NBME Pratice Test Validity?

[manning18]

I just took the practice Step 2-CK exam off of the website. It's formally known as the Comprenhensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment (CCSSA). I got destroyed on that test! I ended up with a 280, which their charts correlates to a 156 on the actual Step 2-CK exam!
I have a few questions:
1. How accurate have people found these exams? Do they tend to under or over-estimate your score?
2. Would people suggest that I push my test back? I am scheduled for
8-1-06, but would be able to push it back almost 2 weeks.
3. Is 2.5 weeks enough to gain enough knowledge to add, roughly, 26+ points to my score? The only good note is that I have to be missing some relatively easy questions to end up with a score like that. My weakest sections were: Renal, Surgery, Gynecology, Immunoology, Respiratory, Nutrition/GI and Neurology.
I did, in general, tend to score higher on the sections for which I have gone through all of the answers in UW (OB/GYNE, Peds, Psych, Cardio) than the sections which I have yet to review. I was hoping ofr something in the 170+ range, as I know I can make up 20-30 points the next couple weeks. Making up at least 26 just to pass is a scary thought, though. Thank for your suggestions!

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[sophiejane]

How much study have you done outside of UW? I put off taking the NBME practice exam (#1) until I had gotten through most of FA, and that helped (I got a 510/220 on that one). FA seems to correlate really well with the practice exam material.

Also, are you taking notes on UW? That has helped me a lot. There are some great little pearls in there--I always read the entire explanation, even when I get it right, and if there is something I didn't know, I write it down.

It sounds like you are doing UW subject-by-subject. I'm not sure I would do it that way. I always check all subjects, unused only, tutor mode. It gives you a better feel for the real thing.

I'm going to save the last 400 Qs to use as a mock exam and do them timed in 46 Q blocks.

From what I hear, there is a pretty good correlation between practice exam and real thing--most people who do all 3 seem to score somewhere in the same vicinity--though often higher.

I'd give yourself another week of non-UW hardcore study, and then take the 2nd practice exam. If you are still low, I'd put off the test if it was me.

Best of luck.

 

[trkd]

I actually thought the first practice test was a bit harder than UW though others have said the exam is easier than UW. I am not sure what is the deal with that. As for taking UW notes, I don't do that because I get easier frustrated with my sluggish pace and it is non-productive for me. However, I do read ALL of the answers (right or wrong) thoroughly. You have to do what is best for you I guess. I think reading all of the answers is the minimum though.

I agree with the above... maybe try to study for a solid week and then take the 2nd practice test. I wouldn't use up the 3rd one until you are pretty sure you are ready to take the exam though.

Is there any reason NOT to push the exam back 2 weeks? If you were just missing out on 2 weeks of chilling out around the house, then it sounds like you would probably feel better about getting the extra 2 weeks of studying under your belt to be definite that you will pass. Good luck.

 

[manning18]

Thanks for the advice! What do you recommend as my target score for the 2nd NBME mini-test? I plan on taking the 2nd NBME mini next Saturday (7/22), which is 10 days before my scheduled test date (8/1). I am hoping to score, at the minimum, within 10 points of passing (172 or higher). Otherwise, I will lean strongly towards postopning my test.
I do not have a strong or compelling reason to not puch my test back, as I am free from clinical duties during the 2 weeks after my test. I would prefer not to postpone my test (for personal reasons that are not that important), so I will be ready to postpone my test if I see the beefit (ie if I do not feel comfortable passing by 8-1).
My strategy after receving my results but before reading these responses was inline with what has been recommended. In the next week, I plan to read FA thoroughly (with emphasis on topics that, in my opinion, are particularly important). Then, I will take the 2nd NBME mini and hope to score 172+. If I fail to score at that level, I will push my test back. The amount I push it back will depend on how much more time I think I need which will be determined, primarily, by my results of the 2nd NBME.
Please continue to provide advice/feedback. Thank you!!

