Step 3

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Yeah. I had to find a notary. It wasn't that hard though. I did it today. Now I have to deal with the statement: The state of michigan requires that you arrange for your step I and II scores to be sent directly to the state from the Federation of State Medical Boards **** you, that's why I applied for the test and that is why I am paying all this money, you should goddamn well know my scores already. Figure it out yourselves, dip****s.
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yaah said:
Yeah. I had to find a notary. It wasn't that hard though. I did it today. Now I have to deal with the statement: The state of michigan requires that you arrange for your step I and II scores to be sent directly to the state from the Federation of State Medical Boards **** you, that's why I applied for the test and that is why I am paying all this money, you should goddamn well know my scores already. Figure it out yourselves, dip****s.
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yeah, my roommate just went through all these hoops recently. he was irritated by this too.
 
You don't have to take the step 3 through the state you are doing residency. You can just click on CT or CA on the FSMB site and then there are no restrictions. And you can take the exam at any prometric in the US, regardless of the state you registered through. Also, you can take it as soon as you get your degree, like in june b-4 residency starts. Then all that clinical med stuff is a distant memory, and you can focus on path.
 
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trent05 said:
You don't have to take the step 3 through the state you are doing residency. You can just click on CT or CA on the FSMB site and then there are no restrictions. And you can take the exam at any prometric in the US, regardless of the state you registered through. Also, you can take it as soon as you get your degree, like in june b-4 residency starts. Then all that clinical med stuff is a distant memory, and you can focus on path.
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fo shizzle? i thought you had to have your diploma just to register :confused:
 
Yeah you need the diploma to register. It really depends on when your med school gives you that diploma. But, I've heard of people taking the exam less than one month after getting the diploma, now that the application is online. Took me 2 weeks to get my orange ticket. But my point was a lot of states, like MI I think, make you do 6 months or residency or even one year before you can take step 3. In CA and CT you don't have to have even started residency. And you don't have to apply for the CA or CT licsense to take step 3 . Tons of FMG's take step 3 before even getting a residency spot.
 
trent05 said:
Yeah you need the diploma to register. It really depends on when your med school gives you that diploma. But, I've heard of people taking the exam less than one month after getting the diploma, now that the application is online. Took me 2 weeks to get my orange ticket. But my point was a lot of states, like MI I think, make you do 6 months or residency or even one year before you can take step 3. In CA and CT you don't have to have even started residency. And you don't have to apply for the CA or CT licsense to take step 3 . Tons of FMG's take step 3 before even getting a residency spot.
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yeah, massachusetts requires one year of residency under your belt before you register for step 3. :thumbdown:

anyways, regarding the diploma, my school is ******ed. they could've given me my diploma months ago, and i could've taken step 3 by now (by registering in CT). :mad:
 
trent05 said:
Yeah you need the diploma to register. It really depends on when your med school gives you that diploma. But, I've heard of people taking the exam less than one month after getting the diploma, now that the application is online. Took me 2 weeks to get my orange ticket. But my point was a lot of states, like MI I think, make you do 6 months or residency or even one year before you can take step 3. In CA and CT you don't have to have even started residency. And you don't have to apply for the CA or CT licsense to take step 3 . Tons of FMG's take step 3 before even getting a residency spot.
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2 WEEKS???????????/ so did you have everything ready to send except the diploma, or just did everything after you got it? i'm trying to have all freaking ready so i can get my ticket asap to finish step 3 asap to enjoy a pathology residency STEP FREE -- asap.
 
Everything? I just went to the FSMB website, clicked on CA and filled out the online application. That took about 10 minutes. Then I printed out the form that needed a pic and notary. I went down to mailboxes etc. got it notarized for ten dollars and sent it out the same day. I got my orange ticket in the mail 2 weeks later :cool: . I'm taking it in a month.
 
trent05 said:
Everything? I just went to the FSMB website, clicked on CA and filled out the online application. That took about 10 minutes. Then I printed out the form that needed a pic and notary. I went down to mailboxes etc. got it notarized for ten dollars and sent it out the same day. I got my orange ticket in the mail 2 weeks later :cool: . I'm taking it in a month.
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i assume then that you ALREADY have your md/do degree??? when i callled the fsmb.org people, they said for CA (and all other states) you MUST have the license by the time you apply or your app is void...
did you avoid this somehow? since YOU've already filled out the online app, what exactly did they ask for/need? the fsmb lady was trying to tell me about something from nbme or whatnot...

?
 
Relax a take a breath :D

Your intuition does not fool you SLUSagar...he probably has his diploma already.

We, on the other hand, have to be patient and wait. Life isn't fair...we gotta deal with it. :)
 
AndyMilonakis said:
Relax a take a breath :D

Your intuition does not fool you SLUSagar...he probably has his diploma already.

