USMLE Official 2019 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

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Summary of the grind (exam Wed.):

UWorld 1st Pass: 68%
UWorld 2nd Pass: 83% (75% completed)
NBME15: 209 (6 wks out)
COMSAE (phase1 blueprint thing): 466 (5.5 wks out)
COMBANK Level 1 Assessment: 656-671 (5.5 wks out)
NBME20: 213 (4.5 wks out)
NBME21: 228 (3.5 wks out)
NBME22: 223 (2.5 wks out)
UWSA1: 262 (2.3 wks out)
NBME18: 232 (1 wk out)
UWSA2: 245 (2 days out)
Free120: 83% (2 days out; errored out 1st time w/ 3 questions left. LOL.)
Reddit Predictor: 243 (95% CI: 229 - 258)
Goal: 240+
 
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NecrotizingFasciitis said:
Summary of the grind (exam Wed.):

UWorld 1st Pass: 68%
UWorld 2nd Pass: 83% (75% completed)
NBME15: 209 (6 wks out)
COMSAE (phase1 blueprint thing): 466 (5.5 wks out)
COMBANK Level 1 Assessment: 656-671 (5.5 wks out)
NBME20: 213 (4.5 wks out)
NBME21: 228 (3.5 wks out)
NBME22: 223 (2.5 wks out)
UWSA1: 262 (2.3 wks out)
NBME18: 232 (1 wk out)
UWSA2: 243 (2 days out)
Free120: 83% (2 days out; errored out 1st time w/ 3 questions left. LOL.)
Reddit Predictor: 243 (95% CI: 229 - 258)
Goal: 240+
Click to expand...

Good luck mah dude
 
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Agree with some of the posts above. I took it yesterday. It wasn't that bad at all. I don't think there was a single question that I didn't know what they were getting at. They just ask it in weird ways you never considered before, but if you studied hard you will at least understand the underlying principle.

That doesn't mean you won't go anencephaly on gimme questions you've seen 100 times. You will. Everyone does. My advice: don't get caught up in too much minutae. What's high yield is high yield. Make sure you really and truly understand the underlying concept you are learning. Wikipedia the absolute **** out of anything you don't understand on a deep level. Like, "Why is Danazol given to treat Hereditary Angioedema?" Stupid crap like that. Memorizing facts is the difference between a 215 and a 250+, because the only way to answer questions they give you on things you've never thought/heard about is to really have a good grasp on the molec/physiology underlying things, which you can use to extrapolate to weird scenarios.
 
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Test on Thursday, here's where I'm at

UW 1st Pass: 70%
UW 2nd Pass: 81%
NBME 16 -215 (8 weeks out)
NBME 21 - 234 (6 weeks out)
UWSA 1 - 264 (5 weeks out)
NBME 20 - 217 (4 weeks out)
NBME 22 - 238 (3 weeks out)
NBME 23 - 232 (2 weeks out)
NBME 18 - 242 (1.5 weeks out)
UWSA 2 - 256 (1 week out)
Free120: 83% (2 days out)
Reddit Predictor: 246 (95% CI: 231 - 261)
Goal: 240+
 
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NecrotizingFasciitis said:
Summary of the grind (exam Wed.):

UWorld 1st Pass: 68%
UWorld 2nd Pass: 83% (75% completed)
NBME15: 209 (6 wks out)
COMSAE (phase1 blueprint thing): 466 (5.5 wks out)
COMBANK Level 1 Assessment: 656-671 (5.5 wks out)
NBME20: 213 (4.5 wks out)
NBME21: 228 (3.5 wks out)
NBME22: 223 (2.5 wks out)
UWSA1: 262 (2.3 wks out)
NBME18: 232 (1 wk out)
UWSA2: 245 (2 days out)
Free120: 83% (2 days out; errored out 1st time w/ 3 questions left. LOL.)
Reddit Predictor: 243 (95% CI: 229 - 258)
Goal: 240+
Click to expand...

Good luck man, you got this!

Weird how close our scores are lol
 
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neurodjent said:
Test on Thursday, here's where I'm at

UW 1st Pass: 70%
UW 2nd Pass: 81%
NBME 16 -215 (8 weeks out)
NBME 21 - 234 (6 weeks out)
UWSA 1 - 264 (5 weeks out)
NBME 20 - 217 (4 weeks out)
NBME 22 - 238 (3 weeks out)
NBME 23 - 232 (2 weeks out)
NBME 18 - 242 (1.5 weeks out)
UWSA 2 - 256 (1 week out)
Free120: 83% (2 days out)
Reddit Predictor: 246 (95% CI: 231 - 261)
Goal: 240+
Click to expand...
My zanki progress/uw/goalscore/****edschoolwastingyourtimeindedicated score twin. Good luck fam
 
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Kalam said:
because the only way to answer questions they give you on things you've never thought/heard about is to really have a good grasp on the molec/physiology underlying things, which you can use to extrapolate to weird scenarios.
Click to expand...

