This sub-forum is WAY more active than the Step 3 sub-forum, so I am asking here.........

[Knicks]

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In light of the changes going to be made for the Step 3 exam, how are we to prepare for them?

The new exam has not been administered yet, so there are no review books to cover these new changes.

Can someone please address this for me?

Thanks in advance.

 

[DermViser]

In light of the changes going to be made for the Step 3 exam, how are we to prepare for them?

The new exam has not been administered yet, so there are no review books to cover these new changes.

Can someone please address this for me?

Thanks in advance.

The only real change seems to be:
http://www.usmle.org/pdfs/Changes_to_USMLE_2014-2015_handout_FINAL.pdf

See increased numbers of items that assess an expanded range of competency-based content, including foundational science essential for effective healthcare; biostatistics, epidemiology, and population health; literature interpretation; medical ethics; and patient safety.

I imagine it won't be a huge portion of the test.

 

[Zedor]

I thought people just showed up to step 3

 

[IJL]

I thought people just showed up to step 3

That's my plan...

 

[KnuxNole]

I thought people just showed up to step 3

If I did that, I'd probably would have failed in a heartbeat.

Keep in mind though, that I am dumb as ****, definitely the worst of my bunch. For the smart people, they can probably get away with that. Also, after 3rd year, I didn't remember a single thing I studied for Step 2, so I had to basically relearn everything...

 

[DermViser]

I thought people just showed up to step 3

That's my plan...

 

[DermViser]

If I did that, I'd probably would have failed in a heartbeat.

Keep in mind though, that I am dumb as ****, definitely the worst of my bunch. For the smart people, they can probably get away with that. Also, after 3rd year, I didn't remember a single thing I studied for Step 2, so I had to basically relearn everything...

Nice to know the gunner routine of "Oh, I didn't study at all for that test" continues long after med school is over.

 

[KnuxNole]

Nice to know the gunner routine of "Oh, didn't study at all" continues long after med school is over.

It's true, to an extent. I was told I should be fine because I passed Step 2...yeah, doesn't work like that. I'll gladly admit that I actually need to read and study to pass any exam. MTB for Step 3 was helpful, as was doing EVERY. SINGLE. UWORLD question.

 

[IJL]

Are you skeptical?

 

[DermViser]

It's true, to an extent. I was told I should be fine because I passed Step 2...yeah, doesn't work like that. I'll gladly admit that I actually need to read and study to pass any exam. MTB for Step 3 was helpful, as was doing EVERY. SINGLE. UWORLD question.

First rule of med school: Nearly everyone LIES when it comes to saying how easy/hard something is.

 

[DermViser]

It's true, to an extent. I was told I should be fine because I passed Step 2...yeah, doesn't work like that. I'll gladly admit that I actually need to read and study to pass any exam. MTB for Step 3 was helpful, as was doing EVERY. SINGLE. UWORLD question.

 

[Raryn]

Most people I know spent 1-3 weeks at most part-time studying for Step 3. While doing something residency related, usually some kind of elective.

Compare that to the 3-4 weeks most I know studied for Step 2 (more if they took it early, less if they took it late), also often part-time. Or the 4-26 weeks of studying for Step 1.

 

[DermViser]

Most people I know spent 1-3 weeks at most part-time studying for Step 3. While doing something residency related, usually some kind of elective.

Compare that to the 3-4 weeks most I know studied for Step 2 (more if they took it early, less if they took it late), also often part-time. Or the 4-26 weeks of studying for Step 1.

 

[Raryn]

Off topic to the thread, but do you ever sleep?

No matter if I'm on days or nights I always see your posts as the latest in the forum.

 

[KnuxNole]

Most people I know spent 1-3 weeks at most part-time studying for Step 3. While doing something residency related, usually some kind of elective.

Compare that to the 3-4 weeks most I know studied for Step 2 (more if they took it early, less if they took it late), also often part-time. Or the 4-26 weeks of studying for Step 1.

Damn, those people must be crazy smart! I know that if I did that, I would barely get by a few chapters or get tons of UWorld questions wrong...since I literally forget everything haha. Plus, it's hard to study after a work day in residency, I literally had to push myself to squeeze an hour of reading! I know some say "well if you are seeing patients, that's good enough!". Not for me, since there is SO much knowledge that I have to read to remember/relearn.

 

[Raryn]

Damn, those people must be crazy smart! I know that if I did that, I would barely get by a few chapters or get tons of UWorld questions wrong...since I literally forget everything haha. Plus, it's hard to study after a work day in residency, I literally had to push myself to squeeze an hour of reading! I know some say "well if you are seeing patients, that's good enough!". Not for me, since there is SO much knowledge that I have to read to remember/relearn.

*shrug* Might be field dependent. 3/4 of the test is IM, and my friends are mostly IM residents.

 

[KnuxNole]

I see, probably. I'm in Fm and would never feel comfortable doing that...I mean, to other people, maybe it would be enough...to me, I felt like I barely would relearn all aspects of medicine in 3 weeks WHILE working crazy hours :/ I gave myself 2-3 months to study....and I felt like I needed more time. Thankfully, I somehow managed to pass....that's because I forced myself to live on 2-3 hours of sleep the last 2 weeks. Cause as you know, it's hard to read/learn once you are done with a long work day.....

 

[Knicks]

The only real change seems to be:
http://www.usmle.org/pdfs/Changes_to_USMLE_2014-2015_handout_FINAL.pdf

See increased numbers of items that assess an expanded range of competency-based content, including foundational science essential for effective healthcare; biostatistics, epidemiology, and population health; literature interpretation; medical ethics; and patient safety.

I imagine it won't be a huge portion of the test.

Huge or not, I don't want to take it lightly.

I wonder if Kaplan is covering these changes in their curriculum....

 

[Doctor Bagel]

*shrug* Might be field dependent. 3/4 of the test is IM, and my friends are mostly IM residents.

That might explain it. As a psych resident, I definitely needed to study for Step 3, and I think my score was ~30 points lower than my step 1 and 2 scores. It was not an easy test for me, and I think I could have failed it if I didn't study. If you cover a lot of the Step 3 type of material in your day to day work, it might be different. Other advice for people in non-primary care types of specialties -- take it early. The closer you are to internship and medical school, the better. You really do forgot that stuff when you don't use it.