Official 2013 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

[Phloston]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I figure now is a good time to jump-start this thread.

Even though some of us who had taken the exam in late-2012 are still awaiting our scores (amid the holiday delays) and could technically still post within last year's thread, it is after all mid-January now, so it's probably apposite that we move forward and hope for a great year.

Cheers to 2013

 

[nikmad]

I had previously ranted that this experience thread has very few actual experiences. Least I can do is contribute mine. 🙂

IMG
Prep time 6 months. Started from scratch(had a brutal 1 year internship prior with very little time for academics)
Materials
Kap notes(sans the subjects below)- once
BRS physio- once
Goljan- once(not recommended,replacing it with pathoma can probably save you a week or two)
First aid- primary source
Kap videos- randomly to clear concepts

Qbanks
First aid q and a book
Kap qbank: 75%
Uworld: 79%

NBME 11- 252(3 weeks out)
UWSA 1- 265+(3 weeks out)
NBME 12- 252(2 weeks out)
NBME 13- 254(4 days out)
UWSA 2- 265+(4 days out)
Free 150- 93%(7 days out)

Step 1 score- 264

Phlostons advice for the last few days came in handy. In my interpretation of it reinforced with personal experience, the difference between 250s and 260s is not what you know, but getting the right amount of sleep, and minimising the careless errors.

Analyse your NBME after you take them to see if you need to read FA once more or if careless errors are the culprit. This helps to sharpen the final phase of prep.

First aid has everything (well once you put in the notes from the qbanks). But the only way to appreciate first aid is to do a ton of questions, and get them wrong. If you have a solid foundation, ie, still in med school, kap books aren't necessary. But if you dont, kap books and videos help rebuild it.

Hope this helps. 🙂

 

[loayshoubash]

good question .... but as far as i know ( correct me if im wrong ) i think its beyond step one (low yield )

 

[Jonari]

CDI and Phloston, thanks for answering my PMs. 😀👍

 

[blaqmamba]

I had previously ranted that this experience thread has very few actual experiences. Least I can do is contribute mine. 🙂

IMG
Prep time 6 months. Started from scratch(had a brutal 1 year internship prior with very little time for academics)
Materials
Kap notes(sans the subjects below)- once
BRS physio- once
Goljan- once(not recommended,replacing it with pathoma can probably save you a week or two)
First aid- primary source
Kap videos- randomly to clear concepts

Qbanks
First aid q and a book
Kap qbank: 75%
Uworld: 79%

NBME 11- 252(3 weeks out)
UWSA 1- 265+(3 weeks out)
NBME 12- 252(2 weeks out)
NBME 13- 254(4 days out)
UWSA 2- 265+(4 days out)
Free 150- 93%(7 days out)

Step 1 score- 264

Phlostons advice for the last few days came in handy. In my interpretation of it reinforced with personal experience, the difference between 250s and 260s is not what you know, but getting the right amount of sleep, and minimising the careless errors.

Analyse your NBME after you take them to see if you need to read FA once more or if careless errors are the culprit. This helps to sharpen the final phase of prep.

First aid has everything (well once you put in the notes from the qbanks). But the only way to appreciate first aid is to do a ton of questions, and get them wrong. If you have a solid foundation, ie, still in med school, kap books aren't necessary. But if you dont, kap books and videos help rebuild it.

Hope this helps. 🙂

Congrats on a great score

Seems like you were scoring slightly lower on your NBMEs than the UWSAs (many say these are easier), but how would you compare the difficulty of your exam to the NBMEs?

 

[ijn]

The NBME has stated that the curve is set before you take the exam. You aren't graded against your peers concurrently, but you are graded against your peers historically. The 322 questions have a predetermined cumulative "difficulty" level that is consistent year over year, such that a 230 in 2001 is equivalent to a 230 in 2013. If your exam's cumulative difficulty level is higher than normal, then the NBME may adjust scores accordingly.

From the NBME:

I have heard that different questions are graded differently on USMLE steps.