I personally love the moments when it's really a pretty straightforward question and you start going down the never ending rabbit hole and somehow create an entirely new pathway that doesn't exist at all, but you're convinced you figured out the trick and you triumphantly put down some obscure answer. All of this only to find out the answer was what your gut was telling you it was when you first read the question 5 seconds in.

Happened at least twice every UWorld block lol
 
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AnatomyGrey12 said:
I personally love the moments when it's really a pretty straightforward question and you start going down the never ending rabbit hole and somehow create an entirely new pathway that doesn't exist at all, but you're convinced you figured out the trick and you triumphantly put down some obscure answer. All of this only to find out the answer was what your gut was telling you it was when you first read the question 5 seconds in.

Happened at least twice every UWorld block lol
Click to expand...
This exact thought process convinced me against going with the buzzword in the stem twice on the real deal lol. Turning slam dunks into twisted mazes is fun
 
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AnatomyGrey12 said:
I personally love the moments when it's really a pretty straightforward question and you start going down the never ending rabbit hole and somehow create an entirely new pathway that doesn't exist at all, but you're convinced you figured out the trick and you triumphantly put down some obscure answer. All of this only to find out the answer was what your gut was telling you it was when you first read the question 5 seconds in.

Happened at least twice every UWorld block lol
Click to expand...
This. “What if their calcium invoked a nephrogenic DI causing hypovolemia which induced hypotension decreasing cerebral perfusion? God I’m a genius!”

Uworld: “Naw. BPPV, brah.”
 
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Just took it too. Feel defeated. I def know I got at LEAST 15 wrong. I've done so well on my NBMEs and UWs, but now I feel like i failed myself.

Can someone explain me the curving for this exam for this new "transition period"? Most of the stuff I got wrong were the easy questions, but I managed to get the "tougher" questions right. I'm curious as to since we have a smaller sample size, will this hurt our scores?
 
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neurodjent said:
Good luck man, you got this!

Weird how close our scores are lol
Click to expand...

I was waiting to respond to this so I could think of a clever way to tie in our shared love for the djent life but I'm braindead right now lol

Good luck to you too man! We got this!

269251
 
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kb1900 said:
I am apathetic to literally everything school related until July 10th. I can’t help it. The exam took it all from me and to suddenly care about my rotations seems impossible.

OME and bare minimum anki/10 questions per day are my only daily goals during rotation aside from showing up on time
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honestly, this is what I have been doing. It feels soo wrong, and I am probably going to get screwed by my shelf, but I cant do it anymore.
 
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Exam in 40 days, too nervous as i have not taken any NBME online yet,but have taken couple of old ones offline , reading comments here giving me some hope and lots of terror as well :nailbiting:

can anyone please suggest me ,what NBME or UWSA is closest to Real score ???
i can take 2 NBME and both UWSA online next months.what should i opt for?

Thanks guys 😊
 
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Shiney99 said:
Exam in 40 days, too nervous as i have not taken any NBME online yet,but have taken couple of old ones offline , reading comments here giving me some hope and lots of terror as well :nailbiting:

can anyone please suggest me ,what NBME or UWSA is closest to Real score ???
i can take 2 NBME and both UWSA online next months.what should i opt for?

Thanks guys 😊
Click to expand...

You can find score correlations for each NBME/UWSA on Reddit somewhere. Personally, I thought it was most like Free 120 + UWSA2. NBME18 is also probably very similar from what I've heard (I didn't take it), since it focuses more on basics. Nothing on my exam was over the top in terms of obscure details.
 
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Frogger27 said:
What step 2 deck are you all using?
Click to expand...

First impression is that I like the Wiwa deck. Like Zanki step 2 it also covers basically just UW, but has detailed explanations on the back side of each card which is nice.

Thinking more of my learning this year will be making my own cards based on Case Files, or patients I'm following or saw.
 
