01-31-2012, 07:51 AM
Hi guys
I just wanted to share my step 3 Experience with this forum
I went a lot through the topics here before I took the test and I feel I have to pay back
I'm not gonna be very thorough and detailed because most of the things are hugely explained in other topics.
I'm an IMG. not in residency in the US yet. no prior residencies back home. high scores in prior USMLEs.
total time of preparation: 1 month
materials:
1) MTB: I went through it once. not really helpful. I found it weak and it lacks a lot of important info.
2) Usmleworld Qbank: can be difficult and frustrating. not a very good representative of the real exam. they made the uworld qbank as a harder version of the CK uworld qbank. but the exam isn't just a more difficult version of CK. it's quite different. it focuses on outpatient and office based medicine, preventive medicine and these stuff.
I still recommend doing uworld as it helps remembering some facts and keypoints you might have forgotten from CK. My cumulative performance was ~72% timed unused 48q blocks.
3) Usmleworld CCS: a MUST. you SHOULD go over all the cases and master them. the interactive ones i mean. get yourself familiarized with the software. the readout cases aren't that good. too detailed and unreal for the test.
The Exam:
1) First day: it was hard. definitely harder than CK. Don't be fooled by posts who say it's easy and like a breeze compared to previous USMLEs. Those are usually people in their 2nd or 3rd year of residency and have alot of experience already. I'm sure it gets easier if you're a resident. But if u plan to to take the test before residency prepare yourself well. I have a very high score in CK (>260) and i still found it really challenging. I could barely finish the blocks. I couldn't mark more than 2-3 questions per block because i knew i wouldn't have time to get back to more than that. The questions in the emergency/inpatients blocks were very lengthy. they went on and on.
2) second day: a little bit easier. the 4 blocks (36q each) are of the same quality. but the cases are easy and you have plenty of time for each case. if you prepare enough from uworld CCS you should be fine. I think i messed up in one case because i didn't know what to do and the patient didn't improve.
I took the test early December and it took 5 weeks for my score to be reported.
I PASSED!!! My score: 244. my best performance was in inpatient facilities. The CCS cases were good as well. My worst one was in neonates (good thing i'm going for internal medicine!).
My final impression:
-If you're already a resident with good clinical experience and decent outpatient exposure you should be fine if you only practice a little bit with the cases, because the software can be tricky.
-If you plan to take the test before residency, it won't be an easy one. make sure you prepare well. It's doable ..you just have to stay focused because it's a long tiring 2-day experience.
Scores don't matter as far as i know. and i guess passing isn't difficult if you prepare for a month or two depending on your knowledge.
I just wanted to share my step 3 Experience with this forum
I went a lot through the topics here before I took the test and I feel I have to pay back
I'm not gonna be very thorough and detailed because most of the things are hugely explained in other topics.
I'm an IMG. not in residency in the US yet. no prior residencies back home. high scores in prior USMLEs.
total time of preparation: 1 month
materials:
1) MTB: I went through it once. not really helpful. I found it weak and it lacks a lot of important info.
2) Usmleworld Qbank: can be difficult and frustrating. not a very good representative of the real exam. they made the uworld qbank as a harder version of the CK uworld qbank. but the exam isn't just a more difficult version of CK. it's quite different. it focuses on outpatient and office based medicine, preventive medicine and these stuff.
I still recommend doing uworld as it helps remembering some facts and keypoints you might have forgotten from CK. My cumulative performance was ~72% timed unused 48q blocks.
3) Usmleworld CCS: a MUST. you SHOULD go over all the cases and master them. the interactive ones i mean. get yourself familiarized with the software. the readout cases aren't that good. too detailed and unreal for the test.
The Exam:
1) First day: it was hard. definitely harder than CK. Don't be fooled by posts who say it's easy and like a breeze compared to previous USMLEs. Those are usually people in their 2nd or 3rd year of residency and have alot of experience already. I'm sure it gets easier if you're a resident. But if u plan to to take the test before residency prepare yourself well. I have a very high score in CK (>260) and i still found it really challenging. I could barely finish the blocks. I couldn't mark more than 2-3 questions per block because i knew i wouldn't have time to get back to more than that. The questions in the emergency/inpatients blocks were very lengthy. they went on and on.
2) second day: a little bit easier. the 4 blocks (36q each) are of the same quality. but the cases are easy and you have plenty of time for each case. if you prepare enough from uworld CCS you should be fine. I think i messed up in one case because i didn't know what to do and the patient didn't improve.
I took the test early December and it took 5 weeks for my score to be reported.
I PASSED!!! My score: 244. my best performance was in inpatient facilities. The CCS cases were good as well. My worst one was in neonates (good thing i'm going for internal medicine!).
My final impression:
-If you're already a resident with good clinical experience and decent outpatient exposure you should be fine if you only practice a little bit with the cases, because the software can be tricky.
-If you plan to take the test before residency, it won't be an easy one. make sure you prepare well. It's doable ..you just have to stay focused because it's a long tiring 2-day experience.
Scores don't matter as far as i know. and i guess passing isn't difficult if you prepare for a month or two depending on your knowledge.