Surgical Resident - Step III Advice

[ValentinNarcisse]

Advice needed - busy intern in surgical subspeciality residency scheduled to take Step 3 this week. Got through about 1000 UWorld questions on my days off over the past month averaging 59%. I just worked through the 51 CCS cases from UWorld the past few days. Finally took the USMLE world practice exam today and scored in the 180s. I scored reasonably well on Step 1 and 2 (250+) and was shocked with this score. Should I postpone my exam? The only thing in the back of my mind is that this exam has a 96% pass rate, but I cannot figure out what I did wrong in this case, or why the practice exam is so low. Most of my senior residents have advised spending minimal amount of time for this exam, and if anything, I felt like I was going overboard with my level of preparation. I just wanted to comfortably pass the exam.

Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[playingfrombehind]

Advice needed - busy intern in surgical subspeciality residency scheduled to take Step 3 this week. Got through about 1000 UWorld questions on my days off over the past month averaging 59%. I just worked through the 51 CCS cases from UWorld the past few days. Finally took the USMLE world practice exam today and scored in the 180s. I scored reasonably well on Step 1 and 2 (250+) and was shocked with this score. Should I postpone my exam? The only thing in the back of my mind is that this exam has a 96% pass rate, but I cannot figure out what I did wrong in this case, or why the practice exam is so low. Most of my senior residents have advised spending minimal amount of time for this exam, and if anything, I felt like I was going overboard with my level of preparation. I just wanted to comfortably pass the exam.

Thank you!

The trouble with the UWORLD practice exam is that it is quite outdated and doesn't include CCS portion, it also doesn't include the # of biostats questions you will see.

My advice just repeat an actual real NBME (forget which one is the best correlator) and get back to us. In the mean time just doing UWORLD step 3 IMO is not enough.


The bare minimum should be
1) UWORLD step 3 qbank
2) Kaplan qbank
2) UWORLD step 3 CCS + practice CCS cases on NBME website
4) Crush Step 3 CCS
5) Biostats - UWORLD step 1,2,3 qbanks, First Aid Step 1 Biostats chapter (behavioral science)
+/- UWORLD step 2 CK
+/- MTB step 3, 2
+/- USMLE Rx Step 3


Addendum:
Just read that your exam is this week. Take an actual NBME if you score is still well below passing then I would consider postponing it. But didn't my last week made sure I was getting enough rest more than anything. Else you could just continue to re-do UWORLD step 3 question and study up on Biostats the highest yield portion of the entire exam

 

[Instatewaiter]

The trouble with the UWORLD practice exam is that it is quite outdated and doesn't include CCS portion, it also doesn't include the # of biostats questions you will see.

My advice just repeat an actual real NBME (forget which one is the best correlator) and get back to us. In the mean time just doing UWORLD step 3 IMO is not enough.


The bare minimum should be
1) UWORLD step 3 qbank
2) Kaplan qbank
2) UWORLD step 3 CCS + practice CCS cases on NBME website
4) Crush Step 3 CCS
5) Biostats - UWORLD step 1,2,3 qbanks, First Aid Step 1 Biostats chapter (behavioral science)
+/- UWORLD step 2 CK
+/- MTB step 3, 2
+/- USMLE Rx Step 3


Addendum:
Just read that your exam is this week. Take an actual NBME if you score is still well below passing then I would consider postponing it. But didn't my last week made sure I was getting enough rest more than anything. Else you could just continue to re-do UWORLD step 3 question and study up on Biostats the highest yield portion of the entire exam

Yeah I am assuming that bare minimum bit is a joke. I am not sure I know anyone who even finished a SINGLE question bank, much less Uworld, Kaplan, Crush step 3, etc...

For the vast majority of people, practicing some CCS cases, doing a few questions and reviewing some peds/OB/surgery/medicine or whatever else you are not in will be plenty. Also, very few fellowships care about your step 3 score. Unlike step 1 and step 2 where scores matter, step 3 scores don't really... as long as you pass.

 

[playingfrombehind]

Yeah I am assuming that bare minimum bit is a joke. I am not sure I know anyone who even finished a SINGLE question bank, much less Uworld, Kaplan, Crush step 3, etc...

For the vast majority of people, practicing some CCS cases, doing a few questions and reviewing some peds/OB/surgery/medicine or whatever else you are not in will be plenty. Also, very few fellowships care about your step 3 score. Unlike step 1 and step 2 where scores matter, step 3 scores don't really... as long as you pass.

