How to get to 240 in 17 days?

[littleblackbear]

My exam is in 17 days, and I am trying to get to 240.

My stats:

UWORLD 1st Pass: 64.5%
UWORLD 2nd pass, 50% done: 83%
NBME 13: 205
NBME 15: 198
UWORLD Form 1: 234
NBME 16: 223
NBME 17: 225

I took NBME 17 just today and was hoping to at least hit a 230. My weak spots are Biostats, Anatomy, Embryo and Phys; and I also have the tendency to change my correct answers to incorrect ones. If anyone has any advice (especially resources for my weak spots) or a similar experience, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

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[Mad Jack]

I don't believe a 240 to be realistic in that timeline, to be perfectly honest. What resources are you using? Also if you know you tend to go correct>incorrect, you should try to stop changing answers for a bit and see how it goes.

 

[TheOther]

I say it’s do-able. Focus on weaknesses and as it’s been suggested, try sticking with your gut and stop switching answers.

Most people I’ve talked to, including myself, scored right between our NBMEs and UWSAs. I’d say you’re sitting right around 230. 17 days is plenty to increase that.

 

[orangetea]

I have not taken the exam but scoring similarly on my practice exams and have similar weak points. What I have found to work is more content review. Maybe spend a few hours on biostatistics (that alone should help). Anatomy and embryo I am not sure because I am struggling as well. Physeo like I said is understanding mechanisms so try videos/books etc.

good luck I think you can do it!

 

[073116]

For simplicity: doing UW only - roughly improves your score by about 5-7 points a week imho. Of course trend is not linear, but under a score of 240 - it's more or less close to linear. In 17 days you can at least improve by about 12 points. If you are sitting right now at about 228 (give or take) - 17 days can just get you into 240. The issue I see here is that on real exam due to stress etc. - you may under-perform by about 5 points. So you need some margin to be safe or you need a nerves of steel and good test taking skills to negate stress and etc.

 

[Redpancreas]

My exam is in 17 days, and I am trying to get to 240.

My stats:

UWORLD 1st Pass: 64.5%
UWORLD 2nd pass, 50% done: 83%
NBME 13: 205
NBME 15: 198
UWORLD Form 1: 234
NBME 16: 223
NBME 17: 225

I took NBME 17 just today and was hoping to at least hit a 230. My weak spots are Biostats, Anatomy, Embryo and Phys; and I also have the tendency to change my correct answers to incorrect ones. If anyone has any advice (especially resources for my weak spots) or a similar experience, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

When did you take that UWSA? I wouldn't take that UWSA 2 now.

Anyways, very doable. I had the same thing happen to me. I had a big jump from NBMEs with the same weak spots and consistent NBME scores in your range (though admittedly UWSAs were higher). I think things that had positive impacts people don't talk about enough are:

-Start a sleep schedule now and add an hour extra to your sleep so your neurotransmission is at its peak on exam day.
-Buy UWorld Biostats and complete the whole thing the day before. Saw very similar concepts on exam day (nothing you can do about Anatomy, don't bother trying to target it unless you're missing Neuroanatomy, Dermatomes, Reflexes in which case you need to sit down and hammer that down once and for all...unfortunate that Phys is a weak spot...review some cardiac action potential stuff and electrolyte stuff I guess because that's kinda HY).
-Do NBME 18/19 and like try to dig deep and review your incorrects. You'll likely have 1 repeat question on your actual exam per urban legend.
-If you've been QBanking at a rate of 80+ start tapering down. You need to minimize cortisol release at this time and I know you don't feel prepared, but you've done two passes...the info is there somewhere reverberating deep within your cerebrum, kick your feet back and watch some lectures series and start exercising more.

If you do all this I predict somewhere between a 238-244 for you assuming that that UWSA wasn't yesterday. Come back when you get your score.

Also, I run marathons and the similarity between the two events is uncanny.
-Sleep helps
-Tapering helps
-The first few hours of your performance are a blur because you're working on adrenaline.
-Your most trying moments will be near the end.

 

[littleblackbear]

When did you take that UWSA? I wouldn't take that UWSA 2 now.

Anyways, very doable. I had the same thing happen to me. I had a big jump from NBMEs with the same weak spots and consistent NBME scores in your range (though admittedly UWSAs were higher). I think things that had positive impacts people don't talk about enough are:

-Start a sleep schedule now and add an hour extra to your sleep so your neurotransmission is at its peak on exam day.
-Buy UWorld Biostats and complete the whole thing the day before. Saw very similar concepts on exam day (nothing you can do about Anatomy, don't bother trying to target it unless you're missing Neuroanatomy, Dermatomes, Reflexes in which case you need to sit down and hammer that down once and for all...unfortunate that Phys is a weak spot...review some cardiac action potential stuff and electrolyte stuff I guess because that's kinda HY).
-Do NBME 18/19 and like try to dig deep and review your incorrects. You'll likely have 1 repeat question on your actual exam per urban legend.
-If you've been QBanking at a rate of 80+ start tapering down. You need to minimize cortisol release at this time and I know you don't feel prepared, but you've done two passes...the info is there somewhere reverberating deep within your cerebrum, kick your feet back and watch some lectures series and start exercising more.

If you do all this I predict somewhere between a 238-244 for you assuming that that UWSA wasn't yesterday. Come back when you get your score.

Also, I run marathons and the similarity between the two events is uncanny.
-Sleep helps
-Tapering helps
-The first few hours of your performance are a blur because you're working on adrenaline.
-Your most trying moments will be near the end.

Thanks for the advice! You must be a psychic because sleep and exercise are exactly what I've been skimping on.

I took UWSA 1 on May 14th, NBME 16 on May 19th, and NBME 17 on May 26th. That's why I'm a little concerned I only went up 2 points in one week. I've got a handle on Biostats now and I've been using BRS Phys, which has helped a lot. I actually just noticed that 7/10 Phys questions I got wrong on that last NBME were instances where I had the right answer initially and then talked myself out of it.

I actually hadn't planned on taking NBME 19, because I've heard that it underpredicts by quite a bit and I think it would really hurt my confidence and morale (which are already ridiculously low). I had also planned to do old NBMEs in the week leading up to my exam so that I could build my endurance and get used to the question style, but you're saying I should start doing fewer questions each day?

 

[USMLE_Pro]

Highest yield thing is to review the NBMEs in depth (1 day per test is reasonable!) and classify your errors for your incorrect (mis-interpretation, didn't know a fact, etc.). This will guide your study strategy going forward (more content review vs. more questions).

 

[littleblackbear]

Took Step 1 yesterday, I thought it was exactly like UWORLD and a fair test (even if some areas were overly represented).

For anyone else who needs stats to compare to:

NBME 16: 223 (80.5%)

NBME 17: 225 (85.5%)

NBME 18: 225 (79.5%)

UWSA2: 247 (79.3%) at 1 week out

Free 120: 76.7% at 4 days out, I think

For my last week, I read through FA and reviewed my NBMEs. I definitely had repeats from the NBMEs and even if it wasn't the exact same question, it would be the same topic.

Good luck! You can do it!