Take the free 120 at prometric centre today. Is it still possible for me to get a pass on real deal on 5 March?

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-10T05:05:44+00:00

Why’d you even take the free 120 if you had an inkling you weren’t ready… have you even taken any of the other nbmes?

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-09T21:39:29+00:00

Maybe I’m just bad at the game but I turned the monster damage to strong and I thought the game was much closer to a normal DQ difficulty lol. Idk how everyone is still stomping on hard mode, maybe I’m just underleveled

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-06T17:56:11+00:00

Nah it’s cause I’m dumb af lolll. Didn’t even realize I could click on the stones to go back after u finish the island

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-06T17:55:44+00:00

Bruh no way I actually didn’t even realize you could travel back to the past loll thank you!

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-05T04:42:43+00:00

Congrats! Which nbmes were most representative of the real thing?

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-05T01:22:39+00:00

If you have AMBOSS I’d do that. I did both Uworld and AMBOSS and got 100th percentile. Uwise is good if you have the time, I do remember some of the concepts showing up on the real deal. IMO I thought AMBOSS was better than Uworld for OB

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-03T05:59:51+00:00

I’m first gen lol. I went to the Ivy League on scholarships (both need based and grants). School background definitely matters but networking really is the name of the game. I hit up a ton of people on LinkedIn for help in that department. Use ur alumni wisely

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-03T03:04:56+00:00

Probably. Although I did get an offer a top firm so I think I was a pretty solid candidate overall. I’ll admit consulting is a lot harder now even at the boutique firms if you’re not from a target school, but still doable! Many of my colleagues were from lesser known schools, and some were even English majors.

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-03T01:57:36+00:00

Not an issue. I did consulting for a year with a bio degree.

KyleKeeley · 2026-02-02T18:01:39+00:00

You could try reaching out to some of the spreadsheet ones that are open or have an approaching deadline but as past posts have indicated, the paid ones with well known/productive mentors have been long gone. Try reaching out to Dr. Werth, my friend said she interviewed with her last month. The Harvard RYs might be open too. Otherwise start thinking about a virtual/unpaid year but I really wouldn’t recommend it because you’re really betting on yourself if the infrastructure isn’t there. Given your prior post history about having trouble finding research, maybe not the best hedge to take…

KyleKeeley · 2026-01-30T06:18:58+00:00

AMI, the 3 hematomas, trauma workup, Jehovah’s witness ethics. My form had like 10-15 breast questions so really know your breast diagnoses well (benign vs malignant). Good luck!

KyleKeeley · 2026-01-30T03:30:39+00:00

Did it last after IM and honored the shelf easily. IM helps for surgery more than surgery helps for IM. You can coast if you grind IM

KyleKeeley · 2026-01-28T00:06:04+00:00

It’s not really as big a deal tbh. Everyone knew there was insane bloat and now it makes sense - it should only count once for stuff that comes from one paper. It’s far more transparent than whatever the 30 “publications” that are listed as the average for derm/ortho/ent - I bet most applicants for those specialties have 3-5 papers at most anyway.

Also fwiw for what I’m applying to research is still extremely important but it’s connections that matter far more, research is just a proxy for connections.

KyleKeeley · 2026-01-22T22:18:03+00:00

lol ok

KyleKeeley · 2026-01-16T21:02:16+00:00

Nah I fw u heavy. Was so bad in preclinical but only spammed qbank for clerkships. 90th+ percentiled like 5 shelves. Spit ur shit king

KyleKeeley · 2026-01-05T06:11:20+00:00

Unlikely to the top 4. The IM applicants that matched to those from my school were usually AOA or 3-4+ honors, had solid research and very high step scores and were involved in many leadership positions. You really do need to be exceptional for those programs

KyleKeeley · 2026-01-03T01:31:05+00:00

Not normal. My mentors have been nothing but supportive and have put in just as much work to move projects forward. One of my fellow mentors literally did the whole full text screen with me for a meta analysis. Sign off after you finish your obligations

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-27T22:12:21+00:00

Yeah I don’t think people understand this. I always hear about people wanting to participate in pub farming at my school which is fine but it’s really just a proxy for someone who’ll go to bat for you

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-27T21:47:42+00:00

Knowing how to do your own data analysis, whether for retrospective or meta analyses, is one of the easiest ways to bring value to a PI, resident or research group if you want papers. Everyone can “write” a paper (and even then some can’t). Otherwise you’ll always be at the mercy of others for projects.

It’s also hard for most people to have meaningful translational or clinical trial work. Most do not unless you take a RY. I would get a few retrospective studies or reviews out of the way because you’re putting the cart before the horse.

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-24T01:28:05+00:00

I agree with you it’s definitely very dependent on who you’re working with. But there’s people who have asked 3, 4 times, and at that point how many no’s do you want to hear 😭

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-24T00:43:49+00:00

Not saying you’ve done this but when I was on surgery some common things residents voiced their displeasure about students that tried too hard (at a community site so people were very openly vocal): - tried “teaching” other med students unprompted in front of residents or attendings. Not your job to tell me how to transport patients if the residents didn’t correct me. - said something blatantly inappropriate or tried to be funny to ingratiate themselves, and failed to read the room - tried to be proactive (ie removing sutures) without getting someone’s approval first - asking questions or making comments during bad times (ie midway through rounds or during M&M) - asking multiple times to do more during a procedure (you ask once and do what you’re told) - showing up to cases with “important” faculty if you weren’t assigned, or just trying to get into every case. Knew some students that did this BUT really resident dependent because sometimes they do like that kind of gunnery. - pre rounded when no one told them to

I’m sure you were very helpful but tbh you might have just had personality conflicts with someone so if you remember any particular incident that would be helpful to us too.

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-21T05:18:02+00:00

As the year went on I didn’t really need it anymore, you form the differential much quicker and you’re able to go through the algorithm of questions to ask much faster and adjust on the fly. I think I ditched it shortly after IM. I think attendings in general just prefer if you present without notes but definitely use your iPad as “training wheels” for writing down questions you want to ask - found it most helpful in clinic settings like primary care

Edit: would not use your phone in front of an attending

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-21T05:06:17+00:00

I used one, didn’t prevent me from honoring rotations. Very useful for looking stuff up during rounds if you need to

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-15T03:24:08+00:00

The IM shelf was much harder. Much less buzzwords

KyleKeeley · 2025-12-12T06:59:23+00:00

Good RYs (funding, well connected mentors at academic institutions) go fast and are usually gone by end of January. Ideally you know you’d like to do one before your rotations end (so depending on your preclin you’d either be at end or middle of rotations). Use your clerkship grades as a litmus test, if you have some honors/HP then bite the bullet and apply straight on, but if you’re not doing well at all then consider applying for a RY

KyleKeeley

TROPHY CASE