My USMLE Step 1 results came in today...

...and I passed with flying colors!!!

I took the beast 3 weeks ago today.

As today, Judgement Day, approached, I became more and more worried about simply passing. I had definitely psyched myself out. My mom couldn't even sleep either.

An email came about 9:50am stating that scores would be online in the morning, and I repeatedly checked the NBME website, until at 10:15, my score was posted as a PDF file that you have to open and can print (your score report).

I have to say, the predicted score of my USMLEWorld question set scores + Kaplan QBank scores + USMLEWorld self-assessment scores all together predicted my actual score very well. So, to get the most accurate prediction I think definitely takes multiple sources.

This website is one of the most comprehensive score predictors out there, taking into account so many different variables in its calculations: http://www.clinicalreview.com/USMLECalculator.php.

I wish I had taken at least one NBME practice test, but who cares now!

I beat the national average and still have my dreams alive for a number of specialities, my main goal being Internal Medicine!

Now for the wait, plus Kaplan QBank vs USMLEWorld post test

Took Step 1 a couple of weeks ago. Now I have to wait for scores to be posted online. This time period is agonizing since there's nothing anyone of us can really do.

The test was grueling, physically, with many challenging questions and some blatantly easy questions. Towards the end of the 7hr exam, my eyes actually started getting tired and I started seeing floaters. So, please build up your stamina to take a 7hr test.

I took many breaks to keep energized, but even that didn't help during the very last block, when all of us wanted to get the heck out of there. Still, I had to buckle down and focus hardest during my last question set.

I had purchased both major question banks (USMLEWorld and Kaplan's QBank), and I had taken both USMLEWorld Self-assessments, so I feel as though I'm in a pretty good position to analyze the differences between each bank after taking the test.

The bulk of the test was very much like USMLEWorld questions in terms of style, delivery system, and format; the only difference was length. Most questions were quite long, so I ended up taking much longer per question on average on the real test than my USMLEWorld self-assessments. In this way, and only in this way, do I see that the test resembled Kaplan's QBank.

Kaplan did help me get a variety of broad concepts and more ethics questions, while USMLEWorld really helped in terms of details. I always consistently scored 20-30 points higher on average per question block during my preparation in Kaplan over USMLEWorld. I could never breach the 75% on USMLEWorld but hit around 88% on one set in Kaplan towards the end. I nearly always did sets of 30 or more, mostly 48 to simulate the real experience and build stamina.

Entering in my self-assessment scores and average consistent question set scores in both Kaplan and USMLEWorld into online predictors, my score could range anywhere from a 210-240. Here's hoping for the latter...

1 month till Step 1

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately, but I have to stay as focused as possible with only 1 month left before Step 1. They say you have never studied for anything as hard as you will study for this test, and that is not a lie.

Right now the most challenging task has been keeping topics fresh. Once you study a topic, and I mean really memorize it cold, you are then forced to add even more on top, and your poor little hippocampus can only take so much space. So, it keeps about 15-20% of your hard-earned knowledge while letting the remainder go to fuzz land where it sits all nice and gray and confusing.

So far the hardest subjects to study have been:
Micro, micro, micro, especially virology
Pharm, pharm, pharm
Musculoskeletal Anatomy
Spinal cord tracts/neuro hodge-podge

I've been doing mini-test tests and subject-based quizzes in USMLEWorld and Kaplan's QBank. Seems to help if you use these two banks as learning tools rather than actual percentage trackers. In particular, if you use one more so than the other, you can keep at least one of the banks (QBank) as a mixup question tool and iffy preditor of where you stand while learning with the other bank (USMLEWorld). Both have over 2000 questions, so there's a fat chance I'll run out, but I'm gonna try.

Med School Personalities - No Holds Barred Med Student

No Holds Barred Med Student

Competition is her middle name.
And her future children’s names.
If she has children.
Which she will precisely at age 32.
After Residency.

High strung is an understatement.
She’s crazy!
There's no time to read at all,
but she already bought the book for the next module.
And read the first two chapters.

