wils
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Hi!
Just a word on the forum for all international usmle test takers. I'm a fifth (out of six) year med student from Switzerland and past my step 1 last month. Here are a few things i hope will help international test takers for their preparation and test taking.
First, in preparing the exam, i found it was hard to find and gather the right books to start studying in.
Advice: Buy the First Aid for USMLE Step1 off Amazone, and check out the recommended books at the end of the book. Most of the books suggested by the first aid are really good and intelligible. I started out with Pathology (schneider); Clinical microbiology made ridiculously simple; pharmacology (lippincott); physiology (Costanzo); biochemistry (Lippincott). all are available on Amazone. I also ordered the kaplan MCQ book a little later on.
I realized that the kind of question asked on the USMLE wasn't exactly like those i was used to. Longer, often non-ambiguous, and of very different depth from one to another.
Advice: Work in the Kaplan MCQ book. It's excellent! Read attentively the answers and learn not only how to approach the question, but learn from your answers as well.
I worked for 6 weeks straight in total for the exam. I had really good basis from my first four years in Switzerland. Yet again, there was quite a few new things i had to assimilate and others to refresh.
Advice: Give importance to every subject, concept and ideally every little detail from the books mentionned above. Make sure you don't just assume you know, read the subject again and know it even better. Sometimes it seems the american approach to the material is somewhat different, learn their way of doing things. It helps answering right on the exam. Anyway, i felt that 6 weeks was enough to get around the material. However an extra-week would of been nice.
The exam itself went fine. I followed the advice on test taking from Kaplan in regard to breaks and stuff... It was quite long, but definitely do-able. I walked out of the testing center, and had no idea of how well i did (as everybody, i guess). The first beer in 6 weeks tastes awsome by the way.
Advice: Your best friend that day will be your concentration. 8 hours is really long, and questions you do not answer right because you read them wrong or were inattentif all add up in your score. Believe in yourself, you are just as capable of passing the exam as any US taker. Strong english skills obviously help.
I got my score about 4 weeks after the test and got 233/94. I guess it's above average as from what i was told. Anyway, i'm glad it worked and will start looking forward to step 2.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate i'll be glad to answer them as best i can. Good luck to all futur international (and US) test takers
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| Shakeels
Forum Guru
Topics: 27
Posts: 468
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hi,
its good to hear your score here, jus let us know that, what did you score in nbme, or any other questions.
Thank you.
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| klimt
Forum Guru
Topics: 27
Posts: 605
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Congratulations Wils! Did u take any NBME?
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| mediocre
Forum Elite
Topics: 37
Posts: 229
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congrats,which subj. did u find toughest?
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| vanshita
Forum Guru
Topics: 25
Posts: 861
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Congratulation
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| wils
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Well... The answer isn't that simple. As an international student, the exams and results are given out by the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) and not the NBME. Only once i get my "Federal Medical Diploma" in Switzerland will my scores be recognized by the NBME. Which means that once i'll be a swiss graduate, and have past the step 1 and 2 with the ECFMG, only then will i be accredited by the NBME and will be able to apply for a residency in the States...
Hope i answered your question.
All the best.
wils
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| Shakeels
Forum Guru
Topics: 27
Posts: 468
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nbme is the practice exam which we buy from nbme.org and access our self, its of $45. So my question is, did you take ever any nbme self accesment exam for your self or not.
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| wils
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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shakeels,
Yeah, sorry for the digression... I had never heard of that NBME practice exam. I mostly practiced in the Kaplan, and did the few MCQ's from the orientation materials CD they send out with the orange bulletin. In average i would score anywere between 75 and 85% depending on the subject.
Hope this time might have answered your question.
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| wils
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 4
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Oh and mediocre,
The worst for me was behavioral sciences (don't laugh) and it was my worst grade on the exam too. I am severily retarded when it comes to that kind of stuff. I must however admit that i didn't prepare that "subject" much before the exam.
ok time to go have a beer 
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| Shakeels
Forum Guru
Topics: 27
Posts: 468
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all right I got it, I was wondering the same thing if you know about nbme or not. thank you.
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| sonaliraj99
Forum Senior
Topics: 39
Posts: 132
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congrats... 'm also an m3 (of 6yrs) indian student.. got my score really late(yesterday).. 92/228.. its really great to find dat i was nt alone in takin d step1 while in coll.. gud luc for ur step2... do post on d score thread...n do mention dat u were a student wen u gave it.. it really boosts people's morale... gl
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