- Joined
- Aug 2, 2012
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Hi guys,
So I just got my results back from my first attempt at Step 1. I woke up at 0300 Thursday morning (I'm in Australia) after a nightmare about failing. I checked my emails and discovered, much to my shock and utter devastation, that the nightmare came true. I got a 175.
I'm still in shock; I didn't think I did well but I didn't really believe I failed either. I'm terribly disappointed and feel that I've let myself and my medical school down. I've never been the best at pre-clinical stuff by any means (I'm doing clinical rotations at the moment, and that's much more my forte), but in saying that I've never done terribly (always above average marks in my med school exams, and sometimes in the top quartile).
I know my prep wasn't ideal, I didn't study enough due to major vision and inner ear issues (5-8 hours of study a day, followed by lying in a dark room with my head completely still). I was averaging 60-70% on UWorld and got about 72% on the free 150 questions provided by USMLE. I studied 6 days a week for the 3 weeks immediately prior to the exam and 4 days a week for the 5 weeks before that. Considering the fact that Aussie medical schools don't teach to the same depth as US schools, this was not enough to learn the content required.
My goal is an EM residency in the US. I was planning to complete a US elective in EM just prior to starting my last year of medical school (we have a break between November 2014 and February 2015 in which to complete this) but I'm not sure if that will be possible, considering very few med schools take international elective students and, of those that do, most require a passing Step 1.
So, I'm really not sure what to do now, and would greatly appreciate any advise on the options I'm currently considering...
1. Option 1 = We finish our clinical rotations on Nov 7th this year and then have just under 3 months to complete a 5 week elective. I could possibly spend the first five weeks studying intensely for Step 1, take the exam and then complete my elective (assuming I can get one). I also intend to take Step 2 CS whilst in the US for my elective. Personally I feel this is my best option, but I'm not sure that it would work out time-wise (so many US med schools have strict dates for their elective rotations) and I don't know that 5 weeks intense study is enough.
2. Option 2 = Do my elective and both Step 2CS and CK as planned (i.e. last year of medical school), then sign up for a one year Masters in Bioethics after I graduate from med school. I could then use the summer holidays between graduation and starting the Masters to study for, and take, Step 1. This gives me more time to study for the exam (and hopefully do really well), but I'll probably have forgotten a lot of the info and need to relearn it. It's a viable option in that I've always wanted to do a Masters in Bioethics, and it looks good on my résumé, but it also means an extra year of study/not earning money (and I'm struggling financially).
3. Option 3 = Take the rest of this year off to study for, and sit, Step 1. I could then also work for the rest of the year and earn some money. This of course means I graduate a year later and would have the hassle of moving off university accommodation etc. and back home (other side of the country).
4. Option 4 = Take my mother's advise and give up on my dream of working in the US. The cost of all these exams and prep is crazy ($950 to sit Step 1 here); I barely have any savings left and will probably have to sell my car (which will only give me $1000, if that, so not entirely useful). Australia has a decent medical system, and I'm fortunate to train here. The opportunities for Emergency Med and fellowships are not the same though, and training to be an EM attending here takes a loooong time (minimum of 8 years after graduating). I really see myself working in the US, so this is not a dream I want to give up on...however I don't know that getting an EM residency is possible with a failed Step 1.
My apologies for this post being so very long, any advice or input is very much appreciated.
Thanks 🙂
PS On a slightly unrelated note, if anyone knows of their med school accepting international students for an elective, could you pretty please send me a message?
So I just got my results back from my first attempt at Step 1. I woke up at 0300 Thursday morning (I'm in Australia) after a nightmare about failing. I checked my emails and discovered, much to my shock and utter devastation, that the nightmare came true. I got a 175.
I'm still in shock; I didn't think I did well but I didn't really believe I failed either. I'm terribly disappointed and feel that I've let myself and my medical school down. I've never been the best at pre-clinical stuff by any means (I'm doing clinical rotations at the moment, and that's much more my forte), but in saying that I've never done terribly (always above average marks in my med school exams, and sometimes in the top quartile).
I know my prep wasn't ideal, I didn't study enough due to major vision and inner ear issues (5-8 hours of study a day, followed by lying in a dark room with my head completely still). I was averaging 60-70% on UWorld and got about 72% on the free 150 questions provided by USMLE. I studied 6 days a week for the 3 weeks immediately prior to the exam and 4 days a week for the 5 weeks before that. Considering the fact that Aussie medical schools don't teach to the same depth as US schools, this was not enough to learn the content required.
My goal is an EM residency in the US. I was planning to complete a US elective in EM just prior to starting my last year of medical school (we have a break between November 2014 and February 2015 in which to complete this) but I'm not sure if that will be possible, considering very few med schools take international elective students and, of those that do, most require a passing Step 1.
So, I'm really not sure what to do now, and would greatly appreciate any advise on the options I'm currently considering...
1. Option 1 = We finish our clinical rotations on Nov 7th this year and then have just under 3 months to complete a 5 week elective. I could possibly spend the first five weeks studying intensely for Step 1, take the exam and then complete my elective (assuming I can get one). I also intend to take Step 2 CS whilst in the US for my elective. Personally I feel this is my best option, but I'm not sure that it would work out time-wise (so many US med schools have strict dates for their elective rotations) and I don't know that 5 weeks intense study is enough.
2. Option 2 = Do my elective and both Step 2CS and CK as planned (i.e. last year of medical school), then sign up for a one year Masters in Bioethics after I graduate from med school. I could then use the summer holidays between graduation and starting the Masters to study for, and take, Step 1. This gives me more time to study for the exam (and hopefully do really well), but I'll probably have forgotten a lot of the info and need to relearn it. It's a viable option in that I've always wanted to do a Masters in Bioethics, and it looks good on my résumé, but it also means an extra year of study/not earning money (and I'm struggling financially).
3. Option 3 = Take the rest of this year off to study for, and sit, Step 1. I could then also work for the rest of the year and earn some money. This of course means I graduate a year later and would have the hassle of moving off university accommodation etc. and back home (other side of the country).
4. Option 4 = Take my mother's advise and give up on my dream of working in the US. The cost of all these exams and prep is crazy ($950 to sit Step 1 here); I barely have any savings left and will probably have to sell my car (which will only give me $1000, if that, so not entirely useful). Australia has a decent medical system, and I'm fortunate to train here. The opportunities for Emergency Med and fellowships are not the same though, and training to be an EM attending here takes a loooong time (minimum of 8 years after graduating). I really see myself working in the US, so this is not a dream I want to give up on...however I don't know that getting an EM residency is possible with a failed Step 1.
My apologies for this post being so very long, any advice or input is very much appreciated.
Thanks 🙂
PS On a slightly unrelated note, if anyone knows of their med school accepting international students for an elective, could you pretty please send me a message?