Panicking about the step 1 exam

[shinbeats]

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I've finished up some courses and haven't really truly started studying for the Step 1 exam right now but I tried to do a few questions from USMLE world for the courses I have completed just to get a feel for how the board exam might be. Even though I scored in the 90 % mark in my classes I got completely demolished by the USMLE world questions. I think I hardly got 30 % of them right in the sections I have completed? I'm starting to panic now. Is this normal before prep? or is there something wrong with me!? I literally finished some of the sections not even a month ago in school. Step 1 asks for some ridiculous amount of detail. I don't know if they ask for minute detail about some things or just about everything but lord have mercy!

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Calm down bro it's November.

 

[ophthope]

I've finished up some courses and haven't really truly started studying for the Step 1 exam right now but I tried to do a few questions from USMLE world for the courses I have completed just to get a feel for how the board exam might be. Even though I scored in the 90 % mark in my classes I got completely demolished by the USMLE world questions. I think I hardly got 30 % of them right in the sections I have completed? I'm starting to panic now. Is this normal before prep? or is there something wrong with me!? I literally finished some of the sections not even a month ago in school. Step 1 asks for some ridiculous amount of detail. I don't know if they ask for minute detail about some things or just about everything but lord have mercy!

I did pretty bad on those questions at first too; part of it is learning a question style that is completely different from your medical school's tests (even if they claim their questions are 'USMLE-style' they're probably pretty far away) and part of it is that the information you need to know for Step 1 and the information you need to make good grades in M1/M2 year aren't necessarily the same unfortunately.

I ended up with a score in the mid 240s. Once you start studying FA and doing UWorld questions your % correct will increase. I did DIT too and I feel like it helped, but however you're studying it will be different and more intense than during the first two years and you will notice improvements over time.

So no worries man. Hit that alprazolam and take a deep breath, you'll be fine.

 

[link2swim06]

I did pretty bad on those questions at first too; part of it is learning a question style that is completely different from your medical school's tests (even if they claim their questions are 'USMLE-style' they're probably pretty far away) and part of it is that the information you need to know for Step 1 and the information you need to make good grades in M1/M2 year aren't necessarily the same unfortunately.

I ended up with a score in the mid 240s. Once you start studying FA and doing UWorld questions your % correct will increase. I did DIT too and I feel like it helped, but however you're studying it will be different and more intense than during the first two years and you will notice improvements over time.

So no worries man. Avoid that alprazolam, go for a daily run instead and take a deep breath, you'll be fine.

Fixed that for you.

 

[chiz2kul]

Calm down bro it's November.

start freaking out when its April.

 

[image187]

yeah its only november, chill out. The Step 1 is a game and nothing else, you just gotta learn how to play it by learning how to do those particular kinds of questions, which youll quickly catch on to once you start studying. I think the best way to study for it is to focus and do well through 2nd year and not even think about the test, then when time comes to start in the spring you'll be set

 

[FSU2013]

Relax. You aren't used to the style of question yet; you haven't started studying; and you haven't covered a good deal of material yet.

You'll be best served if you use Uworld as a learning tool. The fact that you're starting on Uworld this early is a good thing. I did 4-5 blocks of uworld throughout the year and it served me well.

 

[yesno]

I havent tried uworld or pathoma yet. i only have the goljan book and barely covered several chapters. and i have trouble concentrating for my exams... the goal is maybe to read all of goljan really well over the winter break and then get pathoma(for review of path,etc) and start uworld??

also what do u all think of adhd meds? i could easily get diagnosed and get those meds. but don't know if it will help🙁 i tried ritalin just once while studying for mcat. and it did not help me concentrate at all so i quit it after 1week, maybe the dose was too small. i did well because i just spent extra time studying for mcat, postponed my test-date. but here i do not have such extra time and the amount of material is much much more. in fact i'll have to keep studying for school exams +step1. i already see plenty of students using first aid and pathoma and i havent even looked at those books because i am busy with assigned basic path readings... like tonight my goal is to read 10pages of basic path. if i had the discipline i would then review the same section in goljan. but it's a tough goal... and i am seriously addicted to porn. basically the question is whether adhd meds could abort my porn addiction? in fact it's not so much that i watch porn. i may just log onto internet and spend several hours reading innocent news stories or articles because i know that i should not be watching porn. but whatever i do i am not studying;(

 

[normtheniner]

I'm averaging 50% on USMLERx... Step 1 is not until June for me... I've just accepted that its like this because I haven't started reviewing that hard for boards because I'm completely focused on classes.

