Official 2013 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

[Phloston]

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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

 

[tiedyeddog]

yes and yes, plus inhibitory pathway

You should for know all the tracts.. those are heavily tested as I have heard again and again.

 

[JP2740]

I just started dedicated studying, exam june 21. My previous prep was goljian audio and reading the pathophys sections of first aid only. I'm hitting 70% on uworld qbank mixed sets (first pass). Is there any way to correlate this to something?

 

[MDSlacker]

Just a quick question for people who got a 260+ on step 1. I'm scoring about a 240 right now, 8 weeks out from step 1, and was wondering if DIT is a good option to help get from 240 to 260+ or would it be better to stick with FA and UWorld.

 

[JP2740]

Just a quick question for people who got a 260+ on step 1. I'm scoring about a 240 right now, 8 weeks out from step 1, and was wondering if DIT is a good option to help get from 240 to 260+ or would it be better to stick with FA and UWorld.

Haven't taken it yet, but they will almost unanimously tell you to not do DIT.

 

[jenniferleigh]

Just a quick question for people who got a 260+ on step 1. I'm scoring about a 240 right now, 8 weeks out from step 1, and was wondering if DIT is a good option to help get from 240 to 260+ or would it be better to stick with FA and UWorld.

I did DIT 2012 and it didn't get me to a 260. I don't know if that helps but I felt all it did was hold your hand while going through first aid. I mean I learned some new things but if you are scoring that high weeks out I think DIT would actually take away from time you could be reading other sources or doing practice questions.

 

[Greenbayslacker]

You should for know all the tracts.. those are heavily tested as I have heard again and again.

Any resources for this stuff? FA doesn't cover a lot

 

[tiedyeddog]

Any resources for this stuff? FA doesn't cover a lot

I am using HY neuroanatomy. There is also an online quick course I'll post tomorrow when I pack up and I am not so tired. It helps with CT's and MRIs.

 

[Jamiu22]

Any resources for this stuff? FA doesn't cover a lot

You can add webpath for brain slice! I heard this one's pretty good.

• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/CNSHTML/CNSIDX.html
• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/HISTHTML/NEURANAT/NEURANCA.html
• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/HISTHTML/ANATOMY/ANATQUIZ/quizaidx.htm
• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/EXAM/MULTORG/cns1frm.html

Knock yourself out.

 

[Phloston]

You should for know all the tracts.. those are heavily tested as I have heard again and again.

I had a tricky spinal cord cross-section illustration on my real deal.

Kaplan anatomy lecture notes - neuro-only sections were platinum.

I didn't read them. I just looked at the images.

You've gotta have a 3-dimensional understanding of how the individual tracts ascend/descend and then change location at different levels (e.g. midbrain vs pons vs medulla vs spinal cord).

The Kaplan notes have transverse 2D cross-sections at all of the different levels, so you can piece them together as 3D tracts.

On my exam, the image they showed of the spinal cord was very bizarre, but I was able to infer what they were pointing to based on where the corresponding tract was in the medulla.

 

[Phloston]

Just a quick question for people who got a 260+ on step 1. I'm scoring about a 240 right now, 8 weeks out from step 1, and was wondering if DIT is a good option to help get from 240 to 260+ or would it be better to stick with FA and UWorld.

Never used DIT.

260+ isn't about how well-prepared you are knowledge-wise as much as it is contingent on being well-rested, not making stupid errors and getting minutiae that hit strengths. I know someone who had two 270+ NBME exams who got a 259 on the real deal.

 

[Phloston]

Another comment I have seen a lot is that FA doesn't do a really good job on Anatomy (although it provides more a high yield anatomy).... so you have to reach back to MS1 for that knowledge on a bulk of the questions that show up on the actual exam... that's the trend I've seen on here lately.

Anatomy on my real deal was a flaming toss-up. I wouldn't have been able to prepare for those questions unless I had finished an OB/GYN rotation. I had two WTF OB/GYN anatomy questions. It really comes down to you knowing what's wrong rather than what's right, and then making an educated guess between two pretty close answers.

