Foundations of Independent Practice vs. Advanced Clinical Medicine

[alpinebrook]

What are the major differences between these two types of questions?

I know the first day of Step 3 includes all the biostats, epidemiology, pharm ads, etc... but other than that...?

I've been doing completely mixed blocks on UW and I was wondering if I should have been keeping them separate. Not necessarily now, but let's say after I finish Day #1 and I have a week before Day #2 -- should I only be reviewing "Advanced Clinical Medicine" questions on UW? Or is that splitting hairs?

Thanks.

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[MilkIsGood]

i got the same ques as well. been doing them separately on uw, but they all seem the same to me

 

[amilewide]

That has been my approach, do all the FIP questions, then take exam Day 1, then do all ACM questions, then take day 2 exam.

Is that a smart approach? why or why not? thanks all!

 

[Buffeye]

That has been my approach, do all the FIP questions, then take exam Day 1, then do all ACM questions, then take day 2 exam.

Is that a smart approach? why or why not? thanks all!

I have never heard anyone study that way. I went through the FIP and ACM at the same time. How many days do you have between both exam dates? I wonder if you'll have enough time to go through all the questions.

 

[alpinebrook]

I have never heard anyone study that way. I went through the FIP and ACM at the same time. How many days do you have between both exam dates? I wonder if you'll have enough time to go through all the questions.

I agree -- definitely don't want to save all the ACM questions, even if you have 6 days in between your test dates. But it would be safe to leave out the biostats after Day 1, right?

 

[Buffeye]

I agree -- definitely don't want to save all the ACM questions, even if you have 6 days in between your test dates. But it would be safe to leave out the biostats after Day 1, right?

Yeah, 6 days is more than enough for Biostats.

 

[alpinebrook]

Yeah, 6 days is more than enough for Biostats.

What? I don't think you understood what I said. Anyway.

 

[amilewide]

yeah I have 14 days between FIP and ACM, so was thinking of just focusing on the FIP material as prep for day 1. is that too minimal?

 

[alpinebrook]

yeah I have 14 days between FIP and ACM, so was thinking of just focusing on the FIP material as prep for day 1. is that too minimal?

Wow, two weeks is a long time in between. Obviously I have no idea what your schedule is like, but in general I don't know why someone would put off ACM entirely until after Day 1. That's a terrible strategy in my mind. Why not definitely do all of FIP, mix in some ACM, then after Day #1 finish up remaining ACM questions / review? Why would you save the bulk of UW questions for the time in between? That's really the time to be reviewing incorrect answers and practicing (cramming) for CSS stuff. CSS is like half of Day 2.

 

[amilewide]

that is a good point! I was just generally cramming for the whole test, so I thought I could get FIP out of the way by just practicing FIP questions, take that asap, and then start on ACM/CCS. more of a focus issue. but I guess I'm just amazed that all the 233 actual step3 FIP questions could be answered well by studying the 500 UW FIP questions

 

[Tapepsi]

I would recommend against scheduling day 1 and 2 two weeks apart but assuming this is set and it's too late to change I would study for the exam in its entirety ( except maybe don't focus too much on CCS until after Day 1). It's hard to explain but I really felt like UW wasn't as helpful as it was for Step 1 and 2 as I felt like the questions weren't similar at all (although doing all of the UW questions my correct percentage did correlate with predicted score). Don't get lured into a false belief that UW's FIP = actual step 3 FIP because that's absolutely not the case (same for ACM). One of the most important aspects of UW are the explanations and algorithms behind the answer choices (including the incorrect answers) and you'll be missing out on important concepts that you could be tested on for FIP questions that you'll miss if you didn't review the practice ACM questions.

 

[amilewide]

Ah i basically am cramming for the whole exam. I didn't realize I would have to know all the ACM questions just to take the day 1 FIP. Shoot.
I have done about 300 FIP questions (including understanding all the explanations) and was just planning to take day 1 after finishing all the FIP questions on UW. then spend 2 weeks learning all 1000 of the ACM questions and CCS and taking Day 2. trying to divide and conquer, but if you're right that UW ACM vs. FIP are actually not very different then my plans are ****...

 

[Tapepsi]

Keep doing a bunch of questions (both FIP and ACM) and reading explanations like you've been doing. Again don't get too caught up on what makes something ACM vs FIP because honestly most of the questions I had on the exam were nothing like UW. Also if biostats is shaky for you definitely review that because there will be a TON on your test for Day 1.