You did research.
She obviously knows hers is better.
You volunteer.
She thinks volunteering takes away from study time.
Unless it advances her goals.
Then she volunteers.

First to speak in discussion groups.
Thinks reading the case counts as her quota for participation credit.
Then realizes it in fact doesn’t.
So, she starts saying anything that comes to her brain.
All unrelated to discussion.
Then asks questions,
Inconspicuously morphing into FAQ Med Student.
Thinking questions count for participation.
They don’t either.
You raise your hand to speak.
You’re denied.
She interjects her answer: “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see your hand."
You: “No, it’s fine. Go ahead.”
No Holds Barred Med student: “Ok.”
Then asks the preceptor to give her a 5/5.
After everyone leaves the room.
Cuz she deserves it.

There are only three letters in her alphabet.
A, I and lowercase L.
Allow me to explain.
Her transcript: All A’s
Never seen a B.
Never will.
The I and lowercase L…
They’re the closest-looking letters to
The number 1.

Points, points, points.
It’s all about the points.
Will not rest.
50 hours per week spent…
Sleeping?
Not a chance.
50 hours per week spent…
Studying?
Oh yeah, baby!
Outside life?
None.
Does a once monthly dinner with her sister count?
Heck no!
7am-10pm everyday.
Studying.
Or attending every lecture.
Take a test.
Study lecture notes.
Eat.
Study lecture notes.
Dream...
about lecture notes.

Must get a 100% on the exam.
And then tell you.
Or not.
That depends.
Are you a threat?
91% is living too close to the edge.
Too close for comfort.
Must not let that happen again.
Meanwhile, you made an 87.
And are ecstatic!
You beat the class average.
She chuckles.

Best friends with Bombarder and FAQ Med student.

Med School Personalities - Ghetto Fabulous Med Student

Ghetto Fabulous Med Student
"Oh no he didn't!"
You hear her from the study room down the hall.
"He did not just give my group a 4 out of 5 on participation!"
You imagine she'd be wavin' her finger right about now.
Fiercely.
Fabulously.
Sassy.
Loudly.
Strongly.
In her sweet kicks.
Air Jordans.
Or Reeboks.
Pattin' her weave.
In her tight-fittin' aerobic suit.
Accentuatin' parts of her physique.
You know what I mean.
Lookin' fine.
With a splash of, "You know it!"
"Uh huh!
"Oh my God!"
"I gots to gets this studyin' done!"
"I'm fittin' a' go do a patient interview!"
Snapping her fingers.
She's proud of her heritage.
Her strong upbringing.
Her strong personality.
She's smart.
She's Ghetto Fabulous Med Student.
Struttin' her stuff.
Doin' her thang.
Ain't no thing but a chicken wang.

Med School Personalities - Future Surgeon Wanna Be

Future Surgeon Wanna Be
Coming from a long line.
A long line of surgeons.
Grand pappy's a surgeon.
So is daddy.
And all his brothers.
So, naturally, he must follow suit.
And he let's you know.
Directly.
Or through his personality.
Arrogance, mostly.
Condescending a lot of the time.
But thinks he's not.
Will not consider Medicine or another sub-par specialty that isn't Surgery.
You listen to a lecture from a surgeon,
then turn to focus on Future Surgeon Wanna Be,
and the similarities are uncanny.

Friends with Way Out There Conservative Med Student.
He really likes money.
Throwing it around on cruises and vacations during Spring Break.
Because he'll be a surgeon and can pay his loans back in a year.
He also really likes cutting.
Slicing into things.
Carries a pocket knife in his bag.
Just in case.
Enjoys the sound of setting bones.
One of the few med students to regularly wear scrubs.
Will sign up for the hardest Head and Neck Anatomy course imagineable.
Disappointed if there isn't such a course available.
Probably cried when he heard the news.
To fill the void,
he signed up to perform practice surgeries on pigs.
To be a guinea pig with a pig.
Laproscopically removed ketchup packets from their small bowels.
Tall.
Or short with a Surgeon complex.
Could be Really Buff Guy.
Netter is his best friend.

