Step 1 Target Based on NBME 17

[eliteeli]

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Hey all thanks for reading. So my school has a 6 month MS2 year which I have just completed. We now have a few weeks off to study for Step 1 before we start MS3. Anyway, I just took NBME self assessment 17 prior to beginning my studying and I scored a 580 which converts to a 245. I've hear from upper classmen that they're scores increased like 30-50 points from their first pre-studying practice (my school makes us take it). Is that a possible goal? Like I originally wanted to shoot for a 260/265 as my target score, but if I've starting at a 245, is it realistic to aim for like a 275/280? What do you guys think is a reasonable target given this starting point? I did not feel like this was fluky. Like I've been a 90s student throughout school, I just didn't have any barometer to gauge a potential Step 1 target score.

 

[Reckoner]

The people you talked to probably didn't start so far above the mean. It's quite a bit easier to study and go from a 200 to a 230 than it is to go from 245-275. Anything's possible obviously and you're in a great position to score 250++, but I wouldn't get too fixated on absurdly high scores. Good luck!

 

[TBV]

The people you talked to probably didn't start so far above the mean. It's quite a bit easier to study and go from a 200 to a 230 than it is to go from 245-275. Anything's possible obviously and you're in a great position to score 250++, but I wouldn't get too fixated on absurdly high scores. Good luck!

Nailed it ^

 

[Psai]

Yeah you sound like you're in good shape but a 245 won't be closing many doors lol

 

[Apoplexy__]

I got a 255 as a school-administered "baseline" diagnostic 9 weeks out from my test. Ended up with a 261, lol. Diagnostics had ranged from 249-266 during dedicated.

Upward mobility is so insanely difficult in after 250+ that I wouldn't count on 270+. Even just 260+ has a significant degree of luck involved, and luck only plays more of a role higher up.

That being said, those who do pull off 270+ probably have diagnostics such as yours at your point. I'd just bet that the majority of people who have your diagnostics at your point don't get 270+. More power to you though -- nothing wrong with shooting for the stars.

 

[achamess]

I got a 255 as a school-administered "baseline" diagnostic 9 weeks out from my test. Ended up with a 261, lol. Diagnostics had ranged from 249-266 during dedicated.

Upward mobility is so insanely difficult in after 250+ that I wouldn't count on 270+. Even just 260+ has a significant degree of luck involved, and luck only plays more of a role higher up.

That being said, those who do pull off 270+ probably have diagnostics such as yours at your point. I'd just bet that the majority of people who have your diagnostics at your point don't get 270+. More power to you though -- nothing wrong with shooting for the stars.

There are diminishing returns when your baseline is high. I spent 7 weeks to gain 10 more points. A part of me wishes I had just taken the test on day one and saved myself some time, but the med student part of my brain would not allow it. I only say this in retrospect. Anyway, if anything, your high baseline should alleviate stress and give you confidence, making your study time more pleasant. But just know that you're going to work hard and that you may not get that much more of a score bump, for the reasons described above.

Good luck!

 

[eliteeli]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Yeah that makes sense, I think it has definitely quelled some of my pre study anxiety going into this period.

 

[gregoryhouse]

6 months before my exam I had a 220 on my NBME, 3 months before my exam I had a 245 on the NBME, 4 weeks before my exam I had a 245, 1 week before my exam I had a a 255, 2 days before my exam I had a 262, Real test I got a 258.

I was stagnant at 245 for a long time. It is definitely increasingly difficult to keep increasing your score after you reach the 240s in my opinion.

 

[scoKraz4]

Scoring that high consistently is more important cause it shows you can handle any mix of questions thrown at you and you have a solid knowledge base. As others said scoring above 260 even has a degree of luck associated with it and a matter of how you feel that day of the test. So just keep doing what you are doing and definitely consider an earlier exam day if you are still scoring high. In my opinion a 270 isn't going to open more doors than a 250...both show you know your stuff.

 

[masaraksh]

Scoring that high consistently is more important cause it shows you can handle any mix of questions thrown at you and you have a solid knowledge base. As others said scoring above 260 even has a degree of luck associated with it and a matter of how you feel that day of the test. So just keep doing what you are doing and definitely consider an earlier exam day if you are still scoring high. In my opinion a 270 isn't going to open more doors than a 250...both show you know your stuff.

still rather have the 270.

I mean, 245 is the median last year for ortho, and 248 was the median for ENT. Being well above the median for literally all specialties would be nice. I still have to take step 1. One can hope.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Once you start cracking 260 or even 255 it becomes more about luck, ie do you happen to know one of the meaningless trivia questions they put on the test.

 

[scoKraz4]

still rather have the 270.

I mean, 245 is the median last year for ortho, and 248 was the median for ENT. Being well above the median for literally all specialties would be nice. I still have to take step 1. One can hope.

That also means there are plenty of students scoring below the median and being accepted to these programs. There are so many other factors that come into play in the decision process. I feel like they look at the score, see that it his high, check the box for "high score", then look at the next criteria. Overall though, the same amount of doors will be open, looking solely on board score, to those persons with 250 vs. 270.

 

[chillaxbro]

245?? who are u?

 

[sloop]

I gotta be real. The difference between a 250 and a 260 for most people is going to be luck and random crap that has nothing to do with preparation. Of course there may be some who can do a ridiculous amount of extra prep and be fairly consistently in the really high score ranges but I think scores get very volatile in this region. There will always be stuff you're shakier on no matter how well you prepare. My exam had like 8 questions on calcium metabolism/pathology. If this was a worse area for someone, they wouldn't do as well on that test.

Realistically, no doors will be closed for you at 250+. No doors will be closed at 260+.

FWIW, my starting nbme before dedicated study was around yours. I studied for 6 wks and I wound up scoring in the 250s. My experience was that marginal returns on studying were much worse after breaking 250 in the nbmes. It is extraordinarily difficult to add consistently to your score after that and a lot of it winds up being stuff like how much you second guess yourself, how intuitive you are at deciding whether a question is simple or tricky, etc.

My suggestion is to set a goal that would be a good improvement but is readily achievable. If you make that goal quicker than anticipated, set a new goal. This is what I did and it worked out well.