Official 2016 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Transposony

Do or do not, There is no try
10+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2011
Messages
1,811
Reaction score
999
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 9 users
what about your other nbmes? The funniest thing I have noticed is that nbme 18 tends to underpredict, this week three of the people I know ended up with a 5-10 point boost from their nbme 18(261,265,244)
Isn't this dependent on your average from previous nbme's? I had a friend that drop 13 points from his nbme 18 which was a bummer
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I wrote on Dec 5th, mark will be out on the 28th eek. Studied 4-6 hours/day during rotations and during summer so i could spend time with family and friends. Hoping for a 230!!!

NBME 12- 7months out- 175
NBME 13- 5.5 months out- 198
NBME 18- 4 months out- 205
NBME 17- 1 month out- 230
NBME 16- 1 week out- 234
NBME 15- 1 day out- 230
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Hi everyone!

I'm in need of a little bit of advice... I am taking the exam in the beginning of May and have at this point completed about 20% of Uworld. I have been doing timed blocks of specific body systems as I go along with class, but lately I've been mixing two body systems together and soon will be doing 4 at once because I've finished 4 body system blocks as MS2 progresses.

4 months out, I am looking at a Uworld average of 66%. Is this where I should be at this point? I'm a little disappointed with my scores, although lately I've been hitting the upper 60s and sometimes into the 70s as well.Goal is to hit 240-245.

Any advice would help!
 
HAs anyone gotten their scores yet? I've been refreshing my email and nothing yet. I'm tired of this wait. Literally going crazy
 
Oh man...thank you for the info. Just curious, who did you call for that info? NBME?
http://www.usmle.org/frequently-asked-questions/#scores

Scores for Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3 are released each Wednesday. Generally these will include scores for examinees who tested three to four weeks before the release date. However, there are many factors that may delay an individual score release. Usually these will be quickly resolved and the score released in the next weekly cycle. Your registration entity will notify you via email when your score becomes available. When released, your scores will be posted to your registration entity's secure website: for Step 1 and Step 2, either NBME or ECFMG; for Step 3, FSMB. If you have not received your score within eight weeks of your test date, please contact us to determine the status of your score report. Please note that new scores are not released during the week of 4th of July or the week after Christmas.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Hi everyone!

I'm in need of a little bit of advice... I am taking the exam in the beginning of May and have at this point completed about 20% of Uworld. I have been doing timed blocks of specific body systems as I go along with class, but lately I've been mixing two body systems together and soon will be doing 4 at once because I've finished 4 body system blocks as MS2 progresses.

4 months out, I am looking at a Uworld average of 66%. Is this where I should be at this point? I'm a little disappointed with my scores, although lately I've been hitting the upper 60s and sometimes into the 70s as well.Goal is to hit 240-245.

Any advice would help!
what about kaplan qbank?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
For those who used USMLERx what was your score on the qbank like? Trying to get a rough estimate of where I should be.
Taking my test in June and I haven't reviewed everything in FA yet, but I've recently been averaging 75-80%. Hoping for 250+

@Qrio did you take step 1? if so, how'd you do?
 
Last edited:
Does UWorld get more difficult towards the end of the Qbank? Like are the first 1000 questions more hi yield/classic questions, whereas the last 500 are low yield/esoteric questions? Some blocks I'm getting like 10 questions just on Hepatitis B and C, which obviously can't keep happening lol (I'm doing random too)
 
209 on nbme 13, trying to take exam in feb/march. goal is >220 , I need someone to tell me I can do it. I've been putting it off for months.
 
Does UWorld get more difficult towards the end of the Qbank? Like are the first 1000 questions more hi yield/classic questions, whereas the last 500 are low yield/esoteric questions? Some blocks I'm getting like 10 questions just on Hepatitis B and C, which obviously can't keep happening lol (I'm doing random too)
Scores of most people are rising toward the end (my too) So I don`t think it is true.
 
Scores of most people are rising toward the end (my too) So I don`t think it is true.
Towards the end meaning like last 20% of the Qbank? I had a nice 10 point improvement after the first week, but have been stagnant the last 2 weeks. I have about 50% of the Qbank left. I'm thinking about just stopping the UWorld for a while to read FA. I haven't even made one pass thru FA. UWorld takes the entire day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Guys the results are out. Just received an email about mine but I'm too chicken to open it.... I'm shaking
When did you take your test?
Edit: I see from your posting history you took it on December 7th. Anyone who tested on the week of December 12th get their results today?
 
Last edited:
IMG here.

NBME 12- 7months out- 175
NBME 13- 5.5 months out- 198
NBME 18- 4 months out- 205
NBME 17- 1 month out- 230
NBME 16- 1 week out- 234
NBME 15- 1 day out- 230[/QUOTE]

Edit: Just got my score...240!

How i studied:
1) Read 30% of first aid (From Cardiology to Neuro). Decided i needed to start Uworld and stopped FA.
2) Uworld x 1- Spent 3-5 hours reviewing and writing notes in the FA book on each block. Randomized, timed, 40 questions all the way. Average was 68%. Started at around 58% and at the end i was getting 75%.
3) Did 80% of Sketchy micro
4) Did 50% of Pathoma

As you can see, i study like crap and didn't get through anything. I studied 4-6 hours in the summer (July-Aug) to spend time with my family and friends, and during rotations i could only study 0-4 hours a day (May-June, Sept-Dec). That being said, i trusted my NBME like everyone on this forum said and i went in hopeful for a 230. I ended up with a 240 and could not be more happy.

