I just took the practice step 3 ccs case from usmleconsult and the software was significantly different than uworld. Which is closer to the actual exam? Also I have been disappointed lately at uworld ccs, it seems like the program is for memorizing how to handle a particular case and do this not that stuff and good luck, but i have been reading stories about people on this forum that did the cases twice and sometimes three times and still failed???
usmle consult
- Thread starter jok200
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Uworld. Actually DO the Uworld cases. You will realize that the system is obnoxious. "Appendicitis" so i order surgery consult. They tell me to "manage medically." Ok... CT scan (positive for appendicitis). So I order surgery consult. They tell me to "manage medically." I order Exlap. case ends. I win.
You have to learn to tell the system to order what you want to order. The diagnosis is ALWAYS OBVIOUS by the vignette. You then have to order the right tests.
Reading the Uworld cases is not good enough. You have to go through them all.
The CCS scores are counted together with the MCQs. CCS cases are easy. You can save your score by performing well on CCS, even if you don't do stellar on MCQs.
LOL... this is the exact problem! Appendictis case in UW ..the surgeon comes and ask you to manage medically. Total lack of concept or orientation. And some one here suggests, you go ahead and order exploratory lap. If you do that in a patient who did not really meet the criteria for surgery , you are smashed and will be awarded a zero in the case. I learned recently how primum software is so accurate in giving feedback on surgery.
On primum software, if you order a surgery and if patient needs surgery, it will accept saying "patient will be scheduled for surgery". If patient does not meet criteria for surgery, it says, "manage medically". So it is preventing you from a fatal error ( doing a surgery on someone who does not need it).
Now, if you are taught by UW that it is ok to proceed and order surgical procedure even when surgeon does not accept it, you are likely to do the same thing on the exam. But exam software gives the correct sequence. If surgeon says "no", it is a "no"! If you go by the UW approach, you will end up ordering surgey on exam even when surgeon says "no" and you will fail that case. So, now it is not difficult to understand why many people are failing after doing UW...they are used to these errors and bad judgement and repeat them on the exam.