 

[Phloston]

pain pathways as in the spinothalamic tract...i'd say it's up there...which transmitters - as in like substance P?

Only have to know substance-P is associated with migraines. That's it.

 

[Phloston]

I am planning on doing 200-300 a day over the next 10-13 days before I do Uworld.

Pholston, what's the best way to review with USMLErx? I already did 1 pass of FA so I am using this as my second. Did you just read over the FA page listed at the bottom of explanations or did you rewrite them or what? jw what worked for you.

thanks for all the help, btw. I would pay for your services you've given in this subforum, you're awesome.

I did Rx after finishing FA for the first time. It doesn't really matter how you go through it. Just do it. Period. But save UWorld for last.

 

[gyrus321]

did this happen to someone else?

i wrote step 1 on april 30th and when i go on the oasis website, in the score report section it says "Did not schedule and/or did not take exam"

is this normal? is it because its not updated? or somethings wrong?

freaking out right now..

 

[Jonari]

Bit worried...

NBME 11 - 530 - 35 - 228
NBME 12 - 520 - 36 - 226
NBME 13 - 510 - 38 - 224 damn all those uterine artery, ligament, round uterus questions

i think im in danger of failing...taking a look at 12, for simple math that's basically missing 9 questions/block. if i miss 9 questions per block on the real deal that equates to 63 questions out of the 322...stressing out hard right now

 

[tiedyeddog]

I did Rx after finishing FA for the first time. It doesn't really matter how you go through it. Just do it. Period. But save UWorld for last.

Will do, thanks for the help.

 

[tiedyeddog]

You can add webpath for brain slice! I heard this one's pretty good.

• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/CNSHTML/CNSIDX.html
• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/HISTHTML/NEURANAT/NEURANCA.html
• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/HISTHTML/ANATOMY/ANATQUIZ/quizaidx.htm
• http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/EXAM/MULTORG/cns1frm.html

Knock yourself out.

This is what I was gonna post, haha.

 

[JP2740]

I just started dedicated studying, exam june 21. My previous prep was goljian audio and reading the pathophys sections of first aid only. I'm hitting 70% on uworld qbank mixed sets (first pass). Is there any way to correlate this to something?

shameless bump

 

[JP2740]

Bit worried...

NBME 11 - 530 - 35 - 228
NBME 12 - 520 - 36 - 226
NBME 13 - 510 - 38 - 224 damn all those uterine artery, ligament, round uterus questions

i think im in danger of failing...taking a look at 12, for simple math that's basically missing 9 questions/block. if i miss 9 questions per block on the real deal that equates to 63 questions out of the 322...stressing out hard right now

When's your exam?

 

[Jonari]

When's your exam?

very soon...im down to single digits in terms of days

 

[JP2740]

When you analyze the exams, are you trying to break down why you're missing questions? Sometimes I find that's even more useful than the knowledge itself. Dumb mistake/lack of knowledge/thought too deeply into it/didn't eliminate obvious wrong choices to give better chance at guessing etc

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Bit worried...

NBME 11 - 530 - 35 - 228
NBME 12 - 520 - 36 - 226
NBME 13 - 510 - 38 - 224 damn all those uterine artery, ligament, round uterus questions

i think im in danger of failing...taking a look at 12, for simple math that's basically missing 9 questions/block. if i miss 9 questions per block on the real deal that equates to 63 questions out of the 322...stressing out hard right now

dude you aren't going to fail if you get 80% of the questions right...you need to calm down. The passing score is a good ~40 points below what you've been scoring. Hell if you get 80% on the real thing you'd probably get higher than what you've been scoring on the nbmes.

 

[Goober11]

very soon...im down to single digits in terms of days

If you are missing pharm, micro, bioc and embryo questions consistently that can be fixed by kicking the piss out of the sections in first aid these last few days. If it makes you feel any better I think you have a 99% chance of passing. Your NBMEs are consistent and from your posts on here you seem to know what you are talking about. I mean you got like 40 fouls to give here man, that is a large margin. That 1% percent being you losing your s*&@ day of the exam. Don't do that.