We, on the other hand, have to be patient and wait. Life isn't fair...we gotta deal with it. :)
Click to expand...


yah no kidding...listen, wasn't try to have an pseudo MI like panic attack or anything...
just really wanna get this thing over with.

QUESTION: for you, andy, as well as others...
just found out that my residency will reimburse me the cost of step 3 (old news to me), but they'll do so only after July 1 (NEWS to me...).
so my question is this, -- would you sacrifice the $ (and i believe 2 days off to take the darn thing) to get it over with BEFORE starting residency so you can concentrate just on wonderful PATH, or would you wait 'til after July 1, and find a lighter month (autopsy perhaps) to squeeze in both taking and studying for step 3.

[i'm leaning towards postponed after july 1, and using the $ to buy 3 i pods).... ;)
 
Didn't mean to freak anyone out, I already have my diploma. Obviously, most of you guys haven't got it yet. Personally, I can't wait to take that exam. I was relieved to take the Step 2 BS, cause the last pt I saw that day was the last pt I will ever have to see. But I still have all this clinical tx in my mind, DOC for lyme dz, pediatric milestones, etc. I just can't wait to purge this useless info from my brain and start learning some path. All that pharm, and psych, and what is the next best step in the management of this pt, it's all useless now.
 
SLUsagar said:
QUESTION: for you, andy, as well as others...
just found out that my residency will reimburse me the cost of step 3 (old news to me), but they'll do so only after July 1 (NEWS to me...).
so my question is this, -- would you sacrifice the $ (and i believe 2 days off to take the darn thing) to get it over with BEFORE starting residency so you can concentrate just on wonderful PATH, or would you wait 'til after July 1, and find a lighter month (autopsy perhaps) to squeeze in both taking and studying for step 3.

[i'm leaning towards postponed after july 1, and using the $ to buy 3 i pods).... ;)
Click to expand...
:laugh:

of course i would wait and have the residency program pay for it.
 
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AndyMilonakis said:
:laugh:

of course i would wait and have the residency program pay for it.
Click to expand...


I dunno, I might think about taking it ASAP if I were you, so you don't have time to forget stuff. I just took Step 3 - granted, a year out from my last clinical experience - and it kicked my ass (especially the computer simulated cases). I think I flunked. And I got 99s on Step 1 and 2!
 
skoller said:
I dunno, I might think about taking it ASAP if I were you, so you don't have time to forget stuff. I just took Step 3 - granted, a year out from my last clinical experience - and it kicked my ass (especially the computer simulated cases). I think I flunked. And I got 99s on Step 1 and 2!
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yeah, what i meant by my last post was that if i had to choose between let's say june or august to take the exam, i'd probably take it in august to save money (the scenario i envisioned wasn't like choosing between let's say this may and next march). whether i take in before residency (which is not an option because my lame ass school won't give me my damn diploma until june 2nd) or early in PGY-1 year, i'll probably flunk it or come close to flunking it.

P=MD

Addendum: My last clinical experience was last August. I've forgotten tons of crap already. I'm doomed. Game over. GG Andy.
 
bananaface said:
Make a new thread, paste the posts in, and threaten yaah with gay porn until he stickies it.
Click to expand...
I'm lazy :p

Actually I think the idea(l) is to keep the number of stickies down but add more entries to the ever-lengthening FAQ thread.
 
...say, something along these lines?
•
Step 3 In A Pathology Residency: A Guide For The Perplexed

From the original by sohsie

Start thinking about USMLE Step 3 NOW! You will not be better prepared to take Step 3 than you are right now. Trust yourself, you are prepared. The longer you put it off, the more you will forget and the tougher it will be. I transferred from a program in New York where you do not have to take Step 3 as long as you are a resident or fellow. I have seen a brilliant resident (smarter than me) fail Step 3 because he blew it off until 4th year and had to blow another $600 to retake it. DONT BE THAT GUY/GIRL!

I took Step 3 in October of my first year and passed with plenty of room to spare, and believe me, it is a huge weight off my shoulders.

So what do you need to do?

1) Graduate and get your actual diploma.

2) Apply via www.fsmb.org. Don't worry about your particular state's requirements. Just apply to Connecticut (or any other state with no extra requirements). All they require is a diploma, and they dont care where you are doing your residency.

You dont have to take the exam in Connecticut. You can take the exam at any Prometric testing center in the US. I was in a training program in New York (a state that requires one year of post graduate training, which I did not have), applied to Connecticut, and then took the exam on vacation in California. Once you pass, you pass, and it counts everywhere. Is it a rational system? No. But who cares?

