NBME Difficulty vs Actual Step 1 Questions

[JonD]

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For those of you who have taken Step 1 already, did you feel like the level of difficulty of the actual Step 1 questions were the same as the NBME practice tests? Basically, when I sit down to take the test, what kind of questions should I be expecting?

 

[Tablet PC]

For those of you who have taken Step 1 already, did you feel like the level of difficulty of the actual Step 1 questions were the same as the NBME practice tests? Basically, when I sit down to take the test, what kind of questions should I be expecting?

This is the response that I got from a 3rd year (going to be starting 4th year in July and applying to neurosurgery).

Hey Tablet PC,

Yes, you are absolutely correct in noticing that the NBME questions are much easier than the practice test questions (in USMLE World). Like I may have hinted to in my hints about Step 1, the vast majority of the questions will be pretty straightforward. It's only about
1-2 out of every 10 that really make you think or ask about an obscure piece of knowledge. If you took a full length, timed NBME practice test and received your score... it should be a VERY accurate predictor of your performance. I hadn't even studied Biochem, Pharmacology, OR Microbio and I took my practice test and got within TWO points of my actual score. I've heard similar reports from people... like 5-8 points away from the actual score.

Take Care,
Ivan

 

[sendwich]

This is the response that I got from a 3rd year (going to be starting 4th year in July and applying to neurosurgery).

Hey Tablet PC,

Yes, you are absolutely correct in noticing that the NBME questions are much easier than the practice test questions (in USMLE World). Like I may have hinted to in my hints about Step 1, the vast majority of the questions will be pretty straightforward. It's only about
1-2 out of every 10 that really make you think or ask about an obscure piece of knowledge. If you took a full length, timed NBME practice test and received your score... it should be a VERY accurate predictor of your performance. I hadn't even studied Biochem, Pharmacology, OR Microbio and I took my practice test and got within TWO points of my actual score. I've heard similar reports from people... like 5-8 points away from the actual score.

Take Care,
Ivan

Just curious...why wouldn't your friend's score go up after studying all those subjects (unless he didnt?)?? isn't the step1 a measure of how much you know??

 

[sebsvenmdc]

Just curious...why wouldn't your friend's score go up after studying all those subjects (unless he didnt?)?? isn't the step1 a measure of how much you know??

That's a component of it, but I think it's also a reasoning and thinking test too. About all med students can reason! But it seems that the Step hammers a working knowledge of information. Learning info definitely helps, but knowledge is worthless unless it's seriously integrated. And kids will differ in their ability to tie concepts together and use different tools in the given amount of time. Not all kids can run through equations at the same rate or go through all of the answer choices with a variety of different filters. Also, the med student may have saturated early. I scored higher on my CBSE a month ago than I have scored on the past 3 practice tests...NMBEs and UWSA. The scores are all within about 5-6 points of each other. I might be hitting my max. So, the kid might have been near his max too.

 

[dantt]

There's a good amount of material that needs to be memorized cold; i.e. pharm. Easy points if you know it.