Sleep well, have confidence and hit your weak areas in FA and then walk out with your 230+.

 

[Jonari]

dude you aren't going to fail if you get 80% of the questions right...you need to calm down. The passing score is a good ~40 points below what you've been scoring. Hell if you get 80% on the real thing you'd probably get higher than what you've been scoring on the nbmes.

If you are missing pharm, micro, bioc and embryo questions consistently that can be fixed by kicking the piss out of the sections in first aid these last few days. If it makes you feel any better I think you have a 99% chance of passing. Your NBMEs are consistent and from your posts on here you seem to know what you are talking about. I mean you got like 40 fouls to give here man, that is a large margin. That 1% percent being you losing your s*&@ day of the exam. Don't do that.

Sleep well, have confidence and hit your weak areas in FA and then walk out with your 230+.

fml...i need to break a 245. all i have left is uwsa2 and nbme 15. yeah, only on nbme 13 did i make a lot of stupid pharm mistakes...i chose production beta-lactamases for moa of cephalosporin...wut? dont even know how i made silly mistakes on it...

need to go ham these next several days.

 

[Phloston]

Bit worried...

NBME 11 - 530 - 35 - 228
NBME 12 - 520 - 36 - 226
NBME 13 - 510 - 38 - 224 damn all those uterine artery, ligament, round uterus questions

i think im in danger of failing...taking a look at 12, for simple math that's basically missing 9 questions/block. if i miss 9 questions per block on the real deal that equates to 63 questions out of the 322...stressing out hard right now

When's your exam?

very soon...im down to single digits in terms of days

The NBME exams, particularly 11-15, are extremely accurate, particularly when taken together during the final two weeks.

At the moment, you are positioned to score in the mid-220s on USMLE Step1.

This is not failing, but instead ever so slightly above the mean. On my December 2012 score report, it said "for recent administrations, the mean and standard deviation for first-time examinees from US and Canadian medical schools are approximately 224 and 22, respectively, with most scores falling between 140 and 260." Based on your studies, you will likely exceed more than half of the test-takers in North America. Also bear in mind that taking into account all applicants to the match (i.e. including IMGs, DOs, etc.), the lower-bound percentile for a 221 and 231 was ~54 and ~69%, respectively, making a high-220s score a reasonable result.

If you are missing pharm, micro, bioc and embryo questions consistently that can be fixed by kicking the piss out of the sections in first aid these last few days.

Spoken like a champion. That's probably the best advice one could give to you at the moment. If you know those sections of FA cold going into the real deal, you'll exceed 230. If you study really hard these last few days and get lucky with the question-allotment, you might have a chance at 240.

 

[CDI]

need to go ham these next several days.

Bro, you'll definitely pass and break 220, at least. And do STUDY NBME 15, it was similar in both format and tested concepts (obviously...)

Hit the FA "Big 4" (biochem, embryo, micro, pharm) hard. Drill any very select few charts/diagrams (that you kept putting off) every day for no more than an hour. Just nail it.

Life is better on the other side...

 

[ijn]

Just a quick question for people who got a 260+ on step 1. I'm scoring about a 240 right now, 8 weeks out from step 1, and was wondering if DIT is a good option to help get from 240 to 260+ or would it be better to stick with FA and UWorld.

pathoma + uworld + FA... i also added all the online NBMEs I could take (~1000 questions) and kaplan step videos into the mix. there are many roads to 260. by now you know how you study best. pick the material that suites your strengths.

 

[Zzmed]

Bit worried...

NBME 11 - 530 - 35 - 228
NBME 12 - 520 - 36 - 226
NBME 13 - 510 - 38 - 224 damn all those uterine artery, ligament, round uterus questions

i think im in danger of failing...taking a look at 12, for simple math that's basically missing 9 questions/block. if i miss 9 questions per block on the real deal that equates to 63 questions out of the 322...stressing out hard right now

Calm down, keep hitting FA ("the big 4" as said above) and when you 're taking NBMEs just be sure to be well rested and 100% concentrated. I predict you at >230.
Of course you gonna get 224 on NBMEs with silly mistakes. And you 're gonna make silly mistakes in the real exam too. But try to eliminate them. And rest! Everything will be fine. You 're almost there.

