USMLERx predicted USMLE performance?

[indsha008]

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HI all...

background: an IMG giving step 1 in late august.

I have completed around 10 % of USMLERx ... my predicted USMLE score is 211 +/- 20 (cumulative percentage - 60%). I always give blocks - timed, random, questions level - medium and hard. I am using USMLERx for going thru 1st read of FA (fortunately USMLERx was just updated with 2011 FA references).

MY question is .. that is my prediction accurate even if I choose only medium and hard level questions? Asking because, I heard the predicted formula for Rx is just based on percentage multiplied by something something...

Hoping to get a 99 (>240).. so this prediction is somewhat a rude shock.

Thanks a lot ...

(BTW... i have medical training in June and July, so have to hurry up in prep .. please dont think I have enough time 🙂

 

[MrAgreeable]

HI all...

background: an IMG giving step 1 in late august.

I have completed around 10 % of USMLERx ... my predicted USMLE score is 211 +/- 20 (cumulative percentage - 60%). I always give blocks - timed, random, questions level - medium and hard. I am using USMLERx for going thru 1st read of FA (fortunately USMLERx was just updated with 2011 FA references).

MY question is .. that is my prediction accurate even if I choose only medium and hard level questions? Asking because, I heard the predicted formula for Rx is just based on percentage multiplied by something something...

Hoping to get a 99 (>240).. so this prediction is somewhat a rude shock.

Thanks a lot ...

(BTW... i have medical training in June and July, so have to hurry up in prep .. please dont think I have enough time 🙂

I'll try to help...

1) Your score will go up simply by reading through First Aid and getting used to the QBank questions. In other words, practice.

2) You really don't know how well you are going to do until you take a "full-legnth" NBME or USMLEWorld test or two, I would argue based solely on the fact that it forces you to do more than one set at a time.

3) It might help if you have a better idea as to why you are missing your questions instead of the fact that you are just missing them. IE review your misses very carefully and understand WHY you missed them and not THAT you missed them.

4) That is a huge score to shoot for, but it depends on what you want to be, understandably you want a good score to be a brain surgeon, but if you want to be a pediatrician, you DO NOT need a 240. But I can respect being an IMG makes you want to get a higher score to make you more competitive to residencies here.

Just my 2 cents, good luck to you.

 

[ArcGurren]

I'll try to help...

1) Your score will go up simply by reading through First Aid and getting used to the QBank questions. In other words, practice.

2) You really don't know how well you are going to do until you take a "full-legnth" NBME or USMLEWorld test or two, I would argue based solely on the fact that it forces you to do more than one set at a time.

3) It might help if you have a better idea as to why you are missing your questions instead of the fact that you are just missing them. IE review your misses very carefully and understand WHY you missed them and not THAT you missed them.

4) That is a huge score to shoot for, but it depends on what you want to be, understandably you want a good score to be a brain surgeon, but if you want to be a pediatrician, you DO NOT need a 240. But I can respect being an IMG makes you want to get a higher score to make you more competitive to residencies here.

Just my 2 cents, good luck to you.

Even as an AMG a high score will help you get into the best pediatrics residencies (like CHOP, for example). These are VERY competitive residency programs. Also, pediatric surgery is one of the most competitive programs to apply for, period (there's something like 60 total peds surgeons in the entire country to my recollection). So it depends really on your goals regarding where you want to match, even with a relatively "easier" residency to match into

 

[XRanger]

I wouldn't pay too much attention to usmlerx prediction. I think they tend to overpredict. If you want an accurate assessment, take NBME. For example, Rx predicted 250 for my score, but then I took my first NBME and got 200.
But don't worry, you still have plenty of time to raise your score. My score went up 30 points 3 weeks after my first nbme. Just focus on FA and annotating FA from qbank. Also I would get uworld, I think it's a better qbank than Rx.

 

[MrAgreeable]

Even as an AMG a high score will help you get into the best pediatrics residencies (like CHOP, for example). These are VERY competitive residency programs. Also, pediatric surgery is one of the most competitive programs to apply for, period (there's something like 60 total peds surgeons in the entire country to my recollection). So it depends really on your goals regarding where you want to match, even with a relatively "easier" residency to match into

My apologies if it seemed like I was looking down on peds, that would be silly for me being that as of right now peds is in my top two choices. The reason I used that specialty is because I have personally been told first hand accounts by people who matched into peds in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic this year that Step 1 is important but not the "Almighty decider" as it is with other certain specialties. Also, contrary to the SDN mentality, Penn State, Cincinnati, and OSU are more than "good enough" for the "average" med student.

 

[indsha008]

I'll try to help...

1) Your score will go up simply by reading through First Aid and getting used to the QBank questions. In other words, practice.

2) You really don't know how well you are going to do until you take a "full-legnth" NBME or USMLEWorld test or two, I would argue based solely on the fact that it forces you to do more than one set at a time.

3) It might help if you have a better idea as to why you are missing your questions instead of the fact that you are just missing them. IE review your misses very carefully and understand WHY you missed them and not THAT you missed them.

4) That is a huge score to shoot for, but it depends on what you want to be, understandably you want a good score to be a brain surgeon, but if you want to be a pediatrician, you DO NOT need a 240. But I can respect being an IMG makes you want to get a higher score to make you more competitive to residencies here.

Just my 2 cents, good luck to you.

Thanks a lot. You are really kind. Unfortunately for IMGs, all I keep on hearing is that if you dont get a 99, theres no guarantee of a residency in US (let alone the desired branch!).

 

[indsha008]

I wouldn't pay too much attention to usmlerx prediction. I think they tend to overpredict. If you want an accurate assessment, take NBME. For example, Rx predicted 250 for my score, but then I took my first NBME and got 200.
But don't worry, you still have plenty of time to raise your score. My score went up 30 points 3 weeks after my first nbme. Just focus on FA and annotating FA from qbank. Also I would get uworld, I think it's a better qbank than Rx.

Thanks Xranger. I am starting USMLEworld in about 15-20 days.