Is the USMLE as "Clinical" as the NBMEs?

[batch5000]

I just took my first practice test, NBME Number 13. I did pretty good and got a 250 estimated score! I have to say that it really surprised me though. The NBME was WAY more "clinical" than what I expected. For example, the biochemistry questions would have a clinical presentation and then ask for a diagnosis or maybe ask what enzyme was deficient. That was about as deep as it went. No questions regarding charge or pKas on amino acid residues or tricky titration curves. Am I missing something here?

Anyway, I am going to just keep pushing forward through Robins, Harrison's, FA (memorizing about 12.5 pages per night,) and Exammaster. I just bought Usmleworld too. Its WAY different than Exammaster, but it has great explanations. I kind of wish some one had told me about it earlier. My exam is in 2 weeks. Is the USMLE like the NBME Number 13? Thanks, guys.

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[Alvarez13]

I just took my first practice test, NBME Number 13. I did pretty good and got a 250 estimated score! I have to say that it really surprised me though. The NBME was WAY more "clinical" than what I expected. For example, the biochemistry questions would have a clinical presentation and then ask for a diagnosis or maybe ask what enzyme was deficient. That was about as deep as it went. No questions regarding charge or pKas on amino acid residues or tricky titration curves. Am I missing something here?

Anyway, I am going to just keep pushing forward through Robins, Harrison's, FA (memorizing about 12.5 pages per night,) and Exammaster. I just bought Usmleworld too. Its WAY different than Exammaster, but it has great explanations. I kind of wish some one had told me about it earlier. My exam is in 2 weeks. Is the USMLE like the NBME Number 13? Thanks, guys.

Nice score. Keep up the good work.

Not sure how you missed UW. That's all people ever talk about here.

 

[NewYorkDoctors]

Step 1 is going to have a bit more "clinical questions" that are more fitting for Step 2 than the NBMEs represented.

Plus the vignettes will be far longer and cumbersome to read. (Literally)

Example:

The following is actually a very easy question for one who has prepared for Step 2, but it caught be a bit by surprise on my Step 1.

A young mother who gave birth two a daughter two months ago comes in with thumb pain. She states she has been holding her child's head with her thumbs behind the head. She states the pain is along the dorsal surface of the thumb. Opposing and adducting the thumb and then closing the first causes increased pain. What is the disease process?

Tendinitis?
Enthesitis?
Arthritis?
Tenosynovitis?
Bursitis?

(This is DeQuervain's tenosynovitis, btw)

This prompt is laden with buzzwords but unless you happen to have come across this before, it's not something emphasized in the high yield review notes.

 

[batch5000]

Step 1 is going to have a bit more "clinical questions" that are more fitting for Step 2 than the NBMEs represented.

Plus the vignettes will be far longer and cumbersome to read. (Literally)

Example:

The following is actually a very easy question for one who has prepared for Step 2, but it caught be a bit by surprise on my Step 1.

A young mother who gave birth two a daughter two months ago comes in with thumb pain. She states she has been holding her child's head with her thumbs behind the head. She states the pain is along the dorsal surface of the thumb. Opposing and adducting the thumb and then closing the first causes increased pain. What is the disease process?

Tendinitis?
Enthesitis?
Arthritis?
Tenosynovitis?
Bursitis?

(This is DeQuervain's tenosynovitis, btw)

This prompt is laden with buzzwords but unless you happen to have come across this before, it's not something emphasized in the high yield review notes.

Thanks a lot! This style is a lot different than the Exammaster questions that I have been using to review with. It reminds me more of what I have seen in the few Usmleworld questions that I have tried. It might be good for me to do a few more in the days before the test so that I am more used to the "style" - if that makes sense.