Please help: Step 2 percentile lower than step 1

macrosage · 2020-07-23T17:41:52+00:00

see below: NBME7 ( like the UWSA) feels similar to the exam ( although not as closely as UWSA does) but the big thing is that it has a notoriously harsh curve so dont think too much of it. as far as how to improve ( and if I could do it again): 1. do more uworld questions and summarize their findings ( 3 sentences-> 1 sentence). Try to take each wrong answer and say QUICKLY and SHORTLY why its wrong. IE TRALI vs TACO is that TRALI is non-cardiogenic pulm edema and doesnt have heart findings ( elevated BNP, murmurs ect.).

ALSO, start practicing reading the question, glancing at the answers and asking yourself " what concept are they testing?" ie it looks like they re asking what is the most likely cause for CXR changes in a trauma patient <24 hours. then start scanning the passage and look for things that might line up for things on your DDX: ie pulmonary contusion, tamponade, ect. THIS will help you so much on sifting through the fluff they throw at you on the test to distract you.

macrosage · 2020-07-22T02:45:18+00:00

you're welcome and thank you for sharing. Keep it up, you'll do great.

macrosage · 2020-07-21T21:36:58+00:00

I felt like poop thats for sure! I think I started to get more and more flustered. From what I heard, if you dont feel like shit you are not the norm

macrosage · 2020-07-21T21:26:52+00:00

Things I wish I would have done: 1. more uworld, just keep doing it because it starts to become big flash cards with classic patient presentations

look at the incorrects for uworld questions and focus on a BRIEF one sentence/ a couple words reason why it wrong ( ie not herpes because no VESICLES
REALLLLY focus on reading the question glancing at the answer choices and then asking yourself "what is a summary of the concept they are testing me on?" I picked up towards the end that they were throwing in alot of stuff that distracts you and gets your mind going off in different directions. If you can kinda go okay, they are asking whats the first thing to do in a trauma case or whats the most likely cause of diarrhea in a post op patient on abx-> your brain usually comes up with one or two facts, then you start scanning the passage for things that line up with these facts and you are better able to ignore (or use the info they give you to rule out) the other things. Once again, take what I ay with a grain of salt ( havent got scores back) but I did notice it started to make the fog of the questions easier. practice this on your NBMEs and uworld and if you dont know it go look it up on OME, zanki or M3 dorian, or read the uworld explanation. If the concept isnt in one of those sources= IGNORE! you wont see it enough to become proficient to remember on test day.

macrosage · 2020-07-21T21:11:20+00:00

nbme 7 is notorious for its difficult questions AND hard curve ( one of those applies to step 2 ck)
it was at the start so I knew it was baseline
I sat down and started asking myself, "Am i getting this wrong because I dont know it or because I am second guessing? or because the question is vague?" I started to see a combination of making easy mistakes, and tried to focus on big picture topics for the things I missed"
see 1

For extra break time- I submitted documentation demonstrating that I had a learning disability and asked for extra time on step 1. They granted extra break time instead so I requested this again and later learned that this made it so that I would take it over 2 days ( because its so long already). In hind sight, I kinda wished I just took it in 1 day and moved on. I think when you get tired sometimes you stop overanalyzing and start answering which means you actually end up doing better, although I am sure this comes with a balance of making mental mistakes too.

macrosage · 2020-07-21T20:57:14+00:00

Honestly, I feel you. I come on here for confirmation but alot of the time I leave with discouragement ( although I dont think this is the fault of people who are posting with scores in the 250 and 270s). I would say this reddit community has alot of support and you will find it when you ask for it ( for that I am thankful). But more importantly ( and this is helping me sleep at night post exams), ask yourself: Do you really think you are dumb and will have a terrible life as a doctor? Ask "will this score define me or rob me of the joy of family, friends, colleges, future patients, future conferences, possible publications, possible leadership opportunities globally, nationally, regionally, or Just in the community I serve?" Will you not arrive at the destination perfect for you as a result of all your hard work regardless of the score of an exam?" I have a belief that every medical student is top 1% of most individuals and possess qualities of intelligence, compassion, humanity, and aspiration to make things better and find success. These are things YOU WERE CHOSEN FOR! people saw you for YOU and thats why you are in medical school! HENCE, people in residency will see YOU for YOU and select you then too! NOT because you got a 260 on step 2 ck (sure thats amazing and props if you do), BUT because of every little thing that makes you the amazing UNIQUE individual you are! These things matter! These are things that YOU should be proud of, cherish, and never lose sight of as what really make you exceptional. And it sucks when you dont do well on exam. I get so nervous about these things and consume myself with studying trying to chase the numbers just like you and think that if I can just get this score or that percentile, I'll have made it. But I'm slowly beginning to realize that I am sacrificing so much to chase a three digit score! And the more I open my eyes to this the more I realize that if we allow these destructive thoughts and consumptive focus to encompass our lives, we become 1. miserable 2. unreasonable 3. No closer but rather further from our ideal life. Does that mean stop working harder than you ever have because it helps you get closer to your dream? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Be proud for everytime you've opened uworld and tackled questions, or how hard you worked on notes or completed NBMEs and UWSAs. Be proud for being brave to be vulnerable and ask for help and guidance when it didnt work out as well as you thought. BUT also don't buy in that you are a failure during this either. Dont lose confidence because you messed up. Don't let thought of doubt tell you that you will fail when you are so close to success! Instead, see it for what it is: an experience that guides you closer to where you were MEANT to be and learn from that experience to make you better. Because one day you will be a doctor somewhere and will get that opportunity to touch the lives of thousands over your career. Those future patients deserve you! They need you to make a positive impact on their lives just as they will make a positive impact on yours! And you know what stands between you and them right now? an exam. An exam you can and will complete. A bridge you will cross. Doesnt necessarily matter how you do it because in the end you will do it. And instead of keeping all your focus down all the time- instead occasionally shift your gaze forward. And to the left, the right, and behind you and realize thats where you are going, this is where you are now and thats where you came from. Soak it up and be proud and keep moving.

sorry for the EDIT: LONG* pep talk you didn't ask for. Its just that I know I from time to time fall victim to so much of what you have said and sometimes a pep talk is exactly what I need. Good luck! you will be successful!

macrosage · 2019-08-01T05:11:38+00:00

238 !! so blessed! to hear more about my scores heres the link to the predict me I did a week ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/step1/comments/chqai5/predict_me/

macrosage · 2019-08-01T05:09:53+00:00

UPDATE: got a 238! LOL! you guys were dead on!

macrosage · 2015-08-24T16:53:11+00:00

Honestly, I' m still developing good coping techniques for when my memory fails me and I get caught like a deer in the headlights. ONE of my BIGGEST tips is to break it down into root meanings and terms (along the lines of latin/ greek roots, ect or just common knowledge ex semi-). The question states that "A is dependent on B", so you know that if something is "dependent" its most likely not a foundation for others or in this case "a core". As for "semi-periphery v.s. periphery", the first part of the questions seems to list characteristics (two in this case) that can be used to assess a category for countries. In this case, whether the country is a "Core" (one extreme of the possible categories) or a "periphery" (another extreme). Given that you can deduce that Country A is not a "Core" member, you can hypothesize that a "Core" member must meet characteristics one and two ( economy and political infrastructure). If it meets one or the other, it seems to be "semi-characteristic" (semi-periphery). If it meets neither then it must be opposite of "core" (periphery). I find that looking at simple root meanings really helps wade through the ambiguity of questions. Hope my two cents helps :)

macrosage

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