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Studied UW and MTB for 3.5 months, only week nights and weekends
UW first time 61%, second time 80%
MTB read most parts, didn't find it that helpful since I don't remember anything after reading once.
UWSA 202 one month before the exam
Real exam 212
 
Took NBME 4 today got 340. Exam in 2 weeks....freaking out. Should I take the exam.
Took the exam...felt I was going to fail and waiting for my score was the longest 3 weeks of my life.
Study time: 4 months on and off while working full time. The last two months more intense and with a study group for CCS mainly. Took 2 weeks off work to my exam day for more study.
Score: 206

NBME 4 2 weeks before: 340
UWAS 2 months before: 187

Honestly I am glad USMLE is over finally. CCS was my saving grace. Would advise everyone to focus on it. It was the only part above borderline on my report.
 
Just finished taking the exam. Almost exactly 1 year after CK (248)…not in residency yet.

Prep:
April to mid-May I did most of UW very slowly. I took very detailed notes from UW and uptodate when needed. Picked up studying again in July by finishing stats and a few other topics. Did all of UW CCS with a couple of Archer videos as an intro. Finished everything by the end of the July (three weeks from exam). UW average was 67.5% and UWSA right after that was 217 :/ For the last three weeks I just read all my notes/mtb3. Repeated all the stats questions and UW CCS cases. Read the patient safety section from the Kaplan Step 3 Notes. Skimmed through Crush CCS two days before the CCS portion.

Exam:
Day 1: Tough day. About half of the biostat questions were very easy. The other biostat questions were insane…difficult to interpret in a timely manner. They were a bit longer than the uworld abstracts/ads and a bit more convoluted. I wish I didn't spend so much time on them because I kept running low on time. I had to guess on about three questions with seconds on the clock and rush a few others because of time running low at the end of the block. Left the exam feeling horrible. I felt like I was guessing a lot :/ Step 1 material is sprinkled in there, but most of it was easy. Biggest issue for this day: time management.

Day 2: Found the questions to be A LOT easier. I was only thrown off by a few. The few very difficult questions usually had two answers that both sounded correct; sometimes they were, but one was best for the scenario. I usually finished with a minute or two on the clock. CCS: had a brain fart for the first three cases. Ordered one invasive test for absolutely no reason…time was running low and I just typed in the meds I should have typed in the first 10 minutes; patient got better, then time ran out. Second case: a classic path case, but not one you would expect for CCS at all because it is a relatively rare case. In fact out of the thousands of Qbank/shelf exam/board exam questions that I've done, I think I've only gotten 1-2 questions on this. Obviously can't say what it was, but I knew the diagnosis in 5 minutes. I just couldn't get the case to end! Did consult (only way to manage)…nothing. Botched the next case mostly because I was rattled by the last case...staring at a screen for 18 minutes and not getting anywhere will mess with your head. Treated for presumptive diagnosis (likely wrong), but didn't get confirmation. The other cases went smoothly. I think I hit all major points for them and future monitoring orders. I honestly think CCS put the final nail on the coffin…we'll see in 3-4 weeks, but I think I should keep studying for a redo :confused:
 
USWA has weird method of calculating percentile

Members who are done with Step 3 Exam Please post your NBMEs, UWSA, UW, Kaplan online scores along with correlation to real step 3 score.

Mention important points such as repeated UWorld, or done it offline, and other relevant information.

This will help others currently preparing for Step 3 Exam.
Hi, everyone,

I am IMG, done with Step 3. Passed with just above average score (227).
I got my Step 1 (251), Step 2 (248) and Step 2 Cs last year. It was a long time between step 2 ck and step 3.

I took Uworld online. I scored 63% correct, first round. Second round only review. No NBME. Only tool UWSA 3 days before exam where I scored 202 only! I was scared. During the review of UWSA, I found that 3 of the answers, I marked absolutely true, but the software registered as different answers. Moreover, percentile analysis was found to be weird for me. I scored more than average in three of the tests, while just below average (because of 3 question glitch) in one test. Despite of that I received a very low score of 202.

