when to take step 3?

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I'm a brand-spankin' new intern.

From what I can see, my best options for when to take Step 3 are in October after 6 weeks of elective (=study time) or in April on an outpatient rotation.

If I take Step 3 in October, I will have had 1 month of MICU and 1 month of wards, and lots of study time. If I take it in April, I will have all the practical experience of my prelim year, but less actual study time.

Recommendations? What's more important for a good score-- dedicated study time, or experience?

 

[winner123]

I'm a brand-spankin' new intern.

From what I can see, my best options for when to take Step 3 are in October after 6 weeks of elective (=study time) or in April on an outpatient rotation.

If I take Step 3 in October, I will have had 1 month of MICU and 1 month of wards, and lots of study time. If I take it in April, I will have all the practical experience of my prelim year, but less actual study time.

Recommendations? What's more important for a good score-- dedicated study time, or experience?

If u want us to choose between the two I will go for experience.If u get this experience I think u will score very highly on the CCS part at least which compises 20% of the exam in terms of score.
About the MCQ's if u get more than 60% on the UWorld I think that will be too good to get a good score.In my opinion ,wait till april and in the meantime get Master the Boards,USMLE Step-3 Algorithms,FA and u will rock the exam.

Good Luck.

 

[Norman]

I'm a brand-spankin' new intern.

From what I can see, my best options for when to take Step 3 are in October after 6 weeks of elective (=study time) or in April on an outpatient rotation.

If I take Step 3 in October, I will have had 1 month of MICU and 1 month of wards, and lots of study time. If I take it in April, I will have all the practical experience of my prelim year, but less actual study time.

Recommendations? What's more important for a good score-- dedicated study time, or experience?

halfway through intern year is best

 

[dieulafuoy]

since the intern year can be very busy, after finishing the first year will be the best time to take it

 

[hippiedoc13]

Some people feel it depends on your specialty. If you're a family med resident or maybe even an IM resident, you're probably better prepared at the end of your intern year since you will have more experience. I am family med and felt very prepared because I rotated on OB, peds, adult medicine, ICU, ER, surgery, etc my intern year, plus had all that outpatient clinic experience too.

On the other hand I have friends in more focused specialties who don't see certain segments of the patient population (IM residents who don't see peds or OB, peds residents who never see adults, surgery residents who don't do peds/OB/psych). Many of them actually thought taking Step 3 earlier was better, when all that general medical knowledge was fresher in their minds.

 

[pmpkn219]

I just applied on July 1, planning to take in September. But I'm going into Peds, and I know by the end of the year I'll be worse off than now (after spending all of 4th year avoiding adults as much as possible).

If I was an IM resident, or doing a Prelim year, I think I would certainly rather take it towards the end. Your knowledge of a broad range of medicine won't be spiraling downward, AND you'll have the experiences to cement that knowledge. I'd do April in your case.