Getting around not having step 1 after clerkships

[camb370]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi! First off, thanks so much for reading this. I’m starting my M1 year at a med school which still hasn’t moved its step 1 time from after pre-clinicals to after clerkships (I know it’s very early to be thinking about this...). I’ve read so much about how that helps scores increase, and I personally think it would really suit my learning style, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that I’ll have the opportunity. Anyway, I wanted to see how I could make the best of this situation. My school provides lots of opportunities for shadowing/scrubbing in/etc during the first two years, so I was thinking of taking advantage of this. They also provide optional NBME exams in the first two years for students who want extra step 1 prep. If I do that extra clinical experience, and couple it with extra NBME practice, do you think this could have even something like the same effect as taking step 1 after clerkships? Is there anything else you could think of that might help? Thank you so much! I just want to plan this now since I like having a plan early

 

[.hematoma.]

UFAP will get you the score you want.

 

[Tradewinds]

I'm confused...are you at a US MD program? From my understanding, most of them still do Step 1 before starting their core clinical rotations. I know mine does. (Step 1 is taken between years 2 and 3) Step 2 is more clinically based and usually comes after completing your 3rd year clerkships. I suppose wherever you are for school doesn't matter - just know that Step 1 will be just fine without significant clinical experience as long as you know your didactic material. (UWorld, Fist Aid and Pathoma +-Sketchy medical etc are great review tools)

 

[camb370]

I'm confused...are you at a US MD program? From my understanding, most of them still do Step 1 before starting their core clinical rotations. I know mine does. (Step 1 is taken between years 2 and 3) Step 2 is more clinically based and usually comes after completing your 3rd year clerkships. I suppose wherever you are for school doesn't matter - just know that Step 1 will be just fine without significant clinical experience as long as you know your didactic material. (UWorld, Fist Aid and Pathoma +-Sketchy medical etc are great review tools)

Yep, at a US MD program. I think just the top schools mostly are going to that model, and it’s been seen to boost scores like crazy

 

[Oso]

Chill. Most schools take step 1 after M2 year and before the start of clerkships.

It's silly to think that shadowing during M1/M2 year is going to prepare you for step in any meaningful way.

Just focus on doing well M1/M2 year and when the time comes to study for step then go all out.

I think just the top schools mostly are going to that model, and it’s been seen to boost scores like crazy

I went to a "top" school and we took step before clerkships. We did well overall.

 

[Dwan]

Hi! First off, thanks so much for reading this. I’m starting my M1 year at a med school which still hasn’t moved its step 1 time from after pre-clinicals to after clerkships (I know it’s very early to be thinking about this...). I’ve read so much about how that helps scores increase, and I personally think it would really suit my learning style, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that I’ll have the opportunity. Anyway, I wanted to see how I could make the best of this situation. My school provides lots of opportunities for shadowing/scrubbing in/etc during the first two years, so I was thinking of taking advantage of this. They also provide optional NBME exams in the first two years for students who want extra step 1 prep. If I do that extra clinical experience, and couple it with extra NBME practice, do you think this could have even something like the same effect as taking step 1 after clerkships? Is there anything else you could think of that might help? Thank you so much! I just want to plan this now since I like having a plan early

I took my step 1 at the end of M2 like most schools, but I can tell you that I forgot a lot of the basic sci and physio aspects of that test by the end of my M3. There are pluses and minuses to when you take it, so overall it's not a big deal in my opinion.

 

[Newyawk]

Also what nobody mentions is that many schools that do this have students straight up bomb their clerkship shelf exams. Fair trade off i guess but not if you take into consideration that some residencies care a great deal about clerkship grades

 

[W19]

UFAP will get you the score you want.

UFAP did not get me the score I wanted... and I was only gunning for 235+. Every med student knows about UFAP, yet the average is still ~230...

 

[camb370]

Thank you all for the responses! This was so helpful. I think I’m just gonna study UFAP along with other smaller resources like Goljan’s, Kaplan qbank, etc as well as the NBME supplements I mentioned earlier 🙂

 

[raiderette]

I am in a condensed curriculum and have been on clinicals for about 6 months. I can't imagine trying to remember my basic science material needed to do well on Step 1 while studying for clinicals. Just learn your material, use UFAP, throw in Anki if it works for you.

 

[MSTPlease]

Yep, at a US MD program. I think just the top schools mostly are going to that model, and it’s been seen to boost scores like crazy

There might be a slight bump but to my knowledge, none of these schools has controlled for the baseline score creep and the increase is definitely not "like crazy"

 

[.hematoma.]

UFAP did not get me the score I wanted... and I was only gunning for 235+. Every med student knows about UFAP, yet the average is still ~230...

