USMLE Forums banner
28K views 61 replies 39 participants last post by  beSmart 
#1 ·
Hey Guys,

I got my result last Wednesday and it took me a while to finally get the courage to write on here. I failed my exam with a score of 173. I do regret writing my exam since I knew I needed more time.

My NBME scores were awful -
3- 190
5- 240
7- 230
11- 290
12- 300

These are the NBME scores ... so in correlation to the Step 1 I was scoring between 155 to 180. Passing was 188. I kind of rushed my exam since I was getting burnt out but I knew what to expect as my result! It was a good experience overall and I learned from my failure.

As for now, I am not too sure what I'm looking at going ahead with this score since my chances of getting residency are bleak. I think its time for a career change but I am considering different options.

I will look into re-writing the exam after discussing with my school authorities and may be a career counselor on what to do next. If you guys have any suggestions please let me know :)

I would like to thank everyone from this forum for making this a delightful journey!

------------------------------------------------
"When one door closes..Another door opens.."
 
See less See more
#42 ·
i have to hand it out to you... from the way i've been following the forum lately... u've come a very long way, and very remarked progress and preparation has been put in from you... i truly wish u all the best

reading the first comments here.. and saying u wanted to quit the whole thing... then nowadays where there isnt hardly a post or a thread that u have a contribution it it --> very impressive, keep it up!!
 
#43 ·
I'm not going to be popular for saying this, but... one of study's greatest time thief’s in the modern information era is too much time garnishing material and chatting in forums. I know it is great for asking questions and encouragement when you’re feeling down, but too much of it will destroy your study. When I see a post by someone saying “I’ve failed” and beside that comment I see 850+ posts, my first thought is ‘get off the forum’. Although it sounds like Hope2Pass has gotten it together, I know there are others falling prey to this. I’m speaking from experience here. When I sat the MCATs I lost my life to several MCAT forums and I found myself never achieving the grades in my practice exams that I felt I was capable of. I spent hours on the forum (under the guise of ‘study’) to the absolute expense of my revision. In the end I banned myself from the forum and within weeks my grades soared. Ultimately I got a very good grade and waltzed into med school. Some people have the capacity to socially visit a forum without it affecting their grades, to be the chatterers and the answerers of questions, but some of us can’t. The key is to having the insight to know when you are that guy.

Sorry. I know it is crap, even a little hypocritical, to be saying this on an actual forum, but it’s the truth.

This is for everyone struggling to hit that grade while procrastinating here - get off the forum . Pop back on if you absolutely need to ask a question or are feeling particularly low (ie. rarely), but read only the replies to your question, don’t chat or read random interesting posts. What starts out as ‘just a quick check’ often turns into hours. Ban yourself and focus on your study. Everyone on this forum will go their separate ways, but you will have to live with your results for the rest of your life. Come back and chat after you get your pass, but until then get out of here.

This is not intended to be an ill will or unsupportive comment, I’m not trying to destroy the forum, it’s just a reality check to those out there who are just like me – chronic procrastinators. People like us need to take our liquor straight.

I told you this wouldn’t be popular…
 
#46 · (Edited)
I'm not going to be popular for saying this, but... one of study's greatest time thief's in the modern information era is too much time garnishing material and chatting in forums. I know it is great for asking questions and encouragement when you're feeling down, but too much of it will destroy your study. When I see a post by someone saying "I've failed" and beside that comment I see 850+ posts, my first thought is 'get off the forum'. Although it sounds like Hope2Pass has gotten it together, I know there are others falling prey to this. I'm speaking from experience here. When I sat the MCATs I lost my life to several MCAT forums and I found myself never achieving the grades in my practice exams that I felt I was capable of. I spent hours on the forum (under the guise of 'study') to the absolute expense of my revision. In the end I banned myself from the forum and within weeks my grades soared. Ultimately I got a very good grade and waltzed into med school. Some people have the capacity to socially visit a forum without it affecting their grades, to be the chatterers and the answerers of questions, but some of us can't. The key is to having the insight to know when you are that guy.

Sorry. I know it is crap, even a little hypocritical, to be saying this on an actual forum, but it's the truth.

This is for everyone struggling to hit that grade while procrastinating here - get off the forum . Pop back on if you absolutely need to ask a question or are feeling particularly low (ie. rarely), but read only the replies to your question, don't chat or read random interesting posts. What starts out as 'just a quick check' often turns into hours. Ban yourself and focus on your study. Everyone on this forum will go their separate ways, but you will have to live with your results for the rest of your life. Come back and chat after you get your pass, but until then get out of here.

This is not intended to be an ill will or unsupportive comment, I'm not trying to destroy the forum, it's just a reality check to those out there who are just like me - chronic procrastinators. People like us need to take our liquor straight.

I told you this wouldn't be popular…
Thanks for this insightful post. I can't say which guy I am but I can definitely say that I have a weakness when it comes to internet. I recently decided to deactivate my fb and so I needed some website to visit regularly ... I chose this one coz its related to my studies! I do end up wasting time on here and call it "studying" .. I'll admit to that but at the same time I do a lot of questions and when I see something that I don't know I open up my books, research the internet and try and find an answer. It actually makes me read a lot of other stuff over n over again and helps me memorize things!

