Is it true that the harder exams are send to specific states?

[jdmd1student]

I know this sounds ridiculous, but I've heard that the harder exams are send to the bigger regions. Is it true?

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[mRhazes]

It would be impossible to know.

 

[Rollo]

It's an urban legend.

http://www.nbme.org/students/UrbanLegends/index.html

 

[jdmd1student]

Thanks for the link...

Well...they classify this as an urban legend and is actually true:
"Questions from the NBME’s self-assessments are also used in live USMLE examinations." I guess that no one will know...

 

[Rollo]

Thanks for the link...

Well...they classify this as an urban legend and is actually true:
"Questions from the NBME’s self-assessments are also used in live USMLE examinations." I guess that no one will know...

What do you mean? That questions from NBMEs have, word to word, shown up on an actual USMLE exam?

 

[jdmd1student]

Yep... many recent exam takers have being saying that around 1 to 2 questions repeat from older nbme exams.

 

[bbydoc]

Yep... many recent exam takers have being saying that around 1 to 2 questions repeat from older nbme exams.

dont believe what everyone says...why would they lie?
What I read from past test-takers is that they used 2-3 question stems from nbme, same question? no!

 

[Stitch400]

I took the exam in February and I had two questions that were repeated verbatim from NBME 7. Including giving the same possible answers.

 

[bbydoc]

case in point, someone with 1 post claims this...

I took the exam in February and I had two questions that were repeated verbatim from NBME 7. Including giving the same possible answers.

 

[Stitch400]

Re: bbydoc. You're right, I lied. I apologize. I should have known that in order to be considered a reliable source I need more posts.

 

[Rollo]

For someone to claim they saw 1 or 2 questions, word-to-word, on their actual exam....well how reliable is your memory? Most people, after going through a 300+ question marathon, can barely remember their last name because their brain is fried. How can, then, someone claim that they saw question X on their exam was EXACTLY word-to-word from the NBME?

Similar questions, maybe the same concept was being tested, with the same wrong answer choices but verbatim? And people claim to remember these questions?

Seems more anecdotal than actual proof, and I'll default to trusting the official USMLE's stance on this issue. They aren't out to fool or lie to us, they would have no reason to.

 

[Mr hawkings]

For someone to claim they saw 1 or 2 questions, word-to-word, on their actual exam....well how reliable is your memory? Most people, after going through a 300+ question marathon, can barely remember their last name because their brain is fried. How can, then, someone claim that they saw question X on their exam was EXACTLY word-to-word from the NBME?

Similar questions, maybe the same concept was being tested, with the same wrong answer choices but verbatim? And people claim to remember these questions?

Seems more anecdotal than actual proof, and I'll default to trusting the official USMLE's stance on this issue. They aren't out to fool or lie to us, they would have no reason to.

How much of a difference would 1-2 questions make anyway. The test is over 300 Qs long. Now if its 1-2 per block, then i'm you'll have my attention.

 

[Slade]

If you read past STEP 1 Experiences threads, you'll see that tons of people saw NBME practice questions verbatim on their exam.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

If you read past STEP 1 Experiences threads, you'll see that tons of people saw NBME practice questions verbatim on their exam.

Word.

And as for those who say the NBME has no reason to lie to us - I'm not sure they have any reason to be 100% honest with us, either. They're not "our" organization, and they're not "on our side" either. If they're doing something like this, we'd never know and there would be no real way to call them out on it.

(Granted, I don't think they're being dishonest here...but I also feel a certain dose of skepticism is healthy when dealing with large institutions.)

 

[Rollo]

Should the skepticism be enough to cause unnecessary anxiety among the masses or just enough to let the NBME know that they can't steamroll us?

Problem becomes, in my opinion, when the healthy dose of skepticism fuels an illogical conspiracy theory that does nothing but causes unrest and anxiety among medical students.