Now that you've taken the Step 1, what would you have done differently?

[HiDoc88]

For those of you who just took the exam (congrats!), looking back now, what would you have done differently to study/prepare for the exam? Anything?

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[greg1184]

I wouldn't have wasted my time taking so many NBME exams. They predicted NOTHING of my score. FA and UWorld.

 

[Rikkye]

I wouldn't have wasted my time taking so many NBME exams. They predicted NOTHING of my score. FA and UWorld.

This is very true. UWSA is a better predictor.

 

[knuckles]

This is very true. UWSA is a better predictor.

What makes you think that? I've seen it go both ways on this forum.

 

[2012mdc]

This is very true. UWSA is a better predictor.

I think it depends on the person and their particular strengths and weaknesses.

Ppl say UWSA can over-predict if one is very comfortable with the question style of UW.

NBME's can over-predict if one knows the material well but gets tripped up by the weirder/ambiguous questions. The real deal has a lot more of those types than the nbme's so there a lot more educated guesses IMO

B/c the curve is so tough on the NBME's and there are only 200 questions, the NBME's can also under-predict for people who are prone to make a few silly mistakes no matter what - especially once you get into the higher scores.

My scores on UWSA and the NBME's were very similar - I took UWSA2 and NBME7 the same day and the scores were within 2 pts of each other and my score on the real thing was within 4 pts

 

[Rikkye]

I think it depends on the person and their particular strengths and weaknesses.

Ppl say UWSA can over-predict if one is very comfortable with the question style of UW.

NBME's can over-predict if one knows the material well but gets tripped up by the weirder/ambiguous questions. The real deal has a lot more of those types than the nbme's so there a lot more educated guesses IMO

B/c the curve is so tough on the NBME's and there are only 200 questions, the NBME's can also under-predict for people who are prone to make a few silly mistakes no matter what - especially once you get into the higher scores.

My scores on UWSA and the NBME's were very similar - I took UWSA2 and NBME7 the same day and the scores were within 2 pts of each other and my score on the real thing was within 4 pts

You make a good point. I can't imagine what prompt you to take 2 exams in one day. My UWSA was closer to my Step than NMBEs (they definitely underpredict).

 

[DivCurlZero]

.

 

[slowbutsteady]

If you're going to use a bank during the year, I'd use it with the appropriate subject- I think it would have helped me with my 2nd year coursework and possibly with Step 1. It's a minor regret of mine that I didn't do that.

Yes, I did that. So throughout the year I felt that my Step I studying was enhancing my coursework and vice versa.

 

[pianola]

I wouldn't have wasted my time taking so many NBME exams. They predicted NOTHING of my score. FA and UWorld.

Hey, I think you go to my school (Miami, right?) - (yes I'm a long time SDN stalker).

I'm not sure if they did this for your class, but for our class (2013), they've given us *parts* of NBME exams periodically, so essentially the diagnostic validity of any given NBME is going to be down the toilet (at least, I would guess). Cause for any NBME you will have seen some of the questions before, right?

I've heard that Miami is kind of weak in pharmacology (and the pharm class I took was tremendously underwhelming) - are there other areas that I should make sure to dedicate extra time to, given our particular school's strengths/weakenesses? (I'm also just personally weak in pharm so...)

I'd just like to say I've totally forgotten any anatomy that I might once have known, btw.

*sigh*

P.S. I'm not a gunner! I'm just missing the respiratory module (LOA) so I'm already freaking out about steppo uno since I have to take it without having had resp....

 

[2012mdc]

You make a good point. I can't imagine what prompt you to take 2 exams in one day. My UWSA was closer to my Step than NMBEs (they definitely underpredict).

Practice exams are only 4 blocks while the real thing is 7. I figured if I could handle 8 blocks, I could handle 7

 

[astrocreep96]

-Listen to Gojian audio from the first day of MS2.
-Read FA and Gojian RR from winter break onward.
-Taken my test a bit later. My wife and I had already purchased tickets for a vacation for the day after my test date, so I couldn't change the date. I had just about exactly 5 weeks to study, but I hand't done any meaningful studying before class ended, so I could have done with a couple more weeks and maybe another NBME practice exam.