 

[trkd]

Thanks for the advice! What do you recommend as my target score for the 2nd NBME mini-test? I plan on taking the 2nd NBME mini next Saturday (7/22), which is 10 days before my scheduled test date (8/1). I am hoping to score, at the minimum, within 10 points of passing (172 or higher). Otherwise, I will lean strongly towards postopning my test.

I am only coming from the same point as you (taking the test the day after you and took the first practice test 2 days ago) so I can only speak about what I would do in the same situation. I would probably want to be JUST in the passing range by the time I take the second practice test so that when I take the 3rd one just before the real exam, I will know that the passing score was not just a fluke. What I mean is that I would want both my 2nd and 3rd practice tests to be passing to be sure that I would pass on the big day. I don't like taking risks. Just my thoughts.

 

[12R34Y]

You may not want to hear this, but here it goes..........


the NBME exams predicted both my step 1 and step 2 score almost perfectly. Our school actually uses the exam for students and has collected enough data on several classes now that it has an EXCELLENT predictor of passing.

so........in short. I would not be happy about the score you got and you should probably hold off.

good luck

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

I just took the practice Step 2-CK exam off of the website. It's formally known as the Comprenhensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment (CCSSA). I got destroyed on that test! I ended up with a 280, which their charts correlates to a 156 on the actual Step 2-CK exam!
I have a few questions:
1. How accurate have people found these exams? Do they tend to under or over-estimate your score?
2. Would people suggest that I push my test back? I am scheduled for
8-1-06, but would be able to push it back almost 2 weeks.
3. Is 2.5 weeks enough to gain enough knowledge to add, roughly, 26+ points to my score? The only good note is that I have to be missing some relatively easy questions to end up with a score like that. My weakest sections were: Renal, Surgery, Gynecology, Immunoology, Respiratory, Nutrition/GI and Neurology.
I did, in general, tend to score higher on the sections for which I have gone through all of the answers in UW (OB/GYNE, Peds, Psych, Cardio) than the sections which I have yet to review. I was hoping ofr something in the 170+ range, as I know I can make up 20-30 points the next couple weeks. Making up at least 26 just to pass is a scary thought, though. Thank for your suggestions!

Post pone the test ASAP!

 

[manning18]

Thanks for your input! By how many days/weeks would you recommend that I postpone the test? You don't think there's anyway I could make it by 8-1-06? I've been going through First Aid pretty effectively since getting my results back yesterday and am confident that the score on my 2nd NBME mini test (7-22, Saturday) will be MUCH better than 156! Before I took the 1st NBME mini, I had focused my FA studying on the larger sections: OB, GYNE, Peds, Psych, Cards, GI, Heme/Onc, Renal. The plan was to learn the other sections through the USMLEworld questions/answers, but that did not materialize very well. I'm able to get through FA pretty well (roughly 15 pages/hour), so 100 or pages/day, which gets me through the book in 3 days. I think I can get through it twice by the time of my 2nd NBME mini on 7-22. Again, please tell me how long you think I should postpone my exam. Thanks!!

Post pone the test ASAP!

 

[trkd]

Thanks for your input! By how many days/weeks would you recommend that I postpone the test? You don't think there's anyway I could make it by 8-1-06? I've been going through First Aid pretty effectively since getting my results back yesterday and am confident that the score on my 2nd NBME mini test (7-22, Saturday) will be MUCH better than 156! Before I took the 1st NBME mini, I had focused my FA studying on the larger sections: OB, GYNE, Peds, Psych, Cards, GI, Heme/Onc, Renal. The plan was to learn the other sections through the USMLEworld questions/answers, but that did not materialize very well. I'm able to get through FA pretty well (roughly 15 pages/hour), so 100 or pages/day, which gets me through the book in 3 days. I think I can get through it twice by the time of my 2nd NBME mini on 7-22. Again, please tell me how long you think I should postpone my exam. Thanks!!

