Step 1 Delay Decision-Pre-Dedicated Time

[fxf32]

Hi All,

Have a tough decision to make this week and I really need some help. Our school offers a program to below-average students where you can delay Step 1 until August, giving you majority of May-most of August to study for it. The catch is: you have to push your first rotation to the end of third year, giving you less elective/free time M4 year, as well as a less than ideal situation for Step 2.

This is a decision that must be made prior to classes ending. If not, then you would be required to take a LOA (which has further ramifications) if you decide to delay while the dedicated prep time begins.

I was sent an email from the Dean suggesting I take a look at the Step Delay Program due to my below average scores. Naturally, I panicked and took NBME 15 the day of and scored a 175. This is with two blocks of class left Endocrine/Reproductive and MSK.

My question is, how much can one truly improve in 5 weeks of dedicated study. Is a 175 a red flag I should delay? Or is it reasonable to expect once I can focus all my time on FA/UWORLD/Pathoma I could raise that score to around a 220 (not aiming for anything too competitive).

This decision has been eating away at me for days, and its so hard to focus on school when you have a timelime of this kind of decision hanging over your head. I see the pros and cons for both sides and I really want to just make a decision ASAP that I can stick to and be confident with.

Thanks!

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[nds86]

I think you should delay your step. Going from 175 to 200 is probably possible in 5 weeks (considering how strong your basic science is), but from 175 to 220 is pushing it. It's safer to use the extra time to get a competitive score for step 1 than to worry about not having enough time for Ck/Cs.

 

[cbrons]

I agree but with a caveat. If your dean means "below average" to be below 50% of the class in preclinical grades, that doesnt mean a thing at many schools becaue preclinical exams are nothing like step 1 (theyre all trash memorization exercises). The 175 on a practice NBME CBSSA is the red flag, not an email suggestion from the dean.

 

[seminoma]

I think you should delay your step. Going from 175 to 200 is probably possible in 5 weeks (considering how strong your basic science is), but from 175 to 220 is pushing it. It's safer to use the extra time to get a competitive score for step 1 than to worry about not having enough time for Ck/Cs.

I agree but with a caveat. If your dean means "below average" to be below 50% of the class in preclinical grades, that doesnt mean a thing at many schools becaue preclinical exams are nothing like step 1 (theyre all trash memorization exercises). The 175 on a practice NBME CBSSA is the red flag, not an email suggestion from the dean.

I disagree. Sounds like OP has 3 organ system blocks to cover, at which point he/she will enter a 5 week dedicated period (not 5 weeks total to cover 3 new organ systems and also prep for step 1)

175 without having learned endocrine, repro, and rheum/derm isn't a red flag imo. Those 3 systems could easily be the difference between 175 and 190-200 for OP.

 

[cbrons]

I disagree. Sounds like OP has 3 organ system blocks to cover, at which point he/she will enter a 5 week dedicated period (not 5 weeks total to cover 3 new organ systems and also prep for step 1)

175 without having learned endocrine, repro, and rheum/derm isn't a red flag imo. Those 3 systems could easily be the difference between 175 and 190-200 for OP.

Oh well yeah if you havent learned any of those i would imagine youd do really bad

 

[fxf32]

.

 

[fxf32]

I disagree. Sounds like OP has 3 organ system blocks to cover, at which point he/she will enter a 5 week dedicated period (not 5 weeks total to cover 3 new organ systems and also prep for step 1)

175 without having learned endocrine, repro, and rheum/derm isn't a red flag imo. Those 3 systems could easily be the difference between 175 and 190-200 for OP.

Yes this exactly the situation I am at right now. I think I may take another NBME at the very end of class exams, just to see what I score before my final decision (School granted me an extension) If I want a 215+ on Step 1, what would be a realistic NBME baseline goal? Around a 190? Then I would have 5 weeks of dedicated full time preparation.

 

[mega_colon]

A 175 isn't awful if taken with 0 prep. My school offered a mock STEP in November when we still had GI and MSK/derm left. Most people got around a 165-170.

If you can get a passing score with zero prep at the end of your preclinical then you're above the average for my school which has a STEP average at the national average.

 

[fxf32]

A 175 isn't awful if taken with 0 prep. My school offered a mock STEP in November when we still had GI and MSK/derm left. Most people got around a 165-170.

If you can get a passing score with zero prep at the end of your preclinical then you're above the average for my school which has a STEP average at the national average.

Really? Thanks for letting me know, thats pretty comforting. I think our school may be being overly cautious with its students by offering this, its a numbers game for them, and they really just want a good match rate at the end of the day.

 

[mega_colon]

Really? Thanks for letting me know, thats pretty comforting. I think our school may be being overly cautious with its students by offering this, its a numbers game for them, and they really just want a good match rate at the end of the day.

Yea I wouldn't stress, if you're close to passing STEP with absolutely zero prep you shouldn't have trouble getting up above the national average with 5 weeks of SUPER intense studying.

 

[seminoma]

Yes this exactly the situation I am at right now. I think I may take another NBME at the very end of class exams, just to see what I score before my final decision (School granted me an extension) If I want a 215+ on Step 1, what would be a realistic NBME baseline goal? Around a 190? Then I would have 5 weeks of dedicated full time preparation.

Anecdotally I know people who scored ~215 on an NBME taken the first day of dedicated time and scored a 250+ on the real thing after 6 weeks of studying. Granted they were not "below average" students... whatever that means.

 

[sozme]

Anecdotally I know people who scored ~215 on an NBME taken the first day of dedicated time and scored a 250+ on the real thing after 6 weeks of studying. Granted they were not "below average" students... whatever that means.

Must have been a rough 6 weeks for them, but good result nonetheless.

 

[mega_colon]

Must have been a rough 6 weeks for them, but good result nonetheless.

STEP studying is basically one giant suck fest. But it's like ripping a band aid, better to grind out 16hr days and just get it over with.

Anecdotally, my first test was a 190ish and 4 weeks of studying put me well over the national average. You'll be fine, just don't screw around during your prep.