What will my Step I score be?

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LoneSEAL

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If I'm...

1.) super-strong in pathology, pharmacology, microbiology, and biochemistry (i.e. I know the material backwards and forwards in my sleep);

2.) average in behavioral science, neuroanatomy, histology;

3.) and very weak in gross anatomy, embryology

... what kind of score will I be getting on the USMLE? Will it be a score that will land me in the top 5 %ile?

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I think the formula for computing your projected Step I score is:

square root of pathology score + physiology cubed - biochemistry(microbiology / pharmacology)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(pi)r^4 * (statistics - anatomy) + histology^(n-1) + behavioral science

Sorry I couldn't resist.

Seriously dude, nobody can predict what score you will make based on your question. Rest assured the exam is heavy in the 3 P's (path, pharm, and phys), mild in behavioral science, biochemistry, and micro, and very little anatomy, embryology, or histology.

You must be exceptional in nearly all the disciplines tested in order to be in the top 5% of scorers. Theoretically, with a mean of 216 and an SD of 21, and given that the top 5% is 2 SD's above the mean, you would need to score a 258 in be in the top 5%. Good luck.
 
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no you got your math wrong its 218 maybe you didnt carry the 1
 
Geek Medic,

A 258 would be the top 2,5%. Don't forget the "other" 2,5% at the lower end.

It's weird. My report says 215 mean and SD 21. I had expected 215 and 15 from what it says in First Aid.

I guess all you can really compare from year to year is your 2 digit score.

To the OP: All your weak subjects are rarities in the test so I'd say you're looking at a strong score.

Later.
 
ok. I'm gunning for a 270+ score. As an MSII, I've got my work cut out for me. I don't remember much of physiology, which means I'll be spending much time reviewing that come this May. I hope BRS physiology is truly comprehensive for physiology, as everyone says. Behav science at my school sucks so I will have to spend extra time reviewing that. But the subjects that truly worry me are gross anatomy and embryo. I'm on a P/F curriculum and basically did not study embryo. I read maybe 2 pages from Moore's embryo and skipped most of the lectures because I thought that it's BS -- maybe I should go back and try to read Moore's?. Gross is also a problem as my group didn't have chemistry so I skipped most of my lab sessions and barely passed gross.
 
Originally posted by LoneSEAL
ok. I'm gunning for a 270+ score. As an MSII, I've got my work cut out for me. I don't remember much of physiology, which means I'll be spending much time reviewing that come this May. I hope BRS physiology is truly comprehensive for physiology, as everyone says. Behav science at my school sucks so I will have to spend extra time reviewing that. But the subjects that truly worry me are gross anatomy and embryo. I'm on a P/F curriculum and basically did not study embryo. I read maybe 2 pages from Moore's embryo and skipped most of the lectures because I thought that it's BS -- maybe I should go back and try to read Moore's?. Gross is also a problem as my group didn't have chemistry so I skipped most of my lab sessions and barely passed gross.

I don't understand why you would "gun" for a 270+ on step 1. It really doesn't make much sense. Its not like you would be rejected from any residency program with a 250+ or even a 240+. There comes a time when the PD's look at a score and say "okay, that's good enough." Who gives a **** if its a 252 or 258...its a damn good score and proves you learned something in med school. Step 1 scores don't guarantee you a residency spot. They are simply a screening tool for interviews. Its good to have a goal but you should realize that if you got a 269 that is a great score and you can relax about that part of your application. However, you would be dreaming if you thought it guaranteed you a residency.
 
Why do people climb Mt. Everest? Because it's there.
I'm aiming high because it's fun. It's fun to challenge yourself and see where your limits lie. It's fun to go inside yourself and summon resources that you never knew that you had. It's fun to put your all into something and see what magic comes out.

Oh I'll definitely relax once I get my 270+. I'll worry about the other aspects of my residency portfolio as it arises.
 
