Good luck all. I have my exam end of March and hope to be the 1st one to post here for 2010.
Official 2010 USMLE Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread
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The scores are released online anyway, so there's no delay between them posting your score and you receiving your score, is there?
Hence the trick is no longer valid?
Never thought I would post this, but I PASSED! YAY!! 198/81, Yeah it's not the best and I know doesn't compare to most people on this forum and probably won't be that helpful to people gunning for 230+ but maybe somewhere there's someone who was in my same situation and this might be helpful. I'm not going to get greedy since this score was WAYYY above any of my practice exams (little of which I actually did) and all I was praying for was a pass considering I only had 2 weeks of protected study time for this.
So yeah, miracles do happen!
UWSA2: 174 (can't remember, roughly a 1.5 weeks prior)
UWSA1: 184 (about 4 days after UWSA2)
Free 150: 73% (2 days after UWSA2)
Uworld: pretty much in the 40's but I was doing tutor mode throughout
Resources: Goljan audio, First Aid, Uworld (did 100% and roughly 20% of second run), Qbank (finished about 30%), random other resources
Study time: on/off for 7 weeks, but only 2 weeks of protected study time = lots of cramming and lots of stress. Basically I wouldn't recommend it.
One tip I have is that regardless of what other people say, I think you have to find what works best for you. Staring at First Aid for hours did nothing for me during the cram period. I went on flashcard exchange and looked up usmle key words (Because I'm too cheap to buy my own flashcards) and just did them over and over because that's how I learn---I need questions to stimulate myself rather than just stare at pages and hope the osmosis thing works.
Test day-- felt good about the behavioural sciences, but that was always my strength. Biochem wasn't bad at all. Not that much hard crazy anatomy imo. One tip is to check what you got wrong during breaks. Yeah people say don't do this blah blah, it'll psyche you out, but there were repeats later on (not exact question, but tested similar concepts) and you really just have to live with being wrong especially if it'll help you.
Thanks to everyone who posted here and it was extremely helpful and I'm really just relieved this thing is done and over with.
(PS: For the record, the re-applying thing trick doesn't work. I couldn't use the OASIS (not FMG) but tried to re-apply to Step 1 on NBME and it let me last night and I thought I failed. But guess not! haha)
So yeah, miracles do happen!
UWSA2: 174 (can't remember, roughly a 1.5 weeks prior)
UWSA1: 184 (about 4 days after UWSA2)
Free 150: 73% (2 days after UWSA2)
Uworld: pretty much in the 40's but I was doing tutor mode throughout
Resources: Goljan audio, First Aid, Uworld (did 100% and roughly 20% of second run), Qbank (finished about 30%), random other resources
Study time: on/off for 7 weeks, but only 2 weeks of protected study time = lots of cramming and lots of stress. Basically I wouldn't recommend it.
One tip I have is that regardless of what other people say, I think you have to find what works best for you. Staring at First Aid for hours did nothing for me during the cram period. I went on flashcard exchange and looked up usmle key words (Because I'm too cheap to buy my own flashcards) and just did them over and over because that's how I learn---I need questions to stimulate myself rather than just stare at pages and hope the osmosis thing works.
Test day-- felt good about the behavioural sciences, but that was always my strength. Biochem wasn't bad at all. Not that much hard crazy anatomy imo. One tip is to check what you got wrong during breaks. Yeah people say don't do this blah blah, it'll psyche you out, but there were repeats later on (not exact question, but tested similar concepts) and you really just have to live with being wrong especially if it'll help you.
Thanks to everyone who posted here and it was extremely helpful and I'm really just relieved this thing is done and over with.
(PS: For the record, the re-applying thing trick doesn't work. I couldn't use the OASIS (not FMG) but tried to re-apply to Step 1 on NBME and it let me last night and I thought I failed. But guess not! haha)
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Just got my score back while in work.
Real Score: 250
Studied for slightly less than 6 weeks. I was consistently scoring 70% at the beginning of study in Uworld, which shot up to 80-85% at the end. I only took one practice exam, NBME 7, which gave 240 a week before the real test.
The material used: I read bunch of books for the first two and half weeks before I started "memorizing." But when it was all said and done, I really honed just on UWorld and FA. I only read through Goljan Path once and only went back for stuff that I thought I need clarification.
Just want to say thanks to everyone for awesome posts and help I saw in this forum. Wish all of you best.
Real Score: 250
Studied for slightly less than 6 weeks. I was consistently scoring 70% at the beginning of study in Uworld, which shot up to 80-85% at the end. I only took one practice exam, NBME 7, which gave 240 a week before the real test.
