Is the Exam really getting tougher??? - urapain2me

[ArchivalUser]

This one goes out to everyone.. especially who have taken the test recently after the change of format in Step 1??
A lot of people on this as well as other forums are reporting that the questions on the exam are getting deeper and deeper with concepts.. The pattern of the questions is becoming more and more clinical, so much so that people who have given step 2 ck are saying that their preprn for ck saved them!! there are a lot of mri's, ct's, xrays, gross specimens, slides, and heart sounds, which is making it even more difficult.. the question stems are longer and they require you to read the entire stems which ultimately leads to you spending more time on a question..

People, please clarify if this is happening with every exam or is this only with a few unlucky??? i know people who were getting very good scores in UW but still didnt manage to clear the exam!!

And if this the scene, I am sure we need to put in more effort as well.. Please put in your recommendations as to websites where we can review all ct's, mri's, xrays etc.. Any other suggestions or difference of opinion is most welcome!!

Thanks all..

[ArchivalUser]

Hi,
Honestly, Uworld bases their success in helping people learn and improve their score. I am sure you will find the odd person here and there who could do well on Uworld and fail, for whichever circumstance. But your post above you indicate that you "know of people who were getting very good scores in UW and didnt manage to clear the exam."

I find that hard to beleive becuase if you can do well on Uworld it shows that you have a good grasp of the material and understand the concept. Perhaps it was their study habits? maybe doing the questions open book? or with a study partner? or were those in TIMED EXAM mode?

I know of a few friends who took it, some failed some passed. Those who passed said it was more or less like Kaplan/Uworld q banks. Although there was one or two blocks that were really difficult the exam was manageable over all.

Plus is this exam not graded relatively? should we all fail I am sure it will be scaled accordingly? People out there that are passing have access to the same resources we do, Kaplan, World, Golijan and so on... I doubt there is any inside work going on where someone is just cheating and getting answers before hand lol, although it is always possible.

[ArchivalUser]

just dont think of all these negative things....just study...we all HAVE TO take this test regardless of whatever is going on with the test .....so no point getting tensed...get the info .,....do the hard work and take the test...and leave the rest on GOD. You will get thru...dont worry...We are all sailing in the same boat!!

[ArchivalUser]

I really dont understand why people try not to hear the real things. The real things does not mean negative things. We try not to fool people, that is the point. The reason to post info here is for exam takers know how is the exam: can be tough or can be easy, multiple things can happen as people got different versions of the exam, some has a lot of anatomy, some not.....for example...

I recently took the exam and i feel it was tough. The questions was build the way like UW, not exactly the questions from UW, for sure it is not Kaplan q bank, the CTs or Slides was not only the one we saw in Gojlan of kaplan, only one one slides i saw in Gojlan, the rest were new for me. Please understand NBME can take the slides from any sources, not from Gojlan or kaplan or UW. They can pick up anything they want as they assume we know how to read CT and slides.

Try to study hard and prepare well. That all we can do.