Take the 2nd practice exam on Saturday and lets reconvene. See how it goes (if you can wait that long with respects to cancelling vacation plans). If you were really THAT deficient in those areas and you can make a lot of that up this week, then MAYBE you could do it by the 1st. Too risky for me though.

 

[manning18]

Thanks for your advice! Between the 1st and 15th of August, I do not have any major commitments, so there's nothing stopping me from using that time to better prep for Step 2-CK. I do have some things I'd like to do here and there during that time but, as I said, they're not that important (and worth sacrificing to not have to retake Step 2-CK). So far, the FA progress is going well and I intend to take the 2nd NBME mini on
7-22. I just bought the 3rd NBME mini as well. I'll post next week after I have my results. Thank you!!

 

[goldengate]

Great responses already, but here's my unfortunate experience...take your result on the NBME assessments seriously. For example, on my 2nd attempt I scored the equiv of 176 on Form 2 and took the exam...and ended up w/ a 179...on my 3rd attempt I scored 171 on Form 3...decided to study another month...and got a 173 on the exam. Overall, NBME is an excellent predictor, so don't take any chances...I wish I hadn't!!!

 

[manning18]

Thanks, goldengate, for the candid advice! I took some of the feedback I got over the weekend to heart and postponed my exam to Monday, 8-7-06, that's an additional 6 days to study. I left open the option of postponing to 8-14, so long as I decide by
7-31. I shifted my NBME mini test schedule a bit, in light of my new test date. I am going to take the 2nd NBME mini nect Friday, 7-28. If I do not pass that test, I will (most likely) postpone my Step 2- by another week, to 8-14-06. Thanks for all the advice; more updates to follow!!

 

[Theasam]

Hey, I am in the your same situation. Just took the NBME exam last night and just barely pass... Not sure if that have something to do will the odd hours I took it in, I finish with the test at midnight.. yes, pretty dumb. Anyway, thinking about pushing my test day back a week, eventhough this will be in the middle of my AI rotation. At least, I have an extra 5 days to study, not sure if that even make a difference... Goodluck to you, hang in there!!

 

[Discobolus]

That CCSSA Form 1 is a killer, I took it 10 days ago and it predicted a score of 196, which was out of line with all of my shelf exam scores this year. I took Form 2, 2 days ago and it predicted a score of 222 which is much more in line with what I was expecting. You might want to push your test back a few weeks, but I wouldn't freak out right away because Form 1 is pretty difficult.

 

[manning18]

Thanks for the encouraging information! It's interesting that your score went up so much between the 2 exams, with only 8 days of preparation in between! I could use the exact same improvement (26 points) that you received, as that's how far I was from the passing score of 182!

 

[ziffy 850]

I took the practice nbme in the comfort of my apartment(noise, distractions, etc.) but only scored 400, which they correlate to 192-I'm supposed to take the real thing in 10 days-what do you think? I bombed Step 1, so I'm nervous.

I want to take the 2nd NBME practice, but time is tough( I am doing a rotation and only have study time at night) and the BAD thing about the practice test is that it doesn't give explanations. So....what do we learn? Maybe I should just study.

Also, is passing the same as Step 1-182?

 

[trkd]

I took the practice nbme in the comfort of my apartment(noise, distractions, etc.) but only scored 400, which they correlate to 192-I'm supposed to take the real thing in 10 days-what do you think? I bombed Step 1, so I'm nervous.

I want to take the 2nd NBME practice, but time is tough( I am doing a rotation and only have study time at night) and the BAD thing about the practice test is that it doesn't give explanations. So....what do we learn? Maybe I should just study.

Also, is passing the same as Step 1-182?

Two questions that must be asked. Do you have the option to delay the exam? What specialty do you have in mind?