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I've set my sights on Tzanki for my main one. Then Dorian's FM for my FM rotation (yay DO school!). And then I plan to use other Dorian subdecks as filler as needed. I'm choosing Tzanki because I think I prefer the quicker paced cards rather than the format of having a ton of info in the extra section. (vs Wiwa and Doc).
 
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Gurby said:
First impression is that I like the Wiwa deck. Like Zanki step 2 it also covers basically just UW, but has detailed explanations on the back side of each card which is nice.

Thinking more of my learning this year will be making my own cards based on Case Files, or patients I'm following or saw.
Click to expand...

Yeah that was my original plan but I have been hearing a lot about the new dorian deck- about 2x as many cards though
 
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Frogger27 said:
Yeah that was my original plan but I have been hearing a lot about the new dorian deck- about 2x as many cards though
Click to expand...

Deck looks really nice. I worry about the card count though. I feel like my biggest mistake preparing for Step 1 was overloading on Zanki and not making time for QBanks. With how much less free time we'll have during M3, I wonder if a more compact deck is important.

Studying for Step 1 was so straightforward, I have no idea what my workflow is gonna be this year :scared:
 
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AnatomyGrey12 said:
I personally love the moments when it's really a pretty straightforward question and you start going down the never ending rabbit hole and somehow create an entirely new pathway that doesn't exist at all, but you're convinced you figured out the trick and you triumphantly put down some obscure answer. All of this only to find out the answer was what your gut was telling you it was when you first read the question 5 seconds in.

Happened at least twice every UWorld block lol
Click to expand...
dude yes. Also lmao at the triumphant feeling you get selecting the wrong answer because you feel like you flexed some sort of "critical thinking" muscle when in the end, like most of the other questions you missed, it was just some regurgitation question just presented in a hipster way
 
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Gurby said:
Deck looks really nice. I worry about the card count though. I feel like my biggest mistake preparing for Step 1 was overloading on Zanki and not making time for QBanks. With how much less free time we'll have during M3, I wonder if a more compact deck is important.

Studying for Step 1 was so straightforward, I have no idea what my workflow is gonna be this year :scared:
Click to expand...

Yeah for sure- not exactly sure how many reviews/day 14k cards would be.. it’s only 40 new/day for my first rotation so I’m gonna give it a go.

Are people using an additional Qbank like Amboss alongside UWorld?

I am worried about too many resources and was thinking of Dorian + UW + one additional source per clerkship (most likely following Duke reddit post)
 
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Gurby said:
Deck looks really nice. I worry about the card count though. I feel like my biggest mistake preparing for Step 1 was overloading on Zanki and not making time for QBanks. With how much less free time we'll have during M3, I wonder if a more compact deck is important.

Studying for Step 1 was so straightforward, I have no idea what my workflow is gonna be this year :scared:
Click to expand...

That's the thing for me, and a big reason why I think I'm going to use Tzanki. card count is manageable. Our rotations are all 4 weeks, with the exception of FM which is 8. With Tzanki, you can get through the entire OB deck with doing 45 new's a day and be done in 3 weeks. And then last I had calculated, 22 UW OB/GYN questions a day and be done in 3 weeks too. Workflow wise for me will be basically be case files (a few a day) + one or two OME videos and UW questions plus the anki new cards before bed. Reviews in the AM. Anki will be cool because you can do it during downtime throughout the day.
 
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EspressoDrip42 said:
That's the thing for me, and a big reason why I think I'm going to use Tzanki. card count is manageable. Our rotations are all 4 weeks, with the exception of FM which is 8. With Tzanki, you can get through the entire OB deck with doing 45 new's a day and be done in 3 weeks. And then last I had calculated, 22 UW OB/GYN questions a day and be done in 3 weeks too. Workflow wise for me will be basically be case files (a few a day) + one or two OME videos and UW questions plus the anki new cards before bed. Reviews in the AM. Anki will be cool because you can do it during downtime throughout the day.
Click to expand...
This sounds super manageable. Especially compared to the madness that was trying to manage 200+ new cards/day during neuro
 
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Ho0v-man said:
This sounds super manageable. Especially compared to the madness that was trying to manage 200+ new cards/day during neuro
Click to expand...

