July 2009: USMLE Step 1 Support Thread

[jhu1]

Just saw this one for Jun and though to make the July version of it When are you taking the USMLE Step 1?

For me, I'll be taking it on a July 13rd. some time left but **** load of material still to cover,

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[GujuMD]

What's up Guju. Sounds like a Good Plan to me! Couple of guys in my class are also changing dates. I thought they knew that you start losing your peak around 7th week I think? Anyway, I am in the same boat as u in U world. I got a 75 on Behavioral/Stats but then I took all random Q block and got a 64. I am stuck at 68 in Uworld.. It seems that won't change. However I used all preceding blocks in a system based 48Q timed fashion. I don't know how a systems based 68 translates to the real thing. I have 28% remaining questions. Let's see how random Q will work out. Hopefully good. Good luck.

GO JULY GO!

I think mid 60's is a good place to be- 64 according to the clinical review calculator is 234- i'll be happy with that score.
at this point- just have to keep reviewing the stuff- cuz there's too much information and might forget simple things and lose easy points. i think i am or i guess will be ready by the 18th....delaying it may give me few points but it may even increase the stress level.
good luck you have 2 weeks or so left...make full use of it, i know i am.

 

[Whats_up_doc]

I think mid 60's is a good place to be- 64 according to the clinical review calculator is 234- i'll be happy with that score.
at this point- just have to keep reviewing the stuff- cuz there's too much information and might forget simple things and lose easy points. i think i am or i guess will be ready by the 18th....delaying it may give me few points but it may even increase the stress level.
good luck you have 2 weeks or so left...make full use of it, i know i am.

As I said, for some reason I feel like an alien in this forums since I used Uworld in systems, compared to almost everybody (random). I don't know if that kinda inflates my scores since I did blocks after I studied that subject.. However, I plan to use it in random mode these last few weeks, with FA by my side.

On a brighter note, I scored 230 in NBME 5 today. Let's see how this goes. I hope the "heat of the moment" doesn't go away...

 

[GujuMD]

As I said, for some reason I feel like an alien in this forums since I used Uworld in systems, compared to almost everybody (random). I don't know if that kinda inflates my scores since I did blocks after I studied that subject.. However, I plan to use it in random mode these last few weeks, with FA by my side.

On a brighter note, I scored 230 in NBME 5 today. Let's see how this goes. I hope the "heat of the moment" doesn't go away...

I did NBME 5 a week ago and got 209 and the UWSA 1 predicted 226 several days before NBME- so not sure what to make of all that...also i have established the fact that the first blocks of questions i do for that day- i tend to score worse on it. i usually do 2 or 3 blocks of questions in the morning- either kaplan Q bank or U world. not sure what that means for the actual test day- whether i need to "warm up" or something.

 

[bluntdissector]

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER, I Wayne

Kinda missed you freaks in bold. Been covering for the useless people I have been put in a group with to rotate through internal medicine - the misDx pyelonephritis, don't know what pulsus paradoxus is or how to examine for it and didn't know anything about ADPKD. *sigh*. Hope it went okay! I know I spoke to ENT in PM's beforehand - you seemed well prepared. How did the rest find it??
or

 

[xd2005]

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER, I Wayne

Kinda missed you freaks in bold. Been covering for the useless people I have been put in a group with to rotate through internal medicine - the misDx pyelonephritis, don't know what pulsus paradoxus is or how to examine for it and didn't know anything about ADPKD. *sigh*. Hope it went okay! I know I spoke to ENT in PM's beforehand - you seemed well prepared. How did the rest find it??
or

This is going to have some people disbelieving, but I thought it was really really straightforward. The stems were no more than 4 lines long, and more importantly, the answer choices were mostly 1-liners.

Testing staff were really pleasant and made everything go smoothly. I charged through blocks 1-2, took maybe 10 mins, then 3-4, lunch for 35, and 10 mins break after 5 and 6. I was amazed at how similar the interface was to UW, even down to the font! It was a little better because it lets you cross out choices for arrow questions (which UW sometimes didn't). Found a handful of blatant repeats from Kaplan, UW, and NBME 6, but then again I forgot some simple things like BRCA1 vs BRCA2 to balance it all out. A few wtf questions, but that's to be expected.

