UWorld Plateau

[240orBust]

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So I'm JUST starting my 4th week of study after 2 weeks of FA + Pathoma and I week of UW...

I've been doing 44q random timed blocks for the past few days and seem to be hanging around the same score (it's not really high nor really low...) I can't seem to get past it, and even when I feel terrible after a block I really don't get much lower than my average (maybe 1-3 questions lower). I already did UW during my 2nd year and this is my second pass. to be honest I decided to do it because I really don't remember much since I did Rx and everything has been blurred out in my head, plus I seem to be reasoning Qs rather than remembering the answer straight away. I'm losing hope since I'm not really improving and my NBME scores aren't spectacular... (took NBME 12 last week.)

Any word of hope? (Yes I'm reading corrects and incorrects) Should I even worry?

halp <3

 

[NEEDTOPASS123]

alrighty, this actually quite normal. plateus are an indication you need to switch things up alittle.
Suggestions:
1) Approach Uworld differently. I would suggest annotating in First Aid
2) Watch Pathoma and annotate it First Aid
3) If you have time, i'd HIGHLY also recommend DIT and annotate important things in First Aid

Make FA your bible

 

[240orBust]

Thanks ! I'm not sure if i have enough time for DIT but i can def hammer FA and Pathoma once again

 

[aspiringmd1015]

I know this is a FAQ, but regarding UW, do you guys annotate the entire explanation and educational objective? or just the educational objective?

 

[240orBust]

Usually with UW everything is in the FA, when I review and see something interesting I search the FA for the topic, then annotate something that will remind me of the case, or the interesting fact. If It is not on the FA, I write the general concept summarized in some short sentences below a related topic so I am reminded of the fact and the concept. That is what works for me anyway. I think that saturating your FA with paragraphs and paragraphs is not only time consuming but counterproductive.

That's my 2 cents

 

[NEEDTOPASS123]

i highlight it if it's in FA, and write a line or 2 to summarize it if i need to

 

[aspiringmd1015]

and what about how soon do you go over the block? right after you finish the questions? next morning?

 

[NEEDTOPASS123]

Option 1 is to go over it the same night, roughly.
Option 2 is to put it all in FA and then revise FA 3 times before the exam. (What I am doing)

 

[240orBust]

I do block then review, do another block then review... rinse repeat.

 

[Wavy Doctor]

co-sine Uworld plateau

i've been sitting steady at 75% cumulative for the last 23 blocks now...

I already know my main weaknesses are embryo, anatomy, behavioral science, at least according to the Qbank although the sample of Qs might not be enough for a decent p-value...

lately I've just been focusing on trying to finish Uworld not too far behind my mental schedule, so unfortunately haven't really had time for any studying besides doing Uworld blocks. My plan for targeting my weaknesses has been to finish Langman's Embryology (book) which I probably will, for anatomy and behavorial science mostly going through the HY in FA and maybe a few supplementary resources

however since those division/sciences are relatively small though strengthening there probably won't yield a significant increase in terms of score % per block

i'm at 79% for the two largest divisions (path & pharm). Ideally would be closer to 85-90% but still decent enough imo

any ideas? should I just blaze through FA (selectively reading) several times along Uworld?

thanks

 

[Tajima]

How do you get past a uworld plateau? I'm pushing a decent number (above 85%) but I want to do better. My scores have been sine-waving around that and I've done half of the qbank.

Here's what I've been doing: one day of test-like conditions with 8 timed random blocks of 44 Q. Then three days of review. Repeat.

 

[worldbeater]

How do you get past a uworld plateau? I'm pushing a decent number (above 85%) but I want to do better. My scores have been sine-waving around that and I've done half of the qbank.

85% is more than a decent number, lol. For the 15% your are missing, anchor it to your reading source and figure out why your are missing the connection. You will get the next question right if a similar clue or concept comes up again.

 

[walakin25]

How do you get past a uworld plateau? I'm pushing a decent number (above 85%) but I want to do better. My scores have been sine-waving around that and I've done half of the qbank.

Here's what I've been doing: one day of test-like conditions with 8 timed random blocks of 44 Q. Then three days of review. Repeat.

call one of the uworld gods and he will help @tasar1898

 

[tasar1898]

Hehe well I had already finished Kaplan qbank when I started world , so my initial scores were at 84-85% due to past q exposure.. Then it was just a matter of getting used to Uworld's cheap tricks in order to get to the 90's , I didn't do anythin' specific.. My ''intuition''-lucky guessing helped a lot too.

Still 84-85 % is 250's-260's range , so just focus on figuring out why you did the q wrong and move on.. Eventually you will just ''see'' the trick the qbank tries to play on ya and just blaze right through it.. Towards the end , if you ve done enough q's ( I did kaplan + world ) the answering process should be like automatic with the occasional ''stop and think'' or ''stop and calculate'' q

I remember like reading a q w/o payin attention , something went on with my synapses , and the answer would just come right through.. If you reach this stage , you are golden ! Good luck!

 

[chillaxbro]

Tasar1898 85%???Nice.

Do you usually try to think of the answer before looking at the answer choices? I wonder if doing this is a good strategy to not get tricked

 

[plasmodium]

I'll be finishing my last block tomorrow (88%, first pass). Agree with everything @tasar1898 has said.

 

[worldbeater]

Do you usually try to think of the answer before looking at the answer choices? I wonder if doing this is a good strategy to not get tricked

Yes! I am all about this. Your intuition will lead you to the answer, so the test writer doesn't screw with you. I am in the minority on this forum regarding this though.

 

[tasar1898]

@chillaxbro Yeah but that happens automatically as you read the question and ''see'' the patterns . What I would actually do is 1) read the q super fast , see if something comes up in my brain , 2) read the answer choices immediately , 3) look up in the stem for the ''key words'' that would point me to the correct answer

 

[plasmodium]

@chillaxbro Yeah but that happens automatically as you read the question and ''see'' the patterns . What I would actually do is 1) read the q super fast , see if something comes up in my brain , 2) read the answer choices immediately , 3) look up in the stem for the ''key words'' that would point me to the correct answer

Exactly.