Reality Check: Fiction

Explanation:
USMLE weights all multiple choice questions equally within each Step exam. Thus, answering relatively easy questions or relatively difficult questions correctly provides equal progress toward meeting the minimum passing score. This urban myth may derive from a misunderstanding about the statistical methods called equating that ensure that the 3-digit score is comparable regardless of what test form or what time of year a candidate tests. The statistical processes make small adjustments to scores achieved on test forms that contain relatively more or less difficult items. Scores on tests with relatively difficult items are adjusted up and those achieved on relatively easy items are adjusted down. These adjustments ensure that the scores that are awarded are comparable regardless of the particular combination of items on any examinee's test form and ensures fairness for all test takers.

and

I have heard that if you take Step 1 in May through July, you will get a lower score or fail because a lot of candidates test during this period and competition is high.

Reality Check: Fiction

Explanation:
The USMLE uses statistical techniques called equating to ensure that the 3-digit score is comparable regardless of what test form or what time of year a candidate tests. There are, however, natural ebbs and flows to the preparation, readiness, and demographic composition that may be associated with the success of candidates who take or retake Step 1 at particular times of the year, which can lead to modest variations in pass rates. For example, specific, highly selective US medical schools whose students typically have very high pass rates tend to test within specific time bands associated with their curriculum, resulting in somewhat higher pass rates during this period. In contrast, students who were unsuccessful on their first attempt tend to retake at other times of the year, resulting in somewhat higher fail rates at that time of year. The statistical techniques used ensure that the same standard is applied to all students regardless of what time of year they test or what test form they are administered.

 

[JP2740]

What was pholston's advice for a few days out?

 

[JShephard]

What was pholston's advice for a few days out?

Try to complete another pass of uworld or kaplan.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Try to complete another pass of uworld or kaplan.

lol what do 500 questions a day?

 

[Zzmed]

actually he was suggesting going over the chapters of FA that should be memorized (Biochem, Pharm, Micro, Embryo)

 

[toftt]

Two possibilities:

1) People get identical exams.

For instance, there could be 25 potential 322-question forms out there that are all scaled against one another so that their difficulties are comparable, and then people taking identical forms are scaled against each other.

2) People are allocated identical blocks.

For instance, there could be 175 potential blocks out there (if we assume that there are 25 different 322-question forms), where all blocks are scaled against one another to establish comparable difficulty, and then each person, with his or her different 7-block combinations, has scaled scores from each block that are averaged to derive the 3-digit score.

My guess is that people get entire identical exams.

--------

In the past, I had always thought that people get a random allocation of 322 questions from some massive database, but that can't be the case. How do I know that?

Although we are not supposed to talk about specifics from our exams, I had been emailed by a person who had taken his/her exam about a month after I had, where he/she had asked me about particular things that had shown up for clarification purposes, and we both shared four WTF questions on our Step1, where two of those four were roughly ten questions apart in the 5th block, and a third was during the 6th block.

Given the 5th block information, that supports hypothesis #2 above. However given the information overall, hypothesis #1 gains likelihood.

I believe this student and I probably had whole-exam raw scores that were compared against each other and scaled on a time-independent analysis scheme in order to derive our 3-digit outcomes.

New NBME exams likely reflect retired whole-exams. Repeat questions on current actual exams from previous NBMEs indicate that although people get duplicate whole-exams, a few of the questions are shared between forms.

I don't think this is correct. I'm pretty sure that everyone gets a random selection of 322 questions from a database. Each question has been trialed extensively, either with "test" subjects or as experimental items in previous exams, so the relative difficulty of each question is known. The entire exam is scaled according to the composite difficulty of individual questions. There's no way your exam is curved against people who sit the exam with you on the same day, as that would cause people to strategize about WHEN during the calendar year to take step 1 (i.e. people would try to take it at times when they think the "least competitive" people are taking it). We know this isn't true.

Edit: didn't see ijn's response to this, but that pretty much sums it up too

 

[anencephaly]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker, love the advice and the progress a lot of you have made. My exam is on the 26th and was looking for some advice for fabled 260 area. So far these are what my exam scores have been:

Uworld: 1st pass - 77%
School CBSE: 87 (240-245) - 5 weeks ago
NBME 6 - 233 - 4 weeks out
NBME 7 - 250 - 3 weeks out

I plan on doing the rest of the NBME's between now and the 26th, as well as the Free150. I'm going through my second run of Uworld right now and averaging 93%, as well as reading through Pathoma. Should I switch to another Qbank? Most of the questions I miss on the NBME's are ethics and physio questions, don't know if it is worth it to bust out the BRS physio book with less than 3 weeks to. Very much appreciated guys, and good luck to you all.

