redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
Hi everyone
I have been a regular reader of this forum. Today was one of the worst days of my life, my step 1 and step 2 scores are 93 and 91. I took 2-3 weeks to prepare for step 3. I feel terrible that I failed step3. I got 73. After taking the exam I felt that I will pass. Honestly I don't know what went wrong. I'm starting to study again and want to be done by march. I need H1 visa for residency. and I have interviewed at 10 places. I don't want to send the score report to my programs, so that I get a better ranking during match.
I HAD NOT OPTED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF SCORES while filling ERAS application. But Before ranking most programs ask for step 3 score, I will retake exam in march, so What shall I do, shall I reveal that I failed the Step 3 exam? shall I not reveal??? any suggestions.
Now I don't know from where to start. Man I have never ever had such a bad result in life, I mean never failed an exam. Anyways, Bad things do happen. Wish me luck for second time.
Edited by redddd on 03/10/08 - 02:53 PM
|
| decide
Forum Senior
Topics: 7
Posts: 133
|
Hi Redd! It feels bad to fail an exam but the gud part is attempt on step 3 doesnt make much difference. U gave the exam while travelling for ivs. Study again and give the exam. I wont probably transmit my score in ur place. The programs which asked for score need a passing score, so transmitting the score wont help. If u dont transmit u may get the benefit of doubt dt u probably passed or r yet to take the exam...Gud luck!
|
| nadiabarati
|
I'm sorry to hear so. But I just wonder if you don't know what went wrong, so how you are gonna correct it to pass next time. I believe it's not a good sign that you ahve no idea what went wrong!! Don't rush to take exam before realizing your defects.
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
nadiabarati wrote:
I'm sorry to hear so. But I just wonder if you don't know what went wrong, so how you are gonna correct it to pass next time. I believe it's not a good sign that you ahve no idea what went wrong!! Don't rush to take exam before realizing your defects.
I don't know what to say!
MY score report shows lowest in CCS and lower to borderline in rest of sections. and higher in Diagnosis/prognosis and pediatrics.... While I was doing CCS cases, 2 ended before time and rest didnt end before time was up. All the cases I did had shown improvement in patients, but My guess is I took a long time in the initial steps for CCS cases.... thats my guess....
Oh God I am so sad that I will have to go through this again. But its ok!! I will work for it...
|
| prueba
Forum Guru
Topics: 56
Posts: 695
|
Sorry to hear that, did you try usmlesteps123.com ? I think it helped me a lot for the CCS cases..
I honestly don't know what to say about transmitting or not....I probably wouldn't.
Go to the match and schedule the test one or 2 days after the match....if you do not match I would reschedule and take it after month to try to get the highest score possible... because I believe program's deadline to submit their rankings is on Feb 27 and they won't have your result if you don't take it soon...
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
prueba wrote:
Sorry to hear that, did you try usmlesteps123.com ? I think it helped me a lot for the CCS cases..
I honestly don't know what to say about transmitting or not....I probably wouldn't.
Go to the match and schedule the test one or 2 days after the match....if you do not match I would reschedule and take it after month to try to get the highest score possible... because I believe program's deadline to submit their rankings is on Feb 27 and they won't have your result if you don't take it soon...
preuba, I used UW MCQS(scored 60% avg) and UW CCS cases. No I didnt use usmlesteps123.com, but If you recommend I will.
Oh! God give me Power to do this again.
|
| PGI2alpha
Forum Elite
Topics: 7
Posts: 446
|
all the best reddd...God gives these hardships only to those who he feels can handle them...be strong...dont give up hope...the good part is tht it is step 3 attempt...which doesnt really matter.had it bn steps 1 or 2..it would hv bn a lot worse...so gear up for this challenge...and we ll all pray to God to give u the strength...tk care
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
God, You people are so goood! Thank you PGI2alpha for you words. I will not send my step 3 score to programs for now and will take the exam after another 6 weeks preparation. God bless u all
|
| Hypercube
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 20
|
dear redddd
first, thank you for sharing yor experience even when its not a good one. dont feel worried and now you will be better for the next attemp. You will not fail it again, thats for sure.
I would not take it soon, you have good scores and programs will give you the benefit of doubt. Dont send it neither, good option that you put the manual transmission of scores.
And your scores in UW are not bad neither, CCS is just 20% of the total score.
I would take the NBME practice exam 4 weeks before the scheduled date to see if they can give a better feedback
|
| uphill
Forum Senior
Topics: 14
Posts: 94
|
hey redd! take a day off. think about what went wrong in prep but also on the day of exam. ur UW score is really good.
was it the time u took to complete the blocks?or were u tired travelling for ivs ?CCS steps?
study ur report carefully.and plan accordingly.uve got ur step scores in 90s .this is a blip which ur sure to overcome next time. keep ur morale high.10 interviews is a great no.u have every chance this year.
good luck .