**Editorial interjection: Step 3 is independent of state licensure.
From the FSMB website: "Decisions regarding acceptance of USMLE results and licensure eligibility are made by the individual licensing authority. Eligibility to sit for USMLE Step 3 does NOT automatically signify eligibility for licensure."**

Be warned that it may take 6 weeks to get your entry pass to sign up for the exam, and once you get it, you have 3 months from that date to take the exam. I have heard that it now takes 2-3 weeks, but I dont know this for a fact.However, if you can't take it in that 3 month window, you can pay $100 for an extra 3 months (I had to do this)

--
Study resources cited in the past
CCS sample cases from the USMLE
Kaplan QBank/QBook
Crush Step 3
Boards and Wards
Step 3 made ridiculously easy
NMS Step 3 question book
Strong Medicine for Step 3
Blueprints Guide to the CCS
Step 3 Recall
Swanson's Family Medicine
St. Frances Guide to Inpatient Medicine - has some nice algorithms for treating certain conditions that were quite useful
Washington Manual

Step 3 day (from the Kaplan Qbook excerpt on Amazon, Nov 2004)

Day 1: 7 blocks of 48 items each.
Day 2: 6 blocks of 24 items each, followed by 9 CCS cases.

Compiled from:
Now that you've matched, it's time to pass Step 3!
Path residents who have taken Step III?
Step 3
How to study for Step 3 - from the SDN USMLE forum
 
this is quite helpful. of course, if this thread or parts thereof are not stickied, this thread will fade into oblivion. oh well, i'm adding the url for this thread to my "useful SDN path links" document on my desktop...stuff to refer to in about two months.
 
It's stickied. I would give you the power to stickie things, deschutes, but alas I cannot. So you will just have to work through me. :p
 
does the step 3 qbank you can order for 1 or 3 months include JUST the boatload of database questions or does it ALSO include CCS-type exams?
 
SLUsagar said:
does the step 3 qbank you can order for 1 or 3 months include JUST the boatload of database questions or does it ALSO include CCS-type exams?
Click to expand...
last i heard, i don't think CCS questions are in Qbank. it seems that the majority of folks just go through the 5 practice cases provided by NBME. i hear that it is more important to familiarize yourself with the CCS interface...with your medical knowledge, you should do fine on test day.
 
AndyMilonakis said:
last i heard, i don't think CCS questions are in Qbank. it seems that the majority of folks just go through the 5 practice cases provided by NBME. i hear that it is more important to familiarize yourself with the CCS interface...with your medical knowledge, you should do fine on test day.
Click to expand...


has anyone used the 80+ ccs cases from usmleworld? what did you think?

are they like the ones you can download from nbme (interactive)?
 
how long did it take for others to study for step 3? i know the whole #2 pencil line is pure bs, but just wanted approx times from people
 
I just finished step 3. I graduated in December and have not seen a patient since last October on ED rotation (internal med sub-i last may)... I used usmleworld for about 3 weeks (3 hours a day :sleep: , weekends off :) ). I thought I was prepared. P=MD.
the ccs cases are not interactive, but they are helpful as they use the vocabulary of the software used for the test in writing orders.
good luck.
pdtm
 
deschutes said:
...say, something along these lines?
•
Step 3 In A Pathology Residency: A Guide For The Perplexed

From the original by sohsie

Start thinking about USMLE Step 3 NOW! You will not be better prepared to take Step 3 than you are right now. Trust yourself, you are prepared. The longer you put it off, the more you will forget and the tougher it will be. I transferred from a program in New York where you do not have to take Step 3 as long as you are a resident or fellow. I have seen a brilliant resident (smarter than me) fail Step 3 because he blew it off until 4th year and had to blow another $600 to retake it. DONT BE THAT GUY/GIRL!

I took Step 3 in October of my first year and passed with plenty of room to spare, and believe me, it is a huge weight off my shoulders.

So what do you need to do?

1) Graduate and get your actual diploma.

2) Apply via www.fsmb.org. Don't worry about your particular state's requirements. Just apply to Connecticut (or any other state with no extra requirements). All they require is a diploma, and they dont care where you are doing your residency.

You dont have to take the exam in Connecticut. You can take the exam at any Prometric testing center in the US. I was in a training program in New York (a state that requires one year of post graduate training, which I did not have), applied to Connecticut, and then took the exam on vacation in California. Once you pass, you pass, and it counts everywhere. Is it a rational system? No. But who cares?