Test day: Felt horrible coming out. Marked 50-60 questions total. Knew i had at least 15 wrong, with another 25-30 which i was not sure of or had to guess. After reading this forum and boosting my confidence by trusting my NBME, i convinced myself i could go as low as 220, and as high as 240. Spent weeks agonizing over what could happen.

I've always been a slow studier and huge procrastinator and this just goes to show you need to do what works for you and trust your NBMEs. Everyone is different. My MCAT was 27-28 and step 1 was the first test i actually worked hard for, even though i never really even had 1 full study day of 8hrs+. I highly suggest doing all the NBME's i think thats what saved my butt. Everyone said dont do an NBME before your exam but i did it anyways because i knew the questions were invaluable. I was also told to write the test before school started but i stuck to my gut and told myself i wouldn't write the exam until i scored a 230 NBME even though studying during rotations was brutal.

Message me for any questions, and good luck to you all! Now...Time for MCCEE....
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users
Scores are being reported today at around 11:00 am (Eastern Standard Time) for those who took the test the week of December 12th. Best of luck!
 
Last edited:
What's the current consensus on the UWSA scaling? Some people say that it overestimates your by 15 points. Then some say that the UWSA scaling has become more accurate in the last few months. Anyone with recent data/opinions on this?
 
What's the current consensus on the UWSA scaling? Some people say that it overestimates your by 15 points. Then some say that the UWSA scaling has become more accurate in the last few months. Anyone with recent data/opinions on this?
I took UWSA1 in June and got 230. Then in September I took UWSA2 and got 215. I think they corrected their overestimation.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
What's the current consensus on the UWSA scaling? Some people say that it overestimates your by 15 points. Then some say that the UWSA scaling has become more accurate in the last few months. Anyone with recent data/opinions on this?
Not sure about overestimation since my score on the real thing was very close to UWSA1...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
hey guys I need advice, I'm having problems with immunology, it is my weakest area based off NMBE reports. what can I do to get better at immuno? whats the best resource for immuno ?step 1 exam in 3months
 
hey guys I need advice, I'm having problems with immunology, it is my weakest area based off NMBE reports. what can I do to get better at immuno? whats the best resource for immuno ?step 1 exam in 3months
Pathoma chapter 2 gives some really good immunology principles. Then memorise the FA immuno chapter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
What's the current consensus on the UWSA scaling? Some people say that it overestimates your by 15 points. Then some say that the UWSA scaling has become more accurate in the last few months. Anyone with recent data/opinions on this?

For me, UWSA1 overpredicted by 7 points and UWSA2 underpredicted by 6 points.
 
So I just took NBME 13 and got a 234 with 87.5% correct (175/200)
UWSA1 was a 254 with 78% correct.

How are the scales THAT different. Very disappointed with the 20 point drop on the more predictive test. So do you need ~95% to hit 250 on NBMEs? Anybody remember their percentages and what score it translated to on those test. I guess I got 2.5 weeks to improve by 15 points and hit my goal.

I feel like the NBMEs will have 80% EASY AS HELL questions. 10% kinda hard. And 10% WTF questions.
 
Last edited:
Ok so basically 8 questions/4% is the difference b/w a 234 and a 251. Interesting. Or do you think individual questions weighted differently?

As I know the equal number of correct answers gives the same score on the particular NBME form independent of what mistakes you have made. The number of correct answers differs for the same score on another NBME.
 
Last edited:
So I just took NBME 13 and got a 234 with 87.5% correct (175/200)
UWSA1 was a 254 with 78% correct.

How are the scales THAT different. Very disappointed with the 20 point drop on the more predictive test. So do you need ~95% to hit 250 on NBMEs? Anybody remember their percentages and what score it translated to on those test. I guess I got 2.5 weeks to improve by 15 points and hit my goal.

I feel like the NBMEs will have 80% EASY AS HELL questions. 10% kinda hard. And 10% WTF questions.

I took nbme 13 before the new curve was applied and a 234 would have been 139/200 or 69.5%


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
I took nbme 13 before the new curve was applied and a 234 would have been 139/200 or 69.5%


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
That can't be true man. A 175/200 gave me a 234. I don't think the curve could've changed that dramatically, where getting 139/200 would give the same score. Can we get the Step 1 Master to weigh in. @Phloston
 
That can't be true man. A 175/200 gave me a 234. I don't think the curve could've changed that dramatically, where getting 139/200 would give the same score. Can we get the Step 1 Master to weigh in. @Phloston
139/200 sounds lower than an outcome of 234, but I don't create the curves nor have I memorized them. I took nbme13 (the one you're speaking of?) back in dec 2012 and had 9 wrong IIRC, which was a 264. Had 8 wrong on nbme12 which was 266. At that time nbmes 6 and 7 were online and had gotten 12 and 14 wrong on those, respectively, to give 252 and 254. Using a subjective assessment, a 175/200 sounds more in line with a 234 than does a 139/200. The curves are steep on the nbmes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Top