Step I nbme released items

Started by Milhouse Van Houten
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I'm sorry for the incorrect citation, I meant B.U.H.P (Bring up HIS post)

Love to hear the theories on this one.

Also what test (and where do you find it) is the one people are quoting with a score like 500 +- 100? Is this a test you buy?
 
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okay, my understanding is that there are three practice tests in total:
1) FREE released items-these are 150 questions on the NBME website. You download them and it stimulates the actual exam conditions. You get a raw score out of 150 and that is all

2)a FOR PAY 200 question exam on the NBME website. I believe the score is like 500-1000 or something, but they give you the standard deviation and average so those interested can convert to a regular scale.

3)a different FOR PAY 200 question exam on the NBME website

again, are there any correlations between the FREE released items score and the real exam?
 
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My understanding is that the 'for pay' 200 question exams have the absolute best correlation to step 1. the questions are retired/semiretired step 1 questions (i think) so it enables one to obtain an accurate score as if one took step 1 that same day. There are also written comprehensive basic science exams that you can take thru your school. They are out of a 0-100 scale. 70 = 200 on step 1, 80 = 225 on step 1; +2 points = +5 points on step 1.
 
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that's true, but there is still the free "released items" which are old questions as well. incidentally, on the practice nbme exam that you speak of (which the school gives out) did you notice the score report said the average was a 200 for those students who took the actual exam in 1991? However, it also says passing is 182. how can you have an average of 200 with failure being only 18 points below that?
 
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Milhouse Van Houten said:
that's true, but there is still the free "released items" which are old questions as well. incidentally, on the practice nbme exam that you speak of (which the school gives out) did you notice the score report said the average was a 200 for those students who took the actual exam in 1991? However, it also says passing is 182. how can you have an average of 200 with failure being only 18 points below that?
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I noticed the same thing... Maybe back in 1991 the average on step 1 was a 200??? In any case, I think the score correlations are still relevant and predictive. However, the free released items are much easier than the basic science comprehensive exam. The prompts are shorter and the questions IMO are pretty easy. I'm sure they're good to go through but I don't anticipate my upcoming exam to be filled w/ the same style/length/difficulty of questions like the free released items... I'm sure it'll be more in line w/ the basic science comprehensive exam which are more challenging and have longer prompts.
 
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I am about to do the NBME 150 Question download thing. Can someone tell me what the released items are in regard to? Is it this exam or another one? If it is another one can someone please tell me where to get the questions for that so i can do them!

Thanks.. Ectopic..
 
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EctopicFetus said:
I am about to do the NBME 150 Question download thing. Can someone tell me what the released items are in regard to? Is it this exam or another one? If it is another one can someone please tell me where to get the questions for that so i can do them!

Thanks.. Ectopic..
Click to expand...

yes. (why do i need 10 characters.)
 
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EctopicFetus said:
I am about to do the NBME 150 Question download thing. Can someone tell me what the released items are in regard to? Is it this exam or another one? If it is another one can someone please tell me where to get the questions for that so i can do them!

Thanks.. Ectopic..
Click to expand...

Thes are the released items. Their answer explanations are given on the Kaplan website, btw (NBME only gives answers).
 
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