We haven't covered a lot of key systems in path/pharm so I'm just gonna assume it'll go up in the spring. If its still 50% in April... well then I'll go into panic mode.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

I havent tried uworld or pathoma yet. i only have the goljan book and barely covered several chapters. and i have trouble concentrating for my exams... the goal is maybe to read all of goljan really well over the winter break and then get pathoma(for review of path,etc) and start uworld??

also what do u all think of adhd meds? i could easily get diagnosed and get those meds. but don't know if it will help🙁 i tried ritalin just once while studying for mcat. and it did not help me concentrate at all so i quit it after 1week, maybe the dose was too small. i did well because i just spent extra time studying for mcat, postponed my test-date. but here i do not have such extra time and the amount of material is much much more. in fact i'll have to keep studying for school exams +step1. i already see plenty of students using first aid and pathoma and i havent even looked at those books because i am busy with assigned basic path readings... like tonight my goal is to read 10pages of basic path. if i had the discipline i would then review the same section in goljan. but it's a tough goal... and i am seriously addicted to porn. basically the question is whether adhd meds could abort my porn addiction? in fact it's not so much that i watch porn. i may just log onto internet and spend several hours reading innocent news stories or articles because i know that i should not be watching porn. but whatever i do i am not studying;(

 

[VivaLaVida]

That escalated quickly...

 

[Wordead]

I havent tried uworld or pathoma yet. i only have the goljan book and barely covered several chapters. and i have trouble concentrating for my exams... the goal is maybe to read all of goljan really well over the winter break and then get pathoma(for review of path,etc) and start uworld??

also what do u all think of adhd meds? i could easily get diagnosed and get those meds. but don't know if it will help🙁 i tried ritalin just once while studying for mcat. and it did not help me concentrate at all so i quit it after 1week, maybe the dose was too small. i did well because i just spent extra time studying for mcat, postponed my test-date. but here i do not have such extra time and the amount of material is much much more. in fact i'll have to keep studying for school exams +step1. i already see plenty of students using first aid and pathoma and i havent even looked at those books because i am busy with assigned basic path readings... like tonight my goal is to read 10pages of basic path. if i had the discipline i would then review the same section in goljan. but it's a tough goal... and i am seriously addicted to porn. basically the question is whether adhd meds could abort my porn addiction? in fact it's not so much that i watch porn. i may just log onto internet and spend several hours reading innocent news stories or articles because i know that i should not be watching porn. but whatever i do i am not studying;(

Your sex drive is too high, you should geld yourself. I know 3 people that did it and they got 280+ on step 1 and are all department chiefs at mass gen now

 

[NickNaylor]

Your sex drive is too high, you should geld yourself. I know 3 people that did it and they got 280+ on step 1 and are all department chiefs at mass gen now

Is Peter Griffin from your avatar an example of the height of accomplishment a gelded medical student can achieve?

 

[docnotsopc]

I havent tried uworld or pathoma yet. i only have the goljan book and barely covered several chapters. and i have trouble concentrating for my exams... the goal is maybe to read all of goljan really well over the winter break and then get pathoma(for review of path,etc) and start uworld??

also what do u all think of adhd meds? i could easily get diagnosed and get those meds. but don't know if it will help🙁 i tried ritalin just once while studying for mcat. and it did not help me concentrate at all so i quit it after 1week, maybe the dose was too small. i did well because i just spent extra time studying for mcat, postponed my test-date. but here i do not have such extra time and the amount of material is much much more. in fact i'll have to keep studying for school exams +step1. i already see plenty of students using first aid and pathoma and i havent even looked at those books because i am busy with assigned basic path readings... like tonight my goal is to read 10pages of basic path. if i had the discipline i would then review the same section in goljan. but it's a tough goal... and i am seriously addicted to porn. basically the question is whether adhd meds could abort my porn addiction? in fact it's not so much that i watch porn. i may just log onto internet and spend several hours reading innocent news stories or articles because i know that i should not be watching porn. but whatever i do i am not studying;(

Best statement I have ever heard on SDN. Period.