UWorld 50%.. help would be appreciated!

[Manu9]

I just started UWorld about 2 weeks ago ..so far done around 500 questions (random, tutor mode). I keep hitting 50%. I have about 9 weeks left until my exam and would really love to get 230+. I did Pathoma 3 months ago and been through some of the Kaplan lecture notes. Really confused on what to do now.. any help would be much appreciated

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[Goober11]

I know this probably isn't what you want to hear but this far out from the exam 50% isn't terrible. I found that adjusting my attitude toward UW to be a learning tool, not predictor, has made the whole process less depressing. Hey, my scores have even gone up as a result.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

You still have 9 weeks...just keep doing questions and studying. I'd be more concerned if you had 3 weeks but you still have a ton of time.

 

[Orthojoe]

plenty of time man.. I was in a similar boat hitting high 50 to low 60s.. it stressed me out so I stopped Uworld for a week and reviewed my first aid book then hit the questions again.

I also "reset" my mind to realize I was not using Uworld as a predictor of my score but as a tool to learn. I took notes on my missed questions and tried to figure out if their were repeating concepts I was messing up on.

I also started reading the last sentence of the question first.. then reading the question stem from the beginning. It helped me go through the question already knowing what they wanted and were looking for. Ive done this now for all the steps and I love it! made a huge difference for me.

But you have plenty of time.. take a big breath and relax

Overall my Uworld average was 63%... I think this is misconstrued because I started using it december of my first year so I got tons of 30-40%..when I averaged my last 3 weeks before step one I was low 70s. actual step 1 = 247

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I just started UWorld about 2 weeks ago ..so far done around 500 questions (random, tutor mode). I keep hitting 50%. I have about 9 weeks left until my exam and would really love to get 230+. I did Pathoma 3 months ago and been through some of the Kaplan lecture notes. Really confused on what to do now.. any help would be much appreciated

At the rate you're going through them (assuming you haven't went into full blown study mode) you're going to be done with UW quite a ways before test day.

Personally I'd recommend purchasing USMLERx Qbank, it's 3k questions that has really been helpful in nailing down first aid. I tend to space out if I just try to sit and read first aid any longer than about 2 hours.

 

[Manu9]

I have yet to still go through FA .. I actually just started doing UWorld everyday for past 4 days & following it up with reading FA , I noticed my percentile for Anatomy & Embryo is near 10th which I know is bringing everything down.. I have NO idea where to even learn this (struggled with anatomy since forever) ..9 weeks and still not knowing any anatomy & neuro ..maybe I need to push it back

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

I have yet to still go through FA .. I actually just started doing UWorld everyday for past 4 days & following it up with reading FA , I noticed my percentile for Anatomy & Embryo is near 10th which I know is bringing everything down.. I have NO idea where to even learn this (struggled with anatomy since forever) ..9 weeks and still not knowing any anatomy & neuro ..maybe I need to push it back

Dude are you joking? Read the embryo sections of organ systems from FA and buy HY Anatomy to read for a day if you think your anatomy is that bad. You have 9 weeks for God's sake, that's a lifetime in Step 1 studying.

 

[oceanillusion42]

plenty of time man.. I was in a similar boat hitting high 50 to low 60s.. it stressed me out so I stopped Uworld for a week and reviewed my first aid book then hit the questions again.

I also "reset" my mind to realize I was not using Uworld as a predictor of my score but as a tool to learn. I took notes on my missed questions and tried to figure out if their were repeating concepts I was messing up on.

I also started reading the last sentence of the question first.. then reading the question stem from the beginning. It helped me go through the question already knowing what they wanted and were looking for. Ive done this now for all the steps and I love it! made a huge difference for me.

But you have plenty of time.. take a big breath and relax

Overall my Uworld average was 63%... I think this is misconstrued because I started using it december of my first year so I got tons of 30-40%..when I averaged my last 3 weeks before step one I was low 70s. actual step 1 = 247

+1... a decent part of the time if you read the last sentence first you'll actually realize that everything that came before it is superfluous and really a distractor more or less. And when that isn't the case, knowing what they want out of the question is beneficial when reading thru the vignette.

 

[sylvanthus]

You have plenty of time to improve. I think my average was 66% after all was said and done and I ended with a 250. Just keep working on it and as others said, use it as a learning tool.

 

[CaliDoc89]

I studied similarly for my first 1 1/2 months of prep, mainly b/c I had classes and could only study 2-3 hours a day. I used Kaplan qbank first. I suggest saving UWorld for later (save the best for last!!!!!). Focus on getting through FA and doing another Qbank, either Rx or Kaplan.

it always comes down to: how many solid reps of FA can you get through, how many questions you do, and how much effort you put into those two tasks (taking notes in FA, going through ALL the questions, reading the explanations, etc...)
try to aim for 6000+ questions. 50% at your stage of the game is not bad at all!! best of luck

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I have yet to still go through FA ..

 

[Morsetlis]

You have plenty of time to improve. I think my average was 66% after all was said and done and I ended with a 250. Just keep working on it and as others said, use it as a learning tool.

Now I feel a lot better.

 

[Manu9]

plenty of time man.. I was in a similar boat hitting high 50 to low 60s.. it stressed me out so I stopped Uworld for a week and reviewed my first aid book then hit the questions again.

I also "reset" my mind to realize I was not using Uworld as a predictor of my score but as a tool to learn. I took notes on my missed questions and tried to figure out if their were repeating concepts I was messing up on.

I also started reading the last sentence of the question first.. then reading the question stem from the beginning. It helped me go through the question already knowing what they wanted and were looking for. Ive done this now for all the steps and I love it! made a huge difference for me.

But you have plenty of time.. take a big breath and relax

Overall my Uworld average was 63%... I think this is misconstrued because I started using it december of my first year so I got tons of 30-40%..when I averaged my last 3 weeks before step one I was low 70s. actual step 1 = 247

Thanks i will try to use it more of a learning tool rather then panicking about the score for right now.. hopefully improve soon enough

 

[Frank Nutter]

I would go subject by subject first, after reviewing it in a book, 20 question blocks in timed tutor, annotating FA with every answer explanation. Then do the random blocks later.

 

[TheAssassin]

I just started UWorld about 2 weeks ago ..so far done around 500 questions (random, tutor mode). I keep hitting 50%. I have about 9 weeks left until my exam and would really love to get 230+. I did Pathoma 3 months ago and been through some of the Kaplan lecture notes. Really confused on what to do now.. any help would be much appreciated

Dude, chill out. Don't panic..!! Finish World just as you are doing. When you're done, record your percentage. Reset the Q-bank and go through it again and record your percentage. Compare the two percentages and you'll see that you likely went up on your second pass. This increase is an indication of what you've learned and NOTHING MORE. Thats it..!!! Don't make that percentage more than what it is. World is a learning tool. For a self assessment do an NBME.