Getting ready for Step 1 and was curious if the NBME CBSSA self-assessment exams or the USMLE World self assessment exams are better. I was going to use the CBSSA exams but saw USMLE World has a nice little package with the Qbank and two self-assessment exams. Any thoughts??
NBME CBSSA practice Exams or USMLE World Self-assessment exams
- Thread starter TPBC
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2009
- Messages
- 140
- Reaction score
- 2
The NBMEs are supposed to be the gold standard for figuring out where you stand, though some people may tell you that their UWorld Self Assessments (UWSA) were pretty predictive as well. I'd heard/read mixed opinions on the UWSAs but opted to purchase them and was pretty happy that I did so. If you buy NBMEs with extended feedback, you can view your incorrect questions but aren't given the corresponding right answer or an explanation, so you have to figure it out yourself and/or do a bit of digging online to find a site or thread where other people have discussed/posted some of these questions; depending on how much you have to review, this can be a bit time-consuming. The UWSAs spare you this chore since you get the answers and explanations like any other UWorld question block. So at the very least, you're getting 8 extra blocks of questions if you have both UWSAs (and a provisional/estimated 3-digit score at the end, of course).
The curve on the UWSAs is also different- you may get a lower percentage of questions correct in comparison to an NBME but may wind up with a comparable or higher score.
The curve on the UWSAs is also different- you may get a lower percentage of questions correct in comparison to an NBME but may wind up with a comparable or higher score.
The UWSAs tend to overpredict a bit, though they were pretty accurate for some. I would recommend them because it is a way to stimulate a more accurate test environment (though a bit short), plus it gives you an additional 8 blocks of unique questions if you do both. That's some good extra practice.
