Step 3 and Biostats?

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Jay2910

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Hey everyone,
I know that the biostats portion is a big thing in USMLE Step 3. Last year for Step 2ck, I tried using the Uworld biostats package. I think overall though, the explanations that uworld gives for biostats, are harder to understand for me, who is not coming from any kind of statistical background. I did them first time in Uworld, got most of them wrong, marked them, and now I am doing them again.

I know the formula pages on First Aid, have memorized the formulas, and have seen that video by Randy McNeil on how to apply the formula . . .but honestly, most of the Uworld questions aren't straightforward like his.

Do you guys have any further advice on how to approach the biostats? Is there another resource out there? I have my exam in a few days so any advice is appreciated!
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I have abt a 25 page pdf biostatistics notes that I put together from UW 1, 2, 3, UW biostatistics course, and Kaplan..Some of the stuff is repetitive but it has alot. That can help?
 
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BazingaHero said:
I have abt a 25 page pdf biostatistics notes that I put together from UW 1, 2, 3, UW biostatistics course, and Kaplan..Some of the stuff is repetitive but it has alot. That can help?
Click to expand...
Yes that would be sooooo helpful! Please send them to me if you can! My exam is in hardly couple of days. Thank you!
 
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To those who have taken step 3. How difficult is the biostats on the exam. I'm doing Uworld (the qbank questions) and holy smokes, if it is anything similar I'm screwed. a bit mathematically challenged here, but the questions seem tremendously difficult.

any input is much appreciated!
 
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1. Make time to rehearse your markerboard each day for at least a month before the date of your exam. (ALL equations)
2. Know what each component of each variable in each equation means.
3. Search “Randy Neil” in YouTube. Watch and understand each syllable.
4. As you are doing your uworld biostatistics Qs, modify your markerboard. (and make time to check your work EACH DAY right after #1)

Best luck to y’all.
 
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CGB1078 said:
To those who have taken step 3. How difficult is the biostats on the exam. I'm doing Uworld (the qbank questions) and holy smokes, if it is anything similar I'm screwed. a bit mathematically challenged here, but the questions seem tremendously difficult.

any input is much appreciated!
Click to expand...

6th grade level math is all that's required for biostatistics and you have a calculator. If the questions are difficult, it is because you are not grasping the concepts or have not practiced enough. I would recommend you do the UWorld biostatistics package sooner rather than later to expose yourself to everything you'll see and spend some time understanding why things are right and wrong. Simple concepts repeat themselves like confidence intervals crossing one making results insignificant, knowing "x causes y" is never the answer, not confusing incidence/prevalence, differentiating effect modification vs. confounding, etc.

What I tell everybody is to just get used to making the 2x2 table early in your prep time so you are very comfortable with basic sensitivity/specificity questions. The concept's easy enough but actually writing it out on exam day with little practice wastes time and you may make a mistake if you remembered wrong. You'll have worked with the table so much that it will be second nature and save you valuable minutes elsewhere. You'll be shocked to see the percentage wrong on UWorld questions that just ask what the sensitivity of a test is. I'm willing to bet a ton of people just panic/screw these up on the real deal and score 5-10 points lower because of it.

Nail that down for a day and then progress to NPV, PPV, make a flow chart for each type of study and know how to differentiate them, etc, be able to categorize biases and give examples of each, and then familiarize yourself with all the definitions. On the real deal, there was a mix of everything with a good proportion of basic stuff with a few intermediate level concepts mixed it. Nothing outside of what the biostats package/UWorld covers.
 
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BazingaHero said:
I have abt a 25 page pdf biostatistics notes that I put together from UW 1, 2, 3, UW biostatistics course, and Kaplan..Some of the stuff is repetitive but it has alot. That can help?
Click to expand...
Hey I know you've probably sent this a bunch of times to others, but can I also get the Biostats PDF please? My step 3 is in 3 weeks. [email protected]

Thanks!
 
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BazingaHero said:
I have abt a 25 page pdf biostatistics notes that I put together from UW 1, 2, 3, UW biostatistics course, and Kaplan..Some of the stuff is repetitive but it has alot. That can help?
Click to expand...
I'm new to SDN and just came across your post. I'm having a difficult time with biostats and would be very grateful if you would share your notes with me. [email protected]
 
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