obgyne2b
Forum Junior
Topics: 1
Posts: 56
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Well, I haven't written the exam yet, plan to do so this summer. But from what I have heard and read from people that took the test since last fall 2006, the test questions seem to be moving away from being straightforward questions that test what most of us learn during the first 2 years of medical school towards being more detailed and obscure.
We used to complain that our first year exams were too nit-picky and not boards relevant...now it looks like the opposite is true.
My school has people that took the Step 1 4-6 years ago leading our reviews. So they are giving us the high yield stuff from their rather outdated experiences with a more straightforward Step 1 with lots of buzzwords, concept clues, etc. and now they want us all to use Kaplan Qbank. They won't listen when we try to tell them that KQbank is not good prep anymore, and that this "new breed" of Step 1 requires the level of detail that we were exposed to in our regular course lectures, textbooks, etc. It's making me sooo frustrated. I bought UW and stopped going to the reviews.
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| tee40
Forum Senior
Topics: 5
Posts: 116
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Yes, I am so glad you shared that. Because my good friend is doing Nuerosurgery at Harvard and he scored 99 on his boards and gave me his notes. He told me to give him a break the buzz words are you still there you just have to recognize it, while laughing at me. Well he did boards in 2000. He has 4 years of a 7 year residencey under his belt. I just accepted his materials and went out and bought or downloaded from the forum the other items I am using. so believe me I am so thankful for the people that share their experiences, especially as my own boards near.
But, I can't help but wonder if the NBME have been adjusted accordingly, as I will be taking the #3 next week, before my exam on the 30th.
Again, thanks for sharing as now I don't feel as bad thinking that his notes and books were of little use to me.
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| obgyne2b
Forum Junior
Topics: 1
Posts: 56
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I think your friend may be right--the "buzzwords" are still there, but they are probably more like "buzzconcepts"...rather than having "histological sections displayed Reed-Sternberg cells" in the question which screams out "Hodgkin's Lymphoma!", we will see something like "histological section displayed binucleate CD30+ cells of B-cell origin that were characterized with abundant cytoplasm". I have heard this from people that have taken the test this year. If I saw "RS cells" I probably wouldn't even bother reading the whole question and go straight to the answer. Which would be a great time-saver. I think the newer step 1 requires more careful reading, and will cause testers to take much more time on the test, at the peril of running out of time!!!
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| tee40
Forum Senior
Topics: 5
Posts: 116
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yes, that sounds about what he may have trying to say to me, thanks for the response and explanation, and good luck
I am do for the exam on the 30th and going crazy with fear, anxiety and anticipation all while wishing this could be over with, but only with good results, lol.
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