Started doing UWorld and COMBANK and getting wrecked

[Osteosaur]

I'm an OMSII and just started on USMLE and COMBANK questions. I've been trying to do 5 a day based on systems we've covered durning M1, and just general topics, biostats, etc.

And I'd hate to say it but I'm getting wrecked. Usually scoring like 40-50% when the average is 60% or so. Some of the time its either old OMM stuff I know I need to review, professionalism/ethics related stuff we haven't covered (FA has stuff on this I assume?), or anatomy.

Is this normal or does this not bode well? I mean the explanations are helpful and all, and I've been grinding through Anki, trying to work in some OMM Zanki, but I'm just kind of bummed how much I forgot on some of these topics.

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[NecFasc92]

I'm an OMSII and just started on USMLE and COMBANK questions. I've been trying to do 5 a day based on systems we've covered durning M1, and just general topics, biostats, etc.

And I'd hate to say it but I'm getting wrecked. Usually scoring like 40-50% when the average is 60% or so. Some of the time its either old OMM stuff I know I need to review, professionalism/ethics related stuff we haven't covered (FA has stuff on this I assume?), or anatomy.

Is this normal or does this not bode well? I mean the explanations are helpful and all, and I've been grinding through Anki, trying to work in some OMM Zanki, but I'm just kind of bummed how much I forgot on some of these topics.

- there is no such things as an OMSII
-It’s October, relaaaax, you’re fine. If you were getting 10% then panic
-combank is utter trash, don’t use it
-relax some more, and keep working. You’ll improve your % over time . Plus, it’s october lol. Not March, you have eons of time

 

[Osteosaur]

- there is no such things as an OMSII
-It’s October, relaaaax, you’re fine. If you were getting 10% then panic
-combank is utter trash, don’t use it
-relax some more, and keep working. You’ll improve your % over time . Plus, it’s october lol. Not March, you have eons of time

Always been told UWorld was the gold standard.

But what's wrong with COMBANK? In the end isn't that the best simulation of actual COMLEX? I figured I'm going to need to deal with innominates and all the rest on it no matter what so I'd better get used to it... at least that was my logic. Trying to do 5/day in both.

what would you recommend?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

It's too early to be doing Uworld though. It's the best qbank you'll ever have, you need to start using it closer to dedicated after you have gotten some practice with the other qbanks (Kaplan, Rx, AMBOSS, Combank, ect.) and have cover most of your pre-clinical curriculum.

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[Prehealth1011]

It's too early to be doing Uworld though. It's the best qbank you'll ever have, you need to start using it closer to dedicated after you have gotten some practice with the other qbanks (Kaplan, Rx, AMBOSS, Combank, ect.) and have cover most of your pre-clinical curriculum.

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Honestly it doesn’t matter. Lot of people go through first pass of uworld during school and second during dedicated. I saved uworld till the end as well, but I don’t think you can go wrong either way. The most important thing is to learn and not to resource overload. Uworld is the best qbank but it’s very possible to have an exam that looks nothing like it. People routinely scored 15-20 points under their uwsa2 when I took it few months ago.

 

[NecFasc92]

Always been told UWorld was the gold standard.

But what's wrong with COMBANK? In the end isn't that the best simulation of actual COMLEX? I figured I'm going to need to deal with innominates and all the rest on it no matter what so I'd better get used to it... at least that was my logic. Trying to do 5/day in both.

what would you recommend?

O doing Uworld is great. I got through it twice. Highly recommend that. So you’re fine doing it now!

I would do comquest. Much higher quality and much more similar to the real deal

Don’t listed to the fellow second year, he’s never taken boards so doesn’t know what he’s talking about

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Sorry guys, I know I've never taken boards, but I was merely repeating things I have heard from other people that have taken boards already. I guess everyone is different in the way they approach board prep.

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[getfat]

Sorry guys, I know I've never taken boards, but I was merely repeating things I have heard from other people that have taken boards already. I guess everyone is different in the way they approach board prep.

Still sound advice even if you haven't taken boards. I've seen your name on SDN for a while so you are probably more educated on this matter than alot of my 3rd, 4th year classmates. I don't see any problem in you giving advice to people asking questions for boards.

It just might be better if you preface with "as a second year" or that "you've heard it from people above you" when you are giving advice on this forum specifically to boards. Just so you don't trigger specific people that don't recognize your name.

 

[Medic741]

Always been told UWorld was the gold standard.

But what's wrong with COMBANK? In the end isn't that the best simulation of actual COMLEX? I figured I'm going to need to deal with innominates and all the rest on it no matter what so I'd better get used to it... at least that was my logic. Trying to do 5/day in both.

what would you recommend?

COMBANK is utter garbage. Took a block of 50 drunk, for kicks, and scored >90%. You shouldn't be able to do that.

You haven't seen an enormous amount of the testable material yet. Even if you're selecting the systems you've covered you don't have the fund of knowledge yet to appreciate the details of the stems which cover all systems/regions.

Use COMBANK by system to help study for classes, it's kinda helpful for that but useless for boards. Save UWORLD until you're closer (start maybe January at the earliest) and can really benefit from the questions and don't worry about percentages.

I started a book and obsessively wrote down the topic/system I got something wrong on, a 4-5 word comment on why I got it wrong (test anxiety etc) and a third column on how I wouldn't miss it in the future. That was an easy hack that made a positive difference with very little marginal effort

 

[Deecee2DO]

COMBANK is utter garbage. Took a block of 50 drunk, for kicks, and scored >90%. You shouldn't be able to do that.

You haven't seen an enormous amount of the testable material yet. Even if you're selecting the systems you've covered you don't have the fund of knowledge yet to appreciate the details of the stems which cover all systems/regions.

Use COMBANK by system to help study for classes, it's kinda helpful for that but useless for boards. Save UWORLD until you're closer (start maybe January at the earliest) and can really benefit from the questions and don't worry about percentages.

I started a book and obsessively wrote down the topic/system I got something wrong on, a 4-5 word comment on why I got it wrong (test anxiety etc) and a third column on how I wouldn't miss it in the future. That was an easy hack that made a positive difference with very little marginal effort

This book you made honestly sounds like such a good idea. Did it help a lot? How did you do on Step 1 if you dont mind me asking?

 

[Deecee2DO]

Sorry guys, I know I've never taken boards, but I was merely repeating things I have heard from other people that have taken boards already. I guess everyone is different in the way they approach board prep.

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I honestly have heard the same and I agree with you. I have heard both that people use UW in the fall and others saying dont use till Jan at earliest but I have heard more of the latter from my 3rd and 4th yr friends/tutors that have taken and done well