when to take step 3 during residency

[globallmedicine]

is there an advantage to taking it during internship, in that preparing for it helps to prepare for being a 2nd-year resident?

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[ResidentMD]

is there an advantage to taking it during internship, in that preparing for it helps to prepare for being a 2nd-year resident?

No - I dont think so. IMHO, the best time to take step 3 is before starting your residency, because you get ample unrestricted time to study for it. This is even more true if you have done well on your step 2 CK, as the concepts behind the questions are essentially the same.

 

[houstoncfh]

but you can't even register for it until you have an MD, right? so if you graduate in May, move, start in orientation in mid-June, that doesn't leave a ton of time.

and aside from passing and getting it out of the way, is there any advantage to having it done before applying to fellowship?

I guess if your program requires you do it during intern year, then maybe it's a good idea. the thought of studying for yet another USMLE exam seems daunting to me at this stage in my 4th year.

 

[ResidentMD]

but you can't even register for it until you have an MD, right? so if you graduate in May, move, start in orientation in mid-June, that doesn't leave a ton of time.

and aside from passing and getting it out of the way, is there any advantage to having it done before applying to fellowship?

I guess if your program requires you do it during intern year, then maybe it's a good idea. the thought of studying for yet another USMLE exam seems daunting to me at this stage in my 4th year.

yes - thats true. I meant for those whom it may be possible.

The step 3 is really nothing but a glorified version of the CK (I have taken it). And the only reason one screws up is because one didnt do the basic necessities (one of the review books + UWorld).

I dont think there is any advantage to having it done before applying for fellowship. There are too many other factors that play a role in getting your fellowship.

Basically - give it when you have some time to study; if your prelim year is the cushiest year (as is in some specialties), then so be it. And studying for it is really not much different from the CK.

 

[amherstguy]

op i would hold off on taking it until you actually start residency/internship because some programs actually PAY for you to take it, so its free instead of 1000 bucks out of your pocket!

 

[gutonc]

op i would hold off on taking it until you actually start residency/internship because some programs actually PAY for you to take it, so its free instead of 1000 bucks out of your pocket!

These are exceedingly rare so don't hold out for that reason.

That said, I wouldn't take it until near-the-end-of/after 1st year for the following reasons:
1. If you are in just about any internship other than Path, Peds or OB, the intern year will take care of 50-80% of what you need to know for the exam. It is heavily weighted toward adult, IM-ish questions. So IM, FP and EM residents will be in great shape. GS less so (although a GS internship is basically just IM with more call, more scut and the occasional hernia repair or port placement) but still much better off than OB or Peds.
2. Unless you're in a surgical specialty, you'll likely have more time to study and time off to take it after intern year. If you can swing a chill month for May or June of intern year, those are good times to take it as well.
3. There is no 3.

Honestly, once you've done half or more of an internship, all you need to do well on Step 3 is a review book (I used Crush Step 3), a couple of evenings to read it, a few sample questions (my med school and residency program both provided free access to USMLEasy Lite which provided something like 300-400 questions, way more than I bothered to do) and a half-hour to run through the case scenario CD before you go to the test center. I did most of my studying at a bar and scored 25 points better than my Step 1.

 

[globallmedicine]

thank you for the responses!

so i'm a current IM intern, and was mainly wondering whether preparing for step III during the IM intern year was a good way to build up one's fund of knowledge prior to becoming a 2nd year.

thanks again!

 

[Frugal Traveler]

I have investigated this question:

Between PGY-1 and PGY-2 seems to be a popular time.

I would ask your program director or chiefs for their opinion. There are varying opinions on the timing.

 

[gutonc]

thank you for the responses!

so i'm a current IM intern, and was mainly wondering whether preparing for step III during the IM intern year was a good way to build up one's fund of knowledge prior to becoming a 2nd year.

No. It's a good way to plow through yet another expensive exam required to move on with your training and career. Nothing more.

You'd be better off studying for the ABIM ITE (which I don't know if anyone actually does) if you want to get some actual learning out of this whole experience. But then you'll miss the Peds, OB, Surg and subspecialty stuff that is on Step 3.

Do you not have upper level residents at your program? I decided when to take Step 3 based on discussions with my seniors during intern year.

 

[dragonfly99]

I don't see much advantage to taking it before internship, or very early on in internship, but that's just me.
I took it well into 2nd year...had no reason to take it early and had MUCH more time to study as a PGY2.
I don't think studying for it will add a lot to your knowledge base...it's just another hurdle you have to jump over.

I would caution you that if you want a competitive IM fellowship, that some places will look at your USMLE scores so IMHO it's better to take it later and do well than to rush and not do as well. Also, if step 1 and 2 are high, then maybe no advantage to taking it in intern year and/or early in 2nd year. If you got 240 or something on Step 1/2, and then you got 210 or something on Step III and applied to competitive GI and cards fellowships, could potentially hurt you. However, a lot of fellowships don't even care about your step scores, to the point that they don't even request to see them.

I didn't find Step III as much of a cake walk as some on here are claiming...I did well...240's...but I don't feel like I could have done that well without studying. I definitely studied for more than 1 or 2 days. I know I could have passed and probably done mediocre without studying much, but I don't think I could have done as well as I did.