Failing NBME score after 6 weeks of studying. HELP!

[polandspring808]

Hi SDN,

This is so embarrassing and frankly I am very scared right now. I have studied for Step 1 for the past 6 weeks almost every day about 8 hours a day. I have done 1 pass of first aid, 1 pass of pathoma, and around 60% of Uworld. My NBME 6 weeks ago was 175. I just took another one today and scored a 185. Which means after 6 weeks of studying I have not improved at all! My Uworld scores have gone up to averaging 50% (started around 40% when I first started).

I have already postponed my test date, so now I have 3 weeks left.

Is it possible to push my score up to a 220 in 3 weeks?? I plan on finishing Uworld (which takes me forever to go over and take notes so I can only do 1.5 blocks a day if I want to have time to read).

I can't push my date back any longer or I will not be able to start 3rd year on time.

I plan on taking another NBME in 2 weeks (a week before my exam). WORST CASE SCENARIO I will not start 3rd year on time, but that would be terrible. But if I have not improved in 6 weeks I am scared that these last 3 weeks will not be enough.

I am a US MD student, and most of my grades have been in the C to B- range (I am probably at the bottom of my class).

Before my dedicated period I had already completed over 1000 Usmle Rx questions and over 500 Kaplan questions along with class subjects throughout the school year.

PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE. I am FREAKING OUT. I really want to start 3rd year on time, but I can't do that will a failing step 1 score!

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[polandspring808]

My only game plan is to keep doing FA, pathoma, and Uworld for these last 3 weeks. If I score too low on my next diagnostic NBME should I just postpone 3rd year? I don't even know if that's possible. What's worse, scoring a 200 on the Step 1 or starting 3rd year late/not graduating on time?

I basically need to increase my score by 40 points in 3 weeks. Is that even possible?

 

[polandspring808]

I am not going for anything competitive, but I really want to match into a residency that is within a 45 minute drive from NYC....in other words I am geographically limited, as much as I can afford to be with my dismal grades. Am I doomed to be in IDAHO for residency??? Is it possible to match into a residency program in NYC (or NJ) in pediatrics or internal med. with say a 200 Step 1?

 

[operaman]

Assuming this isn't a troll post, you have some serious work to do and it sounds like doing questions isn't the answer. Even with below average grades, you should not be failing this exam, especially after a long period of study. I can think of a number of reasons you may be struggling, but you need to figure out what is going on and fast. You need to sit down with someone at your school and figure out what you're doing that isn't working. Have them do questions with you and figure out what the disconnect is. You may end up having to delay third year. It isn't such a big deal, but I would electively delay rather than risk a step 1 failure. If you are poised to flunk this exam when test day comes, I would take a year off and figure out how to prepare.

Your concerns about residency are essentially irrelevant at this point because if you don't pass this exam, well, it becomes a moot point.

Get some serious help and figure out where the problem is.

 

[nds86]

Seeing an increase of just 10 points after 6 intense wks prep can be disappointing. I agree with the above post, you need to figure your study methods and focus more on content area than doing more questions. Can it be that maybe you had a bad test day on the second attempt? You should go over the weak areas of the score report one by one and do another NBME after covering all the weak areas (a score of 185 means almost all of it). GL.

 

[seminoma]

Look at UW and find out what your weakest topics are. Start there. Forget about 220 and just focus on passing for now. Take another NBME in 1 week and see where you're at.

 

[nontradnyc]

Hi SDN,

This is so embarrassing and frankly I am very scared right now. I have studied for Step 1 for the past 6 weeks almost every day about 8 hours a day. I have done 1 pass of first aid, 1 pass of pathoma, and around 60% of Uworld. My NBME 6 weeks ago was 175. I just took another one today and scored a 185. Which means after 6 weeks of studying I have not improved at all! My Uworld scores have gone up to averaging 50% (started around 40% when I first started).

I have already postponed my test date, so now I have 3 weeks left.

Is it possible to push my score up to a 220 in 3 weeks?? I plan on finishing Uworld (which takes me forever to go over and take notes so I can only do 1.5 blocks a day if I want to have time to read).

I can't push my date back any longer or I will not be able to start 3rd year on time.

I plan on taking another NBME in 2 weeks (a week before my exam). WORST CASE SCENARIO I will not start 3rd year on time, but that would be terrible. But if I have not improved in 6 weeks I am scared that these last 3 weeks will not be enough.

I am a US MD student, and most of my grades have been in the C to B- range (I am probably at the bottom of my class).

Before my dedicated period I had already completed over 1000 Usmle Rx questions and over 500 Kaplan questions along with class subjects throughout the school year.

PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE. I am FREAKING OUT. I really want to start 3rd year on time, but I can't do that will a failing step 1 score!

Hey, I am sorry you had to go through this. I am actually in a very similar boat to what you describe here, except my exam is 11 days away and I scored a 173 on NBME 17 yesterday (1/7/16). I took my first NBME a week prior (eg NBME form 15) and scored a 166 -- after 6 weeks of dedicated study. What did you up end up changing about your approach to see improvements? I am to say the least freaking out too. I also go to a US MD school and I also want(ed) to get a 220.