Just got my score back today and I am pumped! Hopefully my numbers can inspire others who have been in my position...
Step 1- studied my butt off but really struggled through the basic science aspects, in school and this studying. Came out at 201 🙁 Not pleased, but glad to have it over with.
Step 2 - took off 4 weeks to study and take the test in order to improve my score. I went topic by topic, reading First Aid and doing topic-specific questions with USMLERx and then doing timed random blocks, usually 1 or 2 a day was the most I could get through. I made sure to look over the ones I missed well and jotted down notes in an Excel document by topic, which I glanced over the day before the test.
I didn't get through as much of UWorld as I wanted to (did 58%) but my average was 65% (71st percentile) which predicted a 232 according to Medfriends, which I was happy with. I didn't buy a practice test but instead since I had so many Q's left to use just did 4 in a row without looking at the scores between a week before as my practice test. I can't remember what the score was exactly, I think it averaged out to 67% or so. I should say, I did have some low blocks in there (like low-mid 50s) the week before the exam so I wasn't sure I could trust the score, but some high blocks made me feel better.
The test itself was so, SO much better than Step 1. I took it away from where most of my classmates do, which for me was helpful. Unlike Step 1, I also took breaks after every block and I think this was key for me. I was able to decompress. I ate Clif bars and energy drinks all day which was helpful for me. The questions were not as elegantly written as UWorld but were not impossible. There were plenty that I didn't know but overall felt okay. All I can say about this is, do UWorld.
Anyway, so my score from that day .... 241 (99). Needless to say, I'm ecstatic! 😍 Thanks to everyone who posted their similarly inspirational stories on here; hopefully my story will help some others. You can do it! 🙂
