Really low NBME - even take the test? Suggestions?

[noplacelikehome]

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I'm trying to decide if there's even any hope of taking this test in about three weeks. I can't even find any mention of anyone with this bad of NBME scores anywhere. Any suggestions on what to do?

NBME 1 - 300 = 163 (according to first aid
NBME 5 a week later (thinking 1 must have been a computer error) - 310 = 175.
apparently not computer error

I actually just finished second year at a very good US medical school - I should have had to learn something to do that, so I can't make out what to do. And a 10 point improvement with a week of reading first aid, kaplan books, lange micro and the goljan path book, that's not even outside of the error in the test scoring.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Sorry if it just sounds like I'm complaining - just frustrated and don't really know what to do next. Wish it was a motivator to study, but I more feel like just giving up. Should I? Is there anything I can do in the next few weeks get me up to something acceptable (passing)?

anyway, thanks, if anyone has any suggestions - knows of anyone that's managed that large a score increase in a few weeks!

 

[silas2642]

I'm trying to decide if there's even any hope of taking this test in about three weeks. I can't even find any mention of anyone with this bad of NBME scores anywhere. Any suggestions on what to do?

NBME 1 - 300 = 163 (according to first aid
NBME 5 a week later (thinking 1 must have been a computer error) - 310 = 175.
apparently not computer error

I actually just finished second year at a very good US medical school - I should have had to learn something to do that, so I can't make out what to do. And a 10 point improvement with a week of reading first aid, kaplan books, lange micro and the goljan path book, that's not even outside of the error in the test scoring.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Sorry if it just sounds like I'm complaining - just frustrated and don't really know what to do next. Wish it was a motivator to study, but I more feel like just giving up. Should I? Is there anything I can do in the next few weeks get me up to something acceptable (passing)?

anyway, thanks, if anyone has any suggestions - knows of anyone that's managed that large a score increase in a few weeks!

First of all, three weeks is kind of a long time, and plenty of time to raise your score to passing, so I wouldn't panic yet. However, I have heard that those NBME scores are pretty predictive to how you're going to do on your boards, and so you definitely need to take this seriously.

At this point, I would cut my losses and focus pretty much on first aid and UWorld. Write out a schedule and stick to it. Look at your NBME sheets and find out where your weakest sections; use that to help you write your schedule so you know how much time to spend where. Take annother NBME in a week and see where you are. If you're still barely passing, I would contact my dean's office and see what to do-- you don't want to fail this exam.

 

[NCF145]

At this point, I would cut my losses and focus pretty much on first aid and UWorld. Write out a schedule and stick to it. Look at your NBME sheets and find out where your weakest sections; use that to help you write your schedule so you know how much time to spend where. Take annother NBME in a week and see where you are. If you're still barely passing, I would contact my dean's office and see what to do-- you don't want to fail this exam.

👍

 

[Rik825]

i think i'd push it back. you need to give yourself enough time to prep.

 

[Re3iRtH]

I'm trying to decide if there's even any hope of taking this test in about three weeks. I can't even find any mention of anyone with this bad of NBME scores anywhere. Any suggestions on what to do?

NBME 1 - 300 = 163 (according to first aid
NBME 5 a week later (thinking 1 must have been a computer error) - 310 = 175.
apparently not computer error

I actually just finished second year at a very good US medical school - I should have had to learn something to do that, so I can't make out what to do. And a 10 point improvement with a week of reading first aid, kaplan books, lange micro and the goljan path book, that's not even outside of the error in the test scoring.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Sorry if it just sounds like I'm complaining - just frustrated and don't really know what to do next. Wish it was a motivator to study, but I more feel like just giving up. Should I? Is there anything I can do in the next few weeks get me up to something acceptable (passing)?

anyway, thanks, if anyone has any suggestions - knows of anyone that's managed that large a score increase in a few weeks!

Well, SDN is probably the worst place to find that 😛

Honestly, save the practice tests for now. My advice, do what the
others have mentioned and focus on memorizing FA. If you arent scoring
55% on Kaplan or UW, postpone your exam. Have people with under
55% pass the exam in the past? Yup. But its too big a risk to take
in my opinion.

 

[kdburton]

I'm trying to decide if there's even any hope of taking this test in about three weeks. I can't even find any mention of anyone with this bad of NBME scores anywhere. Any suggestions on what to do?

NBME 1 - 300 = 163 (according to first aid
NBME 5 a week later (thinking 1 must have been a computer error) - 310 = 175.
apparently not computer error

I actually just finished second year at a very good US medical school - I should have had to learn something to do that, so I can't make out what to do. And a 10 point improvement with a week of reading first aid, kaplan books, lange micro and the goljan path book, that's not even outside of the error in the test scoring.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Sorry if it just sounds like I'm complaining - just frustrated and don't really know what to do next. Wish it was a motivator to study, but I more feel like just giving up. Should I? Is there anything I can do in the next few weeks get me up to something acceptable (passing)?

anyway, thanks, if anyone has any suggestions - knows of anyone that's managed that large a score increase in a few weeks!