The material used: I read bunch of books for the first two and half weeks before I started "memorizing." But when it was all said and done, I really honed just on UWorld and FA. I only read through Goljan Path once and only went back for stuff that I thought I need clarification.
Just want to say thanks to everyone for awesome posts and help I saw in this forum. Wish all of you best.
Well I got my score back and I just feel like dying right now. I got a 206/85. My worst subject was Behav Sci, it was so bad the bar was all the way to the left and I don't understand how that's the case because I thought I understood them well. Even in UWorld, Behav Sci questions were some of my best... Oh well.
With a score like that I can't do anything...FML.
With a score like that I can't do anything...FML.
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so having taken the step last thursday (august 26), should I expect my scores back on the 15th? or would it likely be the following wednesday?
fd212: youre not dead yet. make up some ground on step 2
fd212: youre not dead yet. make up some ground on step 2
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very likely
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im so excited
im so excited
im so excited
im so... scared!
im so excited
im so excited
im so... scared!
fd212...
It is not the end of the world. I know someone who failed the step 1 twice and still got residency. Do rotations..get to know people..make yourself known..You still have step 2 and 3. Make sure you take a kaplan course for step 2cs. I heard it was amazing!
It is not the end of the world. I know someone who failed the step 1 twice and still got residency. Do rotations..get to know people..make yourself known..You still have step 2 and 3. Make sure you take a kaplan course for step 2cs. I heard it was amazing!
With the emphasis many place on doing questions from USMLEWorld as preparation for the Step1 exam, why bother with the NBME series of exams at all?
Why not just concentrate on USMLEWorld (even to the point of repeating the question set in its entirety) and the two assessments they provide, along with the USMLE 150 question rehearsal?
Why not just concentrate on USMLEWorld (even to the point of repeating the question set in its entirety) and the two assessments they provide, along with the USMLE 150 question rehearsal?
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The real thing is more similar to the NBME than to UW. For many people the NBME exams were accurate predictors. Since there are only 2 UW tests, many people like to do both of those and then 2 or 3 NBME's.
The free 150 is good but is a lot easier than the real thing. NBME's 6 and 7 are the closest thing to the real exam
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i have a decent UW/kaplan avg and scored substantially lower on nbme 7. now i'm redoubling my studying efforts. food for thought. don't take my food though i got a lotta thinking to do
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I did much better on UWSA than NBMEs (10 points higher) and the UWSA predicted my score perfectly. Don't be so set on the idea that the NBME is a better predictor. It all comes down to the set of questions you get handed on your real test.
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The best prediction of all was of course the psychforme predicition!
Thank you very much for posting this!! I am not one of those 230+ people. This is not my first time taking this exam. I need to pass and your post really helped me out. thank you
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more than likely 4thTook the test 8/22 (sunday), this wait is killing me. So do you guys think I will get my score this Wed? or will it be the 4th wed?
Keeping my fingers crossed for a score of 220+
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i feel your pain. if things go as expected, i'll be getting my usmle results on the 15th. i take comlex on the 16th. ugh!Took the test 8/22 (sunday), this wait is killing me. So do you guys think I will get my score this Wed? or will it be the 4th wed?
Keeping my fingers crossed for a score of 220+
i just want this to be over. f boards right in the a.
someone answer my question!!
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FA resp plus all that you've read in kaplan should be more than enoughsomeone answer my question!!
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someone answer my question!!
Personally, I felt that though First Aid seems like there are holes in it, it was good enough. The way I looked at step 1 and the shelf exams was that there will be stuff asked that you will clearly know, and some stuff where u will be like WTF. My goal was to know First Aid, cold, and I mean cold, and if I did that, I would maximize the gimme/normal questions. Some people have the philosophy of trying to hear everything once, I went the other direction of trying to know a few things really damn well. The whole thing is alot of buzz words/senarios anyways.
I say all this cause the ONLY things that I did for step 1 was First Aid, UWorld Qbank, and Pharm cards and it worked out fine (250+). My school's curriculum wasnt really taught towards the boards either... and they gave us under a month to study.
You need to maximize the points where you can, and cut your losses in low yield areas.
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I did not read Rapid Review, it was way TMI. I listened to about 13 of the 37 audio lectures, in the subjects that I felt that my school did not teach me well: heme, repro, endo were the main ones.
Im pretty serious tho, I knew First Aid pretty damn well.
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rr path is beefy for sure. HOWEVER, if there's something you don't feel like you're getting as well as you'd like, the possibility exists that it is explained well in there.
it is a great reference for clearing stuff up
it is a great reference for clearing stuff up
- Got my score back recently and thought my experience might be helpful:
Preparation
- I went through the corresponding sections of first aid, RR and UW throughout 2nd year.
