ok a friend asked me some advice

[FireFighterMD]

with a 390 on NBME 4 , will she pass ??

[jaywalk81]

390 on nbme is like a 190 on usmle...thats awfully close to the passing mark of 185

so i say she has 50-50

[IMG SURVIVOR]

with a 390 on NBME 4 , will she pass ??
Based on What I have seen
80% she will passed in the 75-78 range
20% she will not pass but will be 74 or 73

[m2512]

are still people taking the NRMB exam? I just wonder

[drsc]

She will pass but still there is a chance of not passing. From my experience I wish I had increased my score over 400 (something I myself is having trouble with)

[FireFighterMD]

Based on What I have seen
80% she will passed in the 75-78 range
20% she will not pass but will be 74 or 73


I have heard of NBME 4 underpojecting the usmle score

[FireFighterMD]

She will pass but still there is a chance of not passing. From my experience I wish I had increased my score over 400 (something I myself is having trouble with)

why are u having trouble rasing above 400 ? Tell us more so we can helpo

[drsc]

why are u having trouble rasing above 400 ? Tell us more so we can helpo

Personally I really do not now. Honestly its kind of depressing. I have been studying soo long. I took a yr off to study for the first time and than didnt make it so decided to start my rotations. I completed about 1 yr of my rotations and took almost another yr off and didnt make it. :cry:

I have done kaplan and the pass program.

I know that I know my material but maybe I am having problem the way they are testing the stuff.

The first time I took the nbme my score was all over the place. a few bars on the right a few on the left and a few in the middle. Now my score has imporved a bit but the good news is that my scores are consistently in the middle (it means I am able to anwser alot more questions and not guessing as much).

I have started a new post at http://www.valuemd.com/usmle-step-1-forum/152641-advice-needed-improve-score-asap.html And have been doing some of the advice.

I am really shooting to get my score up another 100-150 points and then will feel comfortable in taking the exam.

I have a issue with my school that says if I do not start my rotations by May I will be expelled. Althought I am going to try to start I am not sure If my score will increase 100-150 in 1 month. Considering how I have been studying soo long and not even have a good score. Most likely what I am doing is not helping. I FEEL RETARTED. :cry:

[iaustudent06]

I have a issue with my school that says if I do not start my rotations by May I will be expelled. Althought I am going to try to start I am not sure If my score will increase 100-150 in 1 month. Considering how I have been studying soo long and not even have a good score. :cry:

What school is forcing you to start clinicals? Isn't that blackmail? Transfer...

Have you considered the extended Kaplan?

[FireFighterMD]

Personally I really do not now. Honestly its kind of depressing. I have been studying soo long. I took a yr off to study for the first time and than didnt make it so decided to start my rotations. I completed about 1 yr of my rotations and took almost another yr off and didnt make it. :cry:

I have done kaplan and the pass program.

I know that I know my material but maybe I am having problem the way they are testing the stuff.

The first time I took the nbme my score was all over the place. a few bars on the right a few on the left and a few in the middle. Now my score has imporved a bit but the good news is that my scores are consistently in the middle (it means I am able to anwser alot more questions and not guessing as much).

I have started a new post at http://www.valuemd.com/usmle-step-1-forum/152641-advice-needed-improve-score-asap.html And have been doing some of the advice.

I am really shooting to get my score up another 100-150 points and then will feel comfortable in taking the exam.

I have a issue with my school that says if I do not start my rotations by May I will be expelled. Althought I am going to try to start I am not sure If my score will increase 100-150 in 1 month. Considering how I have been studying soo long and not even have a good score. Most likely what I am doing is not helping. I FEEL RETARTED. :cry:


Why don;t u try MEMORIZING FIRST AID like crazy . You ahve done kaplan , pass etc - so u have the general concepts . Maybe u need to KNOW the details really well . Maybe u are not answering the questions correcyly because u are not able to recall and apply the info efficiently .
It doesn't mean that you don't know the material . Don't try and relearn everything ...master first aid and do UW ..and don't take the usmle unless u are ready ..if the school expells u , then big deal ..with a passing score u can get in anywhere ..

