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- Dec 16, 2016
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Hey Guys,
I'm pretty set on taking the test, but wanted a little input.
Background: AMG Psychiatry Resident. 6 weeks studying after work/residency (psych resident). Advised by everyone in my program to take it earlier than later.
Prior Steps: USMLE Step 1 >235, USMLE Step 2 > 235 and Pass.
Study Approach: Generally going through UWORLD, mix of untimed tutor and timed non-tutor (depending on if i was studying at work or at home). Haven't been supplementing much with books as I didn't do that with step 2 ck (just first aid and pathoma for step 1), and none of the books seems particularly good. I completed UWORLD q-bank (generally scored 65-68% with some 70s and some lower 60s and a few high 50s), and I have 5 days in-between Day 1 and Day 2 that I plan to really hammer out the CCS cases.
Concerns: I was an idiot and took the UWSA in the evening 3 days prior to my exam (Take exam August 31st). I started it at 6pm on Sunday, did a couple blocks and felt there were a number of questions that felt really strange, looked at my performance and realized I wasn't doing well, and then took the last two blocks. End result was 188 on the damn thing. That being said, I do think I freaked out a little when I saw my raw percentages on the first half and that this affected my performance (55% on first block, 53% on second block, 53% on third block, and 45% on the fourth block). There were generally a few (4 or more) questions on each block that were a "reading the fine details problem" and pick the common sense answer, which I missed as I was anxious about some of the toughies.
Obviously my situation isn't ideal, but I was a little miffed at the question selection for the UWSA and took it nervously in the evening. I've read a number of people who take the UWSA have been under-represented and obviously I've seen the opposite as well. Bottom line, 97% pass first-try, I've got my test in 2 days, I also have 5 days to study for day 2 cases and keep brushing up on questions... Do I go for it?
I can't reschedule for a month or two out because I have inpatient neuro rotations and no time to study. That would mean I'm waiting until late spring and paying hefty fines to cancel, reschedule, and purchase study resources again. Additionally, my PD says 2 people in his 6 years (42 residents) have had problems with passing this test, and both of them had prior problems with STEP exams (red-flags) and/or serious life circumstances. For both of them, he was able to set up a month of elective time to study for a re-take. I've been reviewing my wrong in world and referencing the books with gaps, and doing the USMLE website practice questions ( 1st/2nd section: 80 and 95%) which seem much more straigh-forward although I know stems will be longer on test day.
Thanks in advance!
I'm pretty set on taking the test, but wanted a little input.
Background: AMG Psychiatry Resident. 6 weeks studying after work/residency (psych resident). Advised by everyone in my program to take it earlier than later.
Prior Steps: USMLE Step 1 >235, USMLE Step 2 > 235 and Pass.
Study Approach: Generally going through UWORLD, mix of untimed tutor and timed non-tutor (depending on if i was studying at work or at home). Haven't been supplementing much with books as I didn't do that with step 2 ck (just first aid and pathoma for step 1), and none of the books seems particularly good. I completed UWORLD q-bank (generally scored 65-68% with some 70s and some lower 60s and a few high 50s), and I have 5 days in-between Day 1 and Day 2 that I plan to really hammer out the CCS cases.
Concerns: I was an idiot and took the UWSA in the evening 3 days prior to my exam (Take exam August 31st). I started it at 6pm on Sunday, did a couple blocks and felt there were a number of questions that felt really strange, looked at my performance and realized I wasn't doing well, and then took the last two blocks. End result was 188 on the damn thing. That being said, I do think I freaked out a little when I saw my raw percentages on the first half and that this affected my performance (55% on first block, 53% on second block, 53% on third block, and 45% on the fourth block). There were generally a few (4 or more) questions on each block that were a "reading the fine details problem" and pick the common sense answer, which I missed as I was anxious about some of the toughies.
Obviously my situation isn't ideal, but I was a little miffed at the question selection for the UWSA and took it nervously in the evening. I've read a number of people who take the UWSA have been under-represented and obviously I've seen the opposite as well. Bottom line, 97% pass first-try, I've got my test in 2 days, I also have 5 days to study for day 2 cases and keep brushing up on questions... Do I go for it?
I can't reschedule for a month or two out because I have inpatient neuro rotations and no time to study. That would mean I'm waiting until late spring and paying hefty fines to cancel, reschedule, and purchase study resources again. Additionally, my PD says 2 people in his 6 years (42 residents) have had problems with passing this test, and both of them had prior problems with STEP exams (red-flags) and/or serious life circumstances. For both of them, he was able to set up a month of elective time to study for a re-take. I've been reviewing my wrong in world and referencing the books with gaps, and doing the USMLE website practice questions ( 1st/2nd section: 80 and 95%) which seem much more straigh-forward although I know stems will be longer on test day.
Thanks in advance!
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