USMLE STEP 3 Trick Works!!

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Chamorro12

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The "trick" still works. Here's how it played out for me:

-NBME (apps.nbme.org) permit link disappeared early Sunday AM
-FSMB (usmle.fsmb.org) changed from "active" to "expired" early Monday AM with no link to reapply

Score report was available Wednesday 12:00 am Eastern Time on NBME (https://apps.nbme.org).
 
Pass, 225. I'll be honest, I was so scared as I only finished 40% of UWorld and barely did the CCS cases. I feel like I straight up killed a kid and forgot to do a pregnancy test on a woman until the last minute. So glad to forever be done with USMLE.

So long and won't miss you for crap.

As for the trick, it worked for me to let me know that my score is being released today/this week, but not sure if it relates to passing or not. Never had a link to register for another USMLE exam if that matters.
 
Pass, 225. I'll be honest, I was so scared as I only finished 40% of UWorld and barely did the CCS cases. I feel like I straight up killed a kid and forgot to do a pregnancy test on a woman until the last minute. So glad to forever be done with USMLE.

So long and won't miss you for crap.

As for the trick, it worked for me to let me know that my score is being released today/this week, but not sure if it relates to passing or not. Never had a link to register for another USMLE exam if that matters.

Saaaaaaaaame. I had 1.5 weeks off. Managed to burn through like 30% of uworld (I can't believe I had to pay for 90 days zzzzzzzzzzz), got through 1 very quick pass of the ccs uworld between day 1 and 2 just to get a feel for the system, and on my 2.5 hour drive to the test center the night before day 1 listened to youtube for biostats. I felt so screwed before and after. If you had the same test I did, I think I killed that kid too on my first case. I got a 210 but as the old adage states, P=MD.
 
Just sharing my step 3 experience.
Review source: Previous CK notes and MTB2/3, UWORLD
2 weeks before exam: UWSA1: 225
1 week before exam: UWSA2: 222

Day 1: August 19
It was a really tough day. Every block has 3-7 questions of biostat and I have to admit that I didn’t expect that it could be that much. The ads were too lengthy and I ended up skipping those questions and guessing those at the end of each block. Around 70% of every block I wasn’t really sure of the correct answers. There were basic questions like step 1 and I just trusted my stock knowledge on those parts. The exam started around 830 am and I finished before 3 pm.

Day 2: August 22
I find the questions similar to uworld and step 2 ck. More manageable done day 1. I finished each block sooner done the allotted time since there was no stat questions. After 6 blocks of MCQs, I was quite tired already and all I could think of is going home. CCS software is slower than the uworld practice cases. On 2 minute screen, I ended up not putting all the things I wanted to add since there’s a lag time. There were 6 20-mins and 7-10 mins cases. I stayed in the room for all the 13 ccs cases and just had around 3-minute break every 2/3 cases just to clear my mind. After each case and you think you managed the prior case incorrectly, just forget it and move forward. Exam started at around 8:45 and I finished at ~4pm.

I struggled everyday thinking how on earth I can pass this exam. It was way harder than the 2 previous steps. Just wishing to pass with any score. I’m glad it’s over now.

PASSED: 224
 
I thought USMLE results were released at 11 am... Is that something new? I plan to take that monster next month.
 
Yes i also thought that until i saw this thread. Apparently they are released closely after 12am eastern time on Interactive Website

Yeah Step 3 gets released usually 12am Wednesday night 3-4 weeks after you take your exam. You can use the "step 3 trick" to know if its going to be released the third or fourth week.

No idea why they don't do it for Step 1 or 2 as it would help their servers and candidates to see their scores, but at this point I don't care anymore :shrug:

EDIT: Also man, you're crazy as heck for doing a UWSA right before the exam. I didn't even touch the 2 I had. But glad you went through with it.
 
Pass, 225. I'll be honest, I was so scared as I only finished 40% of UWorld and barely did the CCS cases. I feel like I straight up killed a kid and forgot to do a pregnancy test on a woman until the last minute. So glad to forever be done with USMLE.

So long and won't miss you for crap.

As for the trick, it worked for me to let me know that my score is being released today/this week, but not sure if it relates to passing or not. Never had a link to register for another USMLE exam if that matters.
What was your average in Uworld?
 
I have completed ~20% of Uworld. My average is 60% and I am already freaking out. You are giving hope that I can get 196+ in that exam... Plan to take it at the end of next month.

Most important thing is stick to it man. I almost postponed, but thankfully I had a lot of family push me not to and I'm so glad I didn't. I know its not the same advice for everyone and people should postpone if they really think its necessary, but so much better to do it sooner rather than later. I kind of regret having it hanging over my head until beginning of PGY-2. It sucks having to even think about this test in your life.
 
