Tired after doing a block, don't want to read wrong explanations.

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Jonari

avatar: Mr. Wood Berry
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After doing a block or so, I feel kind of tired and don't immediately review the questions. I'm happy as long as I've done significantly better than the average score of the same block. Anybody else feel this way? I feel like I'm not properly utilizing my Qbanks by doing this. Any tips/recommendations on fixing this.
 
After doing a block or so, I feel kind of tired and don't immediately review the questions. I'm happy as long as I've done significantly better than the average score of the same block. Anybody else feel this way? I feel like I'm not properly utilizing my Qbanks by doing this. Any tips/recommendations on fixing this.

I feel you on this one. You definitely should go over your answers and make sure you know why each choice is correct/incorrect. If you're tired, try going over them the day after you do the questions.
 
How far out from your exam date are you? I've still got about 5 months, and I've been doing all my blocks on tutor mode. I think it's nice at this stage of the game to go over the answer explanations immediately after I answer while my thought process is still fresh. It also gives me a nice "break" in between questions to take a breather, annotate, or whatever.

If you're getting down to just a few weeks before your exam, then I understand doing all your blocks timed (to build stamina, simulate actual exam situations, etc.). Just try to plow through it, and good luck!
 
After doing a block or so, I feel kind of tired and don't immediately review the questions. I'm happy as long as I've done significantly better than the average score of the same block. Anybody else feel this way? I feel like I'm not properly utilizing my Qbanks by doing this. Any tips/recommendations on fixing this.

You MUST read them otherwise you are wasting your resources. Try doing the questions in a tutor mode. That way you are not putting them off until the very end. Perhaps do question in the morning and then review them in the afternoon.
 
How far out from your exam date are you? I've still got about 5 months, and I've been doing all my blocks on tutor mode. I think it's nice at this stage of the game to go over the answer explanations immediately after I answer while my thought process is still fresh...

+1. During my organ systems curriculum I've been doing Kaplan, Rx, and Easy on tutor mode. Reading the full correct explanation right after I get a question wrong immediately and strongly reinforces that explanation in my mind. It's been extremely helpful for my learning and extra-efficient for memorization.

I'm still several weeks out from buying my UWorld subscription, but I'm planning to do that on timed mode to practice for the real test. I think I'll run into the same problem as OP, but hopefully having this prior experience and proof of just how beneficial it is to immediately review will help me power through the mental fatigue.
 
Read the wrong answers. Read every word of uworld and understand it forward and back. Put yourself through hell for 4 months rather than 40 years. If you're interested in doing FM or psych or PM&R, who gives a **** about step 1. But if you have any desire to do something competitive, or just keep your options open, do what I just said. You may be incredulous when people tell you that step1 is important. You might think that surely programs will look at the "whole applicant" not just some board score. But, programs have cutoffs. You won't even get an interview at many programs in several specialties without a 240, for example. What percentile does a 240 put you in, anyways? Like top 30% top 25%? It's a really good score, but like I said, programs in the most competitive specialties do have those cutoffs and they can get away with it because there are enough students with these scores to fill their rosters year in and year out. And you might tell yourself, I'm happy with a 240 because that's a really good score, and what difference does a 249 or 250 make when I already scored above 240? It makes a difference, and you should fight for every point.

You need to study hard, painfully hard for step 1.
 
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