 

[lira126]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker, love the advice and the progress a lot of you have made. My exam is on the 26th and was looking for some advice for fabled 260 area. So far these are what my exam scores have been:

Uworld: 1st pass - 77%
School CBSE: 87 (240-245) - 5 weeks ago
NBME 6 - 233 - 4 weeks out
NBME 7 - 250 - 3 weeks out

I plan on doing the rest of the NBME's between now and the 26th, as well as the Free150. I'm going through my second run of Uworld right now and averaging 93%, as well as reading through Pathoma. Should I switch to another Qbank? Most of the questions I miss on the NBME's are ethics and physio questions, don't know if it is worth it to bust out the BRS physio book with less than 3 weeks to. Very much appreciated guys, and good luck to you all.

I think I'm in a very similar situation as yourself. If you can finish your second pass through Uworld within the next few days, I think you will have enough time to make one sweep through the Kaplan qbank. It'll keep you grounded for the next few weeks and I would have to agree with previous posters that its coverage of molecular biology and microbiology is pretty stellar.

 

[step1april2013]

what should i expect in terms of lymph node questions on the test?

 

[Phloston]

I had previously ranted that this experience thread has very few actual experiences. Least I can do is contribute mine. 🙂

IMG
Prep time 6 months. Started from scratch(had a brutal 1 year internship prior with very little time for academics)
Materials
Kap notes(sans the subjects below)- once
BRS physio- once
Goljan- once(not recommended,replacing it with pathoma can probably save you a week or two)
First aid- primary source
Kap videos- randomly to clear concepts

Qbanks
First aid q and a book
Kap qbank: 75%
Uworld: 79%

NBME 11- 252(3 weeks out)
UWSA 1- 265+(3 weeks out)
NBME 12- 252(2 weeks out)
NBME 13- 254(4 days out)
UWSA 2- 265+(4 days out)
Free 150- 93%(7 days out)

Step 1 score- 264

Phlostons advice for the last few days came in handy. In my interpretation of it reinforced with personal experience, the difference between 250s and 260s is not what you know, but getting the right amount of sleep, and minimising the careless errors.

Analyse your NBME after you take them to see if you need to read FA once more or if careless errors are the culprit. This helps to sharpen the final phase of prep.

First aid has everything (well once you put in the notes from the qbanks). But the only way to appreciate first aid is to do a ton of questions, and get them wrong. If you have a solid foundation, ie, still in med school, kap books aren't necessary. But if you dont, kap books and videos help rebuild it.

Hope this helps. 🙂

So happy to hear that your outcome was solid. Congratulations on the awesome news 🙂

What was pholston's advice for a few days out?

NBME6 @ 12days-out

NBME7 @ 11days-out

Free-150 @ 10 days

FA biochem chapter only @ 9 days

NBME13 @ 8 days

Embryo chapter (and some immuno) of FA @ 7 days

NBME12 @ 6 days

FA micro chapter only @ 5 days

NBME11 @ 4 days

FA pharm chapter (and ends of every chapter) @ 3 days

Review of Powerpoint of previous incorrect NBME questions @ 2 days

Last day: touched up on neuroanatomy (should be mostly a rest day + a custom fine-tuning of any personal weak areas)

Sit the real deal.

NBME15 was not available for me during 2012, but if it had been, I would have saved it for immediately before the exam.

what should i expect in terms of lymph node questions on the test?

I had one lymph node drainage question on my exam (December 2012). It was very simple and in FA. Just memorize that list in FA.

 

[nikmad]

Congrats on a great score

Seems like you were scoring slightly lower on your NBMEs than the UWSAs (many say these are easier), but how would you compare the difficulty of your exam to the NBMEs?

UWSA questions have always been kind on me while NBMEs dont think too much of my approach. I too agree that UWSAs seem easier, and since they project everything beyond 85 percent as 265, it is really impossible to trust the prediction.

