and transcribed important info into my first aid. So my method is to have one single source with all the information so it easy to have a visual memory of the information instead of using mulitple sources. I know it seems like a lot of work but it totally pays off. Also i read micro made ridic simple and transcribed whatever was important or missing onto microcards.
then of course doing Uworld questions and if you have time kaplan q bank. I guarantee if you do all this, which will take three months, you can get in the 90's on the exam. I am not very smart, did poorly on the mcat, but i followed this method which i got from someone and i got a high 99 on the exam.

 

[sd1984]

hey guys thanks for the support, any other advice, I got barely a 169.. what should i do? should i take more than 2 months, i til end of september, is this enough time to secure a pass? should i give up? i really feel like i am sucking....

 

[Sislo]

hey guys thanks for the support, any other advice, I got barely a 169.. what should i do? should i take more than 2 months, i til end of september, is this enough time to secure a pass? should i give up? i really feel like i am sucking....

I think 2 months are quest enough to know where you are.I suggest you go through FA 1 more times, buy DIT ( its a 30 days deal and cost $600) go through DIT the first time while doing USMLE world, then do a couple of NBME and evaluate where you are then take it from there that could take you 1 month or so then maybe another pass throught DIT , a second pass through U world ( which I think is a must)

 

[sd1984]

Do you think its a good idea to do Uworld 2x throughly. DIT 2x thorougly. Goljan, BRS Phys, HY neuroanatomy, HY immuno in 3 months?

 

[Disinence2]

Just remember this isn't the end of the world! Having recently lost a classmate to a poor step 1 score, remember the test is beatable.

Our school even has a story of someone who failed step 1, retook it did great and ended up completing a fellowship and johns hopkins.

Best of luck to you! It sounds like by being only 10 points off you just need to do some more practice questions and give it a bit more time. Your so close.

 

[harrypotter]

Just wanted to share my sympathies with ya. Hang in there!

Did you do practice exams? Were you tired? Did you get enough sleep?

I haven't gotten my score back but if I were to do it again change a couple of things. I really agree w the person who said to consolidate all your notes into one location. I had kaplan notes, goljan notes, my own notes, all over the place and it was a pain to review.
I would also have bit the bullet and did practice exams. I got into a serious time crunch and kept putting off the practice test in lieu of more studying.
Also as hard as it is to walk away from studying, I would make working out a daily thing. I didn't realize how low energy and slobby I was feeling until after the test.

I hope you feel better!

 

[Instatewaiter]

Sorry to hear about what happened.

One thing I dont think has been asked is:
Do you have performance anxiety? In other words, are you pretty calm taking practice exams and then were you really, really nervous taking the real deal?

If this is the case, it could have been the factor that made you drop ~30 points.

 

[sd1984]

This is my first standardized test in a LONG TIME! I was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning I couldn't concentrate and my heart was pounding but I wouldn't think that should be a factor. I guess I'll have to aim higher to get that passing score 😉

Should I review Kaplan? I was thinking I have a weak Basic Science background but focusing in on UW/FA/DIT/GOLJAN/BRSPHYS/MMRS should do the trick for me. What do you guys think?

IM kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place as far as prep goes. I mean with my score Im debating Kaplan vids + UW + DIT or what I stated above.


I would really appreciate some advice!

 

[geogil]

It seems to me that you're using too many resources. The key to success is to choose only a few GOOD resources, and to memorize them. Here's what I did and it worked out quite well.
Read Goljan path 3x
FA3x
Goljan audio 1-2x (some sections I reviewed)
BRS phys 1x.
CMMRS 1x
Lange immuno 1x.
RR biochem 1x

You can see that on the inital go through, I used several books, i.e. CMMRS, Lange, and BRS. After you read through those, you're done with them. Hopefully you jotted down anything IMPORTANT into your FA. From then on, do questions, I used UW and read review books. Do the questions in test mode, i.e. you can't see the answers until the end. Then, go through the answers, and write down anything you didn't know in to your FA. The only two books I used were Goljan Path and FA, after the initial go through. You can't learn from FA, you can only review what you already know, so don't expect to use FA that way.

I would spend half the day doing/reviewing questions, and then the other half reviewing a section from FA. If you really want, I can send you a detailed schedule. Step I shouldn't be that tough for a US grad, if you did ok the first two years. You might consider seeing if you have a learning disability which impairs you in tests, because this could also be influencing your results. Best of luck
-g

 

[sd1984]

I did very poorly in my basic science years, I never gave up my undergrad lifestyle, and I am definitely paying for it now.


Do you think I should go deeper into the problem by weeding out certain misunderstandings I have using Kaplan's lecture series and videos followed by Uworld DIT + Goljan?


