My Step 3 experience..!!!! - schavali87

[ArchivalUser]

Hello people..!!

So I am done with my step 3 (hopefully).. N here is how my experience was..hope it helps..!!

Day 1:

Extremely long questions n I was tired by the end of the first block itself.Found the 1st block tough n was very disheartened. So I took a break n then proceeded with the exam..!! Overall the questions were doable with an expected dosage of "I have no clue" type questions here n there. I might wrong but I felt some images used in the exam were very similar to the ones I came across in UWSA..!! I dint find time as a clinching factor..I had sufficient time at the end of each block to go thru marked questions (except for the first block). I found UW practice very helpful for getting accustomed with multi-line questions..!!
I had at least 1 abstract question per block n they were surprisingly very simple n easy.
Use ur break time well...I just had enough n wished for more break time...!
But the length of the exam did take its toll on me as always...
At the end..I was exhausted n felt hopeless mostly cuz of being tired....


Day 2: After the exhaustion of Day 1 I dint go thru a single ccs case for practice before my day 2. The MCQS on day were thankfully shorter in length n relatively straightforward n easy..!!!

All my CCS cases were straightforward too n I strongly believe UW was more than enough. I wish I was calmer n more focused..committed a lot of silly mistakes. I forgot to exit case n write the diagnosis for the first few cases ..n I totally messed up a case....I am not sure how these mistakes vil effect my score n am extremely worried. But nthng can be done now...just being hopeful n positive helps.

Loadddsss of break time on Day 2...I completed my exam by 2:30...!!! Cases end early if u do all what is necessary / all "except" what is necessary n the time left in the block adds onto break time..
Overall Day 2 was comparatively easy.

For day 1 practice UW MCQS hard n revise MTB well...

Fingers crossed for the results..hope I dint screw up....

Good luck to all...!!!!!

[ArchivalUser]

Congrats for completion of the test. Can you tell me Dr schavali87 how did u divide the break time. thx

[ArchivalUser]

hey dr schavali

I was not able to exit case and not entered diagnosis for some cases, because of lack of time. I am now worried about that.

For me time management was difficult, had missed around 6-8 questions on day 1. And day-2 there was lot of break time.So relax well before ccs. I found uworld was enough for ccs. For mcqs read explanations of uworld well.

Good luck to you.

[ArchivalUser]

Bep111: Break time division is totally a personal call. I figured out its best to take at least two long breaks of 15 mins (eating,restroom) n the rest of the time I took very quick 3 min breaks ( stretching,relaxing etc)


Ecofriendly: same boat .. I dint write the diagnosis for a few cases as well though I managed them ok. No idea what it's impact on score would be..!!!!

[ArchivalUser]

Hey all,

Got my score back today (3rd wed as expected). 9/12 cases ended early for me the problem for the first ~5 cases was I didn't know I had to click exit in order to put in diagnosis, so first 5 went wo me putting in diagnosis. Still passed w above 200, so stay positive guys.

[ArchivalUser]

@studyingnstudying I thought that the diagnoses are not graded in CCS. Are you sure that not putting in diagnosis resulted in a lower score?

[ArchivalUser]

Thanks studyingnstudying for the positive words..!!

Yeah hopetomatchsoon I have read couple of other posts in this forum that said diagnosis is not scored..!!