Some of my blocks had NBME level questions while most had predominantly the uworld style. However, post exam I feel the difficulty of the exam isnt going to be the deciding factor for the score. I had a moderately difficult exam (had a block where i had marked 8 out of the first ten questions). But then again, everyone has one of these really tough blocks.

NBME 11 had seemed really tough and NBME 12 had seemed really easy. But they both projected the exact same score. With that I knew that it didnt matter if I felt like s**t walking out. We only need to work on performing at our personal best.

What I felt worked for me to push the score to 260 plus, beside what I mentioned above was having a trouble free exam day. There were no interruptions, signing in and out process went smoothly, I was pretty wide awake the whole time and the breaks went pretty much perfectly.

Cheers.

 

[nikmad]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker, love the advice and the progress a lot of you have made. My exam is on the 26th and was looking for some advice for fabled 260 area. So far these are what my exam scores have been:

Uworld: 1st pass - 77%
School CBSE: 87 (240-245) - 5 weeks ago
NBME 6 - 233 - 4 weeks out
NBME 7 - 250 - 3 weeks out

I plan on doing the rest of the NBME's between now and the 26th, as well as the Free150. I'm going through my second run of Uworld right now and averaging 93%, as well as reading through Pathoma. Should I switch to another Qbank? Most of the questions I miss on the NBME's are ethics and physio questions, don't know if it is worth it to bust out the BRS physio book with less than 3 weeks to. Very much appreciated guys, and good luck to you all.

Those are great scores.

I dont know if doing all the rest of the NBMEs will really help. They are only supposed to help us understand our weak areas. Try to analyse the wrong questions in your last NBME and then start by reading the weakest area (as quickly as possible) from first aid along with whatever notes you have from the qbank. Physio is pretty well covered in FA if you have really worked it in by doing questions. BRS is too vast to be high yield at the final phase of prep. Try to spend the last week doing one or two NMBEs specifically focussing on minimising/eliminating careless errors.

Starting another qbank at this point, imho, would be counter productive.

 

[jenniferleigh]

Just wondering if anyone has advice on when to decide if you need to postpone an exam. If you are one week out and haven't passed an NBME yet but score high 180s in the past week and your UWorld average is 50% should you consider postponing the exam? Should you wait until 3-4 days before and take another NBME and then decide? Am trying to give the right advice to a fellow student.

 

[usmlefighter]

Just wondering if anyone has advice on when to decide if you need to postpone an exam. If you are one week out and haven't passed an NBME yet but score high 180s in the past week and your UWorld average is 50% should you consider postponing the exam? Should you wait until 3-4 days before and take another NBME and then decide? Am trying to give the right advice to a fellow student.

Take at least 2-3 online NBME and take average of those scores, which reflect your estimated real score score roughly (may be 5-9 points either up or down to average nbme score). Do NOT take nbme close to exam...better stop nbme exams and simulation exams before 1 week

Try to minimize anxiety and silly mistakes on exam day to get optimum results and don't forget to take full length exam at least 1 week before step 1 ,which may mentally prepare you for big day

Build your stamina to sit before computer for 8 hours long....

 

[CDI]

Just wondering if anyone has advice on when to decide if you need to postpone an exam. If you are one week out and haven't passed an NBME yet but score high 180s in the past week and your UWorld average is 50% should you consider postponing the exam? Should you wait until 3-4 days before and take another NBME and then decide? Am trying to give the right advice to a fellow student.

I think if your friend is still borderline pass one week out, it makes sense to postpone it.

Expecting a crazy bump with the last week of studying is unlikely - the stress of not passing will be bad enough. At a ~180, 50% UW - major FA concepts are still bring missed.

I know this thread is all about crushing the exam for residency placement, but a lot of the tested concepts are very clinically relevant/important which will be of use later on. Having done a year of (mandatory) internship prior to doing Step 1, I realize there is serious value in this method of studying beyond just a score and residency placement.

 

[Phloston]

Take at least 2-3 online NBME and take average of those scores, which reflect your estimated real score score roughly (may be 5-9 points either up or down to average nbme score). Do NOT take nbme close to exam...better stop nbme exams and simulation exams before 1 weekTry to minimize anxiety and silly mistakes on exam day to get optimum results and don't forget to take full length exam at least 1 week before step 1 ,which may mentally prepare you for big day

Build your stamina to sit before computer for 8 hours long....