However, you're right as well! It's better to just get off the forums, focus on your studies and get the step 1 done and over with! Specially after I failed my exam last year, I needed advice and motivation and I turned to the forums. And for the past 2 weeks without having fb, I started going on here a lot! haha :eek: But, NO REGRETS, as I am getting work done and studying alongside :D
 
#47 ·
im really impressed with this post and replies.... love the final three replies ...i saw here freinds trying to help each other and give advices ....im 100% with u ... indulging urself with too much of this forum is not good .as i was reading your post & replies and found that i lost about 2 hours!!!
best of luck to you dear
special thanks to wallabie....
 
#50 ·
First take a breather, then Try again

My friend's sister is a Caribbean Med School grad and failed Step 1 the first time she took it and landed residency in Family Medicine in NYC. She finished last year and is now doing a fellowship (not sure in which field).

What do you think of taking an entire year off to just study for the exam. I'm up to take Step 1 this year and am considering getting a research job and taking my time to really learn the info since I basically crammed half the information and am barely making it through school.

Don't give up so soon. At least talk to people in the know about your options if you were to continue pursuing medicine. Do you have a problem understanding the concepts or it is just an issue of needing more time to memorize the information. If you can get through Step 1, I've heard Step 2 is sooooo much easier!
 
#54 ·
what about an old img who has failed step 1 3x....my friend is really stressing out that there is no chance for to get matched in any specialty. what do you guys think? i myself is an old graduate and my friend is encouraging me to try and take step 1....am not so sure as to what my chances are but am reading slowly in case i decide. any response will be appreciated. thanks
 
#56 ·
Step 1 failed

Hi.. Needless to say how sad i m right now after getting my score report which is Fail-175...

I am from india.. My step 2 cs date is confirmed.. which is 9th Oct.

Should i Continue with step 2 cs or i should repeat step 1 first?

Can anyone Help me with what should i do now??

I was interested in IM-->cardiology...

I am aware of the current competitive situation, just want to know is it still possible to get IM?

what are the only specialties i have now?? Psychy, Family med, neurology, IM??

What is the best way to overcome this failure to get into IM?
I mean besides getting a high score in repeat step 1 and then in step 2 ck.
- Observership vs Clinical Hands on to get good impression?
- research work or any publications?
- to get in IM after failed in step 1, what could be my step 1 score now?? 220? 230?

There are thousands of things/querries running in my mind right now.. so please dont freak out... I m sorry for asking about all these... but please help me get through this.

Thank You.
 
#57 ·
Hi.. Needless to say how sad i m right now after getting my score report which is Fail-175...

I am from india.. My step 2 cs date is confirmed.. which is 9th Oct.

Should i Continue with step 2 cs or i should repeat step 1 first?

Can anyone Help me with what should i do now??

I was interested in IM-->cardiology...

I am aware of the current competitive situation, just want to know is it still possible to get IM?

what are the only specialties i have now?? Psychy, Family med, neurology, IM??

What is the best way to overcome this failure to get into IM?
I mean besides getting a high score in repeat step 1 and then in step 2 ck.
- Observership vs Clinical Hands on to get good impression?
- research work or any publications?
- to get in IM after failed in step 1, what could be my step 1 score now?? 220? 230?

There are thousands of things/querries running in my mind right now.. so please dont freak out... I m sorry for asking about all these... but please help me get through this.

Thank You.
Hi,
I am really sorry to know abt ur score
Well IM has become competitive in recent yrs.....one of my seniors with 230 + didn't match into IM , so he applied into neuro next yr n matched at UAB!!!!
A failed step is a real deal breaker........ There are many people applying with stellar step scores and even they aren't sure of getting interview calls
So I would suggest that u sit down n think abt what u really want to do ....
If u r a recent graduate with a lot of money, u have contacts in us ...grt go ahead try ur luck ....ppl with failed steps do it every year n so can u ......
But if u r old ...like more than 3 yr since yog , or u Dnt have a ton of money , no contacts, then it's a tuf road ahead...
This is time for introspection and not some rash decision......
There will be ppl on this forum telling u to go for it....that there are ppl who have done it ....well ppl have also been on the moon , so does that mean u try that
Too....no.......... N there will be ppl on this forum telling u never to try after a failed step .......that it's impossible.......if man can go on the moon...then this is just usmle........the same thing....just the perspective varies......so access ur yog,financial status,family support and then u can decide on what to do next

Things u shuld know
No amount of publication, observership will cover ur step 1 failure......u will get screened even before ur application reaches their desk ...... N this will be there in many programs....be ready for it...
U need to pass all ur other steps in first attempt n step 1 with a good score in the next attempt ....another fail will kill ur application
U need contacts ....build them......they will help u pull IVs
Going from visa required to green card will be extremely beneficial.....if u can pull that
Give ur step 1 before CS
did u give nbmes before ur step 1?....when u prep this time go for the xam only when u r getting 240+on nbmes.......

Best of luck!!
Which college r u from btw?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top