NBME 16 to be released.

[metukah]

Just read this on the NBME site:
A new form of the Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment (CBSSA) will be released on Monday, March 3, 2014 on the NBME Self-Assessment Services website. CBSSA Form 16 will be offered in both regular and expanded feedback. On March 3rd, the NBME will also retire forms 5 and 6 of CBSSA. After this date, these forms will no longer be available for purchase.

NOTE: All forms of CBSSA started on or after March 3rd will appear on a different longitudinal performance profile due to changes in the minimum passing score for Step 1 and due to changes to the CBSSA score scale. In addition, CBSSA forms completed prior to March 3rd will not be rescored or compared longitudinally against those started after this date.

I wonder how this new scale will change things...

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[Leonidis I]

Thanks for the info

So if we purchase 5 and 6 now we can take them in 30 days right? Or do we have to take them before March 3 when they are retired?

 

[metukah]

Good question...I'm not sure...

 

[ChessMaster3000]

It just says no longer available for PURCHASE--I would bet that you can still use them after march 3rd as long as you buy them before.

 

[bucks900]

I emailed them last night about this and got two responses:

"From the date of purchase, examinees have 30 days to launch their exams, and they have 20 days from date of launch to complete them. Please let me know if you have any questions."

"You should still have access to those forms if they are purchased before March 3rd, but to be sure you receive the full value of your purchase, we would strongly suggest completing them before they are retired."

Anyone think its a good idea to purchase these before they get taken down?

 

[metukah]

Yea I got the same answers. I also asked if purchasing form 6 today and then doing it after March 3 would be marked on the new scale and they said "It would be assessed with the old scale. Forms purchased before March 3 will not be rescored using the new scale."

So probably a good idea to buy the form before Monday. Just finished it now - personally, I thought it was harder than form 7! a lot of WTF questions, nothing I had seen, and not in any Qbanks. Somehow I ended up doing better on this one than form 7 last week. Thank god.

 

[sadaca]

do u guys think we should save this one for closer to exam? its probably gonna be most predictive!

 

[mybubbles627]

Form 5 is not available in extended feedback. Is it worth buying it tomorrow with regular feedback and form 6 with extended?

 

[swoopyswoop]

Yea, can someone answer the above Q? Should we purchase NBMEs 5,6 before Monday?

 

[metukah]

if you want to do 5 and 6, then yes you should buy them before tomorrow, or else they won't be available for purchase online anymore.

 

[swoopyswoop]

are they worth doing?