Or

Should I focus on highyield, DIT, Goljan, MMRS, How the Immune System works, BRS Physio, HY Neuroanatomy, UW?

DO you think end of september is a doable goal if I want to bring my 160+ score on step 1 to a 200+? I just checked to see if I have a single palmar crease and luckily I dont. I mean I should be able to do this right?

 

[fergustsi]

this is jmho, but high yield review may not work for you if you dont have an understanding of the concepts to begin with. admittedly you said you were a weak student in the first two years and i think you might need to go a different route. you need to do a kaplan or some other program diagnostic exam and probably just do HY review stuff for your average to good subjects and go more in depth in your weaker or failing avg subjects. thats the route i would take. the only exception for me would be if youre weak in embryo, anatomy, biochem i would still only do HY stuff for this since these topics are low yield to begin with.

Is taking a programmed 7-10 week live structured review course not an option? I hope i dont offend you, but to study and do well on your own takes a certain level of discipline which you may not have (based on your point about your first two years).
If i recall correctly you failed by 25 points or there about and you might need help from a professional. DIT is good (i did it too) but i dont think its enough to get you were you need to be. the explanations are lacking in a lot of fields and it really is more of a review course.

If i were in your shoes i would take the Live course, take 4-5 days to make another pass through FA and take the USMLE shortly after the review course while everything is fresh and before you begin forgetting things. on a daily basis, i would do FA and Goljan on top of what your review course would want you to do and do Uworld. This should put you somewhere around 220+.

As far as the cost of a a course like this, it can be very expensive, but so is retaking the usmle or not passing step 1 after a second attempt and having to pay back 100K in loans without a professional degree.

I wish you the best of luck.

I did very poorly in my basic science years, I never gave up my undergrad lifestyle, and I am definitely paying for it now.


Do you think I should go deeper into the problem by weeding out certain misunderstandings I have using Kaplan's lecture series and videos followed by Uworld DIT + Goljan?


Or

Should I focus on highyield, DIT, Goljan, MMRS, How the Immune System works, BRS Physio, HY Neuroanatomy, UW?

DO you think end of september is a doable goal if I want to bring my 160+ score on step 1 to a 200+? I just checked to see if I have a single palmar crease and luckily I dont. I mean I should be able to do this right?

 

[sd1984]

fergustsi:


I am short 20 points you are right, and even if I were to do DIT x 2, UW x 2, Goljan, Immuno, MMRS, HY Neuro, do you think I could scrap Kaplan. It is an option for me, but its just a little expensive. I do appreciate the advice and it does make a lot of sense just something I guess I didn't want to hear.

 

[fergustsi]

IF you do all that and actually take the time to understand the concepts rather than memorizing, yes, i think that is enough and you should do pretty well. the question is can you keep your focus for 9 weeks. i only mentioned kaplan because they will tell you when and where to go for lectures. all you have to do is pay attention, take notes, and then go home review the notes, do some UW Qs and some rr path reading. your way will require you to make very strict schedules youll have to adhere to.
your plan is going to require a lot of discipline (to follow your schedule) and self control (not going out and partying). so again, the question is, are you motivated enough and disciplined enough?

fergustsi:


I am short 20 points you are right, and even if I were to do DIT x 2, UW x 2, Goljan, Immuno, MMRS, HY Neuro, do you think I could scrap Kaplan. It is an option for me, but its just a little expensive. I do appreciate the advice and it does make a lot of sense just something I guess I didn't want to hear.

 

[sd1984]

thanks for the advice. I am going to make a strict plan and follow it hard! The embarrassment is enough motivation.


"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle

 

[emailaddress]

thanks for the advice. I am going to make a strict plan and follow it hard! The embarrassment is enough motivation.


"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle

hey SD i know i said it before but im not sure what plan of attack you decided on but i really liked the kaplan videos and notes to start off with. I felt it gave a really good foundation which can then me fine tuned with UW questions or an additional HY book and/or of course FA. And the videos were excellent for pharm, phys, biochem, behavioral, and path. These five subjects can be watched in less than a month. Anyway i liked it but everyone is different. Hope whatever method you choose works out. Good luck.

 

[sd1984]

Well according to the NBME I have many weak subjects so I have found good books to counter them. Fortunately the score report I received came with some lube to ease the pain.

 

[geogil]

Ok so I just came back to this and read what you said about your study habits. What I recommended will only work if you have learned this stuff before and are now dredging up old memories rather than forming new ones. Let this be a lesson to other incoming MS1's and MSII's not to slack too much. Hopefully you've mended your ways and are going to treat this exam with the respect it commands. Best of luck.
-g