I took Step 1 today and I feel like I didn't pass! I am an idiot I should have done more practice questions that I did! I felt like I got 15 wrong in each section. I go to a top 40 school and I got a 74% on my prometric practice test one week ago which is 226 +/- 11 at medfriends.org. Does any one know someone in my situation that failed? What happened to them? AM i doomed? Im so worried I cant eat, sleep or stop crying!
I think I failed Step 1
- Thread starter bhop
- Start date
I also feel like I got 15+ wrong per section. I definitely marked at least that many for review. I don't think that would be failing (at least on my form). Nothing you can do now but hang tight and employ your mature defense mechanism: SUPPRESSION.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2008
- Messages
- 148
- Reaction score
- 0
Sounds like we may have a 250+ on our hands!
- Joined
- May 7, 2009
- Messages
- 44
- Reaction score
- 0
I took home a 75% on the USMLE practice test and scored on the actual test >> 240.
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2005
- Messages
- 35
- Reaction score
- 0
What is it with medical students and all the pessimism/anxiety after a test.
Step 1 scores should be dealt out like Deal or No Deal, just to see someone's face after they settle for a 190 when they really had a 230+, which is my prediction for the OP.
Step 1 scores should be dealt out like Deal or No Deal, just to see someone's face after they settle for a 190 when they really had a 230+, which is my prediction for the OP.
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2004
- Messages
- 20,793
- Reaction score
- 109
It's pretty common, a lot of the 3rd years at my school (including the ones who rocked the test) left feeling like they failed. Remember, there are experimental questions and questions they put in there about things you've never seen before to help them standardize it. You're not supposed to get 100%.
Just hang in there and try to relax, focus on something else until the scores come back.
Just hang in there and try to relax, focus on something else until the scores come back.
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2006
- Messages
- 1,270
- Reaction score
- 16
I left the testing center yesterday wanting to come home, curl up on the couch in the fetal position, and cry. I felt like my 5.5 weeks of studying was worthless. While it definitely wasn't worthless time, I felt like I got screwed out of questions that weren't in any review book I had. However, after sleeping it off, I don't think (or at least I hope) it went as bad as I thought it had when I finished. I left thinking "OMG, what if I just failed?!" Even if it didn't go well, at least I can live in this ignorance for the next 4 weeks 
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2009
- Messages
- 1,492
- Reaction score
- 39
It is an unfortunate reality that Medical Schools have self-selected for anti-social anxiety-ridden wanna-be-the-bests. Everyone has been trained since they were 5 (unless they have legacy or a fat wallet) that they have to get a 1000% (not a typo) on their tests in order to advance to the next level. Do nothing but the test, the test is god, the test is supreme.
Oh gnoez! I failedz! Now I have to go into family medicinez! I havent even got my score back and Ive already decided what I got! I cant wait a week to receive my score reports, I must post on the intarwebz to get feedbacks from all my friendz!
You know when pregnant mothers give birth? They get post-pardum depression. What has your studying been like? It probably involves 10-12 hrs a day, 5-6 days a week, with a "day off" where you sleep in. If you are a devout 246, you probably do it 7 days a week. What happens when you suddenly take your test, and are left with a month before the start of your first (next) rotation? yeah. Let-Down Reflex.
Well dont get down! You can use your newly freed time to start studying for Step 2 now! Dont let all that energy go into something useful (like drinking so heavily you cannot remember your basic science curriculum, going to the gym to work off the 45 lbs you put on by only studying, or maybe laying in the sun...) waste it away in the nothingness that is studying for a useless test. Since you probably failed on this exam, you should start preparing right now for the next one. I hear ******************* has great deals on people who sign up 2 years in advance.
Oh gnoez! I failedz! Now I have to go into family medicinez! I havent even got my score back and Ive already decided what I got! I cant wait a week to receive my score reports, I must post on the intarwebz to get feedbacks from all my friendz!
You know when pregnant mothers give birth? They get post-pardum depression. What has your studying been like? It probably involves 10-12 hrs a day, 5-6 days a week, with a "day off" where you sleep in. If you are a devout 246, you probably do it 7 days a week. What happens when you suddenly take your test, and are left with a month before the start of your first (next) rotation? yeah. Let-Down Reflex.
Well dont get down! You can use your newly freed time to start studying for Step 2 now! Dont let all that energy go into something useful (like drinking so heavily you cannot remember your basic science curriculum, going to the gym to work off the 45 lbs you put on by only studying, or maybe laying in the sun...) waste it away in the nothingness that is studying for a useless test. Since you probably failed on this exam, you should start preparing right now for the next one. I hear ******************* has great deals on people who sign up 2 years in advance.
I know people say that most testers feel like they failed after the exam, but honestly, that doesn't make me feel any better when you feel like you guessed on half the test. I've never been so short for time before- I knew whenever I clicked next, I would never have time to come back and think about the question again. My question- since 95% of first-time takers pass the exam, how hard is it to pass? Getting overall 60-70% correct (what first aid says) seems pretty high just to pass given how horribly most of us feel after the exam.
I studied my ass off for 5 weeks, and I think they tested me on 40-50% of the stuff I covered, but they were really detailed on that 40-50%.
