Low NBME Scores

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Welp38

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Hey everyone, USMD 2 here currently FREAKING OUT. I've gotten all As and Bs in my classes and did well on some NBME subject exams (anatomy/embryo, neuro, physio, not so hot on biochem but still ok). Then didn't do so well (below 50th percentile on everything - path, pharm, behavioral, sciences and ICD) but didn't pay it tooo much mind because I was forced to take them by my school and didn't really study for them because my grades were solid regardless. All those exams were taken within one month of each other and capped off with the NBME comprehensive science exam that apparently only schools can give which I literally just passed with a 195. I was shocked but again not toooo worried because I figured I was just exhausted and hadn't given it dedicated study.

But that was exactly a month ago and I've been doing my dedicated step 1 studying (did UW 1st pass from January - May with a 56%, read all of First aid, all of Pathoma, Sketchy Micro and Most of Sketchy Pharm). So I took the UW SA1 after I finished UW and got a 234 , but I know this test tends to over predict so a week later I took my second NBME (17) (2 weeks before I was supposed to take Step 1) and got a 200.... I was devastated. But I thought it was a fluke so I did a quick review and two days later (I know what could change in 2 days but I thought it was just a bad exam) and got a 192 today... HUH?! I'm supposed to take Step this week but am obvs going to push it back but the latest date is about 2 weeks from now. Any tips on 1) how to not feel like a pile of **** and 2) bring my score up at LEAST 20 points (not gonna be greedy) in two weeks?

Thanks in advance

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Recently more than ever the UW scores and the NBME scores are NOT correlating for a lot of people including myself. I took the exam yesterday and the best advice I have for you is to take NBMEs and use them to review content. For example if the NBME asks you a question about adrenal insufficiency make sure you know EVERYTHING about adrenal insufficiency because guaranteed on the exam they will ask you questions about that topic (I don't really remember if there was a question about adrenal insufficiency I am just using it as an example).

The other advice I can give you is to review, review, review. Use FA and pathoma, try to read it, watch videos, whatever you have to do to make sure that material is sticking in your head because that is where most of the information is coming from. My exam at least was NOT as convoluted as Uworld, it was very similar to NBME first order question where they wanted you to know a certain fact about a disease.


Good luck I think you can def bring it up 20 points!
 
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Recently more than ever the UW scores and the NBME scores are NOT correlating for a lot of people including myself. I took the exam yesterday and the best advice I have for you is to take NBMEs and use them to review content. For example if the NBME asks you a question about adrenal insufficiency make sure you know EVERYTHING about adrenal insufficiency because guaranteed on the exam they will ask you questions about that topic (I don't really remember if there was a question about adrenal insufficiency I am just using it as an example).

The other advice I can give you is to review, review, review. Use FA and pathoma, try to read it, watch videos, whatever you have to do to make sure that material is sticking in your head because that is where most of the information is coming from. My exam at least was NOT as convoluted as Uworld, it was very similar to NBME first order question where they wanted you to know a certain fact about a disease.


Good luck I think you can def bring it up 20 points!

I agree with above. I was told to study high yield and UFAP is good enough, but I did not think my test is like either Uworld or NBME. There are different version of step tho. Two classmates said same as me, while one said his test was like Uworld. So depend on your luck I guess. The best you can do is to know first aid and Uworld inside out, do many NBME as you can..and try your best. The rest really depends on your luck.

But if you want to feel more secure, bring up that NBME before you take real thing. I thought my test was harder than any NBME (I took all except 18) or Uworld I took.
 
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Recently more than ever the UW scores and the NBME scores are NOT correlating for a lot of people including myself. I took the exam yesterday and the best advice I have for you is to take NBMEs and use them to review content. For example if the NBME asks you a question about adrenal insufficiency make sure you know EVERYTHING about adrenal insufficiency because guaranteed on the exam they will ask you questions about that topic (I don't really remember if there was a question about adrenal insufficiency I am just using it as an example).

The other advice I can give you is to review, review, review. Use FA and pathoma, try to read it, watch videos, whatever you have to do to make sure that material is sticking in your head because that is where most of the information is coming from. My exam at least was NOT as convoluted as Uworld, it was very similar to NBME first order question where they wanted you to know a certain fact about a disease.


Good luck I think you can def bring it up 20 points!
Yeah I've definitely been hearing mixed reviews about how similar NBMEs/Uworld is to the real thing as of recent. My roommate took hers recently and thought it was similar to Uworld but not terribly difficult so I'm praying for the same. Thanks for the advice!
 
I agree with above. I was told to study high yield and UFAP is good enough, but I did not think my test is like either Uworld or NBME. There are different version of step tho. Two classmates said same as me, while one said his test was like Uworld. So depend on your luck I guess. The best you can do is to know first aid and Uworld inside out, do many NBME as you can..and try your best. The rest really depends on your luck.

But if you want to feel more secure, bring up that NBME before you take real thing. I thought my test was harder than any NBME (I took all except 18) or Uworld I took.
Yeah that's my issue. I've read all of first aid but I think I haven't spent as much time REviewing material as opposed to viewing everything 1-2 times though they overlap concepts. I'm definitely going to review my two NBMEs and take the Uworld SA2 and pray for the best. Thanks for the advice!
 
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