Step 3 experience

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Loststudent299

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For background
Step 1 - 233(2011)
Step 2 Cs- Fail - CIS portion ☹(2013)
Step 2 - 221(2018)
Step 2 CS - pass on 2nd attempt(2018)
Applying for 2020 match

Started studying casually in Jan exclusively uworld tutor mode. End of Jan took uwsa1 - 185... was a little bummed. Finished uworld 1st time and restarted it mid feb. Took Uwsa2-194....still bummed so rescheduled. Started studying uworld more seriously. Studied wrong answers and tables extensively. Finished uworld 2nd round end of march and took nbme 4 - 240/800 and nbme 5 - 390. Started uworld 3rd time. Mid April took uwsa-1 again - 220. Then took the exam day 1 a week later. First few blocks seemed relatively easy in that it took only 30 seconds for me to answer alot of the questions which gave me a couple minutes at the end of each block to review. Last 4-5 blocks, I didnt have time to answer 1-2 questions since I ran out of time and had to guess. I think poor time management while answering the drug ad questions was a big factor, which I doubt was even worth it since I wasnt sure about half of the drug ad questions. But overall I felt confident coming out of that day and not so drained like Step 1 and CK. Day 2 was a week later which Im so glad I did because I took these days between test days to do only the 50 uworld practice simulation cases and 1 block a day of uworld mcqs. I didnt bother with the other 40 cases but I skimmed a few just for extra knowledge. On exam day 2, same feelings, had alot of questions i answered within 30 secs but there were definitely 1 or 2 questions per block where I had to completely guess which made me feel good since most questions I either knew it or could narrow it down to 2. Mcqs on both days were very similar to uworld so I'm glad I went through uworld mcqs 3 times around. Biostats is heavy on day 1 so know it. Uworld biostats mcqs is all the practice you need for that I think. If you want to understand the concepts a bit more, check out some youtube vids the day before the exam to help solidify your techniques.
For the CS half of Day 2 there were 13 cases. Six 10 minute ones and seven 20 min ones. I felt the lag between clicking on orders was the biggest factor during the 10 min ones since a few of them i couldnt even finish the case in time for the 2 minute warning but I didnt have any time issues with the 20 min ones. I think 3 of the cases I didnt do right and it kept giving me updates on the patients lack of improvement until the time expired which I kinda freaked out so i had to take a few mins break after those sims lol. But the rest were relatively simple and I felt was very prepared by thoroughly studying the uworld cs cases the week before (like practice each case 4-5 times minimum).
Just found out my exam score...233.
All my practice exams significantly underestimated the real score..Even the uwsa which i took twice haha. Overall Im just relieved to be done with Usmle and now full focus on residency apps.

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Hey
Congrats on your score. I have my exam in 3 days (Day 1). I am at that point where I am I am ready to be done with this exam (dont care, well I do care but you get the idea).
Knowing that your preparation and scores mirror mine is mildly reassuring (dont think I will ever to be reassured).

Question to you
1. How would you recommend I prepare for Day 2. I have 5 days between Day 1 and Day 2? (I have done 30 CCS (interactive, uWorld) only)
2. Any other advice for Day 1?

P.S
Thank you for taking the time to post this message. Honestly thank you.
 
First of all, good luck! Im sure you’ll kill it!

1. I would recommend going over the ccs cases everyday if you arent fully comfortable with the software yet. Just be sure to expect some delays between clicking on orders so if you are monitoring pulse ox or vitals every 2 hours on some cases, you might find your time getting consumed faster than expected but dont get worried. Also would keep doing uworld blocks. You are never over prepared I guess, so might as well.

2. Keep doing your daily routine...rest on the day before both days. Gives the mind a nice rest before the long day after. If ur biostats is a little rusty, watch some youtube videos on usmle biostats, it might help.
 
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First of all, good luck! Im sure you’ll kill it!

1. I would recommend going over the ccs cases everyday if you arent fully comfortable with the software yet. Just be sure to expect some delays between clicking on orders so if you are monitoring pulse ox or vitals every 2 hours on some cases, you might find your time getting consumed faster than expected but dont get worried. Also would keep doing uworld blocks. You are never over prepared I guess, so might as well.

