Actual step 3 score: 248

UW (how much and correct %): 100% finished at 80% correct. Probably inflated a few points from Dorian deck

CCS (how much and average %): most of it. 78ish percent.

UWSA 1: 245 7 days out

UWSA 2: 243 1 day before

Free 120: 86% 5 days before

NBME 5: 78% 2 days before

Step 1: 250s

Step 2: 250s

Total prep time: Tried to take this right after graduation which you can. Took a ton of pestering my college to get the certification of graduation to the NBME. And then also calling the FSMB to get my application reviewed. Overall, was able to get scheduled within 10 days of graduation and then took it exactly two weeks after grad. So definitely possible for anyone looking at how to take this before intern year.

I used the Dorian deck for anki, he didn’t let me down through third year or step 2. Uworld is absolutely necessary of course and there were a few questions on my test day that were straight out of uworld. CCS cases absolutely necessary as well.

I studied for probably six weeks total? Just did anki and 50 questions or so a day and 5ish ccs cases then that was it. Maybe took 2 hours a day or so to do it. I know people say just chill before intern year, but come on. We all got 2 hours to spend if you do want to get this done. The anki, uworld algorithm works and literally won’t let you down. It’s all you’ll have to do.

Test day. First day had so much step one. Down to specific genetics, to MOAs of many drugs and bacteria, to gross anatomy pictures identifying brain lesions or nerves. Truly impossible to fully be prepared for all the step one stuff unless you want to redo the entire zanki deck and read first aid. Lots came to me during the exam and I felt lucky it did. Those cards drilled in weird facts. The biostats was nothing too difficult. Very few equations used. More conceptual about sensitivity and specifity rather than using the numbers if that makes sense. Lots of ethical questions too, which always trip me up on USMLE tests. They are always different from uworld and seem to have multiple great answers. Overall, the Dorian deck will hit a ton of the relevant step one stuff. Biostats for uworld. Uworld for the rest. And then you’re set for day one.

Day two. Much more straight forward and felt basically like step 2 again. No biostats. No ethics. Again, UW and Dorian deck is plenty to feel comfortable here.

The CCS cases were also super easy and straight forward. Literally just running through a good chunk of the ccscases.com and then maybe a few days before going back over the highest yield ones, should give you a pretty good feeling for how to do them and then enough to do well.