 

[ziffy 850]

I could delay a couple of weeks, but I have an audition rotation and don't want to be thinking about the exam-I want to enjoy what I'm doing. Any thoughts? I don't know if 2 weeks will make much of a difference. I historically actually know the information, but have lost confidence in my test-taking skills so I start to doubt myself. But....I need to get a little stronger on the "what next" stuff.

wHAT IS A PASSING GRADE-182?

 

[trkd]

I could delay a couple of weeks, but I have an audition rotation and don't want to be thinking about the exam-I want to enjoy what I'm doing. Any thoughts? I don't know if 2 weeks will make much of a difference. I historically actually know the information, but have lost confidence in my test-taking skills so I start to doubt myself. But....I need to get a little stronger on the "what next" stuff.

wHAT IS A PASSING GRADE-182?

I just checked the usmle site and 182 is passing. I would probably take a 2nd practice test but, again, this is someone who is also just studying for the exam. My specialty question was basically trying to ask you if passing is enough for your chosen specialty. If it is, then you would probably be safe for sure. If you are hoping for an average (220 or whatever), might be a better idea to postpone.

Good luck.

 

[manning18]

If you feel that your fund of knowledge is strong, then an extra couple weeks probably will not help raise your score that much. It seems as though you are in good shape to pass Step 2-CK, as the minimum passing score is 182. It might be harder for you to break 200, however. One of the reasons more time might not help that much is that is appears your difficulty is in applying (as opposed to acquiring) knowledge. The "what is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?" questions are challenging. That train of thought is very difficult to learn or teach, so extra study time probably would not be of large benefit. I think you can take your test anytime. Pushing it back might help, but not that much!

I could delay a couple of weeks, but I have an audition rotation and don't want to be thinking about the exam-I want to enjoy what I'm doing. Any thoughts? I don't know if 2 weeks will make much of a difference. I historically actually know the information, but have lost confidence in my test-taking skills so I start to doubt myself. But....I need to get a little stronger on the "what next" stuff.

wHAT IS A PASSING GRADE-182?

 

[manning18]

I just took the 2nd NBME mini test and my scored barely changed! My first test was 280(156) and my 2nd only went up by 10, to 290(158). I don't know what to do. I read FA like crazy since I took the 1st NBME mini, 11 days ago on 7-15-06. I pushed my test back to 8-7-06, but that's only 12 days and I'm WAY below passing! I can push it back another week, but I start electives soon thereafter. Technically, I can push my test back even further, as my registration period is August through October. I felt like I had more knowlegde this time around than last, but the questions were just insanely hard! They're so convoluted that I could not figure out what to do, even when I could identify the condition, etc. I can continue to read FA, but it seems as if that won't help that much. It's not that I have FA memorized verbatim, but I do know it fairly well and should have seen the bulk of the jump in my performance between my 1st and 2nd NBME mini tests. If I read FA for another week or so, I doubt I'll add more to my knowledge than I did byr eading FA the past 10 days!!! Please offer your thoughts! Do you think I should push the test back to the end of October? I have a goofy schedule, so I'm actually done with most of M-4 year (except 6 weeks, which should be a blow off anyway). Thanks!!!

 

[smgilles]

I just took the 2nd NBME mini test and my scored barely changed! My first test was 280(156) and my 2nd only went up by 10, to 290(158). I don't know what to do. I read FA like crazy since I took the 1st NBME mini, 11 days ago on 7-15-06. I pushed my test back to 8-7-06, but that's only 12 days and I'm WAY below passing! I can push it back another week, but I start electives soon thereafter. Technically, I can push my test back even further, as my registration period is August through October. I felt like I had more knowlegde this time around than last, but the questions were just insanely hard! They're so convoluted that I could not figure out what to do, even when I could identify the condition, etc. I can continue to read FA, but it seems as if that won't help that much. It's not that I have FA memorized verbatim, but I do know it fairly well and should have seen the bulk of the jump in my performance between my 1st and 2nd NBME mini tests. If I read FA for another week or so, I doubt I'll add more to my knowledge than I did byr eading FA the past 10 days!!! Please offer your thoughts! Do you think I should push the test back to the end of October? I have a goofy schedule, so I'm actually done with most of M-4 year (except 6 weeks, which should be a blow off anyway). Thanks!!!

