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deleted122269
I've been studying for this test for quite a while now and feel ready to at least pass the test. But now I have picked my date to be May 11th and am hoping for some advice on what I can do to optimize the remaining time I have left.
From the beginning, I just want to say that I was a mediocre medical student at Ross University that managed to get Cs in most of my classes. Ross makes us take an NBME Comprehensive exam and score a 64 (at the time, now a 66) before we can take the Step. I had failed teh first time with a 61 and passed on my 2nd attempt with a 64 (equivalent of a 185). This was in January.
After that, I signed up for the Pass Program for the month of February. I feel the program was of big help and helped me study properly as I am now actually learning the material instead of cramming information in like I used to when I got Cs. I took a practice test during my 3rd week of Pass. I took NBME Form 1 and got a 207. Then I finished the Pass program and studied for another week (2 weeks total) and took the first practice test from USMLE World. My score equivalent for that exam was a 192. Afterwards, I kept studying, using First Aid and Pass notes for about 2 weeks and took NBME Form 2. My score this time was a 194. This was improvement, but it was miniscule and on an easier exam than UWorld Practice Exam 1. So then I studied more and tried forcing myself to do practice questions on a daily basis for 2 weeks. I didn't end up doing practice questions as much as I had planned. Then I took NBME Form 4 (I skipped 3 because I heard it was unrealistic and ridiculous). This time my score was a 198. Still a small improvement.
Then I came home at the end of March and studied some more. This time I listened to Goljan audio (mostly, I didn't get through a few of the lectures) and followed with his lecture notes and my First Aid. I managed to do questions on a more regular basis this time. I took NBME Form 5 on April 11th and got a 207. Based on that, I had chosen a date for May 11th for the actual exam. I figured it gave me time to go through the First Aid again. Time to go through Doctors in Training as intended (3 weeks, I'm on day 5). And time to complete USMLE World at least one more time. It also is soon enough that I feel that I won't burnout and lose motivation to study as I have been seeing signs lately.
Now here I am, starting to get scared. I'm still doing DIT daily and drilling with friends and studying regularly. But I'm coming closer to the realization that 207 is not really where I wanted to be when I would be taking this exam. I want to be getting a 230 on this exam (hopefully the DIT claim of a 30 point boost is true). I'm planning on having seen my last day's video for DIT on April 30th, leaving me 10 days until the exam.
As for the advice I seek, it is primarily with regards to what I should do during those last 10 days and how I should space out the remaining practice tests I plan on taking. I am not sure if I should take a practice test at the end of week 2 of DIT and then again 5 days after done with DIT or whether I should just take one after DIT is over and then nothing until the exam.
I was planning on taking NBME Form 6, 7 and UWorld Practice Test #2. I definitely want to take UWorld 2 as I have already paid for that. I appreciate any help. Thanks!
From the beginning, I just want to say that I was a mediocre medical student at Ross University that managed to get Cs in most of my classes. Ross makes us take an NBME Comprehensive exam and score a 64 (at the time, now a 66) before we can take the Step. I had failed teh first time with a 61 and passed on my 2nd attempt with a 64 (equivalent of a 185). This was in January.
After that, I signed up for the Pass Program for the month of February. I feel the program was of big help and helped me study properly as I am now actually learning the material instead of cramming information in like I used to when I got Cs. I took a practice test during my 3rd week of Pass. I took NBME Form 1 and got a 207. Then I finished the Pass program and studied for another week (2 weeks total) and took the first practice test from USMLE World. My score equivalent for that exam was a 192. Afterwards, I kept studying, using First Aid and Pass notes for about 2 weeks and took NBME Form 2. My score this time was a 194. This was improvement, but it was miniscule and on an easier exam than UWorld Practice Exam 1. So then I studied more and tried forcing myself to do practice questions on a daily basis for 2 weeks. I didn't end up doing practice questions as much as I had planned. Then I took NBME Form 4 (I skipped 3 because I heard it was unrealistic and ridiculous). This time my score was a 198. Still a small improvement.
Then I came home at the end of March and studied some more. This time I listened to Goljan audio (mostly, I didn't get through a few of the lectures) and followed with his lecture notes and my First Aid. I managed to do questions on a more regular basis this time. I took NBME Form 5 on April 11th and got a 207. Based on that, I had chosen a date for May 11th for the actual exam. I figured it gave me time to go through the First Aid again. Time to go through Doctors in Training as intended (3 weeks, I'm on day 5). And time to complete USMLE World at least one more time. It also is soon enough that I feel that I won't burnout and lose motivation to study as I have been seeing signs lately.
Now here I am, starting to get scared. I'm still doing DIT daily and drilling with friends and studying regularly. But I'm coming closer to the realization that 207 is not really where I wanted to be when I would be taking this exam. I want to be getting a 230 on this exam (hopefully the DIT claim of a 30 point boost is true). I'm planning on having seen my last day's video for DIT on April 30th, leaving me 10 days until the exam.
As for the advice I seek, it is primarily with regards to what I should do during those last 10 days and how I should space out the remaining practice tests I plan on taking. I am not sure if I should take a practice test at the end of week 2 of DIT and then again 5 days after done with DIT or whether I should just take one after DIT is over and then nothing until the exam.
I was planning on taking NBME Form 6, 7 and UWorld Practice Test #2. I definitely want to take UWorld 2 as I have already paid for that. I appreciate any help. Thanks!
