pass 2nd time of taking Step 3

[jokerabc]

just got my score. first time, used UW and Crush, got a 68.

2nd time - 2 months studying, only did UW in weak areas, read MTB 4+ times, and certain areas in Step Up to medicine. MTB is tons better than Crush or First aid, but it could use a little more detail. passed with a 78.

not a great score, but what a relief, i won't get kicked out of residency. 2nd time taking it, i felt the same way as the first time, maybe even worse, felt i got so many questions wrong i would get in the 60's again. who knows how this test is graded, and a lot of luck plays on test day.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[markglt]

nice.

so if you had to do it over, would you use the same sources? you think uw and mtb is enuff?

 

[jokerabc]

i would go with MTB multiple times, UW and a supplement to any weak areas, but a detailed source like Step Up to Medicine is always a good bet to get all of the IM covered.

 

[radiodoc99]

What is MTB?

 

[amoebatt]

i'm sooo happy for you!!! you must be so relieved!

i did UW the first time. went over each question anywhere from 1-3 times, but now feel that it was stupid for me to use it as the only source to study. UW's CCS section was good. did you get UW again for 2nd time studying? i'm wondering if i should or not.

bought Crush, but didn't really like it. bought FA but didn't have time to go through it.

just bought MTBs and am starting to go through it. i know i did horrible on questions with dermatology photos and x-rays. any ideas on what resources to use for that?

wondering if i should spend the money on premier review. i'm going to go through MTBs a ton of time like you did. would really appreciate the input. thanks and congrats again!

amoebatt

 

[jokerabc]

thanks! i did buy UW again, mainly to go thru the CCS again really quickly b/c i may have forgotten some of them. and then i didn't spend too much time on questions, i had already done them and it didn't help me that much. i only did questions on weak areas, like only doing the derm, endo, rhuem q's. i almost thought about buying another qbank like usmlerx.com, if you learn well from questions.

but reading a lot helped me on step 2ck, so that's what i did. MTB is great, u have to know it cold, have it memorized. step up to medicine is great b/c it is detailed for all of IM. i have a lot of trouble with derm also, but didn't study any extra slides for it. i relied on derm in MTB and Step-UP.

 

[amoebatt]

thanks for the advice. wish me luck!

 

[youme]

speed and time managment is the key.
Do u think UW is bette or Kaplan? and why?

 

[jokerabc]

speed and time managment is the key.
Do u think UW is bette or Kaplan? and why?

i never tried kaplan qbank, so i can't compare UW to that. from what i hear from others, if i didn't pass it my 2nd time, i would probably buy USMLErx.com instead of kaplan (since doing UW for a 3rd time is useless).