I actually disagree with the advice in bold. It's important to do NBME exams as close to the real deal as possible. The final two days before the exam should be minimal effort days of last-minute fine-tuning, but the marathon of NBME exams and FA-perusing should be done up until ~3 days-out.

 

[Phloston]

Just wondering if anyone has advice on when to decide if you need to postpone an exam. If you are one week out and haven't passed an NBME yet but score high 180s in the past week and your UWorld average is 50% should you consider postponing the exam? Should you wait until 3-4 days before and take another NBME and then decide? Am trying to give the right advice to a fellow student.

If one is in this position, I would recommend postponing several months. This person needs to sit down and read FA.

 

[loveoforganic2]

It seems like it would be important to sit down and take a real simulated 7 block test at least once or twice before the test. It's my understanding that the NBME's and UWSA's are both 4 block tests. What do you all plan on doing to "build endurance"?

 

[Goober11]

My plan is to do at least once or twice the eight blocks in a row. The ideal would be to do 3 blocks of UW after an NBME but I'll be through UW before dedicated study period so I'll settle for the extra block. Hopefully it'll put some hair on my chest.

 

[Phloston]

It seems like it would be important to sit down and take a real simulated 7 block test at least once or twice before the test. It's my understanding that the NBME's and UWSA's are both 4 block tests. What do you all plan on doing to "build endurance"?

The second pass of UWorld serves three purposes:

1) builds rapid-recall skills (extremely helpful during the 6th + 7th blocks of the real deal when you're tired, but have seen familiar question-styles repeatedly, so now you can just blast through the Qs)

2) builds endurance (the 2nd pass should be done at 322 Qs/day in tutor-mode, with cursory blitz-review of anything one is not 100% sure about)

3) teaches you what you don't know as well as you thought (during the first pass, you'll meticulously think about questions and sometimes get some right although you hadn't known the concepts 100% yet; on the second pass, you'll be racing through the Qs, so you'll occasionally get questions wrong that you had gotten right the first time, but it will happen to everybody)

 

[sharklasers]

phloston, do you have any advice for a 5 week study plan?

 

[CDI]

It seems like it would be important to sit down and take a real simulated 7 block test at least once or twice before the test. It's my understanding that the NBME's and UWSA's are both 4 block tests. What do you all plan on doing to "build endurance"?

This probably depends on if you're at the <230 or >250 level though.
The former meaning your day is better spent hitting books (FA), the latter means you can optimize your test-taking ability instead.

I felt a 7-block simulation exam would do more harm than good in my case, especially at the end. You're burning an otherwise useful review day. You're not likely to really develop stamina or know anything about test day based on a sim exam of this nature. The best counter against the 6th or 7th block lull is getting plenty of sleep the night before the exam, well noted by many. I was able to completely eliminate the exhaustion factor on exam day with the right sleep (along w/ adrenaline & red bulls on exam day).

I still made my fair share of mistakes, but they were due to recall error and not due to being sleepy and not mentally there.

So anyways, previous nights sleep = exam day endurance.

 

[stronghold]

According to the phloston's last reply, a second UW is a very useful and not a waste of time. What about Rx? Is it that important to do it? I feel that I tend to learn from a book more than doing questions, so maybe spending the month, that was dedicated for Rx, to read FA more and more and doing some subjects from Kaplan Qbank?
Almost all people say that Rx is identical to FA. So why not save the time by having more passes of FA?

 

[CDI]

It's a good secondary qbank. UW is still # 1.

Rx is another way to force yourself to get more FA reps in, and a great way to test if you're actually learning, and memorizing FA or if you're lying to yourself.

 

[jpudge12]

RX is great....Seeing a question on the stupidist detail in FA is way better then just glancing over it while reading FA....My exam is this week and I didnt have time to finish Rx (will have about 500 questions left) but it has helped me improve on the NBME's

BUT of course dont do Rx until you know you will have time to really LEARN UW

 

[loveoforganic2]

Thank you all for the input

My plan is to do at least once or twice the eight blocks in a row. The ideal would be to do 3 blocks of UW after an NBME but I'll be through UW before dedicated study period so I'll settle for the extra block. Hopefully it'll put some hair on my chest.

