Should I take Step 1

[kettle12]

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I just took a CBSE test offered through my school about a week ago and received the results today. I got the equivalent of a 260. I just started my dedicated board studying time about 1 week ago and have read through first aid once and have done half of the Uworld questions.

I am currently scheduled to take step 1 in about 1 month but after receiving my score I am considering to move the test date up. Do you guys think this is a smart decision? I don't mind the studying for an extra month but I am just worried that the amount of information I know will decrease during the month, does this happen to people? I will be studying almost every day during that month and probably putting in 8-10 hours of solid studying time each day. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I just took a CBSE test offered through my school about a week ago and received the results today. I got the equivalent of a 260. I just started my dedicated board studying time about 1 week ago and have read through first aid once and have done half of the Uworld questions.

I am currently scheduled to take step 1 in about 1 month but after receiving my score I am considering to move the test date up. Do you guys think this is a smart decision? I don't mind the studying for an extra month but I am just worried that the amount of information I know will decrease during the month, does this happen to people? I will be studying almost every day during that month and probably putting in 8-10 hours of solid studying time each day. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

Can you take an NBME ASAP and see what you get? I'd say do the NBME -> if score is what you want, move it up to as soon as possible.

 

[Sanzy]

Save yourself a lot of trouble. Take another NBME. Maybe even two. If you do as well as you want on those, schedule it ASAP and have a fun vacation.

 

[loveoforganic2]

I just took a CBSE test offered through my school about a week ago and received the results today. I got the equivalent of a 260. I just started my dedicated board studying time about 1 week ago and have read through first aid once and have done half of the Uworld questions.

I am currently scheduled to take step 1 in about 1 month but after receiving my score I am considering to move the test date up. Do you guys think this is a smart decision? I don't mind the studying for an extra month but I am just worried that the amount of information I know will decrease during the month, does this happen to people? I will be studying almost every day during that month and probably putting in 8-10 hours of solid studying time each day. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

I haven't taken an NBME yet, but my UW% and free 150 put me into my target score range really early into my study period too. My plan is to follow the study plan I made regardless, unless I get burned out, in which case I'll move my test up (leaving myself enough time to finish UW - not going to take the real deal without doing so). I'm doing a dual degree program though and have a month break after my scheduled step date before classes start. If it would cost you a summer break to study, I would just take an NBME, move up the date if your score is good, fly through UW, take another NBME soon before your date, and assuming your score is still good, take it and get it over with. I'd do one of the more recent NBME's though to assess

 

[kettle12]

Even with the step 1 date that I have scheduled I would have about 1.5 months of a summer break. I think I'll plan on taking a NBME tomorrow and see how that goes. I also agree that I would want to get through all of UWorld so if anything I might move my test date up by 2 weeks.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I just took a CBSE test offered through my school about a week ago and received the results today. I got the equivalent of a 260. I just started my dedicated board studying time about 1 week ago and have read through first aid once and have done half of the Uworld questions.

I am currently scheduled to take step 1 in about 1 month but after receiving my score I am considering to move the test date up. Do you guys think this is a smart decision? I don't mind the studying for an extra month but I am just worried that the amount of information I know will decrease during the month, does this happen to people? I will be studying almost every day during that month and probably putting in 8-10 hours of solid studying time each day. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

The CBSE is far more predictive of what you'd score than the old NBMEs. If you're worried it was a fluke take an NBME, other than that take Step 1 get it over with and enjoy some vacation.

I can't imagine a PD seeing much of a difference in a guy that gets a 260 vs a 265.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Even with the step 1 date that I have scheduled I would have about 1.5 months of a summer break. I think I'll plan on taking a NBME tomorrow and see how that goes. I also agree that I would want to get through all of UWorld so if anything I might move my test date up by 2 weeks.

wtf? how did you get so much break????

 

[kettle12]

The CBSE is far more predictive of what you'd score than the old NBMEs.

I am assuming that when you say old NBMEs you mean the single digit NBMEs. Is the CBSE actually better than the new NBMEs? I would assume that NBME 15 is probably the most predictive test out there.

Also I'm not worried about getting a 260 vs 265 etc but I would just hate to move my test date up and then get under a 260. I go to a pretty bad medical school (we are in the US and an MD school but prob one of the worst MD schools in the country).

And the reason I have so much time off is because my school sucks haha. We have a low pass rate on the boards (usually around 65-70%) so they want to make sure we pass step 1 before we start rotations and therefore need to factor in the time to get our scores after we take step 1.

 

[loveoforganic2]

I am assuming that when you say old NBMEs you mean the single digit NBMEs. Is the CBSE actually better than the new NBMEs? I would assume that NBME 15 is probably the most predictive test out there.

Also I'm not worried about getting a 260 vs 265 etc but I would just hate to move my test date up and then get under a 260. I go to a pretty bad medical school (we are in the US and an MD school but prob one of the worst MD schools in the country).

And the reason I have so much time off is because my school sucks haha. We have a low pass rate on the boards (usually around 65-70%) so they want to make sure we pass step 1 before we start rotations and therefore need to factor in the time to get our scores after we take step 1.

WOW. I thought you were being kind of douchey saying your school was bad bc it's lowly ranked or something. I'm amazed a school can maintain accreditation with a third of their students failing step. I go to an unranked US MD and our pass rate hovers around/a little above 90%. Well, it didn't hurt you obviously, so enjoy your summer vacation.

As far as this thread, I agree with MLT - I don't think (for a US MD) that once you break 250, the exact score doesn't really matter much. That said, you only get to do this once, so, like I said, my plan is to just push through the studying, don't think I'll regret doing so later