USMLE less than a week...help!!!

[Erlomd]

Well, looks like its comming soon and I feel prepared but NBME says otherwise...I've been studying since June...went through firt aid 3 times...did DIT course 3 times and did the pathoma lectures about 3 times and have finished USMLE world a bunch of times...almost have the whole q bank memorized at this point averaging around a 75% but I'm still getting below avarage scores on nbme exams...I hav been improving significantly but now I'm at a 180 average...took nbme 11, 7, and 13...should I just keep postponing the test? I have been noticing a 50pt. Increase in my score every time I take an NBME, but I am getting worn out studying more than 12 hours a day for the past 5 months. Any real advise or outlook is appreciated...

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[Jonari]

A 75% Uworld average but averaging at 180 on 3 NBMEs. Something doesn't add up.

That means you've failed the 3 NBMEs...

 

[Erlomd]

A 75% Uworld average but averaging at 180 on 3 NBMEs. Something doesn't add up.

That means you've failed the 3 NBMEs...

Yeah, I figure that I'm basically just memorizing world...I guess I can start using another qbank...by 180 I mean an estimate of the USMLE exam which is around a 360 on nbme

 

[Krubes1226]

I'm in your exact same boat but passing -but only barely 198. Test is in two weeks. So, at this point I have taken all NBME's- since June. (study time 9mths- yes, I know way too much!) NBME 11,12,13, and 7 within the past 2 months and only barely passing- but consistent. 1st round U world (50% overall) In summary, (Pushed test back- re-registered, and took a 3 week "re-group" break. Now, I have gotten back into it all) I have re-started world and I am half way done with it- over all average 65%. I am doing 2 blocks of 46 questions a day and getting about a 72% daily (timed/unused/all subjects). (I have completed in my 9 months: DIT videos and notes, FA-3 times (going on 4), goljan RR & audio, HY neuro, HY biostats, Pathoma video + book (x2), BRS pharm and micro notecards, plus self notes. My problem is that I have already completed all NBME's and USMLE-SA's 1&2 - what should I do now for a practice test?? I thought about re-doing NBME 6 b/c that was taken back in June- or should I take USMLE SA-1, since that was taken in the spring? I am at a loss b/c I need to see where I stand, but I don't want to get false hope from a test I have already completed. I have put off taking any practices since my break b/c the scores are discouraging- but its that time again....& I would like to take 2 more practices before my test, during this final stretch. I just want to make sure I am still passing, b/c at this point I'm just ready to finish! Any help/advice/past similar experience is appreciated from anyone who has crossed the other side! Thanks!

 

[Erlomd]

I'm in your exact same boat but passing -but only barely 198. Test is in two weeks. So, at this point I have taken all NBME's- since June. (study time 9mths- yes, I know way too much!) NBME 11,12,13, and 7 within the past 2 months and only barely passing- but consistent. 1st round U world (50% overall) In summary, (Pushed test back- re-registered, and took a 3 week "re-group" break. Now, I have gotten back into it all) I have re-started world and I am half way done with it- over all average 65%. I am doing 2 blocks of 46 questions a day and getting about a 72% daily (timed/unused/all subjects). (I have completed in my 9 months: DIT videos and notes, FA-3 times (going on 4), goljan RR & audio, HY neuro, HY biostats, Pathoma video + book (x2), BRS pharm and micro notecards, plus self notes. My problem is that I have already completed all NBME's and USMLE-SA's 1&2 - what should I do now for a practice test?? I thought about re-doing NBME 6 b/c that was taken back in June- or should I take USMLE SA-1, since that was taken in the spring? I am at a loss b/c I need to see where I stand, but I don't want to get false hope from a test I have already completed. I have put off taking any practices since my break b/c the scores are discouraging- but its that time again....& I would like to take 2 more practices before my test, during this final stretch. I just want to make sure I am still passing, b/c at this point I'm just ready to finish! Any help/advice/past similar experience is appreciated from anyone who has crossed the other side! Thanks!