2. Keep doing your daily routine...rest on the day before both days. Gives the mind a nice rest before the long day after. If ur biostats is a little rusty, watch some youtube videos on usmle biostats, it might help.
Thank you
 
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Hey
Congrats on your score. I have my exam in 3 days (Day 1). I am at that point where I am I am ready to be done with this exam (dont care, well I do care but you get the idea).
Knowing that your preparation and scores mirror mine is mildly reassuring (dont think I will ever to be reassured).

Question to you
1. How would you recommend I prepare for Day 2. I have 5 days between Day 1 and Day 2? (I have done 30 CCS (interactive, uWorld) only)
2. Any other advice for Day 1?

P.S
Thank you for taking the time to post this message. Honestly thank you.


Hi,

How was your exam? My day 1 is on Monday and the nerves are only now getting to me. I matched this year and just really want to be done with the exam before I start orientation in 2 weeks. My UWSA1 was 201 and UWSA2 was 213 howver I didn't really take them in simulated exam mode. I have only 2 days between my Day 1 and Day 2.
 
I had a similar experience but 2 of my cases for which I did everything patient also improved but later I ordered some procedure and some studies.patient refused the procedure and other one the update came as patient is very sick to do the study now.other wise every thing was ok and patient improved and case ended.please let me know if I will loose both case or they will deducted some marks .Any input is appreciated Thanks in advance.
 
First, thank you one and all for sharing their experiences and guidance.This group is really helpful for me.It is time for me to post my experience.

Total preparation time : 3 months.

Resources used : Uworld , step 2 ck uworld tables,step 1 first aid for pharma and micro.

Gap between my step 2 ck and step 3: more than year.

study plan: totally dedicated for step 3.

ccs resources: Uworld , ccscases.com

Assessment: USWA 1: 198 ( 1 month before exam)

USWA 2: 204 ( 2 weeks before exam)

Final score: 233

USWA were not predictive for me.Hope this helps who are taking this last exam.

Any questions please comment,happy to help.Thank you and all the best.
 
Thank you everyone for your wonderful discussions and tips!!

My experience is not typical at all and I am not sure how useful it is gonna be, but just to say please persevere and never give up, it is so doable!!

I am an old IMG grad with previous home residency and experience, I have been doing research in the US for 3-4 years now.

Total preparation time : 1 month with a full time job, living with a wife (also doing the test) and 2 kids, I didn't take any time off from work, just the first day of exam as the second day was on a weekend.
Resources used : Uworld step 3 only, one round of 54% correct answers mostly subject wise and timed, the last 3rd was mixed, first aid one night before day 1, just refreshed antibiotics and some tables in micro. For Biostats, I relied on what is in uworld I even didn't launch the uworld biostats.

Gap between my step 2 ck and step 3: 9 months
Gap between day 1 and 2: 1 day
CCS resources: Uworld (only)
UWSA 2 (only): 188, 5 days before the exam (Imagine!), I still went to the exam because the first 3 blocks were good on this assessment only last block was bad so I knew it was just because I was tired that day, and I knew I could pass, and all what I needed was to pass.
Final score: 207 (more than I expected)
I literally Jumped 19 points up from UWSA 2, so it wasn't predictive for me at all!

First day was like step 1, a lot of biostats (6-8 questions per block), mechanisms of action, etc.. my feeling was acceptable.
Second day, the questions were so tricky, some you will recognize straight away and most you will be narrowing your choices between 2 uneasy choices. But in the CCS, I thought I was gonna fail, because 2 cases I could never solve, and I had some technical problems happening in other 3-4 cases, like suddenly patient is at home and I wanna return him back to clinic I click on ER instead loool etc, and some stuff like that. When I went out I wasn't too positive and I said to myself if I would fail I would be so close to pass, but thank God I passed and the trick worked for me.

Best of luck for every one.
 
First, thank you one and all for sharing their experiences and guidance.This group is really helpful for me.It is time for me to post my experience.

Total preparation time : 3 months.

Resources used : Uworld , step 2 ck uworld tables,step 1 first aid for pharma and micro.

Gap between my step 2 ck and step 3: more than year.

study plan: totally dedicated for step 3.

ccs resources: Uworld , ccscases.com

Assessment: USWA 1: 198 ( 1 month before exam)

USWA 2: 204 ( 2 weeks before exam)

Final score: 233

USWA were not predictive for me.Hope this helps who are taking this last exam.

Any questions please comment,happy to help.Thank you and all the best.
Congrats on your score.

What all topics to read from Step 1 FA? is going through ck tables, compulsory, I did them once before starting uworld..
 
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