T minus 4 days: Take another NBME?

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latinfridley

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Hey yall,
I have my step 1 this saturday. Should I take an NBME between now and then? Or is it not worth it.
So far, I've done NBME 1,4,3 (last was over a week ago).
 
Hey yall,
I have my step 1 this saturday. Should I take an NBME between now and then? Or is it not worth it.
So far, I've done NBME 1,4,3 (last was over a week ago).

It depends. How did you do on the ones you've already taken? If you did really well, I wouldn't take another one. On the other hand, what's another $45? 🙄
 
It depends. How did you do on the ones you've already taken? If you did really well, I wouldn't take another one. On the other hand, what's another $45? 🙄

NBME Form 1: 215
Form 4: 232
Form 3: 232 (didn't focus well the first 2 or so blocks)
 
It's worth it if only because some of those questions are repeated.

That assumes you spend the time to figure out correct answers. If you are going to take it but just see a score of how you are doing and maybe get practice on timing, I say spend the time taking an equal number of questions in world/qbank because at least you can see what the right answer should have been. My personal view is that, because there are no official released answers with explanations, the NBME tests are useful toward the middle of your study efforts, to see how you are gauging, but can throw you for a loop if you tank one toward the end of the study efforts. And without good answers you cannot really learn from it. So I probably would leave it be and only look at things for which you have answers with explanations. For what it's worth, the qbank/world databases have incorporated pretty much all of the released test question topics pretty decently, so if you have gotten through those questions, you won't likely see something on the real test that was on an NBME test and not in one of those banks.
 
NBME Form 1: 215
Form 4: 232
Form 3: 232 (didn't focus well the first 2 or so blocks)

Those are excellent scores. No need to take another NBME. I would probably spend these last few days doing some additional questions (in your weakest areas), going through FA and doing some last minute cramming (like epi formulas).

Good luck on Saturday 👍
 
That assumes you spend the time to figure out correct answers. If you are going to take it but just see a score of how you are doing and maybe get practice on timing, I say spend the time taking an equal number of questions in world/qbank because at least you can see what the right answer should have been. My personal view is that, because there are no official released answers with explanations, the NBME tests are useful toward the middle of your study efforts, to see how you are gauging, but can throw you for a loop if you tank one toward the end of the study efforts. And without good answers you cannot really learn from it. So I probably would leave it be and only look at things for which you have answers with explanations. For what it's worth, the qbank/world databases have incorporated pretty much all of the released test question topics pretty decently, so if you have gotten through those questions, you won't likely see something on the real test that was on an NBME test and not in one of those banks.

It's my opinion that the NBME's are the closest things to the real thing and the only study material released by the actual makers of the exam. Therefore I recommend everyone do every last NBME question and try to figure out the answers for ones you are unsure about. It doesn't take much time to figure out the answers, wikipedia plus google will get you about 90% of the ones you aren't sure about within a minute. I got 250+ and I approve this method.

EDIT: And to address the issue of scaring yourself with a low practice score, if you don't want to do that simply do the NBME open book and without time limits, that way you get the value and a nice high (if not representative) score.
 
Someone's going to kick some USMELLY boo-tay!!!

hehe. I'm shooting for >240. We'll see.

Thanks for the advice folks. I think I'll continue on with the USMLE world q's. I still have a good # left to do. I'm in the 70-80% range avg right now with 500 more questions to go.
 
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