scheduling/studying for Step 3 during intern year

[armonia]

Hi folks,

A few of questions for the more seasoned done-with-intern year people out there.

(1) Were you able to Study for Step 3 during intern year?
(2) Is there a strategy for getting this test scheduled during a particular week? (apparently your testing period starts as soon as you receive your confirmation/scheduling ticket and it ends 90 days later. . .you don't really get to pick a window). I get one four-week block of vacation in the middle of the year and would like to get the exam over with in the first week. It would really put a damper on any travel plans if somehow the scheduling period fell in the third week.
(3) Would you scrap the idea of doing this over vacation and try to do it during an elective month instead?
(4) Can you sit for the exam under the auspices of a particular state that you have no intention of getting a license in?

Any comments welcome and appreciated!

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[elwademd]

(1) Were you able to Study for Step 3 during intern year?

yes.

step 3 is pretty general, in the sense that technically you are prepared for it after completing residency. hence, it covers medicine, surgery, ob/gyn, pediatrics.

depending on what you're doing your internship in, it may behoove you to take it earlier rather than later in your internship.

(2) Is there a strategy for getting this test scheduled during a particular week? (apparently your testing period starts as soon as you receive your confirmation/scheduling ticket and it ends 90 days later. . .you don't really get to pick a window). I get one four-week block of vacation in the middle of the year and would like to get the exam over with in the first week. It would really put a damper on any travel plans if somehow the scheduling period fell in the third week.

a 3 month (90 day) block seems like a rather large window!

you get to pick that 3 month block btw. so, for instance, if you know you want to take it in january, pick a 3 month block from december to february; or from, january to march.

(3) Would you scrap the idea of doing this over vacation and try to do it during an elective month instead?

i did it during an elective month- just read a bit and did questions online (kaplan) for a 2 weeks or so before the test. never really more than about 20-30 minutes at a time.

(4) Can you sit for the exam under the auspices of a particular state that you have no intention of getting a license in?

sure, the usmle is a nationwide test. the state you take it in has no bearing on licensure.

 

[Blade28]

It doesn't really matter what rotation you're on - you'll likely only get those 2 days off to take the test anyway. Just brush up for a couple days before hand, skim the clinical cases at the back of First Aid, and you'll be good to go.

 

[CNphair]

You do not need to waste your precious vacation time on Step 3. I took mine during a ward month. I did questions for one hour a night for two weeks. Thumbed through Crush during down moments at work...just sneak it into your schedule. You will be given 2 days off for the test.

Keep your vacation as just that.

 

[Bevo]

depends on your program as to when to schedule.

At my program we are not allowed to schedule/take off for the exam if we are working on the medicine floors, ICU, or ER. Granted in ER you can schedule your shifts to allow for the test. But we're not allowed to take off for the exam in those months ...

So for me it pushes me back until the feb - april block. I wanted it done before Xmas but I'm heavy with medicine months before xmas.

 

[armonia]

From the Federation of State Medical Boards website:

State-specific Requirements for Step 3 Eligibility

Below is a reference guide to assist you in selecting the state medical board (licensing authority) whose eligibility requirements you will use in applying for Step 3. For the full instruction materials, click on the individual state licensing authority listed at the far left.

There is a fair amount of variability in state-state requirements, but in all cases it looks light the state board sponsors the application to sit for Step 3 (ie they do some processing before the scheduling permit is sent out).

The length of the block isn't so much of a problem as not knowing when the block is going to start. You send in the application, the state and FSMB take however long to process your application, and then your test bock clock starts clicking. So, it seems like there might be some pseudo-optimal lead time to use when turning in the application.

It's encouraging to see that people have taken Step 3 while on a rotation. I am now looking forward to my (many-years-overdue-hopefully-out-of-country) travel during my vacation block.