Step 2 rescheduled by Prometric

[mamadoc]

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Has anyone else had this happen?

I got called late yesterday afternoon and told that the test center is having "technical difficulties," I can't take Step 2 tomorrow as I'd planned. AND the day they offered me next week instead doesn't work - looks like I'm going to have to reschedule a few weeks out, when I'm back in rotations instead of chillin' at home studying! 😡

Oh well, it can't be helped. Maybe this means I'll study more and get a better score (but I doubt it).

 

[Fermi]

Well, this incident happened to someone else, so I'm ot at liberty to disclose any real details, but tell me what you think...

Someone I know had scheduled Step 1 many months ago for a certain date at the nearby Prometric center. This student then confirmed the date a few days before the test, and promptly showed up the morning of their assigned date, and the proctor/supervisor/whatever said something like, "oh--you can't take Step 1 today, we're closing after lunch for a long weekend!"

I can't imagine how this would feel. I mean, when you're ready to take this exam, you're ready, and if you find out 5 minutes before you're supposed to start that you have to wait 10 more days, that really has to mess you up. I think this student should have their $420 refunded promptly; it's just ridiculous. What do you think?

 

[unregistered]

Are you in small towns or something? Can't imagine this happening...

 

[unregistered]

BTW, you should write a complaint to the NBME...they could take away the Prometric license...since prometric has a monopoly on taking their exams...this is unfair since there s no competition

 

[Fermi]

Originally posted by unregistered
Are you in small towns or something? Can't imagine this happening...

No, this is in a fairly large metropolitan area, and it is the major testing center here. I've encouraged the involved party to register a complaint; don't know if it has happened.

 

[mamadoc]

BTW, you should write a complaint to the NBME...they could take away the Prometric license...since prometric has a monopoly on taking their exams...this is unfair since there s no competition

ah ha ha. *laughing bitterly* You must be relatively new to the institutionalized victimization that is part of the medical school experience?

The monopoly is exactly why complaining would do no good whatsoever. I don't think there's another company besides Prometric that would be even remotely qualified to offer this service. And I'm sure NBME doesn't give a rat's a$$ about my problems.

Meanwhile, I'm the one under pressure - I have to take the exam and pass it to graduate. When I do this is not Prometric's concern nor NBME's - why should they care? So there is no motivation whatsoever for them to be accommodating or more solicitous. As far as they're concerned, they DID try to help me, it's just that it wasn't particularly helpful.

My experience, like Fermi's friend's, was in a major metropolitan area. 36 hours out from the test, I guess I can understand that the other three "nearby" test centers (none nearly as convenient as the one i was scheduled for) could accommodate me. I learned that not every center is set up to do Step 2 every day, because of the length of the exam.

like so many, many other experiences in medical school, I am just shrugging and moving on, solving my own little problems - no one else is going to care as much as I do about my problems, right?

 

[Kat11]

I had a similar experience with step 1. I signed up for my test months in advance and printed out a confirmation of the date. I went on the Prometric website a week before the test to recheck my info, and I saw that I was assigned to a different (earlier!) test date. I'm not sure how this happened. Both NBME and Prometric have denied responsibility, but I have the option of retaking the test. Fortunately, I'm happy with my score so I don't have to take up that offer!

 

[desiree]

i have a similar experience. i had signed up to take step1 two months ago, and just the other day, i got a call from prometric saying that they are updating the computer systems at the test center and need to shut down the place for three days. i can't believe they would do such a thing on such short notice and not really care about the students who were signed up to take the test that day. I can't take the test at a later time because i am leaving the country two days after my original test date. And to take it any earlier is out of the question for me, and besides, they don't have any open spots for students anyway.
so at the moment i am stuck in limbo. i have no clue what's going to happen. my test is in less than three weeks and i don't even know for sure if i can take it or not. you see they said they might possibly open up the test center on a saturday--that's the only way they can solve this mess for us- but i highly doubt that they will actually work out a deal for us!!!
studying for the usmle is stressful enough and i don't think it's fair to have to deal with such problems!!
for now i just have to keep on studying and wait and see what the nbme god's will decide on..

🙁

 

[mamadoc]

So yesterday I was telling a classmate about my trials with Prometric and having to reschedule (for tomorrow! today's my mental health day before the test) and she told me - I really want to YELL this somehow

She took Step 2 at MY center on the day they told me I couldn't take it!!!!!!!!!

WTF?????

She said there were lots of empty seats at the test center, too - now, God only knows how they load those things onto the various computers, I have no idea, so maybe they were short on computers that can be used to take Step 2.... but a little teeny part of me is REALLY steamed about this. (I am trying to keep the REST of me nice and calm for the test!)

And two other classmates showed up at this test center on another day, and were told they weren't on the list. They each had their tickets AND their printed out confirmations from the website so eventuallly they got to take it but it was a big hassle.

Given these stories, I am stopping by the test center TODAY to make sure I am okay for tomorrow. Jeee-zus just get this thing over with ferchrissakes!