That said, I think the test is definitely managable with 5 weeks, I just would have felt a little better with more time.

 

[rockydoc]

-Listen to Gojian audio from the first day of MS2.
-Read FA and Gojian RR from winter break onward.
-Taken my test a bit later. My wife and I had already purchased tickets for a vacation for the day after my test date, so I couldn't change the date. I had just about exactly 5 weeks to study, but I hand't done any meaningful studying before class ended, so I could have done with a couple more weeks and maybe another NBME practice exam.

That said, I think the test is definitely managable with 5 weeks, I just would have felt a little better with more time.

Is Goljan audio different than Goljan RR in content or just format?? It seems that people have done both and I alway wondered why if they are the same content.

 

[2012mdc]

Is Goljan audio different than Goljan RR in content or just format?? It seems that people have done both and I alway wondered why if they are the same content.

RR has more material and is more complete. The audio is good (although outdated at times) b/c he emphasizes stuff and can offer good ways to remember stuff. There are definitely times where a question was "easy" because I could hear Goljan's voice in my head and I only listened to the audio once

 

[AmishMatt]

Is Goljan RR the same as Rapid Review - Pathology? Or is that a separate book. Does the audio come with the book when you purchase it or do they come separately? Does anyone have a link of a good place to buy these things? thanks!

 

[aa62]

studied for 9 weeks and ended up with a 244/99.

read the Kaplan Home Study Kit, and made notes.
read First Aid about 4 times cover to cover
contrasted my First Aid, Kaplan and class notes.
finished USMLE World Bank in 20 days.
did NBME 4 and 6 the week before my exam.

looking back, I would have taken one more NBME exam, and listened to Goljan's audio review.
I know people say concentrate on the 3Ps (Path, Pharm and Phys), but my exam was heavy into Micro and Biochem. I actually should have given less time to pharm, which I found was very simple.

 

[astrocreep96]

Is Goljan audio different than Goljan RR in content or just format?? It seems that people have done both and I alway wondered why if they are the same content.

The audio is different - not nearly as comprehensive. But I used it at the gym, and it was a good review source. It was nice to cover the basics, and studying at the gym provided a nice break from the usual grind.

 

[coldweatherblue]

I wouldn't have done anything different.. i hate tests and it was a pita to study for step 1. went beyond my goals as far as numbers go and i'm happy about that, but in the end it doesn't really matter because studying for this test sucked... mainly i'm just glad all that **** is in the past.

 

[greg1184]

Hey, I think you go to my school (Miami, right?) - (yes I'm a long time SDN stalker).

I'm not sure if they did this for your class, but for our class (2013), they've given us *parts* of NBME exams periodically, so essentially the diagnostic validity of any given NBME is going to be down the toilet (at least, I would guess). Cause for any NBME you will have seen some of the questions before, right?

I've heard that Miami is kind of weak in pharmacology (and the pharm class I took was tremendously underwhelming) - are there other areas that I should make sure to dedicate extra time to, given our particular school's strengths/weakenesses? (I'm also just personally weak in pharm so...)

I'd just like to say I've totally forgotten any anatomy that I might once have known, btw.

*sigh*

P.S. I'm not a gunner! I'm just missing the respiratory module (LOA) so I'm already freaking out about steppo uno since I have to take it without having had resp....

Hey, I am at Miami. I tried to send you a PM but your box is full. Send me a PM, I will gladly chat with you about 2nd year/Step 1.

 

[pianola]

Hey, I am at Miami. I tried to send you a PM but your box is full. Send me a PM, I will gladly chat with you about 2nd year/Step 1.

haha, yay! Sorry, I emptied my box just now. I haven't been on SDN in a year so...yeah.

I'm already stressed out as heck about 2nd year because I'm literally watching myself miss classes as each day goes by. There were 7 hours of lecture the first day of class .