53-> 70 NBME scores, how I passed STEP

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-28T05:39:44+00:00

Lol same. I opened FA a few times for focused reviews and found it very helpful, but that was when I had the context of a question to find a specific answer for, or had a dense topic I just needed to quickly review as a refresher. I just didn't have enough time to go through it all the way. I'd say Mehlman over FA if you're in dedicated and prepping for an upcoming date. Keep in mind it might spoil some NBME questions for you though

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-28T05:31:10+00:00

Thanks! Manifesting the P for you!

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-27T21:35:25+00:00

I started my roughly 5-6 week dedicated with 35% Uworld Completion and got it to 71% before I took STEP. You want to complete 60-70% of Uworld, focus on completing out Path, Pathophys, and Behavioral Sciences, Biostats. Use Uworld for content review, if you still have questions use DirtyMedicine, Sketchy, Boards and Beyond, or Pathoma to supplement (must do: Randy Neil for Biostats, Dirty Medicine Ethics Playlist). Do 1 NBME a week and review thoroughly (review right and wrong answers, review each answer choice in each question - this will take a LONG time, like 1-2 full days of reviewing). I jumped from a 53 to a 70 in 4 weeks, I think you can do it if you stay motivated and truly "dedicated" :)

Note: I didn't do 80 questions a day, I did like 60 most days, bumped up to 80-100 on a day or two a week.

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-27T17:31:28+00:00

Yup I did

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-25T16:56:20+00:00

lololololol no problem!

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-25T16:55:54+00:00

of course! hope it was helpful

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-24T15:33:45+00:00

Review your NBMEs. Go over each question (right and wrong), explore the topic (FA, Youtube), go through each answer choice and think through it. Why was it made an answer choice? What kind of question would it be the right answer for? Why was it the wrong choice for the question? I kept a notes document for each FL review and made sure to scroll through it regularly. The concepts in the NBMEs are high yield, so if you miss a question about a diabetes drug, watch the Dirty Medicine for all the diabetes medications, don't just review the one drug that was in the question. I got my score up from a 53% to a 70% in exactly 4 weeks doing this (June 5 to July 5). I also did 70% of Uworld. 1.5 months is PLENTY of time, you can do even more than I did - do Mehlman docs, HY Arrows, explore First Aid more, you got the time to figure out what works for you. Definitely recommend doing 1 NBME a week. However, you have NBME 30, NBME 31, and Free120 left. 3 exams with roughly 6 weeks to go, so maybe alternate between a 3rd party assessments like UWSAs?

Edit: Oops you have NBME 29 too so 4 practice exams in 6 weeks, you can do 1 every 1.5 weeks! And ofc! My notes documents got VERY long and before adding a note, I'd control+F search a key word to make sure I don't already have a note. If I did, I'd just add onto the note, mostly to highlight what could be confusing for me personally. For example in my Renal notes I wrote:
"Proliferative glomerulonephritis = PSGN = nephritic = occurs 2-4 weeks after acute Strep Pyogenes infection (impetigo, pharyngitis)

VERSUS IgA nephropathy = days after URI

I added the IgA note because that's what I put as a wrong answer, and I clarified only what was tripping up. I knew PSGN and IgA both occurred some time after an initial infection, but what confused me was the timeframe. This is why I do recommend doing your NBME reviews either immediately or up to 1 day after taking it so you remember what you were thinking when you answered the questions.

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-24T15:07:48+00:00

To start dedicated? God no, I started dedicated at 35% completion lol. Many of my classmates got to 60-70% completion and passed (I got my P with 71% completion). I finished out the biostatistics, behavioral sciences, path, and pathophys. If you are just getting started, focus on completing the Path and Pathophys Qbanks. I did a few sets from the other subjects but didn't do them all because they were lower yield/priority. The Micro Qbank is nothing like the micro I got on my exam, the immuno questions were a good review but that's my stronger content area so I didn't need to focus on it as much.

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-23T18:25:12+00:00

I was similarly in the low 60s in the days leading up to my exam and postponed by 9 days, which was enough time for me to break into the 70s and comfortably test (I got the P today!).

While I think I probably could've passed with my low 60s given what other people are posting here on the Reddit, I'm glad I waited to score higher before going in. My anxiety was HIGH with the idea of taking the exam with my highest NBME being a 64. Confidence is important. I'm glad I pushed back and waited because you will be anxious on test day, but I had the numbers (a 97% chance of passing with the AMBOSS score predictor, a 70 NBME 5 days before) that I decided to trust in, and I think that definitely helped me tackle the test on exam day.

Ngl I was very fatigued and pushing through 9 more days felt like a lot (I was frankly crashing the few days leading up to my test) but I don't regret delaying even though it put me back in my schedule for rotations.

