USMLE Step 3 beyond Prelim year?

[EYESURG]

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Hi,

I'd like to know if it is ok to go on with residency not taking Step-3? Can you just take it prior to completion of PGY-3? I know that some PGY3 IM residents take it only before they finish their residency, is that allowed when you are entering a specialty other then IM after prelim year?

I greatly appeciate any comments on this subject. Thank you.

 

[EYESURG]

Hi,

I'd like to know if it is ok to go on with residency not taking Step-3? Can you just take it prior to completion of PGY-3? I know that some PGY3 IM residents take it only before they finish their residency, is that allowed when you are entering a specialty other then IM after prelim year?

I greatly appeciate any comments on this subject. Thank you.

Please I really need an answer on this subject.....PLEASE! 😕

 

[doc05]

I think so. Probably depends on what your advanced program (rads, gas, etc) requires.

 

[Stinky Tofu]

The requirements vary from state to state and certain rograms may also have their own requirements. The FSMB website has the requirements for postgraduate licensure listed by state, but it doesn't look like it's been updated since 1996. You should double check with the state medical board and your program.

 

[EYESURG]

The requirements vary from state to state and certain rograms may also have their own requirements. The FSMB website has the requirements for postgraduate licensure listed by state, but it doesn't look like it's been updated since 1996. You should double check with the state medical board and your program.

Thank you.

 

[retroviridae]

some programs also require passing step III to be promoted to PGY2

 

[freeMDnow]

My program says they have a "requirement" that it be completed by PGY2 but I'd say about 40% don't. I know many that have taken it in their PGY3 year. Im not sure, but you'd probably have to complete it to be board-eligible in your specialty.

 

[DoxtaHuxtable]

I just found out a week ago that I must pass Step 3 in order to move on to PGY3. I am cramming for the test as we speak. This totally sucks.

How hard is it to pass the test? I could care less what score I get as long as it is above the passing level. I hope the 2 month, 2 week, 2 day rule is really true otherwise I am screwed.

 

[gwen]

i'm cramming for it right now as well. i'm taking it at the end of the month. so yeah, how hard is step 3? i mean, i thought step 2 was sooooooooooo much better than step 1. but i keep hearing random stuff that "step 3 was the hardest" or "i loved step 1 but step 3 was tough". i'm like, "what the....?" all i'm using is the crush book and kaplan q-bank and banking on my internal medicine experience. any other hints? plus, who do you think has it easiest due to residency experience - medicine, FP, surgery? i feel bad for psych and path residents who may not remember much of the core clinical medicine stuff.

any thoughts??

 

[AJM]

i'm cramming for it right now as well. i'm taking it at the end of the month. so yeah, how hard is step 3? i mean, i thought step 2 was sooooooooooo much better than step 1. but i keep hearing random stuff that "step 3 was the hardest" or "i loved step 1 but step 3 was tough". i'm like, "what the....?" all i'm using is the crush book and kaplan q-bank and banking on my internal medicine experience. any other hints? plus, who do you think has it easiest due to residency experience - medicine, FP, surgery? i feel bad for psych and path residents who may not remember much of the core clinical medicine stuff.

any thoughts??

For medicine residents/interns, Step 3 is SOOO easy. Don't even worry about it. The only areas you won't know is the Peds and Ob stuff, and those are very minor parts of the exam. The surgery questions are almost all based in medicine, so if you've done some medicine training, you'll be able to answer most of the surgery questions.

When I took it at the end of my internship, I didn't study at all, and I did fine. The only thing I would recommend is to do the USMLE tutorial and practice questions so that you understand the format of the test.

IMO, the residents who have it easiest for step 3 are the IM and FP residents, since the test is weighted heavily towards adult medical issues as well as preventive and outpatient medicine.

 

[AJM]

Oh yeah - EM residents do really well in step 3 as well.

If you are nervous, spend your time studying the areas that you don't deal with much as a resident or intern. For IM residents, I would recommend cramming OB/Gyn and Peds. I crammed those areas in two nights, knew a few of the answers in those specialties in the exam, but my knowledge of medicine more than made up for my deficiencies in those other areas.

 

[gwen]

hey, i feel much better hearing this. although, i shouldn't really get lazy and comfortable knowing i'm a medicine resident. i'm not really reading much of the medicine section in crush...might just look over it quickly.

one of our interns just took step3 (he's transitional going into derm...scored a 99th percentile on OUR medicine intraining exam...makes me sick...ugh)...but anyway, he said that i should read more ortho and optho stuff from other books b/c he had a lot of those q's. what do you guys think? btw, i'm in now way that obsessive about my score...just wanna pass with class.