I decided I'm going to do the double NBME twice. My chest is not very hairy, hopefully this helps

The second pass of UWorld serves three purposes:

1) builds rapid-recall skills (extremely helpful during the 6th + 7th blocks of the real deal when you're tired, but have seen familiar question-styles repeatedly, so now you can just blast through the Qs)

2) builds endurance (the 2nd pass should be done at 322 Qs/day in tutor-mode, with cursory blitz-review of anything one is not 100% sure about)

3) teaches you what you don't know as well as you thought (during the first pass, you'll meticulously think about questions and sometimes get some right although you hadn't known the concepts 100% yet; on the second pass, you'll be racing through the Qs, so you'll occasionally get questions wrong that you had gotten right the first time, but it will happen to everybody)

I initially didn't like the idea of repeating all of UW, but I can understand it with this justification. Unfortunately, I don't have the time available, but I managed to work in time for UW incorrects and will be using this technique for them.

This probably depends on if you're at the <230 or >250 level though.
The former meaning your day is better spent hitting books (FA), the latter means you can optimize your test-taking ability instead.

I felt a 7-block simulation exam would do more harm than good in my case, especially at the end. You're burning an otherwise useful review day. You're not likely to really develop stamina or know anything about test day based on a sim exam of this nature. The best counter against the 6th or 7th block lull is getting plenty of sleep the night before the exam, well noted by many. I was able to completely eliminate the exhaustion factor on exam day with the right sleep (along w/ adrenaline & red bulls on exam day).

I still made my fair share of mistakes, but they were due to recall error and not due to being sleepy and not mentally there.

So anyways, previous nights sleep = exam day endurance.

I can definitely see this logic. I'm shooting for 240+, but obviously everyone would like that, so I'll see where I'm falling after my 1st NBME (taking the 1st two one at a time) and adjust accordingly

 

[Phloston]

According to the phloston's last reply, a second UW is a very useful and not a waste of time. What about Rx? Is it that important to do it? I feel that I tend to learn from a book more than doing questions, so maybe spending the month, that was dedicated for Rx, to read FA more and more and doing some subjects from Kaplan Qbank?
Almost all people say that Rx is identical to FA. So why not save the time by having more passes of FA?

Definitely do USMLE Rx. It's by the same authors as FA and reinforces the book considerably.

FA + Rx should be viewed collectively as one resource.

 

[blaqmamba]

How are you guys scheduling your practice tests?

I'm planning to leave NBME 13, 15 and Free 150 for the last 10 days, 1 UWSA each week before that, but no plan for the others

 

[Zzmed]

How are you guys scheduling your practice tests?

I'm planning to leave NBME 13, 15 and Free 150 for the last 10 days, 1 UWSA each week before that, but no plan for the others

I would like to know that too..
I mean, except the more close to the real exam ones (13,15?) in what order should the other NBMEs be done? I guess the UWSAs should be done close to the exam..

 

[jekyllish]

Hey guys,
I'm about 10 weeks from my scheduled date and am about to start UWorld. How long would you suggest I should allot in my plan everyday for a block of UWorld questions (1 hour for the block and the subsequent review)

From what I've skimmed from this thread and the 2012 tread, I'm getting the feeling that it'll take about 4 hours for the whole shebang. Sound right?

 

[Jamiu22]

Hey guys,
I'm about 10 weeks from my scheduled date and am about to start UWorld. How long would you suggest I should allot in my plan everyday for a block of UWorld questions (1 hour for the block and the subsequent review)

From what I've skimmed from this thread and the 2012 tread, I'm getting the feeling that it'll take about 4 hours for the whole shebang. Sound right?

that's about 500 questions per wk.... and 71questions per day... I think two blocks per day would definitely suffice....

....I plan on starting uworld May 1st... doing 3blocks per day (2 in the morning and 1 in the evening) and my exam is also at the end of June... for now I'm trying to memorize FA and review USMLE_RX... I completed RX with 75% (did it timed per organ system as I read through FA)... so I know I got work to do here... but we'll get there

 

[loveoforganic2]

Definitely do USMLE Rx. It's by the same authors as FA and reinforces the book considerably.

FA + Rx should be viewed collectively as one resource.

