My USMLE Score 259/99

[carrarmatino]

Hello everyone.
Got my USMLE step 1 score today and I am very happy. I got 259/99 and thought I want to share some of my thinking about the exam as this forum has been an amazing resource during preparation.

My overall idea is that the score you get is strongly influenzed by how badly you want to achieve the best. In other terms, the more you are committed to score 99, the more you wanted and do what you have to do, the more it is likely you are gonna achieve your goal. It sounds pretty obvious, but talking to other who took the exams and did not do well, I figured out that it is not a matter of intelligence or being more or less smart.. it is matter of having passion, commitment and method. You have to be dedicated, if you want to score high.

The day of the exam I was very up.. a lot of adrenalin, but not too much.. I did break after each block and when I left the prometic center I had the feeing I did a good exam. Not sure how good, but I did not panic and got aright away a good % of questions. Of course.. I have been dreaming about the TATA box and holoprosencephaly for a long time, but it is fair:) You have to get some obvious questions wrong.. that's how it works.

As for my preparation: I studied for 6 months after work (that means 2-3 hrs/day+weekends) with a real serious commitment in the last month and half.. no parties.. only working, studying and going to the gym from time to time.

My sources:
First Aid.. very good overall review. Have to know it, but it is not enough.

Gross Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Embriology and Behavioural Science: High-Yield

Physiology and Pathology: BRS

Pharmacology: FA, and Brenner pharmacology flashcards

Microbiology: FA, Happavat flashcards (very good strongly recommended)


And above all.. Goljan lectures+ USMLE step 1 notes. A must have.. Really worthed the time listening to him while running or cooking. His notes and FA give you a very good and wide background preparation in many areas especially biochemistry and pathology.

The other fundamental thing: questions.. I did Kaplan only and went into the explanations of both correct and wrong answers. That is one of the best way to learn, apart from testing your knowldge.

I started around 65-70 and end up around 78-85.
I also took all the 4 NBME self assessments:
Form 1 (1 month and half before): 610 (242)
Form 2 (1 month before): 680 (253)
Form 3 (1 week before): 690 (254)
Form 4 (2 days before): 790 (265)


That's pretty much all.
Hope this is gonna be helpful. Good luck to everybody and thanks to all.

[FOID]

that's a great score to have. congrats dude.

[carrarmatino]

Thanks a lot!

that's a great score to have. congrats dude.

[stateofequilibrium]

phenomenal score! A job well done indeed

[grayeyes043]

Where did you go to school?
B/c 6 months after work...that seems kind of long break to take after finishing your basic sciences.

[carrarmatino]

Thank you very much Stateofequilibrium..
phenomenal score! A job well done indeed

[carrarmatino]

I graduated in Italy
quote=grayeyes043;713217]Where did you go to school?
B/c 6 months after work...that seems kind of long break to take after finishing your basic sciences.[/quote]

[sarpal_11]

hey thanks

u mentioned about flash cards
are they available for download on net
if yes kindly give the links or pls mail me at sarpal.11@gmail.com

[carrarmatino]

Hey Sarpal_11, sorry for the late reply.
As far as I know, the flashcards are not available on the net. I had to buy those.
Hope this is gonna help. Good luck with your exam.

[stephew]

wow congrats and well done.

[vandanareddy]

hi carrarmatino,
how expensive are flash cards?
i reside in india, i do not kno where they can b available
are they available on line to bye...

[carrarmatino]

Hi,
I am sorry for the late response, but I noticed this message just now.
The flash cards are around 30 $.
You can find them on amazon.

Good luck,
G

hi carrarmatino,
how expensive are flash cards?
i reside in india, i do not kno where they can b available
are they available on line to bye...

[Deepak]

Congrats and good luck w/ clinical s...

[carrarmatino]

Thanks Deepak.
Good luck to you as well.

Congrats and good luck w/ clinical s...

[october]

"I figured out that it is not a matter of intelligence or being more or less smart.. it is matter of having passion, commitment and method. You have to be dedicated, if you want to score high."

PRECISELY, and may I add the word "discipline" to the above. All of these play a more important role than so called intelligence. By the time you complete basic science at ANY medical school, you have shown the ability to learn voluminous content.

I participate at teaching rounds at a hospital in SE Asia as a visiting physician(USA) Yesterday I saw USMLE score of one of the residents.... also very good 98 percentile. Resident is in third year and far removed from medical school basic science and yet with the above ingredients got a great score.