well, I just went on one of those usmle predictive calculators and inputed my NBME score and my usmle world score (since they are in opposite extremes of one another) and it came back with a predictive score of a 200 on the actual exam....i know it seems a little below average but if this is true then, ill be fine with that score....since thats more or less the target i want to be at.
i dont know what to say about world other than ive been taking 46 question exams daily since june and im preety much memorizing at this point (sometimes getting scores as high as a 90, but averaging 75-80%)....ive tried other qbanks but they all fall short...they are just a good way to learn clues i guess.
at this point (since my test is on monday) im going to take one final NBME exam...if I reach a 400, then ill take the damn test...if not, ill just keep postponing it until I reach that score...maybe another month will do.
right now, I'm re-reading first aid (so 4th time around), I'm actually writing out the 3 question warm ups from DIT since they are the highest of the highest yields...and some of the high yield (if you didn't learn anything from this chapter, learn this) end of session quizzes, writing out the Pharm equations, Lung volumes, and biostats equations daily so that i can write it down on the marker board...and this is actually helping to recall tons of info. maybe that can help you out....Im not getting enough time in the day to do all the reveiwing i need though, for instance I would also like to go over my highlights and notes for pathoma and first aid/DIT notes but just going over the first aid is really time consuming. my wallet is tightening up though purchasing all those week extensions to the course..and nbme exams are adding up.

BTW dont get discouraged, I started in june with a NBME score of 60!!!! and now im up to a 360...read then write out what your having trouble understanding....write it out more than once, tape it on the wall whatever...even explain it to your friends (even though they look at you funny) keep it up...im sure we will all get there...thats not the issue, its by when thats bothering me

 

[Krubes1226]

yea christmas is going to suck for me too this year! I've been re-reading FA for the 4th time- and its a slow process. I am re-readnig pathoma and DIT notes that correspond to the system. I feel like even though I have re-set world I am too familiar with the questions- can't tell if I memorized or just know material better. Kaplan Q-bank is weird and I don't like it, but still scoring above average in that, but I have only completed only about 40%. I have been re-reading summary notes I have made along the way- but there is only so many hours in a day. I hope I can even finish FA and etc. before the end of next week-> highly doubt it. I'm beyond over this exam prep at this point, and frustrated at my overall progress. Positive note is that I started out only at 150- so I have improved. Shooting for a 220, but will settle for above 210 if possible. In summary- I want to pass and move on with life. It has been over a year since the end of my 2nd year. I completely understand your frustrations and confusions over the whole process, and would love nothing more than a genie to tell me what lies on the other side. The only Advice I can give- granted I'm no superstar- is to try and take the practice step 1 at prometrics. it gave me a perspective of what to expect condition-wise on test day; and how to gage break time. (if its too late to register for this in your case, just keep in mind they run security like Fort Knox- so for a 20 min break-> factor in (-)10 min to go in-and-out of the testing center to do finger prints and a wand-down) time is a maker-breaker- so ensure you have enough break time and no additional stresses. and ps- the test they offer isn't something valuable question-wise so its ok to miss it, plus its the free one they have available for 150?'s) and NBME wise- my scores were 198- #11, 193 #12, 193 #13 (12 & 13 did on same day), then 196 #7. apparently #7 is the most accurate according to rumors. I'm screwed because I used the other NBME's as well- so idk which to take tomorrow to see if I'm even still passing since my study-hiatus/mental re-hab break. I got up to the point of canceling my previous date 2 days before, then reregistered, and took a 3 week break- only pseudo studying. It's been hard getting back into my long study days, so I feel dumb again and need to see if I'm still passing before I walk into the gates of hell that is Step 1. Best of luck for your final stretch, and good luck on the test!

 

[Jonari]

I think you guys should fork out the cash and purchase another q-bank like Kaplan or Usmle Rx.

 

[Krubes1226]

I have Kaplan and I've done half of it -but I think it's too easy compaired to world. How's usmlerx?