Every med student knows about UFAP, but the average med student doesn't know every single detail in UFAP. In reality it's an incredibly difficult feat. If you know everything, there's nothing stopping you from 250+

 

[W19]

Every med student knows about UFAP, but the average med student doesn't know every single detail in UFAP. In reality it's an incredibly difficult feat. If you know everything, there's nothing stopping you from 250+

That guy from ROSS can tell you where everything is on FAP and did Uworld 3x, but still scored in the low 230s... Intelligence and test taking strategies are also huge part of the game...

 

[mehc012]

Shadowing is unlikely to raise your step score....in fact it will take away from study time that could increase your score. Only shadow to explore future careers. You do not need a clinical year to get 250+ on Step 1 at all.

It would also be miserable to keep up with Step 1 and 2 knowledge while balancing research and rotations. It's too much. The benefit of MS3 before Step 1 is for students who didn't learn UFAP the first time through and need that extra year of review. Stay on top of things during preclinicals and you will be fine

It's honestly not so bad. I'm just now finishing up my IM rotation and I'm taking Step 1 afterwards. I went through each organ system just doing OME to prime myself on the important take-homes for the shelf, then I'd read all fo the entries in FC and do all questions to nail down the Step 1 physio, path, and pharm that I'd forgotten or never learned, and then UWorld as I went, annotating the OME book. I think I ended up blowing off half of Ortho/Rheum, and I left Repro for my OB/Gyn rotation, but...it really wasn't that bad, time-wise.

**Only did organ systems in FC, not all of the Biochem/Anatomy/Immuno sections**

 

[WiseOne]

Yep, at a US MD program. I think just the top schools mostly are going to that model, and it’s been seen to boost scores like crazy

Source? The only school I know that does this is FIU and their board scores are average. Also the majority of what you learn M3 year is not relevant for Step 1 but for Step 2. M3 year is more focused on diagnosis, work-up, treatment not nitty-gritty pathophysiology. Step 1 is full of stuff that will not even come up after M2 year. I would argue that having it after M3 year most likely reduces the score.

 

[Gurby]

That guy from ROSS can tell you where everything is on FAP and did Uworld 3x, but still scored in the low 230s... Intelligence and test taking strategies are also huge part of the game...

I can't imagine 3 passes through UWorld is a good use of time for anyone.

 

[TheIllusionist]

That guy from ROSS can tell you where everything is on FAP and did Uworld 3x, but still scored in the low 230s... Intelligence and test taking strategies are also huge part of the game...

That guy is an anomoly. I know people that failed to break a 30 on the MCAT on multiple attempts that got a 250+. STEP1 is hardly an aptitude test.

Honestly dude, just UFAP hard and study hard for preclinical tests. There's no secret way of doing well. This field isn't one that requires much intuitive capacity at the classroom level.

 

[Newyawk]

That guy is an anomoly. I know people that failed to break a 30 on the MCAT on multiple attempts that got a 250+. STEP1 is hardly an aptitude test.

Honestly dude, just UFAP hard and study hard for preclinical tests. There's no secret way of doing well. This field isn't one that requires much intuitive capacity at the classroom level.

I feel like your sole mission on this forum is to spread this false idea that anyone can do well on step 1.

 

[TheIllusionist]

I feel like your sole mission on this forum is to spread this false idea that anyone can do well on step 1.

It's just true. Even top members have said anyone can break a 240. med students who do well like to equate things more to natural talent than need be. Those who do badly like to do the same thing, in order to make excuses for their laziness.

Not everyone can do well in the general population. If one is smart enough to meritocratically make it into US MD school, has their learning disabilities and mental health issues in order, they can certainly do well.

And dude, I discuss way more than STEP1.

 

[Newyawk]

It's just true. Even top members have said anyone can break a 240. med students who do well like to equate things more to natural talent than need be. Those who do badly like to do the same thing, in order to make excuses for their laziness.

Not everyone can do well in the general population. If one is smart enough to meritocratically make it into US MD school, has their learning disabilities and mental health issues in order, they can certainly do well.

And dude, I discuss way more than STEP1.

Haha ik you do but you often talk about this.
What youre basically saying is that any smart person can break 240. Id agree with that to a large extent. But some members suggest that you dont need to even be intelligent. Also, there is a difference between a 270 and a 240.

 

[TheIllusionist]

Haha ik you do but you often talk about this.
What youre basically saying is that any smart person can break 240. Id agree with that to a large extent. But some members suggest that you dont need to even be intelligent. Also, there is a difference between a 270 and a 240.

I'll give you that. I think even a 250 is quite doable for the vast vast majority. Honestly, to me, on a practical level, as long a score doesn't preclude you from doing a speciality at a decent academic center, I don't think it matters much.

 

[Dwan]

That guy from ROSS can tell you where everything is on FAP and did Uworld 3x, but still scored in the low 230s... Intelligence and test taking strategies are also huge part of the game...

Most people who think they've memorized UFAP haven't actually memorized UFAP. For example, just because you are getting a 90% on 2nd pass does not mean you actually know the content in the explanations.