First of all I would find out when the latest date you can decide to reschedule your exam is without having to pay another $500 or whatever the ridiculous amount is. And also make sure that there are even dates available (the testing center near my school is pretty much booked up no matter what). Whatever that deadline may be, I would purchase an NBME and take it the day before. If you are [safely] passing at that point (which is what it sounds like you would settle for), then go ahead and cram for that last little bit of time and take it. If you're on the verge of failing, then push it back. Whatever time you have in between should be taken very seriously though. Three weeks is plenty of time to bump your score up a little bit considering you have a lot of room to work with right now, and I think all you need is a 185 to pass (somebody correct me if I'm wrong)

 

[Depakote]

Have you been doing qbank questions?

If so, when you look at the ones you've missed, are you finding that it's more of a knowledge gap issue or a test taking strategy issue?


Either way, I'd really suggest you hit a question bank hard for the next few weeks. Make sure you understand the questions you got right and learn from the questions you missed so you won't make the same mistakes twice.

 

[Cirrus83]

If you're an MD/PhD student you should have plenty of time to take the exam, no? I dunno if your school has any rules, but if you can delay your exam by a couple weeks why not give yourself a little more time.

 

[noplacelikehome]

Thanks, everybody! I guess the plan is to just try to memorize first aid. By rote if need be. Only about half way through now, was trying to actually learn the stuff. Only wasn't doing any better on the subject question sets after reading it than I was before. Anywhere over a 45-50% on qbank will be an improvement. 55%'s the cut-off, I guess.

I know, I can have as long to study for the thing as I want. Somthing a lot of people would love to have. I'm just so burned out as it is I don't know what good it'll do. Also have the horrible realization that I could just give it up on the idea of clinical medicine and head off for the PhD and forget about it with really no harm done... and be done with this. Not the best idea. More time is not always good.

So, anyone have suggestions on deciphering what the questions are asking about without either thinking too much into it? Feel like I can't think straight. Haven't memorized all of the drugs and bugs yet. Maybe a third of the way through - I suppose that is first line of order? Suggestions for keeping a clear head and staying sane while doing that?

Even better - suggestions for keeping morale up at the idea of working my butt off for a score so embarrassing I might not want to apply to residency for fear everyone will see it? 🙂 I'm kidding, a pass is a pass at this point. Still a bit dishartening, though! Thanks for the encouragement - kind of hard to keep going at this seeing everyone else trying to get over a 230!

 

[quietude]

So, anyone have suggestions on deciphering what the questions are asking about without either thinking too much into it? Feel like I can't think straight. Haven't memorized all of the drugs and bugs yet. Maybe a third of the way through - I suppose that is first line of order? Suggestions for keeping a clear head and staying sane while doing that?

Even better - suggestions for keeping morale up at the idea of working my butt off for a score so embarrassing I might not want to apply to residency for fear everyone will see it? 🙂 I'm kidding, a pass is a pass at this point. Still a bit dishartening, though! Thanks for the encouragement - kind of hard to keep going at this seeing everyone else trying to get over a 230!

You have the smarts to get into the MD/PhD, so it doesn't sound like a lack of brain power or coming from a school that didn't teach the board material well.

If you have three weeks and are feeling this burned out, why don't you take a few days off? I took off two days between finals and the start of board studying, and it cut my board study time down to 28 days but has so far paid off. I went from completely burned out to ready to go, and all it took was dinner with friends, some sunshine, light reading for fun and a couple of long walks in the park.

Then maybe take the next half-day to reevaluate what's working. If it's taking you a long time to get through bugs and drugs, maybe you're taking too much time on them? You may want to try multiple quick passes through the material and use questions to gauge your retention rather than a crazy in-depth look at everything.

If you're having problems with the question format, use the practice questions to figure out why. Maybe you're getting hung up on details and should try reading the very last sentence first. Maybe you should try restating the question in your own head -- that's what helps me slow down. Unless there's an extremely long vignette, most clinical details they give you are extremely relevant. You may want to try looking at a Buzzwords for the Boards or USMLE Secrets-style book if you feel like it's the format that's giving you trouble.

You sound pretty burned out. I'd really recommend taking a day off and enjoying life before you start making drastic push-back-the-board plans.

I went from a 210 on NBMEs to a 240 in about my first three weeks, and I'm not a spectacular genius or someone who can put in ten hours a day. Understanding how the questions work and what is high-yield for testing is more important than trying to master 100% of the material.