First, you should not have used NBME Self assessment tests to check your progress. You run out of a reliable test to know if you are ready to sit for the exam. That is the first rule you have broken. Second you should not use online qbanks to practice speedbuilding. Use another qbank software to do so. Going thru questions fast is mostly a matter of habit. Therefore you need to practice to go thru questions fast. You can’t use online qbanks because you need them to practice another skill, answering tough questions. Your school is correct. Taking the exam when you are not ready will just result in you failing it. It will not help you in the match.

Askdoc

Thanks so much for sharing your insights on this topic. I have learned a lot from you. I’m glad that I read your post before taking the NBME offline version. I plan on taking all the available NBME exams (thanks to student loans!), and I have scheduled them ~5 days apart throughout my 6wks study time frame. I know that you mentioned to not use them as a screening test for my weak spots, but do you think my plan is wise since I want to take all of them? Currently, I have taken 1 UW self-assessment (before I started my 6wk plan and got a 214) and have completed 65% of the UW Qbank. I know you always mention to not obsess over the score but it was disappointing since most posters on the USMLE forums score much higher…so it’s difficult not to worry. I have 5 weeks left in my studying, so please advise!

Thanks!

You sound just like me when I was preparing for the exam. Anyway, it’s good to aim high, but bad to be obsessed about it. You need to relax. So far so good actually. You still have about 5 weeks before your exam, that will give you enough time to raise your scores. I suggest you do both. Go through lecture notes again but concentrating on high yield stuff and finish q bank. Just beware of burning out early or what we call plateauing. And being depressed or pressuring yourself too much can increase burn out. So relax, continue your review. But make sure you sit for the exam first week of May. Further delay increases the chance of burnout and you may even go into decline, where further study can cause your score to go lower, as some people found out eventually.

Askdoc

Do you think I have to review my lecture notes again or I just finish the remaining questions on UW qbank ? I am lil bit depressed now and loss confidence. I know 238 is a good score, but I expect to get higher. I wish to give my exam early May, what best should I do now to utilize the remaining time ?

Thanks for your assistance

I know its easier said than done, but I am giving you this advise although I did not really take it that well too when I was waiting for my results. What’s done is done. There is nothing you can do about it. Your results will be out in about a week. Wait for it and hope for the best. If you read my post, the exam is always more difficult than the NBME contrary to what everyone is saying. NBME is a relatively good predictor of USMLE performance but with limitations you just cited. If you did not panic during the exam, then you will probably be within the score you are expecting. Whether that is a 99 or not, I cannot really tell as the 3 digit score that corresponds to a certain 2-digit score changes a bit depending on the question set you got in the actual exam.

Also if you are able to remember your mistakes, its usually because you have so little of them that you can actually remember most of them. So it may be good news. Note the maybe. Anyway, good luck. I think you will get a good score nonetheless.

Askdoc

My NBME 2 one month before exam 570/246
NBME 10 days before exam 540/239

I am aiming at 99 for CK(step 1 224/96 Aug/11)because I am an old IMG-graduated in 1995. But now i am not feeling secured at all although I though what i did in the exam is ok. When I did NMBE I could guess my score since the questions is straightforward but the questions in real exam is somewhat vague.

I read a lot of your replies in this forum and I try to assure myself that my worst possibility is 20 point lower than NBME, I still got 226 and that is enough for 99 at this time. I am checking many test takers in forums and found a very small percentage of them got the real score lower than 20 point or more form NBME.

Though I know everything can happen, but you are so experienced in this, please give me advice for my case, how likely i will get 99?

Thank you so much

Bill

Just so you can do a comparison. My NBME was a 740, so predicted score of 265. My actual score is 256. My average for Kaplan qbank (uworld qbank for Step 1 did not yet exist) is 84%. I got 98% on USMLE official questions. UWord self-assessment grossly overestimates your score. So your NBME score is not awful, just right for your other areas. My suggestion is do not obsess about a certain score. Just do the best you can. Too much obsession creates too much tension. This pressure can even cause you to perform poorly in the actual exam. Relax take things in stride. 240 is a 99 already, so not bad.

Askdoc

-Heartbroken