3TTC
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 2
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Hello,
I know you’re all probably all used to seeing 220+ USMLE Step 1 scores on here on the first attempt, but I write this posting just to show that with Perseverance, Persistence, and belief in God, this exam can be completed successfully.
Exam taken on June 11th: 205/84.
Score reported: July 19th (Oasis trick at 1am online) and Score received in postal mail: July 20th.
NBME Form 4: 410/195 (1wk before)
NBME Form 3: 420/198 (3wks before)
This was my third attempt at taking the test. My first attempt was in early fall of 2006 (162/67). Second attempt was in winter of 2007 (176/71). Being a 25yr old Somalian immigrant that did undergraduate in the U.S. and am now a 3rd year IMS (International Medical Student), I did my first 2 yrs of medical schooling (aka Basic Sciences) in the Caribbean starting back in spring of 2004.
On my first attempt I took the 2006 Kaplan center prep course, watched the DVDs at the center and took detailed notes. Scored a 390/190 on NBME Form 1 (one month before the exam) and was averaging score of 55% Kaplan Q-bank (at the 50% completion point).
Soon after I received my failing score, I was down and depressed. Stopped talking with lot of friends and even cut my cellular line. Then tried studying the same notes on my own and took the test again. Scored a 400/192 on NBME form 4 few days before the exam and felt ready to take it as soon as possible. To tell you the truth; I really wanted to just rush it and be done with it. I wanted to be over with all this so-much-so that in retrospect, I was forcing myself to take this important exam too prematurely and in much haste. Not wanting to take any preparatory courses out there and constantly rationalizing my hurry with cynicisms of how I’ve already spent a lot of loan money to this point on schooling, taking the Kaplan center prep and so-on-and-so-forth on my previous attempt. But, of course the outcome of that attempt was a disappointment once again.
My close friends started showering me with advise and like the great friends they are, offered me sound suggestions that I look into taking a live course, but I opted not to do it. But after this second attempt my family’s worries and concerns about me grew. They called a family meeting and convinced me to go take a live course. I took the course in Urbana, Illinois. It was the Pass program. I know almost everyone has the pirated videos of this course and so did I. The live course though was the ‘turning point’ for me.
The personal coaches and the private tutoring that I had there were very helpful. The structure of the course helped me immensely. They gave us certain charts, tables and other study tools that we had to memorize overnight and then would have us regurgitate these common facts back to a study partner we picked from the course (my roommate). I did this course for 5 weeks. And then went back home to study on my own for a few more weeks until I could bring my NBME score up to above a 410 or 420. The director of the course recommends it’s OK to do the same NBME exams over and over again as long as enough time (few months) had lapsed since your last attempt. He says the NBME exams are the best indicator of your future performance on the USMLE Step exams.
Before people start to accuse me of being a marketing agent for the Pass program, please understand I am not getting a single red penny from them. I write my experience because I figured there are others who are going through the struggles I have gone through this past year. I just want to say to all you guys out there that are thinking about giving up or even worse are doing the exact same study strategy that failed them before: try to do something DIFFERENT from the previous attempts. You must do something that has been working for people who have taken the same exam and succeeded. I remember a history professor who loved saying: “... doing the same exact thing over and over again is the definition of insanity”. I mean obviously it doesn’t have to be the Pass Program, but it has to be something that will help give you that different approach to studying, that structure, and most importantly that well needed confidence to attempt one more time. It could be something as simple as more prayers with more focus and devotion. This by itself can help bring that inner strength Remember, it is not about studying hard, it is about studying smart. I would have been happy with a 185, but I am so thankful that I crossed the 200 mark. I feel rejuvenated and now have the strength and energy to go and tackle life with all my might I might be in debt close to if not more than $250k by the time I am done with my medical school, but I will be a very happy Physician when I get there. I am sure God is going to show me a way of taking care of my financial issues at the appropriate time.
I guess as the saying goes... Third Time's the Charm (hence my nick name, 3TTC). InshaAllah, I Passed. I am very thankful to God and to my very supporting family who have more than helped me through these trails in my life. I am now off to start my clinical rotations soon. If you all have any questions, please, don’t hesitate to post here and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. But, I might be a little busy looking for a place and finishing all the paper work prior to starting my rotation I’m hoping to learn a lot from my clinical rotations and with God’s grace blow through my next exam (Step 2 CK next year). I will start my studying for it once I get settled down in a few weeks.