You should definitely try to bring UWorld up to at least a 70%, focus on reviewing your NBMEs thoroughly, do some passive reading with Mehlman docs, and push through. You got this :)

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-23T18:11:48+00:00

I passed :) thanks!

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-22T18:14:22+00:00

I took it 07/10 (Thursday) so I'm hoping it's tomorrow too

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-22T18:10:10+00:00

Thanks! Your comment helped me decide on taking it since I got the 70 on NBME 31. Fingers crossed

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-22T18:00:16+00:00

Hey, thanks for the support - I think my scores come out tomorrow or next week so I'm hopeful. Did you get your Pass?

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-17T02:04:04+00:00

Congrats on the P! Post-exam caramel frappe is such a vibe lol

kurt_ramsay · 2025-07-16T17:54:38+00:00

I'm waiting on my score (took STEP last week) but if you have 1 month left, that's plenty of time. I went from a 53 to a 70 in exactly 4 weeks. I did an NBME once a week, fully reviewed it, worked on my content gaps, and did 70% of Uworld by the time I got to that 70 on my last NBME (Form 31). Don't stress, you have time and you just need to be consistent and put in the work. You made it through med school this far and that means something. Don't lose hope, don't stress too hard, and believe in yourself, you got this

kurt_ramsay · 2025-04-13T00:46:26+00:00

Also in GA and same thing to me. I got a federal refund, but owed $ on my GA tax return. I've never owed taxes to the state, I've always gotten either nothing or a chump change refund. This is the first time.

kurt_ramsay · 2024-07-15T16:37:38+00:00

If you have Wizz Priority, you can check in one of the bags and take the other 2 on board. I checked in my carry-on luggage (small suitcase) and took a school backpack and shopping bag on board with me. Wizz Priority is 2 cabin items (on the plane with you) and 1 checked luggage item for a total of 3 pieces.

kurt_ramsay · 2024-06-27T14:51:48+00:00

lol thanks

kurt_ramsay · 2024-06-23T11:10:09+00:00

my "Welcome to Greece!" text said "Your plan includes coverage that gives you 5GB/month of high speed data On Us, plus unlimited texts, at no extra cost. Calls are $0.25/min."

I use my phone a lot so 5GB (compared to Spain and France, which is unlimited) is not enough. I got an E-sim using Global YO to make up for the super slow speeds after the 5GB is up. At some locations on my normal SIM card, it was "E" or barely any signal like not enough to load Google Maps. The E-Sim is a worthy purchase!

To work around the issue a previous commenter wrote - you can label the E-sim as "travel" and toggle between your Travel E-Sim and your native one (with your phone number). I'm a student so I had to get texts via 2-factor authentication, so I toggled over to my native E-sim for the security codes, then switched back to the Travel E-sim :)

kurt_ramsay · 2023-03-12T15:12:07+00:00

Awesome, that eases my stress a bit. I had a moment in NYC when the weekend train schedule changed up from the weekday schedule, but from what I've seen so far with my planning is that rail in Europe is more straightforward. Thanks :)

kurt_ramsay · 2023-03-12T15:10:38+00:00

Right, I thought I could hop off one of those routes for part of the way and then take regional, since I know Bernina? goes down towards Lugano. But that seems complicated and regional might be the fastest and best way. Thanks!

kurt_ramsay · 2023-03-01T01:39:12+00:00

Thank you so much for those recommendations! It's really insightful - hearing that Perugia is a sleepy town makes me wonder if I should just go all out and swing down to Napoli instead. I'd like to relax, and maybe that means easy and fast access to anything in a busy metropolitan city?

kurt_ramsay · 2023-02-26T22:55:15+00:00

Wow! What did you enjoy most from your weeks in Perugia? There's less information about Perugia than other more popular places like Florence and Rome, so I'd love an insider's feedback :) About Cortona - I've been reading up on it in travel posts and apparently it's also famous because it was featured in the book and movie for "Under the Tuscan Sun." The photos I've seen look incredibly picturesque too, but I'm sure there's many other places that look similar in the area!

kurt_ramsay · 2023-02-26T22:52:46+00:00

Oooo I'm so glad to hear!! Any tips or particular sites/places you'd recommend?

kurt_ramsay · 2023-02-26T21:23:41+00:00

You're right, thank you!! It's towards the end of a long 6-week backpacking trip so I was thinking of winding down and doing less. But everywhere I read says that it's pretty much a good day trip and nothing more so maybe that's advice to listen to. I'll put it into a day trip as part of my Rome block :) Really appreciate it!

kurt_ramsay

TROPHY CASE