This is the advice I gave my friend . Once she can hit 420 , I think thats SAFE ( 420 on NBME 4 or NBME 3 )

good luck ...and please don't give u p////....u came too far

[drsc]

What school is forcing you to start clinicals? Isn't that blackmail? Transfer...

Have you considered the extended Kaplan?

Its a foreign school. Im not sure if its black mail but supposly you can take only 1 yr leave of absence. So maybe thats the issue. Although I am trying to get a extention it is just adding more than needed stress in my life right now.

I have done the extened kaplan in chicago. I droped $16,000 + plus for the review and housing (not including cost of food and transportation). It didnt help.

What might have helped was doing PASS program first and than kaplan. So I recommend if anyone that has the funds and want to do both programs do PASS first and than KAPLAN.

[drsc]

Why don;t u try MEMORIZING FIRST AID like crazy . You ahve done kaplan , pass etc - so u have the general concepts . Maybe u need to KNOW the details really well . Maybe u are not answering the questions correcyly because u are not able to recall and apply the info efficiently .
It doesn't mean that you don't know the material . Don't try and relearn everything ...master first aid and do UW ..and don't take the usmle unless u are ready ..if the school expells u , then big deal ..with a passing score u can get in anywhere ..

This is the advice I gave my friend . Once she can hit 420 , I think thats SAFE ( 420 on NBME 4 or NBME 3 )

good luck ...and please don't give u p////....u came too far

Well I do do first aid. I felt the only thing first aid really helped me with was the pharm and micro sections on USMLE. For everything else it seemed like those basterds (USMLE) were asking everything else that was not in first aid. So i dont know if memorizing is enough. I need to learn to put 2 + 2 together to get 4. This is probably the problem I am having. I think my knowledge is there but applying it is a issue.

[FireFighterMD]

Its a foreign school. Im not sure if its black mail but supposly you can take only 1 yr leave of absence. So maybe thats the issue. Although I am trying to get a extention it is just adding more than needed stress in my life right now.

I have done the extened kaplan in chicago. I droped $16,000 + plus for the review and housing (not including cost of food and transportation). It didnt help.

What might have helped was doing PASS program first and than kaplan. So I recommend if anyone that has the funds and want to do both programs do PASS first and than KAPLAN.

16,000 ? - just for kaplan ? ...then u did pass also ? ....man these things don't necessarily work - they play on your insecurities ..they use your fear for their benefit

maybe u should do the videos and go at your own pace ?
Whats your highest NBME ?

[drsc]

16,000 ? - just for kaplan ? ...then u did pass also ? ....man these things don't necessarily work - they play on your insecurities ..they use your fear for their benefit

maybe u should do the videos and go at your own pace ?
Whats your highest NBME ?

Yeah it was like 8 or 9 grand for the course plus like 8 grand for the housing.

Highest NBME was 370.

I have the old kaplan videos but some are very bad quality. I have purchased new ones from someone last week and waiting for him to send it to me. He says it takes time to copy all the videos. I dont think I have time to wach them all but was planning on atleast doing the weaker subjects. My systems (renal, cardio, resp, etc..) are good but my subjects are weak (physio, genetics, hiso, cell bio, etc..) so i was planning on doing the videos for them.

Although I foucused mainly on physio and biochem my physio score was 1 of the lowest scores on my exam. I cant understand why. I know like physio renal prob fall under the renal part but according to the report my physio was low. Not sure why.

I used my knowledge about physio with pharm and path questions and those scores were ok. Simply what I did was pharm is how you can rev up physio or inhibit physio. And Pathology is PHYSIO GONE WILD. So my scores were alright for those.

I have recently purchased the Kaplan Medical Essential book and have been doing that along with my kaplan books (the older ones that I got from the course) and FA, and UW.

