Family members,
To address another question, I personally believe that the NBME was wrong to raise the pass level. I think it was just fine where it was at. I do not understand why they would increase the bar just because more people were studying harder. Long ago, people studied MUCH LESS for Step 1, 2, and 3. One older doctor I asked said there was a 2, 2, 2 rule (Triple 2's Rul): You study 2 weeks for Step 1, you study 2 days for Step 2, and you bring 2 Number-two lead pencils for Step 3.
Anyone studying that little nowadays and passing is either God Himself or the Director of Research at the NBME who peruses the questions.
Just because people are studying so much more and thus doing better on Step 1 should not make the NBME raise the score level. It sort of penalizes medical students in general.
If they are so worried about patient safety, I think they should just ask more questions about deleterious side effects of certain drugs and incorrect clincial judgments. I do NOT THINK that any patients would be more at risk if they left the pass level alone at 182. Rather, I think it will just end up frustrating many soon-to-be-doctors.
Anyhow, that is how I feel.
Much love in Christ,
Tommyk