Nervous to take a diagnostic

[FutureDoc4]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am still about 2 months away from my exam. But, I have been studying hard all year. I really want to see where I am at in terms of baseline (I was going to take NBME 4) (hopefully to see if all that hard work payed off all year).

But, I am really afraid that I will be starting at like a 140.... blah, anyone else go through this?

 

[buckeye12]

I am still about 2 months away from my exam. But, I have been studying hard all year. I really want to see where I am at in terms of baseline (I was going to take NBME 4) (hopefully to see if all that hard work payed off all year).

But, I am really afraid that I will be starting at like a 140.... blah, anyone else go through this?

I did, right before I started studying. Just forget about the test, forget about your score, and just study as hard as you can.

Don't worry about it. Worrying about where you are now gets you nowhere. KNOWING where you are can help -- if you take NBME4 and find out you're totally deficient in cardio, well, that's going to help you study. The best thing you can do is find out where you are and work your butt off to get to where you want to be. Who cares if you start out at 140? It doesn't change anything. You're still going to study hard and shoot for a great score, and in all likelihood, you're going to get a great score.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I sort of feel this way at the moment. I took the basic sciences NBME and projected a 195 or something, and that's pretty far off from my goal of 240. I'll take my first practice NBME after all of our shelf exams (in ~2 weeks), so hopefully I'm at least in the 220-ish range by then. Ugh.

 

[DrVanNostran]

I sort of feel this way at the moment. I took the basic sciences NBME and projected a 195 or something, and that's pretty far off from my goal of 240. I'll take my first practice NBME after all of our shelf exams (in ~2 weeks), so hopefully I'm at least in the 220-ish range by then. Ugh.

195-200 is about right for this time of year. From what I've heard, most people jump about 40-45 points from their initial NBME, that is of course when your dedicated study period starts.

OP. The fact that you are nervous is good. Take the the practice test now. The nerves on game day will be there. You need to practice those out as well.

My first run will be April 28th.

 

[mq123]

195-200 is about right for this time of year. From what I've heard, most people jump about 40-45 points from their initial NBME, that is of course when your dedicated study period starts.

OP. The fact that you are nervous is good. Take the the practice test now. The nerves on game day will be there. You need to practice those out as well.

My first run will be April 28th.

I took one NBME pre-studying that our school made us take. I think my score really got me into studying mode, lol. I then started my first pass through things, and have only gotten biochem, neuro, and heme done so far. I'm taking a UWSA this weekend and (hopefully) I will have jumped up a few points...

We have school until after mid-May, so my first-pass is taking a lot longer than I had expected... 🙁

 

[jeesapeesa]

just do it

 

[badasshairday]

I have my NBME basic science exam on Tuesday.

Should I read through FA over the next 3-4 days?

I'm sort of familiar with FA, from doing around 300 USMLE RX questions plus reading the associated FA pages. Also have read some FA here and there on the side. I feel like I should just bust through it one time before the NBME exam so I can quickly jog my memory on it. I know I won't retain everything.

Or I can just read through sections of FA that I am pretty sure I need to brush up on, such as Behavioral, biochem, and Micro. Argh, or I could just study endocrine path, since I haven't touched that yet in Rapid review.

 

[kryptik]

I have my NBME basic science exam on Tuesday.

Should I read through FA over the next 3-4 days?

I'm sort of familiar with FA, from doing around 300 USMLE RX questions plus reading the associated FA pages. Also have read some FA here and there on the side. I feel like I should just bust through it one time before the NBME exam so I can quickly jog my memory on it. I know I won't retain everything.

Or I can just read through sections of FA that I am pretty sure I need to brush up on, such as Behavioral, biochem, and Micro. Argh, or I could just study endocrine path, since I haven't touched that yet in Rapid review.

I think i run through FA will be the way to go, that will give you the max return in that short time.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I'd read through the FA biochem and micro sections, if nothing else. Those were huge on mine. GI and renal would also be good reads if you have time.

 

[badasshairday]

I'd read through the FA biochem and micro sections, if nothing else. Those were huge on mine. GI and renal would also be good reads if you have time.

Yeah, I was thinking Micro and Biochem at least, just because those are heavy on memorization. This time of second year really sucks. So much to study. 😕😱😡

 

[FutureDoc4]

Well, not to shabby. I took NBME 4 today (227)--Raw score 520. Haven't done Uworld much yet and not as much review as I would of liked. Hopefully, that will bump the score. Looking to break 250....two months? possible?

 

[badasshairday]

Well, not to shabby. I took NBME 4 today (227)--Raw score 520. Haven't done Uworld much yet and not as much review as I would of liked. Hopefully, that will bump the score. Looking to break 250....two months? possible?

Dude, a 227 starting point is a beast of a score! What has been your method?

 

[FutureDoc4]

I think the biggest thing I've been doing is reading Daddy Robbins all year+Goljan audio and RR. (Reading Daddy robbins is ridic but it def helps).

Goljans audio is golden....but, I think I need to do more practice questions (I have been very "gun shy") to start Uworld to early.

I am not trying to be a dick here (seriously), I mean, is that really a good starting point? It's basically avg.

 

[MilkmanAl]

No joke. I'd be super happy with a 227 right now. I don't see any reason why you can't go up 25 points in 2 months of hardcore studying.

 

[FutureDoc4]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words.

 

[Pegasus1731]

We have school until after mid-May, so my first-pass is taking a lot longer than I had expected... 🙁

Same here!! I feel your pain

 

[FutureDoc4]

Okay, to bump my thread from before. Not sure what this means, but I took my diagnostic (see above) I have gone through about 200 Uworld questions since and I am avg like 75% (which is awesome, super excited), but I am wondering then why my diagnostic was "low" (I know it wasn't super low but it wasnt like 240 or something) with that high of a Uworld avg. Any thoughts?

 

[kryptik]

200 uw questions is not a high enough sample to gauge yourself

 

[DrVanNostran]

Okay, to bump my thread from before. Not sure what this means, but I took my diagnostic (see above) I have gone through about 200 Uworld questions since and I am avg like 75% (which is awesome, super excited), but I am wondering then why my diagnostic was "low" (I know it wasn't super low but it wasnt like 240 or something) with that high of a Uworld avg. Any thoughts?

Just wait till you hit around 1000 questions. You baseline score is awesome. If you continue at 75% on World with studying hard, 250+ is very attainable. I think you are on pace for 260+ lol.

I just took NBME 1 today. Seemed like a good mix of: Did you pay attention in med school and Do you know your stuff cold.

 

[username456789]

I am not trying to be a dick here (seriously), I mean, is that really a good starting point? It's basically avg.

It's ~5 points above the latest average among people who have had +/- an entire month to study for an take the real thing on top of whatever studying they did prior to that.

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

Okay, to bump my thread from before. Not sure what this means, but I took my diagnostic (see above) I have gone through about 200 Uworld questions since and I am avg like 75% (which is awesome, super excited), but I am wondering then why my diagnostic was "low" (I know it wasn't super low but it wasnt like 240 or something) with that high of a Uworld avg. Any thoughts?

That's a GREAT starting score. You still have time and I'm sure if you keep studying hard your score will surpass your goal.