Dont blame ya loneseal, but i am shooting for ~240. I would be very happy with that score, mostly cause i screwed around my first year and did pretty cr@ppy. But 2nd year is more important, right????:confused:

hopefully... please...
 
anyone on earth agree with me when i say, "something is wrong when people aim for 270"? i don't know, i'm just an average med student, happy with treating and being with my patients, learning as i go along and on my way to residency. people seem so bogged down with scores, there IS more to life than those numbers (unless of course you go into i-banking or accounting)
anyone? anyone?

gwen
:p
 
the people who design the test say that it is not meant to be a quantitative test. all you need is a pass. it is unfortunate that many programs use the test beyond what it is designed for.

if you pass, that should be suffecient.
 
i don't think your score is going to matter much. once residency directors catch a whiff of you, there won't be much hope for you. you see, residency hinders on whether or not a director feels like they and the team can stand your personality for the next 3-9 years...taking what you've written as a true representation of your personality, you're going to be one of those poor souls that the attending wants to bust down and rip apart on a daily basis. unless you can ACT as a good as tom hanks does, your personality is gonna come out somewhere along the way, and then, even if they've already committed to that contract, when the 1 year loophole rolls around, they are gonna dump you quicker than an eyeblink. if you applied to any programs i'm familiar with, they'll gladly settle for someone with a 230 and a great personality, rather than some robot out to scorch the earth with their transcripts. good luck though...if you're as smart as you think you are, you should just not study and take it now....why wait?
 
i don't think your score is going to matter much. once residency directors catch a whiff of you, there won't be much hope for you. you see, residency hinders on whether or not a director feels like they and the team can stand your personality for the next 3-9 years...taking what you've written as a true representation of your personality, you're going to be one of those poor souls that the attending wants to bust down and rip apart on a daily basis. unless you can ACT as a good as tom hanks does, your personality is gonna come out somewhere along the way, and then, even if they've already committed to that contract, when the 1 year loophole rolls around, they are gonna dump you quicker than an eyeblink. if you applied to any programs i'm familiar with, they'll gladly settle for someone with a 230 and a great personality, rather than some robot out to scorch the earth with their transcripts. good luck though...if you're as smart as you think you are, you should just not study and take it now....why wait?
 
taking what you've written as a true representation of your personality, you're going to be one of those poor souls that the attending wants to bust down and rip apart on a daily basis

yeah, those residency directors really hate people who want to learn as much as possible in the time they have, and give their all to whatever they do. :rolleyes:

loneseal, good luck. I know exactly how you feel.
 
Originally posted by zpdoc

loneseal, good luck. I know exactly how you feel.

Thanks. I know I'll need all the luck I can get. I just want to do my best -- I've always been an idealistic dreamer-- I guess that bothers people, but I'm really not the one who loses out on that.
I'll keep you guys updated on my mission impossible quest;)

Oh and Sherminator, you don't a good job trolling. As evidenced by your past posts and your recent ad hominem attack, I don't feel the need to lower myself to respond to your flamebait drivel. Have a nice day:cool:
 
I don't know why you guys think that just because this kid wants to do ace his Step I, he must be a sociopath. There are plenty of people that I've seen in medical school who are equally skilled in the academic and social world...of course, there are always a few that I'm surprised would ever consider a career in medicine given their personality, but who am I to judge? Granted, an obsession about extremely high scores is dangerous in setting up high expectations and possible disappointment --- people run the risk of judging themselves by their numbers, but that's not what the poster implied. Just my 2 cents,

arun
 
Study is very important in our learning; however, step 1 score is only a very small part in the residency application. A big part of it is who you are as a person, what have you accomplished extracurricularly. Remember, for the top residency programs, there are many people with high scores, how can you distinguish yourself from the rest of the applicants is what's important for the interviewers. Clinical work evaluation, recommendation letters, and your personal statement all come into play, definitely more important than preclinical grades and step 1. From what you are describing, you seem to have a very solid foundation, anatomy and embryo are mostly clinical oriented in the step 1 and seem to be quite straight-forward and easy when I took mine. Good luck.
 
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