 

[Jonari]

thanks everybody....here are the past double digit NBMEs...it's funny, because i took both nbme 11 and 12, at the most odd times of the day. i mean i took them at 2:00am - 5:45am. nbme 13, i took in the evening from 6:00 - 9:45pm.

NBME 11:

NBME 12:

NBME 13: lol @ gross anatomy

 

[Jonari]

that feel when your brain doesnt let you sleep because you feel guilty for your poor performance....sigh...need to get this done @ 3:53am...😳

 

[Goober11]

Well there is another issue. You are taking these in less than 4 hrs, SLOW DOWN! What's the rush? Take some break time to collect your thoughts/recaffinate/eat some glucose. Give yourself like 35 min of break time for next nbme, don't leave a block early and watch your score go up.

ADDITION/Edit: Ask yourself WHY you are answering every question.

 

[Jonari]

Well there is another issue. You are taking these in less than 4 hrs, SLOW DOWN! What's the rush? Take some break time to collect your thoughts/recaffinate/eat some glucose. Give yourself like 35 min of break time for next nbme, don't leave a block early and watch your score go up.

no no...i think what i wrote was confusing to understand...i took these in 3 different sittings...just saying that i took 11 and 12 at odd hours of two separate nights and did better, whereas doing 13 yesterday evening...i did worse out of the three...lol

yeah i think i really do need to slow down...im averaging roughly 25-29 minutes free time per block. just a bit hard to with all those catechols being pushed out into circulation 😛

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

no no...i think what i wrote was confusing to understand...i took these in 3 different sittings...just saying that i took 11 and 12 at odd hours of two separate nights and did better, whereas doing 13 yesterday evening...i did worse out of the three...lol

yeah i think i really do need to slow down...im averaging roughly 25-29 minutes free time per block. just a bit hard to with all those catechols being pushed out into circulation 😛

Just curious what your UWSA 1 score was/when you took it

 

[Goober11]

What's the consensus on the clinical usages for these onc drugs at the end of FA's heme onc chapter? Most if not all the questions I have seen in Rx, UW, and the two NBMEs (6, 11) I have taken NEVER ask about, for instance, methotrexate being used for leukemias/lymphomas, sarcomas, choriocarcomas--stuff like that. Has anyone had a different experience?

Their indications at times seem a bit arbitrary and I am hoping they don't ask about that on the real deal.

 

[Phloston]

thanks everybody....here are the past double digit NBMEs...it's funny, because i took both nbme 11 and 12, at the most odd times of the day. i mean i took them at 2:00am - 5:45am. nbme 13, i took in the evening from 6:00 - 9:45pm.

NBME 11:

NBME 12:

NBME 13: lol @ gross anatomy

Your biochemistry is solid. In this case, I would recommend to not spend much more time on it within the final week leading up to the exam (i.e. maybe just a few more hours as last-minute blitz-review).

I've never seen performance indices so variable before. Your question-allotment on the real deal really will dictate a lot with regard to the final result.

Although there is a separate performance index for pathology, and you've done consistently well in that category, I believe your variable marks in other categories actually still come down to deficits in pathology, since the Step1 is predominantly an exam of pathology. If you own BRS Path, you need to blast through it and make sure you are familiar diagnosing everything in there.

You need to analyze the NBME questions you're getting wrong and then refer to FA for supporting info. For instance, if you got a question wrong on identifying Aspergillus vs Mucor histologically, you need to go to that corresponding section in FA and hammer down mycology. Because the fact of the matter is, on your actual exam, the questions you get wrong will be very similar to the ones you're getting wrong now.

Good luck,

 

[jenniferleigh]

Bit worried...