That was surprising.

When I closely looked into the percentile system, I found it faulty. Looking at the analysis, while I marked 100% true in Respiratory medicine, I was on 41th percentile. While I marked 100% correct in opthalmology, I was 55th percentile. While I marked 100% correct in Miscellaneous, I was 0th percentile!! So weird!!

UWSA did not helped me except giving a bad scare before the exams.

Exam experience was similar as described in this forum elsewhere.

CCS cases ended early. I had 1 hour of break time remaining at the end of exam. CCS software is way slow than Uworld software. In one case I messed up (PUO), in one case due to software problem, the page of Diagnosis did not appear at all!

Rest of cases went well. I forgot some tests, ordered them in follow up. But yes, achieved proper diagnosis in 11 of them.

In my opinion, your UWorld average closely correlates with real exam score.
 
Just checked online...they post score reports after midnight now ?? Passed:happy:

Can't seem to find 'edit' for above post, so I'll post here. Got 232. Definitely dropped the ball with CCS...could have got over 240 otherwise. So to anyone that wonders about it...you can pull some boneheaded moves in CCS and still do well...you will probably feel horrible on day 1, but you will be ok I guess (don't freak out like me:eek:)
 

Attachments

Thank you!

Just checked online...they post score reports after midnight now ?? Passed:happy:

Can't seem to find 'edit' for above post, so I'll post here. Got 232. Definitely dropped the ball with CCS...could have got over 240 otherwise. So to anyone that wonders about it...you can pull some boneheaded moves in CCS and still do well...you will probably feel horrible on day 1, but you will be ok I guess (don't freak out like me:eek:)
I really do appreciate posting your performance sheet. So proud of you!
 
My Step 3 experience - passed with score of 219

Thank you everyone for their posts.
I took Step 2 CK/CS last year. I started studying the summer before residency, but was waiting on my med school to report to the FSMB that I had graduated so long story short I could not take it until several months later. I studied during a pretty relaxed rotation so I could study in the mornings. I used primarily UWorld, and their CCS cases. I also used (in the last week) ccscases (google it) which actually gives you feed back about you performance on cases (I completed about 20-30 cases; average ranged from 20%-90%. Their cases are hard and they want to you to do a complete physical exam, which isn't always indicated, and a ton of preventative things which are easy to forget in the heat of taking the exam). For the month of my rotation. I studied uworld, doing 2 blocks per day, and on the weekends doing simulated 4 blocks, and then reviewing them I completed 70% of Uworld cumulative average 61%. I would then review my notes later on that day. I would try to do 5-10 cases/day. I took the last week off in my rotation as a part of my "educational" time. I completed all of the practice CCS cases, and all of the simulated cases. I also did several questions and reviewed them. 10 days before I took the UWorld self assessment (UWSA) and scored an abysmal 182. I was so devastated! 5 days before I took the exam I took the NBME form 4 (I completed the form 4 6 months ago in December 2016 just to get a "base line" performance and got a 250, 66 out of the 180 or so questions) and scored 540 got 40 questions wrong. 4 days before my exam I did the FRED exam (timed) and scored 79%. Two days before I did a whole block of uworld biostats and uworld ethics. I wanted to review more of my notes but I was just so "sick" of studying.
Guys, the first day I had 6 blocks, only one had 40 blocks, there was a TON of biostats, 4-5 per block, a research article or drug ad per block. I felt confident in the biostat questions, a lot of My timing was good I was able to go back and review those marked. There were several step 1 style questions which really seemed out of place. Tons of receptors this drug affects type questions. These are things that I had to rely upon my prior knowledge about. They are questions you can't really prepare for. Several ethics type questions interspersed. After the exam, I checked several answers. Overall feeling kind of defeated.
Had the day off and did a whole bunch of ccs cases (30).
Day 2. Guys, for some reason I felt that the ACM questions were so vague and I was so pressed for time. For some questions I found myself confused at all the answer choices, like these are things I would not have picked at all, and just picked the one that made "the most sense." Lots of CHF and geriatric type questions, med management type questions. I just was so confused. Then the CCS, 13 cases, half were 21 minutes the other half was around 11, wide array of questions not covered by Uworld. Rape case, a prostatitis question complicated by adrenal insufficiency, some "easy" cases that did not end early so I was just advancing the time until I was d/c some orders then it finally shut off. About 6 cases shut off early (8-9 minute mark for the 20 minute cases) and 4-5 minute mark for the 8 minute cases. I was so shook by this ccs case because as I was entering in orders and advancing time, I was expecting it to shut off and for several cases it didn't. I found myself, praying that they would end. There was this DKA case where it only ended when I d/c the IV drips, towards the 16 minute mark. I felt REALLY bad after the ACM day.
After 5 weeks, I checked the TUESDAY before I got my result. The "trick" works…on the FSMB website, my status expired and there was no link to reapply so it was reassuring but I still waited at midnight until the results posted on the interactive website. They posted right on the dot midnight EST…I passed! I DID SO WELL ON THE CCS even though I made TONS OF MISTAKES, only half of the cases ended early. I think that saved my grade. What also helped me was A NEW CCS CASE PRACTICE SITE, ccscases.com (this is not sponsored) but I discovered it the week before I took my exam and went over about 30 cases. What is unique about his is that they actually give you a grade after you complete a case, and gives you feedback, something that UWORLD does not do. Overall, after I took the exam, I thought that I failed, seriously guys, I had post exam depression. But I'm so glad I got this over with early in intern year!
So guys, even if you do poorly on the UWorld self-assessment, it may be grossly underestimating your score because of a lack of CCS input. You will feel horrible after the exam, but you can use the trick to feel better the day before. Use the CCScasesdotcom the week before as this is high yield. UWorld self assessment 182 10 days before the actual exam…actual exam 219!
 