Yeah that's not happening for me this year. lol. Plus you get a week at the end leading up to the shelf to do the nbme's and some incorrects on UW or potentially amboss if you want another Qbank. I think with third year, less is more, at least that's how I'm approaching my first rotation next week
 
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Hey everyone,

Long time lurker, first time post. Took the exam last Friday and agree w/ what most everyone is saying. The new NBMEs will get you 1-2 points from repeats, but overall the exam most closely resembles Uworld. My NBMEs were in the 245-255 range (did all new and old forms starting w/ 13). My UWSA2 three days out was a 262. Overall, felt like 5 Uworld blocks and 2 NBME/WTF/Uworld blocks sprinkled in. Planning on a full write up once I get my score. Just wanted to do a quick write up for anyone else taking the exam soon who wanted an idea of what to expect. Obviously, everyones test is different and the only real way to be ready is to make sure your test taking skills are on-point come game day b/c once you break the 250 mark on practice tests then it knowledge really isn't the issue imo.
 
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Doing dorian for step 2. I think trying to mature and keep up with an entire deck is inferior to just being present on the wards/for my patients and doing questions. I Don’t feel pressure to finish every card or even keep up with cards past the current rotation except IM (he didn’t and scored 278).

The workflow of just binging OMEfor an overview and 100-200 background cards then jumping into UW/AMBOSS questions is well suited to my curriculum. And Anki reviews is third string to just being present on rotations/knowing my patients and doing uw/other questions. It doesn’t really bother me that i only get through 10-20 questions per day and skip my reviews or studying here and there tbh.

It’s all about priorities imo and dorians deck is just a better, more comprehensive version of tzanki (IMO) with the only downside of picking/choosing what you unsuspend.
 
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Kalam said:
You can find score correlations for each NBME/UWSA on Reddit somewhere. Personally, I thought it was most like Free 120 + UWSA2. NBME18 is also probably very similar from what I've heard (I didn't take it), since it focuses more on basics. Nothing on my exam was over the top in terms of obscure details.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I have noted this down. appreciate your response 🙂
I've heard UWSA2 overpredicts?? is that so?
 
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Reporting back post-step & partially hungover. Can confirm step is basically UWorld. Was very fair. Only had one wtf block but I think it was mainly attributed to burnout.

My only regret is not taking a break between blocks 5/6; would have avoided that block 6 wtf feeling I think.

Would recommend:

Blocks 1 & 2
Break
Blocks 3 & 4
Break
Block 5
Break
Block 6
Break
Block 7

Also don't let anyone for the amount of food/drink you bring into the testing center, ok. You don't need that negativity in your life. I brought in 4 different drinks & a box of granola bars. @ me test center lady.

Good luck to anyone else still prepping!
 
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kb1900 said:
Doing dorian for step 2. I think trying to mature and keep up with an entire deck is inferior to just being present on the wards/for my patients and doing questions. I Don’t feel pressure to finish every card or even keep up with cards past the current rotation except IM (he didn’t and scored 278).

The workflow of just binging OMEfor an overview and 100-200 background cards then jumping into UW/AMBOSS questions is well suited to my curriculum. And Anki reviews is third string to just being present on rotations/knowing my patients and doing uw/other questions. It doesn’t really bother me that i only get through 10-20 questions per day and skip my reviews or studying here and there tbh.

It’s all about priorities imo and dorians deck is just a better, more comprehensive version of tzanki (IMO) with the only downside of picking/choosing what you unsuspend.
Click to expand...

I guess I'm way behind the game because I didn't even know there were deckS for Step 2 lmao
What are some resources you guys are going to pick up? I was just gonna do FA and the Pocket Medicine books on amazon. Is there a better way to spend my $$?
Also if there's a different step 2 thread you guys are watching lmk bc I know this thread is mainly for step 1
 
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star050 said:
I guess I'm way behind the game because I didn't even know there were deckS for Step 2 lmao
What are some resources you guys are going to pick up? I was just gonna do FA and the Pocket Medicine books on amazon. Is there a better way to spend my $$?
Also if there's a different step 2 thread you guys are watching lmk bc I know this thread is mainly for step 1
Click to expand...

Reddit man, it's all there. As for resources, UW UW UW UW UW UW UW and UW
 
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Personally I'm going to do Dorian for my anki but only pull out the stuff that will work on that specific rotation, gonna just pull out stuff as I go, supplemented with UW questions for the rotation I'm on. I also might, for the first time in my life, actually read the assigned readings. I start on IM and we have readings from Step Up to Medicine that we will get pimped on apparently.
 