All in all i would almost say the testing experience was almost pleasant. I was preparing for a mental fight like in the trenches of UW, but thankfully didn't get much of one. Maybe I'll post a more rigorous assessment on the exp thread later...Happy to be done!

 

[ENThopeful]

Kinda missed you freaks in bold. Been covering for the useless people I have been put in a group with to rotate through internal medicine - the misDx pyelonephritis, don't know what pulsus paradoxus is or how to examine for it and didn't know anything about ADPKD. *sigh*. Hope it went okay! I know I spoke to ENT in PM's beforehand - you seemed well prepared. How did the rest find it??
or

so my plan was way too ambitious and there was no way i could have gotten through the material i wanted to. i pushed my test date back a couple days, i will check back in when im finished with this nonsense!

 

[SimonSez]

For those of you who did the exam in the first week of July....when should we expect our scores? Would it be the usual 3 weeks?

 

[Whats_up_doc]

Well, took NBME 6 today. I got a 229 (530). I hope this somehow tranlates to something in the real deal. I have one week left for preparation. I need to go at least once more time through FA and all of Uworld. Hopefully I will break 230 or so with the last push.....

 

[ENThopeful]

..

 

[Mortal_Lessons]

Took the exam today and posted in the Experience thread. Good luck to everyone else in July. Finish up strong!

 

[bluntdissector]

For those of you who did the exam in the first week of July....when should we expect our scores? Would it be the usual 3 weeks?

We'll see this Wednesday. The last of the June-thread people didn;t get their scores on the 15th, have a look:
June 27: Steiner
June 29: RisingSun
June 30: PBandJ

So if they post their scores THIS Wednesday (22nd July), that we have gone back to the 3-4w reporting time.

If there are people reporting this Wednesday, then we should be happy!

 

[Noeljan]

I took it July 11th or

 

[I wayne]

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER, I Wayne

Kinda missed you freaks in bold. Been covering for the useless people I have been put in a group with to rotate through internal medicine - the misDx pyelonephritis, don't know what pulsus paradoxus is or how to examine for it and didn't know anything about ADPKD. *sigh*. Hope it went okay! I know I spoke to ENT in PM's beforehand - you seemed well prepared. How did the rest find it??
or

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 19: I Wayne
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER

Took my test today instead of the 29th as previously planned. Crazy huh? It's not like I was getting 260s on NBMEs or anything. I guess only time will tell whether or not it was a good idea.

 

[Whats_up_doc]

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 19: I Wayne
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER

Took my test today instead of the 29th as previously planned. Crazy huh? It's not like I was getting 260s on NBMEs or anything. I guess only time will tell whether or not it was a good idea.

This is funny. As I go through my 2nd FA review I am feeling like I am not retaining anything, even though I am emphasizing pharm... I would have loved to take the test 3 days after my last NBME (or is my mind playing tricks on me?) Whatever. Back to studying. Good luck to you wayne!

 

[PBandJ]

We'll see this Wednesday. The last of the June-thread people didn;t get their scores on the 15th, have a look:
June 27: Steiner
June 29: RisingSun
June 30: PBandJ

So if they post their scores THIS Wednesday (22nd July), that we have gone back to the 3-4w reporting time.

If there are people reporting this Wednesday, then we should be happy!

i sure hope i have scores to post this wednesday!!

good luck to everyone who took it already and those yet to take it.

 

[ENThopeful]

taking it tomorrow and can't focus.. yikes.

 

[Whats_up_doc]

taking it tomorrow and can't focus.. yikes.

Good luck man!

 

[SeminoleFan3]

Good luck everyone!

 

[ENThopeful]

so.... i took step 1, i mean studied for it, but i woke up with the intention of taking it. but I cant really remember it and now im at home with nothing to do. i feel like im the twilight zone right now.

 

[newbieonboard]

so.... i took step 1, i mean studied for it, but i woke up with the intention of taking it. but I cant really remember it and now im at home with nothing to do. i feel like im the twilight zone right now.

Yeah.... the wait is killer, I've been waiting 2 weeks now.... Just trying to keep myself occupied

 

[Whats_up_doc]

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 19: I Wayne
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER



The time has come. I want to thank all people who have given me a great piece of advice for board studying. Today I will go over a few crammable subjects and will call it quits at 4PM or so. Hopefully, all of this hard work will pay off in the end. Let's do this!

GO JULY GO!!!!