My experience

Kaplan Qbank 78%
Uworld % 82
UWSA 254
Actual step 3 exam 265 - July 2017 ;)

Prep time: 4 months while working full time. Was very tough times studying after all of these years.

Used kaplan online prep and Qbank, MTB 3, and uworld. I have been practicing medicine in the UK for 7 years, definitely that helped. Took step 2 CK in 2011.
 
Funny enough, it was spot on. But I did worse on the css part, so that probably dragged my score down.
Possibly. I just took the NBME 4 only to realize there's no conversion to a 3 digit score. And with what everyone, including you, is saying that CCS will be a major determining factor for the score, I'm just going to stop caring about predictive scores.

My exam is in a week and a half and I'll post all my scores once I get my score report afterwards.
 
Total time for exam prep: 2.5 months

Kaplan Qbank first-and-only pass: 70%
UW Qbank first-and-only pass: 69%
UWSA-1 (2 weeks out): 227
NBME 4 (1 week out): 234
UWSA-2 (few days out): 227

Actual score: 244

The discrepancy was most likely due to higher performance of mine on CCS, which is not assessed on the UWSA/NBME. So my major advice for everyone is to really rock the CCS.

I felt what I learned in the Archer CCS workshop videos and UW CCS is plenty enough and definitely worth the time and money. For MCQs, as most are saying UW is key.

Resources

Books/lecture material: Kaplan Step 2 CK videos and books, some Kaplan Step 3 videos, OnlineMedEd, MTB 2 (not 3), and small bits and pieces of Pathoma/First Aid Step 1/Principles and Practice of Hospital Medicine.

Qbanks: Kaplan and UW. Kaplan was more of a warmup and refresher as I was 1 year away from my CK, so I wanted to go into UW warmed up a bit.

CCS: Archer and UW.

Most important: UW (qbank + CCS), your own step 2 CK materials, Archer CCS

Good luck to everyone!
 
Done with USMLE

- preparation time: 2 months
- UWSA1: 1 week before exam: 215
Real deal: 219

the best advice for this exam is to do it as close as possible to ur CK, since it is basically the same test just with more biostat.

My exam date was 10 months after my CK exam.
 
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