Does a 99 mean you are/will be a better doctor than someone that got 79? I don't think so, however politically will hel to get a residency.

[carrarmatino]

Hi October,

I agree with you.. a higher step1 score doesn't make you a better Doctor. But I also think that knowing what ingredients you need to achieve your goals reflect intelligence and capacity of problem solving. These qualities help you being a good MD. Moreover commitment and passion (that you also need if you want to score high..) are qualities that I personally found in those I consider good physicians.
Having said that, it depends what you are looking for. Someone only wants to pass, others want to have very high scores. But definitely higher scores help for the far more important and ultimate goal: get a good residency program and a good training. Being able to look beyond the score is also matter of intelligence.


Good luck,

G

"I figured out that it is not a matter of intelligence or being more or less smart.. it is matter of having passion, commitment and method. You have to be dedicated, if you want to score high."

PRECISELY, and may I add the word "discipline" to the above. All of these play a more important role than so called intelligence. By the time you complete basic science at ANY medical school, you have shown the ability to learn voluminous content.

I participate at teaching rounds at a hospital in SE Asia as a visiting physician(USA) Yesterday I saw USMLE score of one of the residents.... also very good 98 percentile. Resident is in third year and far removed from medical school basic science and yet with the above ingredients got a great score.

Does a 99 mean you are/will be a better doctor than someone that got 79? I don't think so, however politically will hel to get a residency.

[hnbaby]

Thank you very very much Stateofequilibrium.. .....

[wordman30]

Although you didn't achieve a 270 like myself....good job.

[psychemy]

Congratulazioni great score....
I am studying for step1, graduated a L'Aquila Italy too, well 11 years ago!!!!! i am a psychiatrist and I didn't really had a lot to do with general medicine for soo many years....any suggestions??????

[Skipper]

nice work, but remember alot of FMG score high because they are able to spend between 6 mos to 1 year studying and PD know and realize this.

skipper

[carrarmatino]

What can you do.. We are not all perfect.
I guess I can survive with my 259..
Thanks

Although you didn't achieve a 270 like myself....good job.

[carrarmatino]

Ciao psychemy..
sorry for the late reply, haven't check this section much lately.
I don't have any more suggestions to give you, apart from the ones I wrote in the initial thread.
Best of luck with everything!

G

Congratulazioni great score....
I am studying for step1, graduated a L'Aquila Italy too, well 11 years ago!!!!! i am a psychiatrist and I didn't really had a lot to do with general medicine for soo many years....any suggestions??????

[carrarmatino]

Hello skipper,

well my situation was quite different as I have a pretty demanding full time job and could really only study at night and during part of the weekend.. but thanks for the advice. I know it's not easy for FMG, but I guess that high scores are no harm.

Good luck with everything.

G

nice work, but remember alot of FMG score high because they are able to spend between 6 mos to 1 year studying and PD know and realize this.

skipper

[DrCabral]

Hello. GOOD JOB!!!! Congratulations!!.


I have a question. In what order should I study for the USMLE step 1 ?

[tijo77]

can you help me, I live in Orlando fl
thank you

[carrarmatino]

Thanks DrCabral.

Probably one of the best thing you could do is to take a couple of quiz (50 unused, timed questions) so that you'll have an idea of your starting performance. In this way you can also unreveal your weaknesses and strenghts.
Then I would start with the topics I am less comfortable with. I would reserve pathology at the end, so that you have all the basic knowledge you need to fully understand pathology.
Let's say.. if you score really low in biochemestry, but have good knowledge in physiology, I would start with biochemestry first. You can also alternate between a "light" and a "heavy" topic, so that you don't get too overwhelmed with tough concepts.
I would say read First Aid once, take the tests and see how much of what's inside FA you have actually assimilated. Then you can get a second deeper read of FA and move on with more detailed books.

Hope this is gonna help.
Good luck.

G

Hello. GOOD JOB!!!! Congratulations!!.


I have a question. In what order should I study for the USMLE step 1 ?

[DrCabral]

THANKS!!!! I will keep this in mind.

[Dr.MK]

hey congrats.. thats a great score.

[carrarmatino]

Thanks Dr.MK :)
Good luck with everything.

G

hey congrats.. thats a great score.