I did most of Kaplan and a little Rx, and I would definitely recommend Rx over Qbank, just as another data point

How are you guys scheduling your practice tests?

I'm planning to leave NBME 13, 15 and Free 150 for the last 10 days, 1 UWSA each week before that, but no plan for the others

Free 150 right at the start of dedicated, NBME6 about a third of the way in, NBME7 half way in, NBME11/12 three quarters of the way in, NBME13/15 five days before the test

 

[John Lannister]

I did most of Kaplan and a little Rx, and I would definitely recommend Rx over Qbank, just as another data point



Free 150 right at the start of dedicated, NBME6 about a third of the way in, NBME7 half way in, NBME11/12 three quarters of the way in, NBME13/15 five days before the test

Do you think 7 nbme's are enough?

 

[CDI]

Do you think 7 nbme's are enough?

Do you have secret access to other online ones? The only one left is Form 5, w/o ext. feedback.

 

[Jamiu22]

Do you have secret access to other online ones? The only one left is Form 5, w/o ext. feedback.

I know someone who knows someone who hypothetically has nbme forms 1-5 in word doc; do these even add to your knowledge base, or is it a waste of time to do these very old retired exams???

 

[CDI]

I know someone who knows someone who hypothetically has nbme forms 1-5 in word doc; do these even add to your knowledge base, or is it a waste of time to do these very old retired exams???

They're still worth going through if you have time (the more questions, the better). Concepts are the same.

Question style/format is changing though. You'll notice they won't be quite as lengthy as the newer forms. Also, they are not as useful in terms of tracking progress. Use online forms for that.

 

[John Lannister]

I know someone who knows someone who hypothetically has nbme forms 1-5 in word doc; do these even add to your knowledge base, or is it a waste of time to do these very old retired exams???

I know a hard drive that has 2-6 on it.

 

[step1april2013]

How common is it to see a question on the step 1 in regards to identifying the stage of the menstrual cycle on histology?

 

[Chirurg]

How common is it to see a question on the step 1 in regards to identifying the stage of the menstrual cycle on histology?

I know this is a wild unhelpful guess...but as good as anyone else's.
below 0%?

Besides, I thank the above poster for actually posting his step1 experience on this step1 experiences thread, unlike the other 90% on this thread, myself included.

 

[ijn]

How common is it to see a question on the step 1 in regards to identifying the stage of the menstrual cycle on histology?

Very low. They're going to attack the physiology of that question from a clinical standpoint. You have a chick with PCOS that wants to get pregnant. You decide to use clomiphene to induce ovulation. How do you know it worked? Something more along those lines... (and the answer isn't an endometrial biopsy.)

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Very low. They're going to attack the physiology of that question from a clinical standpoint. You have a chick with PCOS that wants to get pregnant. You decide to use clomiphene to induce ovulation. How do you know it worked? Something more along those lines... (and the answer isn't an endometrial biopsy.)

What it is with the boards and this f'n drug?

Haven't seen it in class, haven't seen it in ~2500 qbank questions. HAVE seen it on an NBME and my school given CBSSA

 

[Charlie Hustle]

What it is with the boards and this f'n drug?

Haven't seen it in class, haven't seen it in ~2500 qbank questions. HAVE seen it on an NBME and my school given CBSSA

You really haven't seen it in class?

 

[CDI]

What it is with the boards and this f'n drug?

Haven't seen it in class

That's suspect.

 

[Jamiu22]

That's suspect.

Very suspect!!! I saw it in RX on multiple questions...

 

[step1april2013]

Very low. They're going to attack the physiology of that question from a clinical standpoint. You have a chick with PCOS that wants to get pregnant. You decide to use clomiphene to induce ovulation. How do you know it worked? Something more along those lines... (and the answer isn't an endometrial biopsy.)

clomiphene acts to decrease the negative feedback of estrogen at the hypothalamus, so you get an increase in FSH. FSH will decrease the amount of estrogen, so I would check serum estrogen levels to see if they decreased. Additionally, estrogen is suppose to decrease anyway after ovulation.

 

[ijn]

Generally the patient will use home urine ovulation predictor kits that can detect the LH surge or the physician can check a progesterone level a few days after ovulation should have occurred.