NBME 11 - 530 - 35 - 228
NBME 12 - 520 - 36 - 226
NBME 13 - 510 - 38 - 224 damn all those uterine artery, ligament, round uterus questions

i think im in danger of failing...taking a look at 12, for simple math that's basically missing 9 questions/block. if i miss 9 questions per block on the real deal that equates to 63 questions out of the 322...stressing out hard right now

It isn't that black or white on the true exam. Each exam difficulty is taken into account plus you have the experimental questions. You really can't know exactly how you did when you leave the real thing even if you know how many you were marking each section. I don't think you are anywhere close to being in danger of failing. I know a classmate who hadn't passed an NBME before sitting and was able to pass the real deal.

 

[jenniferleigh]

Bro, you'll definitely pass and break 220, at least. And do STUDY NBME 15, it was similar in both format and tested concepts (obviously...)

Hit the FA "Big 4" (biochem, embryo, micro, pharm) hard. Drill any very select few charts/diagrams (that you kept putting off) every day for no more than an hour. Just nail it.

Life is better on the other side...

Agreed about 15. I scored 2 pts above my 15 score - the last NBME I took before sitting.

 

[Geekchick921]

What's the consensus on the clinical usages for these onc drugs at the end of FA's heme onc chapter? Most if not all the questions I have seen in Rx, UW, and the two NBMEs (6, 11) I have taken NEVER ask about, for instance, methotrexate being used for leukemias/lymphomas, sarcomas, choriocarcomas--stuff like that. Has anyone had a different experience?

Their indications at times seem a bit arbitrary and I am hoping they don't ask about that on the real deal.

I don't think you need to worry about most of those. There are a few exceptions, IMO, like Imatinib for CML and trastuzumab for HER2+ breast cancer. Knowing the MoAs, common toxicities and treatments FOR those toxicities (Mesna for hemorrhagic cystitis from cyclophosphamide, amifostine for nephrotoxicity from the platinum based drugs, etc.) are much more important.

 

[MDSlacker]

Quick question regarding QBanks. I have about 80% of UWorld left and 25% of Kaplan left. I definitely want to finish all of UWorld by the time I take my exam. I have heard a lot of good things about USMLErx and was thinking to buy 1 month of that. Would you all recommend to go through UWorld a second time, finish Kaplan, or try and get through some of USMLErx. I think I'll only have enough time to do one of those options but trying to figure out which one will probably be most high yield.

 

[Jonari]

Your biochemistry is solid. In this case, I would recommend to not spend much more time on it within the final week leading up to the exam (i.e. maybe just a few more hours as last-minute blitz-review).

I've never seen performance indices so variable before. Your question-allotment on the real deal really will dictate a lot with regard to the final result.

Although there is a separate performance index for pathology, and you've done consistently well in that category, I believe your variable marks in other categories actually still come down to deficits in pathology, since the Step1 is predominantly an exam of pathology. If you own BRS Path, you need to blast through it and make sure you are familiar diagnosing everything in there.

You need to analyze the NBME questions you're getting wrong and then refer to FA for supporting info. For instance, if you got a question wrong on identifying Aspergillus vs Mucor histologically, you need to go to that corresponding section in FA and hammer down mycology. Because the fact of the matter is, on your actual exam, the questions you get wrong will be very similar to the ones you're getting wrong now.

Good luck,

thanks for the informative post. yeah, i was just PMing another member when looking back at my answers - some of them are just such careless mistakes, that it was a lapse of judgment, whereas some of the questions, i do need to go back and review the material an additional time or what not.

yeah, that's what i really hate that my performance on the step is kind of a gamble right now depending on the questions i get - which i really don't want it to be. would rather have an awesome knowledge on everything, and be able to do well on the exam regardless of which question is thrown at me.

 

[Wordead]

thanks for the informative post. yeah, i was just PMing another member when looking back at my answers - some of them are just such careless mistakes, that it was a lapse of judgment, whereas some of the questions, i do need to go back and review the material an additional time or what not.

yeah, that's what i really hate that my performance on the step is kind of a gamble right now depending on the questions i get - which i really don't want it to be. would rather have an awesome knowledge on everything, and be able to do well on the exam regardless of which question is thrown at me.

You need to fix your sleep schedule, man. That's honestly more important than even studying. If you're in the single digits for days left, you do not want to go in there feeling anything less than 100%. People always seem to think they're just fine running on less sleep, irregular sleep, etc. You're not. You're operating at <75% and thats why you make stupid mistakes; been there.