Do not sit for the exam Aug. 7th...you are not going to pass! 2 practice NBMEs of 156-158 do not bode well for you. You need to rearrange your studying or your sources. You are not going to make up 26 pts in 2 weeks of studying.

I suggest pushing it off until Sept-Oct. and fall in love with USMLEworld in tutor mode and make sure you understand the concepts. If you don't understand something go back to the books and read about it. Do all the questions and then do them again until your start to understand the mechanisms and processes behind the varying diseases.

I trully felt USMLEworld was the best source and most help for the USMLE II. I also felt Crush helped out for quick descriptions of things, but you are partial to FA and that is fine, but don't just memorize facts...they won't help you on 2nd, 3rd, 4th-order questions.

Good luck

 

[sophiejane]

I just took the 2nd NBME mini test and my scored barely changed! My first test was 280(156) and my 2nd only went up by 10, to 290(158). I don't know what to do. I read FA like crazy since I took the 1st NBME mini, 11 days ago on 7-15-06. I pushed my test back to 8-7-06, but that's only 12 days and I'm WAY below passing! I can push it back another week, but I start electives soon thereafter. Technically, I can push my test back even further, as my registration period is August through October. I felt like I had more knowlegde this time around than last, but the questions were just insanely hard! They're so convoluted that I could not figure out what to do, even when I could identify the condition, etc. I can continue to read FA, but it seems as if that won't help that much. It's not that I have FA memorized verbatim, but I do know it fairly well and should have seen the bulk of the jump in my performance between my 1st and 2nd NBME mini tests. If I read FA for another week or so, I doubt I'll add more to my knowledge than I did byr eading FA the past 10 days!!! Please offer your thoughts! Do you think I should push the test back to the end of October? I have a goofy schedule, so I'm actually done with most of M-4 year (except 6 weeks, which should be a blow off anyway). Thanks!!!

Hey there...

Sorry to hear things aren't going well, but you know, I went down on Form 2 as well.

I don't know for sure, but it sounds like you are thinking way too hard. They are masters of distractors on this test. Sometimes you have to just step back and kind of squint so you can see the real picture, you know?

I'm an absolute GLUTTON for the distractor, however. We'll see how I fared in a few weeks, but honestly, the test was not as bad as I thought.

The main thing I think for you is not to psych yourself out.

What do you want to be when you grow up? How was your Step I?

The most calming thing for me was realizing that I truly only had to pass the beast...but I want to do Family (and that's a want to, not a have to).

Personally, I wish I had spent more time with FA and less time with UW, but that's just me. Ask yourself what you are reading and if you understand WHY. IF you can answer why to every disease you read about, if you can list the tx and at least one SE of every drug/therapy for it and know the BASIC mechanism/diagnostic findings/histology...you should be fine. That's a lot, but you know most of it already. I think you are psyching yourself out on questions, that's all.

I think it would be a mistake for you to push back all the way to October. You will be exhausted and it will be too long of a study period. I'm already forgetting little details of things I reviewed 4 weeks ago. Give yourself another month or so (and be sure to take days off--you really need that time to synthesize the info), then get a good night's sleep, and go for it.

Best of luck. I know this sucks. It'll be over soon!