You are a fellow right? Not sure how long ago you took step 3 but step 3 passing score requirements have been increasing and topics/curriculum has changed as well these past few years - i.e. first day = alot of biostats + random basic sciences.

The old adage of No.2 pencil IMO doesn't work

As someone who passed the step 3 a few months ago I can attest that UWORLD step 3 CCS cases are more straightforward, end earlier, don't take into account consults.

I would say most of my cases always had a primary diagnosis with secondary diagnosis. i.e. you would have a lady come in with PE but then find out she is pregnant. Or a guy coming in with rhabdo but also ends up having hyper-K. STEMi lady who ends up also having afibb RVR

 

[Instatewaiter]

You are a fellow right? Not sure how long ago you took step 3 but step 3 passing score requirements have been increasing and topics/curriculum has changed as well these past few years - i.e. first day = alot of biostats + random basic sciences.

The old adage of No.2 pencil IMO doesn't work

As someone who passed the step 3 a few months ago I can attest that UWORLD step 3 CCS cases are more straightforward, end earlier, don't take into account consults.

I would say most of my cases always had a primary diagnosis with secondary diagnosis. i.e. you would have a lady come in with PE but then find out she is pregnant. Or a guy coming in with rhabdo but also ends up having hyper-K. STEMi lady who ends up also having afibb RVR

Realistically, step 3 is not hard test to pass for most people. Telling people the minimum needed to pass is 3 question banks and 3 CCS practice question banks is ridiculous for the vast majority people. Furthermore, even were this not ridiculous, people just don't have time during a busy intern year.

The topics haven't drastically changed and the passing percentage for step 3 has actually increased over the years. Literally 98% of first time test takers pass from the most recent data. That is higher than when I took it. By that data, it is getting easier for medical students to pass.

So, for those who are going to take it- if you have passed everything by a comfortable margin- use 1 Q bank, practice CCS and read up on things you're not exposed to during intern year.

 

[ValentinNarcisse]

I took it. It is done.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Instatewaiter]

I took it. It is done.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Good luck. You'll do fine.

 

[Oktoberfest15]

I took it. It is done.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Hope all went well! Please keep us updated to know what the exam was like and your experience.

 

[ValentinNarcisse]

No results until May, will keep you posted.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[chemistryguy]

how did it go?

 

[stewartln4]

No results until May, will keep you posted.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Just took mine this week. I'm a surgery intern too and I feel like that was the most difficult of the three. I'm hoping for a pass. I'm just so scared right now

 

[eject]

Realistically, step 3 is not hard test to pass for most people. Telling people the minimum needed to pass is 3 question banks and 3 CCS practice question banks is ridiculous for the vast majority people. Furthermore, even were this not ridiculous, people just don't have time during a busy intern year.

The topics haven't drastically changed and the passing percentage for step 3 has actually increased over the years. Literally 98% of first time test takers pass from the most recent data. That is higher than when I took it. By that data, it is getting easier for medical students to pass.

So, for those who are going to take it- if you have passed everything by a comfortable margin- use 1 Q bank, practice CCS and read up on things you're not exposed to during intern year.

yeah this board is weird. I get the feeling it's a lot of IMGs (with incredible pressure to do well on Step 3) or super paranoid, high-achieving types. I know a lot of residents, and I don't know anybody who is using more than uworld. But if it's true and you need like months of dedicated study and thousands of questions and books and that BS to pass, then I'm effed. Fingers crossed.

 

[stewartln4]

yeah this board is weird. I get the feeling it's a lot of IMGs (with incredible pressure to do well on Step 3) or super paranoid, high-achieving types. I know a lot of residents, and I don't know anybody who is using more than uworld. But if it's true and you need like months of dedicated study and thousands of questions and books and that BS to pass, then I'm effed. Fingers crossed.

Yeah all I used was uworld and MTB so we shall see. I mean as a resident you really just don't have the time. I could barely do an hour a night after being at the hospital from 6-6. Hoped I'm not screwed. Most of my upper levels say that we don't need much prep so hopefully they are right

 

[CaliAtenza]

Realistically, step 3 is not hard test to pass for most people. Telling people the minimum needed to pass is 3 question banks and 3 CCS practice question banks is ridiculous for the vast majority people. Furthermore, even were this not ridiculous, people just don't have time during a busy intern year.

