[prim]

I've done NBME forms 1, 6 and 7. I have 10 days until my exam. Which should I do next??
I've seen form 3 being recommended on this forum but I've also heard it underpredicts your score and my confidence is not too high at the moment so I don't want to be crushed by my score.
I was thinking maybe form 5 just because it's the next one down the line?? Any advice would be appreciated!! My exam's getting close and slightly freaked out.

 

[JJtheMD]

Most people say that nbme 3 is most like the exam, regardless if it under predicts your score by a margin of say 5-10 points. I think its best that you do maybe say 2-3 more nbme exams before your exam cause when i did my exam on dec. 17th... i saw some very similar looking questions that i may or may not of seen in the nbme.

I also suggest doing the UWSA1... now a days, its very very highly predictive of your score on the step 1 now... Now i dont know about UWSA2, it seems a little fluky compared to the nbme and UWSA1, but yeah, do the exams you can that have the best correlation to your step 1 score.

Just do assessement exams and keep looking @ your first aid book.

Dont get 2 stressed out! stay in the medium of tense and relax 2 see max performance during your exam.

 

[Haisook]

NBME 7 is the latest form and the most reflective of the current exam. If you've done that recently enough, I'd say don't take any other forms. Your score has already been predicted. NBME 7 predicted my score accurately. I don't recommend UWSAs for two reasons: 1) The questions are way different from those you'll see on the exam, 2) Calculation of the scores occurs by an obscure proprietary method that only NBME knows about; UW can't get it accurately right.

In these 10 days, keep doing questions (like a block a day), go over your notes, and may be try to simulate the exam by doing a full-day mock exam. Don't overstress yourself these days to not get a burnout on the day of the exam.

Good luck.

 

[prim]

well I did NBME 3 and only got 231 (540) so not feeling too great. I got a 240 on NBME 7 two weeks ago ( and 252 on UWSA2) and I was hoping my score was going to improve after two weeks of studying but it's gone down

I'm a little disheartened. I want a 99 and got 9 days left to go. Shall I push my exam back or will that not really make a difference at this point?

 

[warriodoc]

first of all 231 can get you a 99. NBME 3 underestimates few points so likely you are above 231. People also gain points in the real deal too so who knows you may get 250. Though I would predict 240-250 range in luck goes your way. If I were you I would go and give the exam. what 99 range are you looking for? the three digits? now days 99 can even mean 228. I would suggest to focus the 3 digit score, the 2 digit is irrelevant. good luck. I'm sure you will score great.

 

[prim]

Anything above a 240 I'll be pretty happy with. Obviously would be ecstatic if I broke 250 but I know I have to be realistic in my expectations with only four and a half months prep. Thanks for the advice guys. I guess the thing about this exam is you're never going to feel 100% ready.

 

[Rich]

please, please make it a point to do all the forms of nbme (1-7),

since uve already done 3 n got ur analysis report n predicted scores...u dont need to do do anymore online versions($$), moreover, ur scores wont change dramatically upwards in the last 10 days; n if they happen to start inching down, it psychologically weighs u down..

just do the offline versions ...but please do all the released 1400 questions(keep ur books open, n confirm the answers by flipping through the pages...coz, u wont believe how similar many of the "topics" in the real exam are to those covered in the nbme tests). u wont get any exact ques, but A LOT of questions will be from "around that topic"/ "within that table" etc...n the pages u flip through in these last 10 days will be what u carry in ur visual memory into the exam centre..).

also, in the last few days..just keep thinking positively about the exam (even thou there maybe loads of stuff u dont know even now)..try to be calm throu out the day, no matter whatever new material u encounter.. just read through quickly n flip the page (visual memory!!)

my next advise wud be: starting today.. set ur circadian rhythm (n GIT n GUT rhythms ) to match the exam day...from the time u wake up, do everything like u wud do as on the morning of the exam (oops!! dont keep driving to the exam centre daily!!)

also, while u do those offline nbme tests n tests from any other sources...try to do 7 blocks in an eight hr stretch atleast once within this coming week, exactly simulating the real exam timings...
this will actually help u to make a plan as to when to take breaks, how long shud each break be, identify how tired u feel at what points of the exam, what kinds of snacks u wud need during exactly which break...etc..
( a common complaint people have after coming out from the exams is that they were unable to concentrate from 5th or 6th block....its bcoz they did not do these practice runs n didnt know that it could have been prevented by taking appropriate breaks n getting appropriate refeshments at preplanned times b4 the fatigue set in, some people may need a chocolate b4 the exam, others need coffee at break 2, or redbull at break 5 etc..)....identify what u wud need in each break!!

trust me...these advises may sound ridiculous to some..but there is not much more u can do for the last few days b4 the exam in terms of stuffing more information...
these r the things at this stage of prep that will make a real difference in gettin a few more answers right on the exam.

All the best.

Cheers!!