USMLE Step 1 6 weeks away, UWorld scores not improving and getting nervous

[deleted436726]

Hi all,

I'm a USMD student taking Step 1 about 6 weeks from now in mid-June. I took NBME 19 on April 20 as a baseline right before my dedicated started and scored a 161. Since then I've been chugging through two 40-question random UWorld sets and going through about 25-40 pages of First Aid (just started the Organ Systems section) a day supplemented with Sketchy and Pathoma here and there. 55% unused questions in UWorld still to go. Unfortunately, my performance seems to be stuck in a rut. I can't seem to break 50-60% per set. Admittedly that's better than what I scored prior to my dedicated period when I used UWorld more casually, but obviously based on my NBME I still have a long way to go. My goal score is a 240, and I'm really not sure if that's a realistic expectation anymore. I've always been a slightly-below-average student in med school but I don't think I've ever felt this insecure about a standardized test or worried this much about simply passing something. Please help.

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[cellsaver]

Hi all,

I'm a USMD student taking Step 1 about 6 weeks from now in mid-June. I took NBME 19 on April 20 as a baseline right before my dedicated started and scored a 161. Since then I've been chugging through two 40-question random UWorld sets and going through about 25-40 pages of First Aid (just started the Organ Systems section) a day supplemented with Sketchy and Pathoma here and there. 55% unused questions in UWorld still to go. Unfortunately, my performance seems to be stuck in a rut.

Stop everything that you are doing, and finish all of UWorld questions pronto! Mark all the ones you missed that surprised you. After you have finished all of 2500 UWorld questions, review every marked question (and missed question not marked).

Make hand written notes or typed written notes on your computer for each missed question plus each alternative answer. You have 6 weeks till your Step 1. this is very doable.

After taking notes for all of your missed/marked questions, re-take UWorld for a 2nd pass on tutor/timed mode, 40 questions per exam, all subjects, all subsections. Do the entire UWorld qbank 40 questions /exam, 3 exams per day, 4 if possible. Yes, it's possible. You must master the concepts and the stamina. One NBME exam is nothing compared to an 8 hour exam of Step 1 questions. 8 hours of these questions = brutal.

Once you have done all of UWorld, take a UWorld diagnostic exam - they sell 2 diagnostic exams. Use the first diagnostic exam to assess your deficiencies and focus on those areas.

FA is not going to help you at this point to memorize bullet points. You need to tie concepts together since that is the goal of the board exams.

You are not hopeless nor are you in a bad spot. Next 6 weeks should be you and UWorld. Turn off your phone, walk away from your social life, deactivate Facebook/IG/Twitter, all of social media needs to be ignored, etc. Nothing exists but you and UWorld.

self-regulation is key

Knock em dead tiger

 

[LyMed]

Have you identified your weakpoints through your NBMEs?

 

[deleted436726]

I'm happy to report that after about 2.5 weeks of dedicated study, my UWorld averages are slow creeping up. Recent block scores have been mostly in the 60-65% range. Thanks for the encouragement...I will say that reading and annotating FA does wonders.

 

[noods]

I was looking up some information on yousmle. Has anyone had any experience with them?

Some advice on resources would be greatly appreciated.

 

[LyMed]

I'd start doing Uworld.

 

[noods]

Thanks so much @LyMed! I have actually gone through 75 percent of it. I guess I should try going through it a second time? If you don't recommend any specific videos/lectures/additional sources.

 

[LyMed]

At a month out, I don't think I'd add too much. All the information on the step is there in your resources, you just have to get a grasp of it.