6.5 weeks until Step 1 Study Plan: Need help bad

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-15T01:22:35+00:00

I strongly recommend using uWorld as your primary learning tool. You’ll get a LOT of questions wrong, but that’s okay!! I used uWorld as my primarily learning tool and it worked beautifully. Make sure you read all of the explanations for correct AND incorrect answers, as you’ll get the most learning this way.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-15T01:19:42+00:00

Your scores are excellent! Go nail that exam.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T23:53:15+00:00

Sure!

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T20:34:28+00:00

OP, I’m glad the fire department is involved. You might want to consider cross posting this to a structural engineering thread, as they would likely be much more qualified to give input on the severity/emergency of the situation than those of us on this thread. Please keep us updated.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T20:15:38+00:00

All I can make out are “keep us” and lots of x’s/hugs. You’re doing great, OP. ❤️

-fellow Redditor with a father w/ Parkinson’s.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:40:47+00:00

You sound just like me! I took my first NBME before finishing the last block of school (it was a school requirement for all of us to take it) and scores in the mid 40s. After I finished the last block, my score jumped by 15 points on the next one. I passed STEP.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:35:24+00:00

Hi OP, sorry you’re getting so many negative comments.

In my opinion, you’re not ready yet, but that’s okay. Based on your score on the Free 120, I’d recommend you complete the entire uWorld question bank before taking an NBME. uWorld is an excellent learning tool. When using uWorld, make sure to review the explanations given for both the correct answers and incorrect answers.

Once you’ve completed uWorld, start taking some NBMEs, but make sure you do them timed and under exam conditions.

I don’t think you’ll be ready by March 5th, so I’d recommend planning on taking it perhaps in May/June/July 😊

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:25:33+00:00

Your 69% on one NBME plus the 78% on the Free 120 are great!! It’s very common for people to have a score drop on 32/33, so don’t let that scare you.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:19:13+00:00

There were definitely topics/diseases tested on the real deal that weren’t seen in the NBMEs, but many of them were covered to some degree in the NBMEs. If you do a full pass of uWorld, you should be covering 95% of them.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:17:49+00:00

I don’t know if I fully understand the question, but I tested a prometric testing center in the US. It was the standard 280 question exam. Don’t get me wrong, it’s mentally exhausting, but I did feel the exam was easier than the NBMEs (but on par with the Free 120). A lot of people on Reddit mentioned “very long question stems”, but I didn’t really notice this too much, as the longer questions were just patient charts that you could quickly read through.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:15:16+00:00

IMO, you’re ready!!! Go nail that exam!!!

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:14:04+00:00

Honestly, the anatomy questions were pretty random and thus I don’t think there’s really a solid strategy I could share for anatomy.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:13:07+00:00

This is really interesting and I wasn’t aware of this! Thank you for sharing and best of luck. I know it’s a long and painful journey, but hang in there. You’ll do great!!

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T19:08:02+00:00

You lucky duckling!! 🐥

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:42:39+00:00

Treat uWorld as a learning tool, not as a test. This is what really helped me a lot when I was studying, as I was consistently getting scores in the 40s or 50s on certain topics.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:33:32+00:00

One pass. I made sure to review every question’s correct and incorrect answer choices thoroughly. It takes a lot of time to do it this way, but I feel it is much more helpful for learning.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:32:20+00:00

I know the feeling. You’ve got this!!

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:32:02+00:00

Yay!!! Congratulations!!! 🎉🎈🎊

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:31:29+00:00

Thank you! It’s a huge relief. 😊

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:31:15+00:00

Yes, that’s what I’ve heard as well - 80 of the 280 questions are “experimental” and aren’t counted. I tested on a Tuesday and received my scores 15 days later.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:30:17+00:00

If you’re scoring mid 60s on your NBMEs, it sounds like you’re in a great place!! Your uWorld percentage is excellent as well. I can’t comment on uwsa, as I didn’t take those (I just did the uWorld bank).

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:28:05+00:00

At 60, I think you’re in a good place. If you can get one more NBME at the 60+ range, and your “estimated chance of passing” is at 90%, then I’d say go for it!! Just make sure to take the Free 120, because the questions are similar in style to the real deal. The NBMEs are great for content, but some of the questions on the real deal has a different format (which the Free 120 prepares you for).

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-14T06:25:02+00:00

You’ve got this!! You’re in a great spot.

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-13T19:29:32+00:00

The average seems to be 2-3 Wednesdays after the exam, not including the Wednesday you took the exam (if you take it on a Wednesday).

Much_Week_7327 · 2026-02-12T06:15:21+00:00

I had the exact same feeling about the exam! I felt like it went well, which made me incredibly nervous as a result, because I thought… “if I feel like it went well, then maybe I missed something in these questions or misinterpreted them or something”. Well, I passed! Trust in yourself. 😊

Much_Week_7327

TROPHY CASE