Take care, good luck and may God bless all of you with passing scores
Sincerely,
3TTC 
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| propanalol
Forum Senior
Topics: 14
Posts: 115
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CONGRATULATIONS!!! we're happy for anyone that passes, no mata wat their scores are......u earned it, well n' proud...
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| abusedpostdoc
Forum Junior
Topics: 11
Posts: 77
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I know so many people who gave up after the first failure, because it really takes much more strength to keep on going. So congratulations for passing with such a good score !!!!!!!!!
I am not familiar with the way the match works, but when you apply - do they know if you have failed? And if so, do the programs care about number of attempts?
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There is no limit to what you can achieve in science as long as you don't care who takes the credit for it.
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| anuba
Forum Elite
Topics: 6
Posts: 448
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Congratulations!!!
What did you do differently to push up your review to reach your goal? It's impossible for me to do the live lecture as I got kids to take care of.
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| kity
Certified.............
Topics: 33
Posts: 1,089
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congratulationss.....
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NO PAIN .. NO GAIN ..
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| LilInjnDatCould
Forum Junior
Topics: 2
Posts: 49
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Way to go, 3TTC!!! I admire people who don't give up!!! I am sure this whole experience has thought you some valuable life lessons that go beyond preparing for the USMLE. Congrats and I am confident you will do really well on your Step 2 exams!! Btw, thank you for sharing your story!
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| GoodGirl
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Topics: 127
Posts: 1,821
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Third Time's the Charm, hat off to you. Thanks for coming forward to tell us your story, to inspire us 1st, 2nd,... times takers, to let us see there is always the way to pass this exam.
CONGRATULATIONS !
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Prioritize & simplify
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| smitmom
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 19
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I've sent u a Private message, please reply! Thank you!
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| unique1
Biochemistry
Topics: 23
Posts: 1,612
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Congratulations and best of luck with your next steps.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
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| realman
Forum Newbie
Topics: 7
Posts: 12
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Congrat/hanbalyo my country man. Great experience keep up the good work inshaAllah you'll become a great doctor in the near future. maxuu yahay emaailkaga? isoo dir si aan ku soo email garayo. send me your email. mahad sanid. Guul inshaAllah.
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| 3TTC
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 2
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Hey Guys,
Thanx for all your comments of support. I know I have been MIA for a while but I have been busy prepping for clinical and finding a place.
About your comments:
hope_2_pass: Age is not a problem any more than a person physical size is. To believe that it may be an issue is to rob yourself of a great opportunity before you b/c it will materialize as an issue. AGE ISN'T AN ISSUE UNLESS YOU LET IT BECOME ONE.
abusedpostdoc: They will get a report detailing the number of attempt, if you had an assistance with your test (they do it for people with documented disability like; more time for ADD/ADHD candidates), and your final score. They don't report your failing scores but they do report the number of attempts. This you should know, so you can brace yourself and prepare answers in advance for those residency interview q's.
anuba: I have been getting PM's about the same q's. What I did different for my 3rd was try to figure out what was missing. And with the help of family and friends I discovered it was one important aspect: Structure. Before this, I was trying to study everything at once and going it the exam blind by not doing enough q's. So, on my third attempt I tackled my structure problem by taking a live course (pass program) and corrected my vision by doing more q's and finally assessing my preparedness with NBME practice exams. This approach may not work for everyone here b/c you've seen it, done it, and bought the T-shirt (I did!). But one thing I ask everyone to try is sit down and write down the things you have tried and figure out things you can do different and that has worked for others before. I mean it, TRY SOME THING DIFFERENT and learn from your mistakes. That’s what I did differently on this last attempt.
Thank you again for all your support and I will pray that you all make it to the Promised Land
3TTC
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| Warrior
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 19
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hello 3TTC,
congratulations and keep up the good work. I'm from Somalia too and I live now in Arizona. what's your email address so that I can contact u inshaAllah.
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| hedieh
Forum Guru
Topics: 47
Posts: 435
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Congrates!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| mytime
Go Marching in!
Topics: 40
Posts: 3,165
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Will it matter when u are a 60 yr old famous doc?! 3rd or 1st u did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!
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| shivneri
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 6
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congrats 3ttc!!!!!! u r giving me some hope...i am sailing in the same boat...i got my step1 score[2nd time] ,and asusual i flunked again....
so u think live lectures did help u...how much it costs???can u pls give me some idea...
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