 

[CDI]

You need to fix your sleep schedule, man. That's honestly more important than even studying. If you're in the single digits for days left, you do not want to go in there feeling anything less than 100%. People always seem to think they're just fine running on less sleep, irregular sleep, etc. You're not. You're operating at <75% and thats why you make stupid mistakes; been there.

+1 Truth.

 

[JP2740]

Page 518 reproductive. Guys, am I crazy? Why does it say the primary spermatocyte has 46 sister chromatids? Isn't it 46 chromosomes at that point (all that occurred prior was mitosis)?

And for secondary spermatocyte, it says 23 sister chromatids... isn't it 46 sister chromatids that end up being separated into 2 cells, 23 each?

 

[JP2740]

thanks for the informative post. yeah, i was just PMing another member when looking back at my answers - some of them are just such careless mistakes, that it was a lapse of judgment, whereas some of the questions, i do need to go back and review the material an additional time or what not.

yeah, that's what i really hate that my performance on the step is kind of a gamble right now depending on the questions i get - which i really don't want it to be. would rather have an awesome knowledge on everything, and be able to do well on the exam regardless of which question is thrown at me.

Idk if the same applies to step 1, but I remember this for MCAT:

For the MCAT your score is generally +/- 2 points of your average on the AAMCs, but we would say that you could go less than that ESPECIALLY if you psyche yourself out/lose confidence/are not 100% on test day. So it might apply to step 1 too, don't have that defeatist attitude and get some rest

 

[Goober11]

I don't think you need to worry about most of those. There are a few exceptions, IMO, like Imatinib for CML and trastuzumab for HER2+ breast cancer. Knowing the MoAs, common toxicities and treatments FOR those toxicities (Mesna for hemorrhagic cystitis from cyclophosphamide, amifostine for nephrotoxicity from the platinum based drugs, etc.) are much more important.

Thanks! I was hoping that was the case.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Page 518 reproductive. Guys, am I crazy? Why does it say the primary spermatocyte has 46 sister chromatids? Isn't it 46 chromosomes at that point (all that occurred prior was mitosis)?

And for secondary spermatocyte, it says 23 sister chromatids... isn't it 46 sister chromatids that end up being separated into 2 cells, 23 each?

I think it might be saying just prior to completion of meiosis there are 46 chromatids?? I dunno, weird diagram.

I concur, a primary spermatocyte should not have chromatids before it starts meiosis. I think the diagram is trying to not confuse people about where the chromatids are coming from??

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Page 518 reproductive. Guys, am I crazy? Why does it say the primary spermatocyte has 46 sister chromatids? Isn't it 46 chromosomes at that point (all that occurred prior was mitosis)?

And for secondary spermatocyte, it says 23 sister chromatids... isn't it 46 sister chromatids that end up being separated into 2 cells, 23 each?

Mitosis has taken place between the spermatagonia but then so has the interphase portion of the cell cycle after mitosis and replicating chromosomes before meiosis one takes plays, so I think it's correct. Meiosis 1 then takes place putting half in one and half in the other (assuming nondisjunction doesn't take place).

 

[JP2740]

By sister chromatids do you think they're referring to 2? Like saying 46 sister chromatids is actually 92 single chromatids?

 

[ZzzZzzZzzZzzZzz]

Hey guys,

I was wondering how others were spending their last 2 weeks studying for this exam? Would it be efficient to read through High Yield Neuro and High Yield Anatomy? I'm not the type that can read something and absorb the information; I do need to sit down and study it. That being said, I do have hesitations on both neuro and anatomy, but the NBMEs say other wise.



My progression

NBME 6: 218 (2 months out)
NBME 7: 238 (1 month out)
NBME 12: 240 (3 weeks out)
NBME 13: 254 (2 weeks out)
NBME 15 & 7 will take next week

 

[tiedyeddog]

By sister chromatids do you think they're referring to 2? Like saying 46 sister chromatids is actually 92 single chromatids?

Yes, I think so.