I studied my ass off for 5 weeks, and I think they tested me on 40-50% of the stuff I covered, but they were really detailed on that 40-50%.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2005
- Messages
- 137
- Reaction score
- 0
I had no idea you felt that way about it. If anyone prepared and was ready to take that test it was you. I have full confidence that you did fine and probably did pretty well. If I were you, regardless of how I felt about it, I couldn't wait to get my score back, especially as well as you prepped. There's no way all that studying didn't make a huge difference.I left the testing center yesterday wanting to come home, curl up on the couch in the fetal position, and cry. I felt like my 5.5 weeks of studying was worthless. While it definitely wasn't worthless time, I felt like I got screwed out of questions that weren't in any review book I had. However, after sleeping it off, I don't think (or at least I hope) it went as bad as I thought it had when I finished. I left thinking "OMG, what if I just failed?!" Even if it didn't go well, at least I can live in this ignorance for the next 4 weeks
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2006
- Messages
- 1,270
- Reaction score
- 16
Thanks, JW. Enjoy your vacation. I'm ready to hit the beach as soon as the spouse finishes his test.
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2009
- Messages
- 1,492
- Reaction score
- 39
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2005
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction score
- 0
Bhop, I took Step 1 the same day as you and everyday since then I've been waking up terrified. I totally agree. I feel like I failed. I know I'm an excessive tick-marker (whenever I have the slightest doubt...I tick mark it). For each section, I had at least 12 marks (I think my 4th section I tick marked half of it!). What's been bugging me the past few days is all the questions I was down to two answers...and that I initally picked the RIGHT answer and changing it b/c I just doubted myself. I found 4-5 questions like that already. UGH.
I seriously wonder if I passed...and if I did, squeaking out a 190. My big sib and everyone tells me it's "good" to feel this way and that you most likely rocked it if you feel you failed. I just can't see how I could believe this when I already realized I changed right --> wrong answers for like 5 questions already!!
Just wanted to let you know I feel the sameeeeeee wayyyy. Trying to suppress thoughts but sometimes it resurfaces!
I seriously wonder if I passed...and if I did, squeaking out a 190. My big sib and everyone tells me it's "good" to feel this way and that you most likely rocked it if you feel you failed. I just can't see how I could believe this when I already realized I changed right --> wrong answers for like 5 questions already!!
Just wanted to let you know I feel the sameeeeeee wayyyy. Trying to suppress thoughts but sometimes it resurfaces!
definitely see where you guys are coming from. The wait is rough and I feel its natural to feel like you did not do well, at least for most of us, because at the end of the day 5-10 weeks of prep and still feeling like the test destroyed you is a major let down. However, I tried two things to help me cope, if you wanna call it coping, one I cant change anything now if i fail I fail if i do well I do well, secondly why would UW, NBMEs, and free 150 reflect score x but I get score y. The second one i thought about way longer, since the actual test is a smaller chunk of question, I cant see how 3000 questions can not be more reflective of my performance on test day regardless of how I felt. There were times I finished a UW block and though I got 50%, but then got 75%. On the same note, other times I thought I got 90% and got 60%.
Hope that helps. I too am expecting scores soon, well July 15th i guess. Good luck to all of us.
Hope that helps. I too am expecting scores soon, well July 15th i guess. Good luck to all of us.
Hi all,
I'm new to SDN but have been reading all the blogs since I've started applying for med schools and now after just finishing step 1 yesterday, I feel the same way you do. I felt like crap after taking the test. I was just stunned at some of the questions ie senario for a disease and I knew the disease and they asked for the gene defect: listed a bunch and one of the options was Gene X-1 or Gene X-2. I knew it was gene X but 1 or 2, WTF? Totally random guessing by that point.
I prepped as much as I could for 4 weeks straight, 11 hour days (even on my birthday). After, I was in a daze. I tried to meet up with friends to resume a normal life but I kind of just stared out into space. Today, I woke up and was like I need to look up answers and I need to see if other SDN people feel the same way I do so I can feel a little better about myself. I think I need to get outdoors and see the sun! So this forum helped me realize I wasn't the only one feeling horrible. At least there support and misery in numbers. Haha. We'll its time for me to break out into the real world again. Good luck to all that have worked so hard.
I'm new to SDN but have been reading all the blogs since I've started applying for med schools and now after just finishing step 1 yesterday, I feel the same way you do. I felt like crap after taking the test. I was just stunned at some of the questions ie senario for a disease and I knew the disease and they asked for the gene defect: listed a bunch and one of the options was Gene X-1 or Gene X-2. I knew it was gene X but 1 or 2, WTF? Totally random guessing by that point.
I prepped as much as I could for 4 weeks straight, 11 hour days (even on my birthday). After, I was in a daze. I tried to meet up with friends to resume a normal life but I kind of just stared out into space. Today, I woke up and was like I need to look up answers and I need to see if other SDN people feel the same way I do so I can feel a little better about myself. I think I need to get outdoors and see the sun! So this forum helped me realize I wasn't the only one feeling horrible. At least there support and misery in numbers. Haha. We'll its time for me to break out into the real world again. Good luck to all that have worked so hard.
Similar threads