The topics haven't drastically changed and the passing percentage for step 3 has actually increased over the years. Literally 98% of first time test takers pass from the most recent data. That is higher than when I took it. By that data, it is getting easier for medical students to pass.

So, for those who are going to take it- if you have passed everything by a comfortable margin- use 1 Q bank, practice CCS and read up on things you're not exposed to during intern year.

The only thing though, is that basic science has been making a big comeback on the exam, from what I hear from my resident friends. It was already biostats heavy too :/. I'm gonna be starting intern year in July and I'm only now sitting down to get situated for Step 3. Do you recommend going back and skimming through FA for Step1?

 

[stewartln4]

The only thing though, is that basic science has been making a big comeback on the exam, from what I hear from my resident friends. It was already biostats heavy too :/. I'm gonna be starting intern year in July and I'm only now sitting down to get situated for Step 3. Do you recommend going back and skimming through FA for Step1?

No because there actually wasnt that much of this on there. There was way more step 2 material than step 1. If you want to go back and look at anythin, I would look at that

 

[ValentinNarcisse]

Update: passed EXTREMELY comfortably with a score similar to Step 1/2. Do not take the practice test- half of the UWorld qbank plus CCS cases a couple days before the test are more than sufficient. Good luck!

 

[DJNYY]

The trouble with the UWORLD practice exam is that it is quite outdated and doesn't include CCS portion, it also doesn't include the # of biostats questions you will see.

My advice just repeat an actual real NBME (forget which one is the best correlator) and get back to us. In the mean time just doing UWORLD step 3 IMO is not enough.


The bare minimum should be
1) UWORLD step 3 qbank
2) Kaplan qbank
2) UWORLD step 3 CCS + practice CCS cases on NBME website
4) Crush Step 3 CCS
5) Biostats - UWORLD step 1,2,3 qbanks, First Aid Step 1 Biostats chapter (behavioral science)
+/- UWORLD step 2 CK
+/- MTB step 3, 2
+/- USMLE Rx Step 3


Addendum:
Just read that your exam is this week. Take an actual NBME if you score is still well below passing then I would consider postponing it. But didn't my last week made sure I was getting enough rest more than anything. Else you could just continue to re-do UWORLD step 3 question and study up on Biostats the highest yield portion of the entire exam

Not a big fan when people post "bare minimum" and proceed to list 5-8 resources. That is ridiculous.

Used uworld qbank and ccs ONLY over 5 weeks and was a standard deviation above the national mean (better than my step 1 or 2 performance). Baseline knowledge + uworld is sufficient in the majority of cases.

 

[Raryn]

The trouble with the UWORLD practice exam is that it is quite outdated and doesn't include CCS portion, it also doesn't include the # of biostats questions you will see.

My advice just repeat an actual real NBME (forget which one is the best correlator) and get back to us. In the mean time just doing UWORLD step 3 IMO is not enough.


The bare minimum should be
1) UWORLD step 3 qbank
2) Kaplan qbank
2) UWORLD step 3 CCS + practice CCS cases on NBME website
4) Crush Step 3 CCS
5) Biostats - UWORLD step 1,2,3 qbanks, First Aid Step 1 Biostats chapter (behavioral science)
+/- UWORLD step 2 CK
+/- MTB step 3, 2
+/- USMLE Rx Step 3


Addendum:
Just read that your exam is this week. Take an actual NBME if you score is still well below passing then I would consider postponing it. But didn't my last week made sure I was getting enough rest more than anything. Else you could just continue to re-do UWORLD step 3 question and study up on Biostats the highest yield portion of the entire exam

The bare minimum for Step 3 is flipping through your Step 2 study materials (I still love step 2 secrets) and doing the CCS cases in uworld (at least 10-15 of them) to get familiar with the interface. A reasonable study plan is to add uworld step 3 (at least half of it). What you describe is nuts.

 

[Dires]

Got 207 on UWSA today. I think CCS is day 2 on the reAL THING

 

[Sherlock Holmes123]

And also how many months have passed from step 2CK also matters because a lot of information is from step 2 CK...For a guy like me who took step 2CK in 2016 jan, its hard to start from the scratch...Got my UWSA around 210 first time and i did offline again before the exam and got 230...and for step 3, NBME (was quite similar comparing it to the real exam) makes more sense (got 215)...In a lot of anxiety waiting for the results...Hope I just make it and get this over with....