What is wrong? NBME 17 - goodman280

[ArchivalUser]

Hello everyone
I don't know what happened.
I took NBME 15 20 days ago and got 226 (many stupid mistakes), after 5 days UWSA 240, I've been working on my weak areas, reading FA and doing the wrong questions from UWorld.
So, today I took the 17 and got 220!

Any experience with nbme 17?
Thanks

[ArchivalUser]

If You've been doing UWorld, the UWSAs tend to over-predict a little.

Otherwise, your NBME 15 and 17 are actually not that different. A 220 and a 226 are not significantly different.

I don't know that form well I'm afraid -- I took my Step 1 a couple years back before that form was available. I think 15 was the newest one at the time. Either way, I think the more recent forms are definitely the ones to do as they best reflect the current feel of the test itself.

[ArchivalUser]

@youngdoc what is your suggestion on how to improve and did you think went wrong?because am in the same situation.
Thanks

[ArchivalUser]

Nbme 17 is a lil harder. With the scores that u re getting, you are ready. Just work more on ur test taking strategy, control your anxiety, and do FA with rx flashfacts one more time, choose ur exam date and don't delay, why? Bcos u re reaching ur peak. If u have any question, reach me on skype at king.bayo1

[ArchivalUser]

Thanks guys!
@drrush25 Did you do Uworld?

I think that Uworld can't provide me much improvement since I memorized many Q.
Is it Kaplan qbank a good choice?

[ArchivalUser]

I'm not sure if anything went wrong; those scores are definitely passing and pretty close to the national average.

My only concern would be no real change in score after 3 weeks of study. I see two possibilities:

1) You've been studying awhile and this is simply your peak

2) Whatever you did for the past 3 weeks was not as productive as it could have been.

Option 2 is probably what happened. Depending on when your exam is, it might be worthwhile to try something different. Maybe a different question bank or some different review material for your weaker areas -- hard to say without knowing more.

The only thing I know is that after 3 weeks of whatever you've been doing, your score did not increase. It also didn't really decrease (6 pts is nothing) either.

IF it were me, I would change things up a bit.

[ArchivalUser]

Thanks youngdoc260

I'm IMG, average student (didn't study much during the basic sciences, graduated in 2014)
I did kaplan videos and pathoma once (actually I can't recall any information from those videos, now my feeling is that it was useless).
I saw DIT and did Uworld after- I would say that it provided all my step 1 knowledge
My test is scheduled for end of June and yes, I have serious anxiety problem with test taking and don't know how to deal with it. Facing problems with time on nbmes

Maybe I will try another qbank (kaplan) subjects wise and go back to uworld after

How can I improve the "Gerneral pprinciples and foundational science"? - wtf is this?

[ArchivalUser]

Just focus on details from FA and do medbullets q bank bcse is good and free😊

Good luck on ur test ! U will do great ...

[ArchivalUser]

I think I would go back and take another look at Pathoma. You may have not been quite ready for it last time, but now it might be more meaningful.

Kaplan videos and Kaplan qbank would be high on my list too. You have a lot of time before your exam and I think this could benefit you.

I would save the focus on FA details until closer to your test day. Memorizing too many minute details at this point gives you too much time to forget them. Focus on bigger concepts right now and then cram in the forgettable details in the last couple of weeks so they're fresh in your mind.