- I did UW in tutor mode so I could use it more as a learning tool.
- I think going through first aid along with classes was really helpful not only because I ensured I learned what was in first aid, but I was familiar with how information was formatted in it and I was able to go through it quicker and quicker each time.
- I studied for three weeks after 2nd year. I started by taking UW sample exam, but I referenced FA for several questions but it seemed like I was already above my goal of 240.
- I stuck to the most important sources: FA, UW, RR, and costanzo physio. Costanzo was useful in refreshing my memory, but I thought it had a lot more detail than I would probably need for the exam. I mostly used it as a way to understand what was in FA better.
- Again, I did UW questions in tutor mode after I completed corresponding sections in first aid. I added several notes to first aid from UW questions.
- FA was my most important source and so I made sure to get a few looks at everything in there.
- I read through rapid review after a given section of FA, but I didnt get too hung up on things I didnt understand in it as I figured it wasnt as high yield. Two days before I took the test I read through the liner notes just to get the high yield points.
Day of the Test
- Most questions were very straightforward if you know FA very well and have been through UW.
- About 5-10% were tougher and were not directly covered in first aid or UW. For most of these you could either reason your way to the right answer or they were not difficult if you had some familiarity with the topic.
- Pharmacology wasnt bad at all. They mostly tested important side effects and mechanisms. I was worried a bit about this when I was studying since there seem to be a lot of side effects listed in FA. I found the best way to keep this manageable was to pick the most important side effects and memorize those and also to group side effects and just memorize that (ie neurologic, GI, etc).
- I found reading the question stems first on long questions was very helpful. Sometimes I didnt need to read the entire question to give a good answer, or I could guess what the answer was. Then I could go back through and confirm it or not.
Advice
- Nothing new really: first aid is the most important source, the more familiar you are with it the better you will do. Everything else seems to be lower yield, so make sure you understand FA as well as possible before committing time to other resources, especially closer to the exam.
- Committing some time to becoming familiar with FA (and perhaps memorizing important concepts) during second year can be a huge help, even though it seems like its just covering the most obvious facts.
- Actual Score: 265/99
Preparation
- I went through the corresponding sections of first aid, RR and UW throughout 2nd year.
- I did UW in tutor mode so I could use it more as a learning tool.
- I think going through first aid along with classes was really helpful not only because I ensured I learned what was in first aid, but I was familiar with how information was formatted in it and I was able to go through it quicker and quicker each time.
- I studied for three weeks after 2nd year. I started by taking UW sample exam, but I referenced FA for several questions but it seemed like I was already above my goal of 240.
- I stuck to the most important sources: FA, UW, RR, and costanzo physio. Costanzo was useful in refreshing my memory, but I thought it had a lot more detail than I would probably need for the exam. I mostly used it as a way to understand what was in FA better.
- Again, I did UW questions in tutor mode after I completed corresponding sections in first aid. I added several notes to first aid from UW questions.
- FA was my most important source and so I made sure to get a few looks at everything in there.
- I read through rapid review after a given section of FA, but I didnt get too hung up on things I didnt understand in it as I figured it wasnt as high yield. Two days before I took the test I read through the liner notes just to get the high yield points.
Day of the Test
- Most questions were very straightforward if you know FA very well and have been through UW.
- About 5-10% were tougher and were not directly covered in first aid or UW. For most of these you could either reason your way to the right answer or they were not difficult if you had some familiarity with the topic.
- Pharmacology wasnt bad at all. They mostly tested important side effects and mechanisms. I was worried a bit about this when I was studying since there seem to be a lot of side effects listed in FA. I found the best way to keep this manageable was to pick the most important side effects and memorize those and also to group side effects and just memorize that (ie neurologic, GI, etc).
- I found reading the question stems first on long questions was very helpful. Sometimes I didnt need to read the entire question to give a good answer, or I could guess what the answer was. Then I could go back through and confirm it or not.
Advice
- Nothing new really: first aid is the most important source, the more familiar you are with it the better you will do. Everything else seems to be lower yield, so make sure you understand FA as well as possible before committing time to other resources, especially closer to the exam.
- Committing some time to becoming familiar with FA (and perhaps memorizing important concepts) during second year can be a huge help, even though it seems like its just covering the most obvious facts.
- Actual Score: 265/99
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Xanax is your friend
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xanax can lower your seizure threshold
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this dude was on his game from the beginning, because he was smart and planned ahead. a buddy of mine in m class was the same way and got almost the same score.
man if i could go back and do it all over again, it would be so much easier. then again, nothing would suck more balls than going back and re-doing basic sciences. nothing.