 

[PBandJ]

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 19: I Wayne
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER



The time has come. I want to thank all people who have given me a great piece of advice for board studying. Today I will go over a few crammable subjects and will call it quits at 4PM or so. Hopefully, all of this hard work will pay off in the end. Let's do this!

GO JULY GO!!!!

you'll be great! good luck WUD!

 

[SeminoleFan3]

Good luck, Doc. Hope you rock it out!

 

[Whats_up_doc]

Good luck, Doc. Hope you rock it out!

GO JULY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

So good to be done. It has been a loong day but I am sooo glad this is over. The exam was a mixture of classic questions but mostly pathophysiology and mechanisms. I think I will still fall in the 220-240 category but I don't really know where! Will update later on the official thread. Thanks for the support and....

GO JULY GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bluntdissector]

July 2: metallo
July 3: braluk
July 7: dgriss1
July 8: bluntdissector
July 9: nadk9f
July 11: Cirrus83
July 13: jhu1
July 14: xd2005, ENThopeful, chubbykid
July 19: I Wayne
July 18: GujuMD
July 24: Whats_up_doc
July 27: Elfy
July 29: PRIMER

Seems we are done here...Maybe we'll get some scores tomoz!

 

[cosine]

For the July 6 and 7 test takers, are we supposed to get our results tonight at midnight or tommorow morning? I'm assuming it will be this week since its been 3 weeks.

 

[PBandJ]

For the July 6 and 7 test takers, are we supposed to get our results tonight at midnight or tommorow morning? I'm assuming it will be this week since its been 3 weeks.

last week the scores came out around 11 am on the wednesday of score release. it's probably reasonable to expect that this week would be similar, but it doesn't hurt to check at midnight.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Hey guys,

Ok, I need some advice. I took a week off after my comlex and I've began my FP rotations. I decided to take an NBME (#3) and while I recognized a lot of the stuff being asked, the molecular bio/genetics felt out there for me. Anyways, I felt I performed well but instead ended up with a 320 (equivalent is 183).

I was thinking about taking the USMLE in 2 months. Within the 2 months I was thinking about just doing UW Qs and supplementing with FA and RR path as needed (for clarification). The 2nd month I was planning on doing DIT/FA along with UW and supplementing with RR path.

What do you guys think, should I even bother taking the USMLE given such a low score? I'd studied for the COMLEX for about 6 weeks and I didn't think I'd score this low on an NBME .... thoughts? advice?

 

[newbieonboard]

last week the scores came out around 11 am on the wednesday of score release. it's probably reasonable to expect that this week would be similar, but it doesn't hurt to check at midnight.

11am central right?

 

[PBandJ]

11am central right?

my score was available at 11:02ish eastern time.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Hey guys,

Ok, I need some advice. I took a week off after my comlex and I've began my FP rotations. I decided to take an NBME (#3) and while I recognized a lot of the stuff being asked, the molecular bio/genetics felt out there for me. Anyways, I felt I performed well but instead ended up with a 320 (equivalent is 183).

I was thinking about taking the USMLE in 2 months. Within the 2 months I was thinking about just doing UW Qs and supplementing with FA and RR path as needed (for clarification). The 2nd month I was planning on doing DIT/FA along with UW and supplementing with RR path.

What do you guys think, should I even bother taking the USMLE given such a low score? I'd studied for the COMLEX for about 6 weeks and I didn't think I'd score this low on an NBME .... thoughts? advice?

Anything??

 

[PBandJ]

Anything??

A lot can be done in 8 weeks if you work at it. I started at a 220 with my first NBME exam, 5 weeks before testing, and I ended up with a 244 on the real thing. Biochemical mechanisms are huge on the USMLE (I don't know much about COMLEX in comparison, though). If you focus on your weak areas and make sure to get through as many questions as possible, you should be able to improve from your 183. But keep taking practice tests to gauge your performance. If you're not improving, it's probably a good idea to consider postponing or not taking USMLE. You might also want to check to see if your school has someone you could speak to for advice in this area.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Possible to get a 220?

What do you define as putting in work? Doing Q's, reading all explanations, supplementing with FA and RR path, and then add in DIT to the above? Is it possible to score a 220 doing this?

Apparently I can get a refund on my subscription since ive not activated it (165-10) for $155. Y'all think I should consider this option?