Most important thing is stick to it man. I almost postponed, but thankfully I had a lot of family push me not to and I'm so glad I didn't. I know its not the same advice for everyone and people should postpone if they really think its necessary, but so much better to do it sooner rather than later. I kind of regret having it hanging over my head until beginning of PGY-2. It sucks having to even think about this test in your life.
Will definitely not postpone because I am not pursuing a fellowship, so in a way there is no penalty for not passing in my case. Plan to do all the cases and complete 50%+ of Uworld and work on areas that I am weak on...
 
I thought USMLE results were released at 11 am... Is that something new? I plan to take that monster next month.

The results are released on the Wednesday midnight but official emails stating score release are sent next morning as done with other Step exams. So those of us who found about the 12AM score release chose to check it then.
 
It appears my permit link disappeared on the candidate website and FSMB says “approved” but I cannot apply for step 3. Let’s hope this is a good sign!
 
Mine say "Expired" and the grey box says "Your Step 3 application has expired. You may begin a new Step 3 application at your convenience. "
However, no link to reapply.... what does this mean?
 
Mine say "Expired" and the grey box says "Your Step 3 application has expired. You may begin a new Step 3 application at your convenience. "
However, no link to reapply.... what does this mean?
Same thing here. Seems like we may have passed according to previous post. I’m still erring on the side of caution and not celebrating yet.
 
Mine say "Expired" and the grey box says "Your Step 3 application has expired. You may begin a new Step 3 application at your convenience. "
However, no link to reapply.... what does this mean?
Same. Hoping I passed too. I heard the yellow thing comes for people who failed which there 3 month period passed. Mine 3 month period passed so hoping I passed. I didn’t get the yellow thing.
 
Same thing here. Seems like we may have passed according to previous post. I’m still erring on the side of caution and not celebrating yet.
I think it only works if eligibility period expired from what I’m reading. The people that didn’t passed this year there eligibility period didn’t expire so didn’t get yellow box. People who didn’t passed last year got yellow box because eligibility period expired
 
I think it only works if eligibility period expired from what I’m reading. The people that didn’t passed this year there eligibility period didn’t expire so didn’t get yellow box. People who didn’t passed last year got yellow box because eligibility period expired
Shyt! Now I’m back to freaking out. Lol
 

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so trick isn't working?
Trick works if your 3 month period expired already. Think about it. Yellow box for fail would only come after 3 month period if you fail because your 3 month is done so will let you sign up. If your 3 month period hasn’t expired computer system won’t show yellow box because your still in that 3 month period that’s why people say trick didn’t work for them because they were in the 3 month period getting there score. We find out In 15 hours. Ughh
 
This “trick” does NOT work. Took the test 4/17 & 19 (no eligibility period extensions). Failed today (193). I didn’t have the link to reapply until an hour or so AFTER I had gotten my results.
Did you get your results within the 3 month period or after. Just wondering based on trick
 
Hello all, I am not sure how exactly the trick works. I am reading multiple different ways it seems to have worked and not worked. For me, I don’t know when the link disappeared, basically didn’t check over the weekend. On Tuesday it said expired in the slot and today it just says complete and no links for anything. And someone correct me if I am wrong, this is once you sign into the site where you download your scheduling permit correct?

Thanks!
 
Hello all, I am not sure how exactly the trick works. I am reading multiple different ways it seems to have worked and not worked. For me, I don’t know when the link disappeared, basically didn’t check over the weekend. On Tuesday it said expired in the slot and today it just says complete and no links for anything. And someone correct me if I am wrong, this is once you sign into the site where you download your scheduling permit correct?

Thanks!
So I think the works like this. The fsmb website will show expired on Monday or tuesday and will show no link to reapply. And on Canadiate website permit link will expire after 3 month period or the Sunday/Monday before score result coming. But from all the post i read who got yellow to reapply there 3 month expired. So we will see
 
So I think the works like this. The fsmb website will show expired on Monday or tuesday and will show no link to reapply. And on Canadiate website permit link will expire after 3 month period or the Sunday/Monday before score result coming. But from all the post i read who got yellow to reapply there 3 month expired. So we will see

Thank you so much for your reply. Yeah it’s the same for me - FSMB saying expired with no link to reapply and candidate website saying complete. Good luck to all who are waiting for results.
 
Long time lurker... never posted. Status expired since Sunday. No yellow button, eligibility expired 8/31/19. Hopefully this thing works.
 
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