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Okay, so when is something supposed to show up on my NBME page? Will my score just show up, or will there be a warning that it will be reported on such-and-such date before it does?
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It will just show up. Good luck!
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I'm scared too, Jerry. Looks like you, Texas Triathlete, and I may be getting our scores back on Wednesday. I took my exam on Friday, August 27th, so should be this week if the traditional Saturday-Friday exam period / 3rd Wednesday model holds up. Didn't get nervous until about an hour ago.
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This is going to kill me.
Somewhere, someone knows my score, but I don't.
I feel like Cartman waitinng for the Wii to come out. I wonder if I should freeze myself.
Somewhere, someone knows my score, but I don't.
I feel like Cartman waitinng for the Wii to come out. I wonder if I should freeze myself.
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thanks haha. i am not even as concerned with what i got anymore. i just want to see it in print.
somehow i feel like maybe i didn't do as well as i should have, but everybody feels like this i think. i really just want to freaking see it.
somehow i feel like maybe i didn't do as well as i should have, but everybody feels like this i think. i really just want to freaking see it.
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"Print permit" is now gone. Score coming soon?
Just f-ing post it already so I can get on with my life.
Just f-ing post it already so I can get on with my life.
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Score: 241, 99 : )
UWorld: 59%
NBME 1: 227
NBME 2: 236
NBME 3: 234
UWSA1: 236
Sources: First Aid, Goljan RR, Kaplan Books (If your basic sciences are weak, I highly recommend you read the Kaplan books)
Advice to future test takers: Do all the NBMEs because some questions on your exam will show up that will be very similar to the NBME, I had one that I can remember distinctly and I had only done 3 of the NBMEs or at least look through them all. Make sure you do Uworld (mixed and all topics) and then review thoroughly. The exam itself is just like taking an NBME and I felt my exam was a bit easier than the NBMEs. Stick to a few books and learn the material well (its key that you know first aid inside out). This exam is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be and if you prepare well you will do just fine. Good luck!
UWorld: 59%
NBME 1: 227
NBME 2: 236
NBME 3: 234
UWSA1: 236
Sources: First Aid, Goljan RR, Kaplan Books (If your basic sciences are weak, I highly recommend you read the Kaplan books)
Advice to future test takers: Do all the NBMEs because some questions on your exam will show up that will be very similar to the NBME, I had one that I can remember distinctly and I had only done 3 of the NBMEs or at least look through them all. Make sure you do Uworld (mixed and all topics) and then review thoroughly. The exam itself is just like taking an NBME and I felt my exam was a bit easier than the NBMEs. Stick to a few books and learn the material well (its key that you know first aid inside out). This exam is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be and if you prepare well you will do just fine. Good luck!
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I pray to God that this remains true when I take mine.
Had to pause studies for a week and now feel like I've forgotten so much.
What's making me nervous the most is when I hear someone say they've done FA 4-5 times !! I am still struggling thru my second pass of the damn thing. Sigh....this is still feel tough.
Congrats! Can you please share with us your study schedule (ex: how long did you study, which resourses did you use, which qbanks did you do, when did you take the nbmes...etc.) Thanks a lot!
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Thank you all for the support!
Study Time: 8 weeks-last 4 weeks intense, Resources I listed in the previous post
Qbank: Uworld, I did a little bit of USMLE Rx (I would recommend it if you have time if not stick with UWorld its enough)
NBME 1: 5 weeks out
NBME 2 and 4: 10 days out (do two NBMEs in one sitting so you can make sure you are ready for the real deal)
Last Tip: last 5 days review First Aid and make sure you have seen everything that could possibly be on the exam (write down anything you don't remember during this review, as you go through first aid, add to the list each day and review this list each night to reinforce things that were not familiar or difficult for you to remember); Do NBMEs early and space accordingly so you can track your progress.
Study Time: 8 weeks-last 4 weeks intense, Resources I listed in the previous post
Qbank: Uworld, I did a little bit of USMLE Rx (I would recommend it if you have time if not stick with UWorld its enough)
NBME 1: 5 weeks out
NBME 2 and 4: 10 days out (do two NBMEs in one sitting so you can make sure you are ready for the real deal)
Last Tip: last 5 days review First Aid and make sure you have seen everything that could possibly be on the exam (write down anything you don't remember during this review, as you go through first aid, add to the list each day and review this list each night to reinforce things that were not familiar or difficult for you to remember); Do NBMEs early and space accordingly so you can track your progress.