 

[Erlomd]

Well, looks like its comming soon and I feel prepared but NBME says otherwise...I've been studying since June...went through firt aid 3 times...did DIT course 3 times and did the pathoma lectures about 3 times and have finished USMLE world a bunch of times...almost have the whole q bank memorized at this point averaging around a 75% but I'm still getting below avarage scores on nbme exams...I hav been improving significantly but now I'm at a 180 average...took nbme 11, 7, and 13...should I just keep postponing the test? I have been noticing a 50pt. Increase in my score every time I take an NBME, but I am getting worn out studying more than 12 hours a day for the past 5 months. Any real advise or outlook is appreciated...

just took nbme 5 and got a 230...test is on monday so Ive rescheduled it for another month.
its the last month i have permitted on my eligibility period. i keep scoring high on world however (78%). as of right now my only plan left is to meticulously read and try to purely memorize DIT questions, read the first aid over again 50 pages a day for 10-11 days or so, keep doing 46 question usmle world qbank questions timed, without explanations and then read the explanations afterward. and pharm cards...
I hear NBME 5 is a pretty hard one and the only NBME i have left is 12 (which I hear is another hard one too)....i might just do a USMLE world assessment exam at the end of this month and that free 150 question test in 2 weeks.
what do you think?

 

[Jonari]

just took nbme 5 and got a 230...test is on monday so Ive rescheduled it for another month.
its the last month i have permitted on my eligibility period. i keep scoring high on world however (78%). as of right now my only plan left is to meticulously read and try to purely memorize DIT questions, read the first aid over again 50 pages a day for 10-11 days or so, keep doing 46 question usmle world qbank questions timed, without explanations and then read the explanations afterward. and pharm cards...
I hear NBME 5 is a pretty hard one and the only NBME i have left is 12 (which I hear is another hard one too)....i might just do a USMLE world assessment exam at the end of this month and that free 150 question test in 2 weeks.
what do you think?

Dude, a 230 is amazing. You really think you should push your exam off?

 

[Krubes1226]

thats good if it was the usmle score equivalent~ I would take it if thats what the 230 is!

 

[Phloston]

I have Kaplan and I've done half of it -but I think it's too easy compaired to world. How's usmlerx?

What the freak? I thought Kaplan was way harder than UWorld.

In terms of difficulty, I'd say:

USMLE Rx << UWorld < Kaplan

 

[Phloston]

just took nbme 5 and got a 230...test is on monday so Ive rescheduled it for another month.
its the last month i have permitted on my eligibility period. i keep scoring high on world however (78%). as of right now my only plan left is to meticulously read and try to purely memorize DIT questions, read the first aid over again 50 pages a day for 10-11 days or so, keep doing 46 question usmle world qbank questions timed, without explanations and then read the explanations afterward. and pharm cards...
I hear NBME 5 is a pretty hard one and the only NBME i have left is 12 (which I hear is another hard one too)....i might just do a USMLE world assessment exam at the end of this month and that free 150 question test in 2 weeks.
what do you think?

Excellent idea. You'll improve a lot in that month. 78% on UWorld is also very good. But yeah, I think it's good you postponed.

 

[Jonari]

What the freak? I thought Kaplan was way harder than UWorld.

In terms of difficulty, I'd say:

USMLE Rx << UWorld < Kaplan

Same. Kaplan asks very specific questions at times. It's good in the sense of detailed studied, especially if one is OCD or so. UWorld asks much more generalized questions, imo.

 

[Krubes1226]

I did the uworld assessment 1 last thurs and got a 206- but word on the street is that it overshoots your score by at least 10 and assessment 2 overshoots by about 15-20, so be careful on those! Nbmes are a better estimate. I'm still taking mine Step 1 on the 15th so I'll let you know! 206 is prob barely passing but I also haven't finished re-reviewing systems, so taking nbme 6 this thurs after I finish systems. Praying for a 210! Fingers crossed!!

 

[Phloston]

I think it's probably my (and some others') fault regarding how the UWSAs are viewed score-wise. Based on what I've seen on the Scores thread this year / what I've said in the past, yeah, the UWSAs tend to overshoot significantly. However, I think the truth is just that they're very sensitive but not specific (i.e. there are quite a few false-positive high scores, but it doesn't mean that you wouldn't actually score that high if you were to sit the exam: meaning, they overshoot for some people but not all). In contrast, the NBMEs tend to be very specific but less sensitive; there are quite a few people who have smashed their NBME scores this year, and very few perform less than their NBME average (if they are taken within two weeks of the real USMLE).