**Editorial interjection: Step 3 is independent of state licensure.
From the FSMB website: "Decisions regarding acceptance of USMLE results and licensure eligibility are made by the individual licensing authority. Eligibility to sit for USMLE Step 3 does NOT automatically signify eligibility for licensure."**

Be warned that it may take 6 weeks to get your entry pass to sign up for the exam, and once you get it, you have 3 months from that date to take the exam. I have heard that it now takes 2-3 weeks, but I dont know this for a fact.However, if you can't take it in that 3 month window, you can pay $100 for an extra 3 months (I had to do this)

--
Study resources cited in the past
CCS sample cases from the USMLE
Kaplan QBank/QBook
Crush Step 3
Boards and Wards
Step 3 made ridiculously easy
NMS Step 3 question book
Strong Medicine for Step 3
Blueprints Guide to the CCS
Step 3 Recall
Swanson's Family Medicine
St. Frances Guide to Inpatient Medicine - has some nice algorithms for treating certain conditions that were quite useful
Washington Manual

Step 3 day (from the Kaplan Qbook excerpt on Amazon, Nov 2004)

Day 1: 7 blocks of 48 items each.
Day 2: 6 blocks of 24 items each, followed by 9 CCS cases.

Compiled from:
Now that you've matched, it's time to pass Step 3!
Path residents who have taken Step III?
Step 3
How to study for Step 3 - from the SDN USMLE forum
Click to expand...

PS The real Guide for the Perplexed, written by a famous 12th century physician/talmudic scholar named Moses Maimonides, is one of my favortie philosophy books of all time.
 
When I graduated med school, our class took the oath of Maimonides instead of the Oath of Hippocrates.

The eternal providence has appointed me to watch over the life and health of Thy creatures. May the love for my art actuate me at all time; may neither avarice nor miserliness, nor thirst for glory or for a great reputation engage my mind; for the enemies of truth and philanthropy could easily deceive me and make me forgetful of my lofty aim of doing good to Thy children.

May I never see in the patient anything but a fellow creature in pain.

Grant me the strength, time and opportunity always to correct what I have acquired, always to extend its domain; for knowledge is immense and the spirit of man can extend indefinitely to enrich itself daily with new requirements.

Today he can discover his errors of yesterday and tomorrow he can obtain a new light on what he thinks himself sure of today. Oh, God, Thou has appointed me to watch over the life and death of Thy creatures; here am I ready for my vocation and now I turn unto my calling.

Ours I believe was slightly altered to remove a lot of the heavy reference to deities.
 
bananaface said:
My class wrote our own oath when we started school. We signed it at our white coat ceremony and hung it in the hallway by the pharmacy office.
Click to expand...
We don't have a white coat ceremony.
We do have a white coat burning ceremony taking place tomorrow - come rain or shine (or snow, as the case may be).

As Andy says, I aspire to be a compassionate pathologist. That is all.
 
deschutes said:
As Andy says, I aspire to be a compassionate pathologist. That is all.
Click to expand...
A noble goal indeed. the compassionate, yet competent pathologist must promise to do no harm (except to those who make fun of pathologists for being necrophiliacs).
 
bananaface said:
You know what to do about that right?

1) kill em
2) screw em
Click to expand...

In addition to saying no to domestic violence and doing drugs, Andy also says no to homicide and screwing dead people.

Thank you for your attention. Go in peace. God bless.
 
AndyMilonakis said:
In addition to saying no to domestic violence and doing drugs, Andy also says no to homicide and screwing dead people.

Thank you for your attention. Go in peace. God bless.
Click to expand...

Say no to necrophilia? I thought thats why we were all going into path?
 
UCSFbound said:
Say no to necrophilia? I thought thats why we were all going into path?
Click to expand...
Speak for yourself. I'm going into path because I want to help people.
 
AndyMilonakis said:
Speak for yourself. I'm going into path because I want to help people.
Click to expand...

dammit (kicks self)
 
I had some questions regarding when we ms4's could take step 3, about state requirements (or lack of), etc etc etc....

AND found out some interesting info --

regarding the step 2 CS, apparently if you take step 3 before sometime in June I believe, then, for our 2005 class, you technically do NOT need step 2 CS taken and/or passed. This applies to our class only, next year is different I guess.

I was pretty pissed of when I heard this, all the hype about us having to take step 2 CS...all for nothing now. Don't you wish administrators told us (path, especially! considering our likelihood of taking step 3 before July!) about this?
 
I just did my step 3 registration...online stuff, plus printed out form that needs notary.
I was a bit shocked that they didn't need a copy of my diploma or anything...otherwise i'd have registered right after i graduated this weekend.

so yah, for those registering soon, you DON'T need a copy of the diploma, at least for California registering...

hopefully the stuff comes back in 2 weeks as others have said.
 
No, you don't need a diploma. But for many states you need a certification of post graduate training, signed by your program director, also indicating that you have graduated from med school. Perhaps CA is different...
 
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