two quick questions

[aashkab]

Hi,

1) Are the UWORLD diagnostic tests that you can pay for better than the NBME diagnostic tests? Do you recommend one over the other to take as diagnostics in my study time?

2) I'm worried about not being able to fall asleep the night before my test. I have that problem right now during my second year. The difference though is that I do end up cramming a lot and have very ambitious study schedules the day before a test during second year. However, before test day, I'm planning on having a solid workout/run in the morning. A big dinner at night. And it should do the trick? But if anyone has any tips or what they've learned, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

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[AggieSean]

1) I don't know about better or whatever, but they are $15 cheaper,
come with answers and explanations, and have shown to be moderately reliable. As well, I think they have the Fred v2 interface, so taking one is more like a test day experience, as the NBME's are still using the old format.

2. Well, be sure to avoid tons of caffeine the day before, and for the week before your test, go to bed and wake up at the same time you will for test day. That way your body will be used to it by then.

G'luck!

 

[illixir]

The UWSA's are harder but because of that graded more lenient(can miss more to make same score). They also have full explanations and when you buy them with the bank they're discounted(ends up being 15$ each compared to 60$ for the NBME's that tell you which you got wrong).

I don't know if you should stuff yourself with a huge dinner night before, just eat a normal dinner that you like, eating a solid breakfast is probably more important.

 

[IM Substance P]

Hi,

1) Are the UWORLD diagnostic tests that you can pay for better than the NBME diagnostic tests? Do you recommend one over the other to take as diagnostics in my study time?

2) I'm worried about not being able to fall asleep the night before my test. I have that problem right now during my second year. The difference though is that I do end up cramming a lot and have very ambitious study schedules the day before a test during second year. However, before test day, I'm planning on having a solid workout/run in the morning. A big dinner at night. And it should do the trick? But if anyone has any tips or what they've learned, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks

I planned ahead for #2 and popped 50 mg of diphenhydramine at about 10 PM. I slept a good 9 hours.

I also took Step 1 at 1 PM instead of 8 AM. The test center allowed it to be scheduled in the afternoon. I was quite glad because I'm NOT a morning person.

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

I wish my test center would let me take it at 1 PM!

 

[aashkab]

thanks for the benadryl tip. i totally forgot about that. i was thinking of chamomile tea and even our deans our saying some people may need Beta blockers, lol.

and also thanks for the uworld diagnostics, i didn't even know it was an option when buying the qbank but i'll buy them later anyways. i'll do those diagnostics towards the end then if they are more diagnostic.

muchos gracias

 

[bbm113]

1. The UWSE were better at predicting my score.

I planned ahead for #2 and popped 50 mg of diphenhydramine at about 10 PM. I slept a good 9 hours.

I also took Step 1 at 1 PM instead of 8 AM. The test center allowed it to be scheduled in the afternoon. I was quite glad because I'm NOT a morning person.

2. This is a bad idea, and would not recommend it. If there is any chance that you might feel drowsy you will blow the exam. For me, I practiced getting up early. The whole week before test day I got up at 7am and went to be by 1030-11. This makes a big difference, you don't want the first time you are waking up early to be test day. Everyone has the knowledge to do well on this exam, if you wanna get a great score make sure you minimize dumb mistakes. And you will make dumb mistakes if you are drowsy.

 

[turkeyjerky]

I planned ahead for #2 and popped 50 mg of diphenhydramine at about 10 PM. I slept a good 9 hours.

I also took Step 1 at 1 PM instead of 8 AM. The test center allowed it to be scheduled in the afternoon. I was quite glad because I'm NOT a morning person.

yikes--I would not touch an antihistamine the night before a big test. you're just asking for next day drowsiness, not to mention they unfavorably alter sleep architecture. Try and get a script for zolpidem; failing that, I'd opt for melatonin.

 

[twofer]

thanks for the benadryl tip. i totally forgot about that. i was thinking of chamomile tea and even our deans our saying some people may need Beta blockers, lol.

and also thanks for the uworld diagnostics, i didn't even know it was an option when buying the qbank but i'll buy them later anyways. i'll do those diagnostics towards the end then if they are more diagnostic.

muchos gracias

Whatever you decide to do the night before - TEST DRIVE IT FIRST!! I was planning on going with the benadryl thing, so I tried it before a practice test and good god was I hung over for HOURS the next morning. I felt like a walking corpse. So I went to student health and got some zolipem which is much better. This probably varies by person, but it's probably a good rule of thumb not to try a new medication the day before this exam...

 

[Ambrosha]

again, the important thing is to test drive anything you think you will use, but keep in mind zolpidem is an amnesic and you may not remember anything if you decide to study that morning. I don't know about whether you might forget what you studied that night, but our pharm prof told us about a guy who studied the morningof and deinitely did not remember anything he studied that morning. I use melatonin. benadryl did make me a little drowsy the next day.

 

[tachyon34]

i used to use melatonin and it works but i felt like my memory was not as good as it was without it. i also got some crazy crazy dreams which could be why or just placebo effect

 

[Domenech]

Do whatever you can to get a really good comfortable sleep before your exam. Just DON'T hit any drugs! No antihistamine, NO lexotanil! You don't want any hangovers during your exam!