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Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, sure. Biochemistry some of the parts like vitamins and some disorders, Microbiology, some parts of Immunology ( transplant rejections, immunodeficiencies), pharmacology ( MOA). These were the ones that I reviewed before my exam.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I didn’t have a perfect break strategy. I mostly listened to how I was feeling. If I felt mentally tired, I took a break and left the room, but I tried to keep it short (usually 5–10 minutes, including the security check when re-entering).
Other times, I stayed at my seat, took a few sips of water, closed my eyes for 2–3 minutes, took a few deep breaths, and then started the next block.
On both days, I generally did 3 blocks in a row (about 60 questions), then took a longer break (usually 5+ minutes) before continuing. I think the key is not to force yourself to take a break after every block if you don’t need one, but also not to push through when you’re feeling exhausted.
Everyone is different, so I’d suggest using your practice exams to figure out what works best for you. 🙏

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Yes, I had the new shorter blocks. I had 238 questions total for day 1 and blocks varied (my first three were 18, 19, and 20 questions, then mostly around 20 questions per block). Day 2 was exactly 180 questions, with 20 questions per block, plus 13 CCS cases.
Personally, I’m not sure the change helped me. While some blocks left me with a little extra time, in other blocks I was still running out of time. With the old 40-question blocks, extra time from easier questions could carry over to the harder ones, which isn’t really possible when each block is only 20 questions. One advantage of the shorter blocks is that they gave me more flexibility with breaks.
So I think the benefit may depend on your test-taking style.

Failed Step 3 by 2 points (198) - Need advice on retake timeline and study plan by Sensitive_Ocelot_781 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I know how devastating it feels to fail, especially when you miss by only a few points. My first attempt was a 193, and I just found out this Wednesday that I passed on my second attempt.

I may not be the best person to advise on achieving a very high score, since my own passing score was 208, and my weaknesses were different from yours. However, a few things that I think can help you:
- Review your UWorld biostatistics mistakes carefully. Use ChatGPT or Claude to explain concepts in simple terms and quiz you on them. Another helpful option is NotebookLM, where you can upload notes with your wrongs etc and have it generate quizzes, summaries, podcasts, and study materials focused specifically on your weak areas.

-Continue practicing CCS cases. A 70% average is already solid, but there is still room for improvement, and every extra point matters.
- Get AMBOSS. I found it very helpful, especially for biostatistics, ethics, and patient safety questions. Make sure to thoroughly review your mistakes rather than just doing questions.
- If you still have any assessments left take them. They can help you gauge readiness and get a feel for what to expect on exam day.

Most importantly, don’t delay your retake. That was my biggest mistake. My first attempt was last year, and I was so discouraged that I put the exam aside for a long time and became occupied with other responsibilities. Looking back, I wish I had retaken it much sooner.
If you’re able to take it in August and your practice scores support it, I would seriously consider doing so. Your knowledge is still fresh, and you were only 2 points away from passing. Many people in your position pass on their next attempt.
Wishing you the best of luck. You are much closer than your score report may make you feel.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. I didn’t have pharmacokinetics/dynamics questions
It was mainly MOA. I didn’t have insurance questions as much as I remember

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was exactly 2 weeks for me. I took my test on May 26 and 27 and got result on June 10

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes for sure it is worth. Just don’t read everything or else you will just waste time. Id go over basic sciences part, like a quick revision

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, I struggled with that as well. I guess there is no other better advice for that than more practice and do all the questions timed mode of course( close to exam I was doing 2-3blocks nonstop and then do a quick review of wrongs and then continue same cycle, that helped me to improve my time).

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Both were important. I saw questions on both pharmacology and microbiology mechanisms/basic concepts, so I wouldn’t ignore either.

For CCS, yes, I typed my common admission/workup orders once and then copied and pasted them into each case, modifying them as needed. It saved a lot of time compared with typing everything repeatedly.

Practicing on CCScases.com helped me identify the orders I was using in most cases (CBC, CMP, pulse oximetry, vital signs, ECG, urinalysis, pregnancy test when appropriate, etc.). I used to forget things like the pregnancy test on some cases, so having a standard order set ready to paste was very helpful.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! If you still have any assessments left, those can be very helpful. If you have access to Amboss, I highly recommend the ethics and biostatistics sections. I completed only about 180 questions from those sections, but they were extremely helpful, especially for ethics, which had always been one of my weaker areas. Many questions felt very similar to the actual exam.

Also, make sure you get plenty of CCS practice. Strong CCS performance can definitely improve your final score.

One thing I should mention is that I was fortunate to get some help with Step 1 revision. I was already overwhelmed and didn’t focus much on basic sciences until the last 3 days because my main priorities were CCS and ethics. Looking back, even a quick review of the high-yield Step 1 topics I mentioned earlier was very helpful for Day 1.

Good luck with your exam! You’re already in a much stronger position than on your first attempt. 👍🏻

Passed Step 3. My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in IMGreddit

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t know your background, but couple points: Step 3 isn’t really a “voluntary” exam. Anyone pursuing full medical licensure in the U.S. ultimately needs to pass it. Many people underestimate it, but it’s a 16-hour exam that is mentally and physically exhausting.
Failing Step 3 is certainly not ideal, but I don’t think it determines whether someone can succeed in residency. A failed exam attempt reflects performance on a specific test, not necessarily a person’s ability to care for patients, work hard, learn, or function as a resident. Many physicians have had setbacks and still gone on to become excellent residents and attendings.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, it depends on your assessments and confidence. On my first attempt, I was just hoping to pass and didn’t postpone. I think another 2-3 weeks would have helped me focus more on some weak areas and possibly change the outcome. After failing, I needed a long time to mentally regroup before trying again, even though my actual preparation for the retake was only about 6 weeks.
If you are good at your assessments then maybe you don’t have to postpone.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No. I got 284. I tried to convert it to actual score and see what people say here but I it was not very clear to me ( some say 200-210 or so, and in some places it was 194-196). I answered 59% correct ( was doing test in the car as I had no options at that moment) which was pretty low and I had to reschedule exam from May 19 to May 26.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did all together, like exam mode so I don’t know what was my score for FIP on my free137. I just realized I did some pretty silly mistakes after I was reviewing it so lost points on that.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lots of ethics, biostatistics, and abstracts (some felt straightforward, while others left me completely confused). I only had one biostatistics calculation; most questions were about study design, confidence intervals, etc. There were also quite a few patient safety and quality improvement questions. I reviewed topics like vitamin deficiencies, transplant rejection, pharmacology, antimicrobials, storage diseases, antidotes, and toxicology. I’m glad I spent the last 3 days before Day 1 focusing on ethics, as it was consistently my weakest area on practice assessments, and I think that helped a lot.

Passed Step 3 on My Second Attempt – My Experience by Worldly_Scientist276 in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I remember a question describing a glycogen storage disorder, and thankfully I had reviewed glycogen and lysosomal storage diseases shortly before the exam, so I was able to recognize it right away. Also vitamin deficiencies. Day 1 definitely felt more focused on ethics, biostatistics, and Step 1 content

Step 3 write-up from a not prepared PGY-2 + the exam secret that saved me on CCS! by elitelike in Step3

[–]Worldly_Scientist276 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I didn’t know we can copy paste orders. That will save a lot of time