 

[DoxtaHuxtable]

Just finished Step 3. MCQ portion wasn't too bad. Probably missed a whole bunch, but hopefully not enough to fail.

The Cases sucked. I practiced for an hour the night before to get familiar with the format. I knew the diagnosis and treatment in the cases, but I have no idea if I worked the progarm properly.

For several of my cases it ended in about 10 minutes before I could determine if my patient was better. The case simulations were just plain weird. Should not be a part of the test. Only good thing was that I ended very early.

In any case, all that matters to me is that my score is atleast at the level of passing. If not, I'm screwed...big time!!!

 

[gwen]

hey doxta (love your ID, btw)...did you have a lot of optho or ortho questions on your exam? and did you feel that you could have/should have practiced more on the CD for the cases? i just took a look at that cd yesterday and its not very user friendly. also, you were asking something about the upitt cards fellowship - who told u it was malignant? just curious...i know someone who might be going there and would like to give them a heads up.

thanks!

Just finished Step 3. MCQ portion wasn't too bad. Probably missed a whole bunch, but hopefully not enough to fail.

The Cases sucked. I practiced for an hour the night before to get familiar with the format. I knew the diagnosis and treatment in the cases, but I have no idea if I worked the progarm properly.

For several of my cases it ended in about 10 minutes before I could determine if my patient was better. The case simulations were just plain weird. Should not be a part of the test. Only good thing was that I ended very early.

In any case, all that matters to me is that my score is atleast at the level of passing. If not, I'm screwed...big time!!!

 

[DoxtaHuxtable]

Gwen, not much ortho or ophtho on my exam. The CD should be fine to practice for the exam. However, it's hard to say how you will be scored because the CD doesn't score your responses. Just review the instructions closely. I'll write a follow up message after I get my score back. If I passed then minimal studying is all that is required because I studied very minimally!

As for the UPitt fellowship, this is just repeated rumors people are saying who interviewed there and know people who are unhappy in the fellowship. I have no way of knowing for sure because I don't know anyone who goes there. I'm just curious to know the truth about this program because I am thinking about cards.

 

[DoxtaHuxtable]

Got my Step 3 results back and just in time. Passed with plenty of room to spare.

It's nice to know that one can pass an exam with very little notice and very little studying.

 

[powermd]

Took step 3 in April and just got my results, which were about the same as my Step 2 score. The majority of the test is very similar to Step 2. The emphasis is on adult internal medicine, peds, and OB. I was very surprised by how much peds and OB there was on the exam, it seemed about equal to the IM questions. I loved the cases. It's almost exactly like managing a real patient as an intern. I had no problem figuring out most of the cases, and completed them all in about an hour. I did all the practice cases beforehand, and found that very helpful. I would highly recommend using Boards & Wards to study, as well as Crush Step 3.

 

[freeMDnow]

Took step 3 in April and just got my results, which were about the same as my Step 2 score. The majority of the test is very similar to Step 2. The emphasis is on adult internal medicine, peds, and OB. I was very surprised by how much peds and OB there was on the exam, it seemed about equal to the IM questions. I loved the cases. It's almost exactly like managing a real patient as an intern. I had no problem figuring out most of the cases, and completed them all in about an hour. I did all the practice cases beforehand, and found that very helpful. I would highly recommend using Boards & Wards to study, as well as Crush Step 3.

How long did it take to get your results back for step 3?

 

[sevoflurane]

336 ?'s down and a whole other day to go.... Geeesh.... Honestly, this test is harder than step I and II. Those tests were fun to take. 1rst day of step III is real hard to study for. Today was at least 50% ethics and related type questions. I feel as if I just sat in for the LSAT... Lot's of hospital comittee, power of attorney, what would you do if..., end of life, what is the best way to say..., jahova's witness type of ?'s. Not a lot of "what is the next best step in management" or "what is the most likely diagnosis" or "what would you treat X with...."- these were the easy questions. Good amount of FP type Peds ?'s. On to the next day! 😀

 

[sevoflurane]

Day 2... Sooooo much easier. The 4 blocks of 36 questions were straight forward (like step I and II + a few EKG'S) and i think you really need to mess up on the CCS cases for your patient not to get better (diagnosis were all very obvious)... CCS was actually fun, and was clearly the easiest part of the whole 2 day test. I'm glad it's over 😀

 

[gwen]

just got my results back as well. kicked some a$$...too bad i didn't do that during step 1. ahhh, its still a relief. now i can certainly say that crush and kaplan qbank can help you pass comfortably, if not kick a$$.