 

[4424]

I just took the 2nd NBME mini test and my scored barely changed! My first test was 280(156) and my 2nd only went up by 10, to 290(158). I don't know what to do. I read FA like crazy since I took the 1st NBME mini, 11 days ago on 7-15-06. I pushed my test back to 8-7-06, but that's only 12 days and I'm WAY below passing! I can push it back another week, but I start electives soon thereafter. Technically, I can push my test back even further, as my registration period is August through October. I felt like I had more knowlegde this time around than last, but the questions were just insanely hard! They're so convoluted that I could not figure out what to do, even when I could identify the condition, etc. I can continue to read FA, but it seems as if that won't help that much. It's not that I have FA memorized verbatim, but I do know it fairly well and should have seen the bulk of the jump in my performance between my 1st and 2nd NBME mini tests. If I read FA for another week or so, I doubt I'll add more to my knowledge than I did byr eading FA the past 10 days!!! Please offer your thoughts! Do you think I should push the test back to the end of October? I have a goofy schedule, so I'm actually done with most of M-4 year (except 6 weeks, which should be a blow off anyway). Thanks!!!

postpone the test and finish UW and then take another NBME before october. just go through UW with lots of time and read all the explanations

 

[manning18]

Thanks for the advice! I realize that this question is sem-rhetorical, but How does one improving his or her ability to think/reason/manage, etc? I would not say I know the information COLD, but I think I have the basic knowledge down. At least enough to pass! That said, I keep getting killed on these NBME tests! The way they ask the questions is so convoluted (or 2nd-4th order, as one of the previous posts said) that my knowledge does not get me very far. Questions, typically, don't help me learn very well. I thought my "learning by doing questions" method was what got me the weak score on the 1st NBME mini. I then "went back to my roots" and read FA, but that didn't really help! I'm able to memorize things fairly well, but I have trouble applying the knowledge, especially when presented in different context (ie by the NBME instead of by FA, or whatever text I read). I'm also not too excited about the concept of pushing the test back to October, as I would lose steam/burnout. Please comment on what I can do to better perform on questions that are more analytical/application based, which are the majority of questions. Thanks!

 

[Shane2150]

Thanks for the advice! I realize that this question is sem-rhetorical, but How does one improving his or her ability to think/reason/manage, etc? I would not say I know the information COLD, but I think I have the basic knowledge down. At least enough to pass! That said, I keep getting killed on these NBME tests! The way they ask the questions is so convoluted (or 2nd-4th order, as one of the previous posts said) that my knowledge does not get me very far. Questions, typically, don't help me learn very well. I thought my "learning by doing questions" method was what got me the weak score on the 1st NBME mini. I then "went back to my roots" and read FA, but that didn't really help! I'm able to memorize things fairly well, but I have trouble applying the knowledge, especially when presented in different context (ie by the NBME instead of by FA, or whatever text I read). I'm also not too excited about the concept of pushing the test back to October, as I would lose steam/burnout. Please comment on what I can do to better perform on questions that are more analytical/application based, which are the majority of questions. Thanks!

Have you tried studying with another student? Reading questions out loud and verbally going through the reasoning process to reject/accept answer choices might be helpful. That way you can see how another person approaches the problem, and he/she could give you feedback on whether you are perhaps overthinking the question or over focusing on details ("distractors"). Just an idea!
Hang in there!

 

[manning18]

I have yet to discuss questions and answers with others in the same situation. I'm not a big discusser in general, but it might be worth changing my ways, as my current method is failing. I really do not enjoy discussing the material (and feel that, in the same amount of time, I can get a lot more reading than discussing accomplished), but I do need to change something. I'm considering going through QBook as well as continuing to read FA. I pushed my test back 3 days for now, to 8-10. I know that's not much, but I really don't want to keep pushing it back. At this stage, I'd rather take the test in August and have to retake it later than not take it until October. I'm considering leaving Medicine after I graudate anyway, so I'm not too concerned with my score, in terms of Residency/matching. I just want to pass the test and move on, though I don't know what the next step would be! I realized a while ago Medicine (the Profession, not necessarily Internal Medicine) was not a good fit for me, but it was not wise of me to terminate my decision at that time, so I decided to stick it out and the only obstacle is Step 2-CK, as the remainign coursework is easy!

