Still useful to do NBME's 1-5?

[TastyCurrantJelly]

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If the choice is to do these questions (and look up the answers) or do more kaplan or qmax blocks, what do you guys have done them recommend? Are they drastically different from the more recent NBMEs?

 

[alpinebrook]

I have the same question! I have access to NBME forms 1 through 7, as well as 11 through 13, all with answers. I took forms 11 and 12 online and found it so much more worthwhile to have the answers handy for review... but now I'm resource overloaded between wanting to do all of these NBMEs, UWorld, and the First Aid qbank. I'm tempted to go crazy with the NBMEs but I have no idea how "old" the older forms are, etc. -- same issue at the OP. I also know UWorld is a really great resource, I've completed it once through as of a few weeks ago and trying to go through everything a second time. But now I'm kind of addicted to the First Aid qbank.... How should I prioritize?? My exam is in about 16 days...

 

[NeedToStudy]

If you don't mind me asking where did you get these old nbme forms?

 

[alpinebrook]

In case you're the NBME secret police I'm just going to say one word: Google.

 

[thehundredthone]

It's always useful to do more questions. The problem with the old forms though is that some of the answers may be outdated.

 

[TastyCurrantJelly]

It's always useful to do more questions. The problem with the old forms though is that some of the answers may be outdated.

Thanks. My main question is would you think these would be more helpful than doing more qmax or kaplan questions (I am going to do all of uworld regardless)

 

[orchitisphlebitis]

Thanks. My main question is would you think these would be more helpful than doing more qmax or kaplan questions (I am going to do all of uworld regardless)

There's no comparison b/w doing NBMEs and more Qbank questions. The former is for assessment, the latter is for learning from. They're not really interchangeable imo. Having taken an "old school" and a "new school" NBME myself, I will say that the older one was definitely easier; the question stems were noticeably shorter and the questions were more straightforward. They're still probably useful assessment tools, but imo should be done if you have plenty of time; I would prioritize the more recent ones over the older ones.

 

[TastyCurrantJelly]

There's no comparison b/w doing NBMEs and more Qbank questions. The former is for assessment, the latter is for learning from. They're not really interchangeable imo. Having taken an "old school" and a "new school" NBME myself, I will say that the older one was definitely easier; the question stems were noticeably shorter and the questions were more straightforward. They're still probably useful assessment tools, but imo should be done if you have plenty of time; I would prioritize the more recent ones over the older ones.

I disagree with this... If you have the answer key the NBME is basically a question bank written by the NBME as opposed to a third party company. This seems to me like the most high yield way to study.

 

[thehundredthone]

I disagree with this... If you have the answer key the NBME is basically a question bank written by the NBME as opposed to a third party company. This seems to me like the most high yield way to study.

Except the part where some of the answers could be outdated. There are also questions with no clear answer. But you should definitely look at all the NBME questions if you have the time, because some of them are going to turn up on your exam, sometimes verbatim.