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Well that was an interesting test. 3 blocks that were rough, 2 that were more straightforward (not straightforward, just more straightforward), and 3 that were intermediate. Like everyone else, I have no idea how I did on it. If I failed, I wouldn’t be surprised. But I prolly passed. Trying to put it behind me and I’ll see what I get in a couple of weeks
 
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AnatomyGrey12 said:
Personally I'm going to do Dorian for my anki but only pull out the stuff that will work on that specific rotation, gonna just pull out stuff as I go, supplemented with UW questions for the rotation I'm on. I also might, for the first time in my life, actually read the assigned readings. I start on IM and we have readings from Step Up to Medicine that we will get pimped on apparently.
Click to expand...
I do a ton of reading unrelated to school or assignments to the point everyone says I'm well read (lol) but I do not do any assigned readings. Have you heard of anyone not doing any reading at for 3rd year via S2M or whatever? Of course I will read on my patients/attending assignments but is case files/de virgilios/pestanas etc each rotation really how people are learning???
 
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Neopolymath said:
I do a ton of reading unrelated to school or assignments to the point everyone says I'm well read (lol) but I do not do any assigned readings. Have you heard of anyone not doing any reading at for 3rd year via S2M or whatever? Of course I will read on my patients/attending assignments but is case files/de virgilios/pestanas etc each rotation really how people are learning???
Click to expand...

Honestly I have no idea, but I don't think so. I just know for IM if you don't do the readings you could get slaughtered at book club because they will pimp the medical students on stuff in the book. It's interesting, I feel like in pre-clinicals there is a path laid out for you and it's super clear, I legit have no idea what to expect with rotations so my overall strategy is just to work my butt off and read up on patients and hope I learn something lol. The cards and UW are really only supplements whereas with Step 1 they are the foundation. It's a little disconcerting.
 
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Neopolymath said:
I do a ton of reading unrelated to school or assignments to the point everyone says I'm well read (lol) but I do not do any assigned readings. Have you heard of anyone not doing any reading at for 3rd year via S2M or whatever? Of course I will read on my patients/attending assignments but is case files/de virgilios/pestanas etc each rotation really how people are learning???
Click to expand...
In my assessments I am always told that i am well read. However I am constantly reading up on my patients in down time, even going as far as looking up primary literature on questions that are not common. I have read a lot of uptodate, however I have yet to open up one of those books. I am assuming I am going to get slaughtered on the shelf because those books are probably more pointed towards doing well on the shelf and not in clinicals. Dont know the answer.
AnatomyGrey12 said:
Honestly I have no idea, but I don't think so. I just know for IM if you don't do the readings you could get slaughtered at book club because they will pimp the medical students on stuff in the book. It's interesting, I feel like in pre-clinicals there is a path laid out for you and it's super clear, I legit have no idea what to expect with rotations so my overall strategy is just to work my butt off and read up on patients and hope I learn something lol. The cards and UW are really only supplements whereas with Step 1 they are the foundation. It's a little disconcerting.
Click to expand...
It is definitely disconcerting, I honestly feel very uneasy about the measly number of uworld questions or anki cards i do daily.
 
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AnatomyGrey12 said:
Honestly I have no idea, but I don't think so. I just know for IM if you don't do the readings you could get slaughtered at book club because they will pimp the medical students on stuff in the book. It's interesting, I feel like in pre-clinicals there is a path laid out for you and it's super clear, I legit have no idea what to expect with rotations so my overall strategy is just to work my butt off and read up on patients and hope I learn something lol. The cards and UW are really only supplements whereas with Step 1 they are the foundation. It's a little disconcerting.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Probably the year or two after us will have it all laid out. BB for Step 2 will probably be amazing as well. I plan to just do UW and Dorian. Will probably freehand everything else. Not afraid of pimp questions. My OR music game level 99 and your boy can describe a ureter/calot's triangle without looking at the stryker monitor. IM though, well, I will say anything to get them to shut up about hyponatremia for the 47th patient. Super stoked to move on though.
 
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Neopolymath said:
Agreed. Probably the year or two after us will have it all laid out. BB for Step 2 will probably be amazing as well. I plan to just do UW and Dorian. Will probably freehand everything else. Not afraid of pimp questions. My OR music game level 99 and your boy can describe a ureter/calot's triangle without looking at the stryker monitor. IM though, well, I will say anything to get them to shut up about hyponatremia for the 47th patient. Super stoked to move on though.
Click to expand...

I LOVE boards and beyond and also remember them emailing us at some point to mention creating step 2 content... your post motivated me to figure out when it was coming out, but the internet couldn’t give me the answer. So I wrote to them to ask for an update/timeline, and this is what they just responded 🙁

7CD9BAE5-FE3E-4A9F-AF97-FFAAD4C525D2.jpeg
 
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