Just got my score. Passed comfortably (although still over 50 points off my step 1 and 2 scores!) but let me just say I was sweating it out from the time I left the exam room to the time I got my score. I thought for sure I had failed. I didn't study a day, and I took it at the end of my pgy2 year in radiation oncology. I thought the multiple choice was easy enough, and if I had to do it all over again, I still wouldn't study for the exam. But...if there is 1 thing I would recommend that you absolutely do for this test, it is to make sure you are prepared for the simulated cases. Don't even think of going into the exam without familiarizing yourself with that software and reading something about how, in a general sense, to approach the cases (I looked at wikipedia after the exam, and I think just that section alone would have helped me tremendously). I didn't do this and that was why I was sweating. I literally had no idea how to use the software and I honestly cannot believe I passed with the score I did. I know I killed my first patient (simply because I didn't know what to do with the software; I advanced the clock on an unstable patient without typing in orders and the case just stopped). I think I just lucked out in that many of my cases were surgery cases and once a diagnosis was made the case ended; otherwise, I think I might have been in trouble because I did not know that you could discharge patients, set up follow up appointments or that you need to do daily lab checks, physical exams, etc. on inpatients. I don't think you necessarily have to go out and buy the online practice cases that people talk about on this site, but I would highly recommend reading something that details what is expected in the cases and make sure to go over the practice cases put out by the nbme.
As far as when to take the exam, if I had to do it all over again, I would take it at the beginning of my intern year or even during the 4th year of medical school. I didn't find that anything I learned during my intern year helped me on this exam (although admittedly, I did an easy transitional year), and I think 3rd and 4th year of medical school are enough to pass.
As far as when to take the exam, if I had to do it all over again, I would take it at the beginning of my intern year or even during the 4th year of medical school. I didn't find that anything I learned during my intern year helped me on this exam (although admittedly, I did an easy transitional year), and I think 3rd and 4th year of medical school are enough to pass.
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