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
here is my analysis
Prep time: 3 weeks
Prep material: Crush, Kaplan step 2 notes for Med, peds, OBGYN, UW Mcqs(scored 60% on avg, range:48%-80%) UW CCS cases
What went wrong?:
1.Insufficient time
2.Should have taken NBME test before exam.
3.CCS cases time management wasn't goood.
How to improve this time:
1. CCS practice on CD with time management
2. Kaplan Q bank, Q book completion
3. NBME tests before real exam
4. USMLEstep123.com( Iam not sure how it is, but I am ready to do it, cant afford to fail again)
5. First Aid and Crush both
Uphill, hypercube, preuba, nadiabarati, PGI2alpha and decide ...what do you say, how else can I improve.
|
| Hypercube
Forum Newbie
Topics: 3
Posts: 20
|
hi redddd
ur plan seems really good to me. i cant say how much u can improve coz I am in the same position. I havent take my exam yet.
I feel identified with u in the aspect of management. Everybody says that its management based and in my case, I scored high in CK coz of diagnosis, and management was a weakness. Step 1 for me was easier than CK.
I would take it easy. go ahead with ur plan and now take NBME, the most reliable source we have until now for feedback.
Can u explain deeper what are ur impressions about time management of CCS? I think that when u do all what are u expected to do, it ends soon. If it dont ends, they are waiting for the "magic word" to make it end.
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
Hi Heypercube. So we are quite similar, I think Step 1 was much easier, step 2 was just not that bad and I am better at diagnosis so I scored avg i.e. 91. but Step 3 is much more than diagnosis. so I will not do the mistake of underestimating it again. Regarding Time management in CCS, I meant that I was not advancing the clock, for eg, I got a patient with Upper Gi bleed so I did all the initial steps of managing Vitals, iv access, saline, Nasogastric tube lavage, H & H, Blood transfusion, but the case ended(time was up) when I just transferred the patient to wards after initial stabilization. May be I should have advanced the clock faster. In my case only 2 cases ended before time. But Surprisingly patient improved each time and I thought I am doing right....
Edited by redddd on 01/16/08 - 04:09 PM
|
| whiterabbit
|
Live to fight another day my friend
......before you go into battle..........take NBME......if you get a low score.........back out and prep more.
It saved my sorry ass.........I got a bad score in NBME.....and I prepd more and gave the exam later........Passed at first shot........if I had given it the first time....I am sure that I would have been meat on a stick. 
Good luck mate and let everyone know when you pass
WR
|
| whiterabbit
|
Oh apart from what ever prep material you choose...do the ccs cases from USMLEstep123.com.........its not perfect.......but it will definitely help for ccs.
|
| uphill
Forum Senior
Topics: 14
Posts: 94
|
did u do UW in timed mode?
try practising Q with clock ticking away.i found myself struggling to finish blocks in the real exam even when I could finish ahead of time at home.
CCS- type the cases in UW onto ur usmle Cd,just to practise putting in orders.
concentrate on primary care stuff-screening,vaccinations, rashes,lipid ,BP, and diabetes control...
i did not do NBME/123 ,so cant comment on that.
i did medicine first from CK notes,as the other subjects became easier to read after that.and it also helped with the CCS.
then rest from crush.
good luck!
|
| prueba
Forum Guru
Topics: 56
Posts: 695
|
this usmlesteps123 just helped me to be more methodical in my approach on the first steps in management, which I believe let me be more confident during the test, and think more about the case I had in front of me.... remember you control the time... you have now a test result which better than an NBME plan according to it, you could also take an NBME to practice and confirm where are your weaknesses. besides this new questions, if you still have your UW try to go again through your wrong answers..... You will pass definitely this time, but put hard work on it and try to get the best score possible. Study practice study practice....and don't worry about nothing else... best of luck buddy
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
Thank you everyone! Its valuable advice. I will keep you all updated with my progress and will definitely put in my best this time.
|
| ram3
Forum Guru
Topics: 47
Posts: 510
|
study more three weeks is not enough
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
ram3 wrote:
study more three weeks is not enough yeah I agree, I underestimated the exam, and after reading about so many people taking the exam in the middle of ivs and in 3-4 weeks, I tried doing the same thing. But I failed, so I won't repeat this mistake again.
|
| redddd
Forum Senior
Topics: 11
Posts: 92
|
And I matched at my #1 choice after studying 2 months I passed with 85.. I'm happy, thank you everyone, you guys are great!
|
| CocaCola
Forum Guru
Topics: 35
Posts: 908
|
congrats redd!!!
___________________
There is one thing we can do, and the happiest people are those who can do it to the limit of their ability. We can be completely present. We can be all here. We can give all our attention to the opportunity before us!!!
|
| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 810
|
Congrats!! This is a great inspirational story!! Best of lucks on your residency!
___________________
Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
|
|
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