 

[manning18]

Is anyone familiar with the Deja Review for Step 2-CK? I bought it a while back, as the reviews on Amazon were amazing (all 9 were 5/5)!! I have not used it in a long time, as I realized it is most effective when one has the basic facts/concepts down and wants to solidify the fundamentals. I feel like I am at this stage now and continuing to read FA, while beneficial, may not be enough to bring me into the passing range. Deja might be able to do this for me. As of now, I have 2 weeks, so I could get through Deja about 5 times, which would allow me to know it fairly well. Do you think this is a good idea? Please share your thoughts on Deja review. Thanks!

 

[sophiejane]

I'm considering leaving Medicine after I graudate anyway, so I'm not too concerned with my score, in terms of Residency/matching. I just want to pass the test and move on, though I don't know what the next step would be! I realized a while ago Medicine (the Profession, not necessarily Internal Medicine) was not a good fit for me, but it was not wise of me to terminate my decision at that time, so I decided to stick it out and the only obstacle is Step 2-CK

Well, that kind of changes everything.

You should get it over with in August and retake in October if you don't pass. I personally think you will pass. I thought the NBMEs were considerably harder than the real thing.

Best of luck finding what you love.

 

[sophiejane]

I'm considering leaving Medicine after I graudate anyway, so I'm not too concerned with my score, in terms of Residency/matching. I just want to pass the test and move on, though I don't know what the next step would be! I realized a while ago Medicine (the Profession, not necessarily Internal Medicine) was not a good fit for me, but it was not wise of me to terminate my decision at that time, so I decided to stick it out and the only obstacle is Step 2-CK

Well, that kind of changes everything.

You should get it over with in August and retake in October if you don't pass. I personally think you will pass. I thought the NBMEs were considerably harder than the real thing. Of course that doesn't mean anything because I tend to make dumb mistakes on easy questions, but there you have it.

Best of luck finding what you love.

 

[manning18]

Thanks, everyone, for your advice. For now, I am going to try to strengthen my performance by using Deja, as well as reviewing questions through QBook (primarily) and, perhaps, UW as well. For some reason, I tend not to read the explanations to question as carefully as I read text (such as FA), which is why the learning by questions method is not very effectie in my case. I think Deja should supplement my knowledge of FA nicely and allow me to put things together in a way that I can score higher. Pleasekeep the suggestions coming in and I can provide updates after I take the 3rd NBME mini. My test date (which is not going to change) is now Monday, 8-14-06. Thanks!!

 

[4424]

Thanks, everyone, for your advice. For now, I am going to try to strengthen my performance by using Deja, as well as reviewing questions through QBook (primarily) and, perhaps, UW as well. For some reason, I tend not to read the explanations to question as carefully as I read text (such as FA), which is why the learning by questions method is not very effectie in my case. I think Deja should supplement my knowledge of FA nicely and allow me to put things together in a way that I can score higher. Pleasekeep the suggestions coming in and I can provide updates after I take the 3rd NBME mini. My test date (which is not going to change) is now Monday, 8-14-06. Thanks!!

what is "deja"?

anyway sounds good, forge through some questions and get a sense of the "what to do next" stuff that reading doesnt prepare for as well

 

[manning18]

Here is the link to Deja. It takes the information and asks it in a more specific, Q and A format. For example, instead of listing the treatments of HTN, it asks what's the first line treatment of HTN in patients with NO cormobidities, with DM, with previoud MI, etc. It helps focus one's studying. That said, it is hard to use (and receive max beneift from) until the examinee knows the basic info. For that reason, I stopped reading it earlier. Now that I have the basics down, I have resumed reading it and hope to receive its benefit!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/00...4766/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-8025912-5029705?ie=UTF8

 

[cdj215]

I just read this thread and want to know what happened! Did Manning18 take Step 2 yesterday? Will he end his career in medicine? If so, why bother going through sub-i and all the bad things about 4th year? Inquiring minds want to know!