Med School Personalities - FAQ Med Student

FAQ Med Student
Frequently Asking Questions Med Student
She's a handraiser.
Raising her hand.
Interrupting the flow of lectures.
Many, many, many times.
Sitting on the front row.
Or yelling from the middle section.
Questions, questions, questions.
Ooo, ooo, ooo.
Questions, questions, questions.
What is she trying to prove?
That she knows as much
or more than anyone else in the room.
Including the professor.
You know she already knows the answers.
She has to know the answers.
Who wouldn't know those answers?
Hearing her voice.
You cringe.
You know the tone, the subtle nuances of the voice.
It's so familiar to you now.
You don't even have to look up from your computer screen.
She must enjoy its sound.
That has to be why she asks so many questions.
Extending lectures and discussion groups by at least 10 minutes.
Or more.
Ok, she's not getting full credit.
Maybe 1 question is actually pertinent,
and worth it.
But that's it.

She is a fearless Bombarder.
As she doesn't fear the wrath of the class.

Med School Personalities - Bombarder

Bombarder
You know this med student.
You knew this college student.
Heck, you knew this high school student.
At least 10 questions written or typed most before the lecture (because she already read ahead),
Bombarder is prepared as soon as the lecture is over to, well, bombard the lecturer with a question onslaught.
And does this consistently every day, nearly every lecture.
More questions of that day's material are generated from the ether when Bombarder gets home.
"Um, what did you mean by this?"
"And this?"
"And this?"
"Ok, I get it now. And this?"
"I was confused about the lecture as a whole and was wondering if you could repeat what you said at about half way through."
"When you said Na/K pump, did you mean the Na/K pump, or a specific Na/K pump in particular?"
Stresses the lecturer out.
Takes up all the break time so legitimate questions can't be asked.
Is the only person left in the room with the lecturer after everyone else has left.
Should've looked at Wiki.
Most of Bombarder's questions could've been answered by doing this.
Or by asking a fellow student.
Or by reading a book.
Or by looking at the lecture notes.
Like all med students do.
Sits on the front row.
With Baby Making Med Student.
(Because Baby Making Med Student has to go the bathroom a lot, remember.)
Front row seats give Bombarder the most strategic angle for optimal bombardment.
Thankfully, doesn't ask questions in class.

Med School Personalities - Med School Mom

Med School Mom
Old, but not as old as Really Old Med Student.
Married.
Her husband already makes a load of cash.
Has 2 kids.
Occasionally brings them to class.
They're allowed to have head phones and color.
Lucky!
Why is she in med school?
We don't know.
Skips any lecture about Pedriatric illnesses and most about Ob/Gyn.
These don't help.
She knows the best remedies.
Because mom's know best.
Takes care of her classmates like a mom.
Will and has snapped at other students like an angry mom.
Doesn't want to be called ma'am.
Resilient.
Studies maybe 2 hours a day.
Not because she doesn't enjoy it,
but because she has to feed the kids and take them to soccer practice.
And still makes decent grades.
Which is ridiculously amazing, seeing that you study 4 hours a day.
Has more sense the Baby Making Med Student.
Because she decided to have kids BEFORE med school, and not DURING med school.

Med School Personalities - Baby Making Med Student

Baby Making Med Student
Doesn't just balance being a mom and a med student,
she takes pride in planning with her husband especially to have her baby during med school.
As a result, many things happen while she's pregnant and after the baby's born...
She gets up all the time to leave lectures to go to the bathroom.
Lectures are 4-6 hours a day.
She has to pee a lot.
She walks really slow.
Who could blame her?
Her belly is huge.
Wears a respirator to Anatomy Lab.
Gets hotflashes and dizzy looking at cadavers.
Which freaks the instructor out.
Ends up putting med school on hold for a year.
Maybe 2 years, if she decides to have another baby during this time off.

You wonder who will take care of a year-old baby while she starts med school back.

That will be stressful.

She'll likely get advice from Med School Mom when she gets to this point.

Lets you know anatomic and other medical details of the baby to show off 1-year's worth of medical school knowledge via Facebook status updates.