Im not sure what I should do to increase the scores. I am just stressing and fustrated.

[FireFighterMD]

Yeah it was like 8 or 9 grand for the course plus like 8 grand for the housing.

Highest NBME was 370.

I have the old kaplan videos but some are very bad quality. I have purchased new ones from someone last week and waiting for him to send it to me. He says it takes time to copy all the videos. I dont think I have time to wach them all but was planning on atleast doing the weaker subjects. My systems (renal, cardio, resp, etc..) are good but my subjects are weak (physio, genetics, hiso, cell bio, etc..) so i was planning on doing the videos for them.

Although I foucused mainly on physio and biochem my physio score was 1 of the lowest scores on my exam. I cant understand why. I know like physio renal prob fall under the renal part but according to the report my physio was low. Not sure why.

I used my knowledge about physio with pharm and path questions and those scores were ok. Simply what I did was pharm is how you can rev up physio or inhibit physio. And Pathology is PHYSIO GONE WILD. So my scores were alright for those.

I have recently purchased the Kaplan Medical Essential book and have been doing that along with my kaplan books (the older ones that I got from the course) and FA, and UW.

Im not sure what I should do to increase the scores. I am just stressing and fustrated.

1. stop stressing and being frustrated
2. take some time away from the books - maybe 1 week ...no studying , just fun stuff ..clear your mind
3.return to work hard ...with just a few resources
4.pray hard and don't think about failing

[drsc]

1. stop stressing and being frustrated
2. take some time away from the books - maybe 1 week ...no studying , just fun stuff ..clear your mind
3.return to work hard ...with just a few resources
4.pray hard and don't think about failing

Sounds good but 1 week is too long if I need to meet the deadline for the school :cry:

[FireFighterMD]

Sounds good but 1 week is too long if I need to meet the deadline for the school :cry:


so take one day or two days ...u'll return with a fresher mind

[iaustudent06]

there's plenty of schools that will let you transfer into their 5th semester. there was a guy in my ICM who had to transfer because he failed the first time and was close to being dismissed because of time limits also (i think he was from Ross). after he transfered, he studied and passed partly because he didn't have that stress anymore.

i'm NOT endorsing my school by any means, i'm just saying if you are close to being forced into something you don't like, transfer. on the other hand, buckle down, break out the coffee, and study like hell.

[FireFighterMD]

there's plenty of schools that will let you transfer into their 5th semester. there was a guy in my ICM who had to transfer because he failed the first time and was close to being dismissed because of time limits also (i think he was from Ross). after he transfered, he studied and passed partly because he didn't have that stress anymore.

i'm NOT endorsing my school by any means, i'm just saying if you are close to being forced into something you don't like, transfer. on the other hand, buckle down, break out the coffee, and study like hell.

he;s been in it so long that having more time would not necessarily do him more good . Maybe they have time limits for a good reason .

[iaustudent06]

a year is a long time, i started forgetting things the day after the exam. maybe it was due to the excessive drinking.

[drsc]

there's plenty of schools that will let you transfer into their 5th semester. there was a guy in my ICM who had to transfer because he failed the first time and was close to being dismissed because of time limits also (i think he was from Ross). after he transfered, he studied and passed partly because he didn't have that stress anymore.

i'm NOT endorsing my school by any means, i'm just saying if you are close to being forced into something you don't like, transfer. on the other hand, buckle down, break out the coffee, and study like hell.

Yeah, its a option that is avalible. but I gotta keep in mind how it might affect residency. They say if you had transfer and they see it that they begin to wounder what happend and why the person had transfer. In a way it doesnt make things look good. But its still a last resort.

I guess the reason why I had taken so long was because no one had taught me how to study. Just cramed like hell for each test and forgot the stuff the day after. Studying for the usmle is diffrent. I do wish my school had prepared us for it but I dont want to blame anyone but myself. It was my fault for not knowing how to study.

[hnbaby]

are still people taking the NRMB exam? I just wonder