Usmle step1 experience

USMLE USMLE 1
#1

Hello everyone!

Praise be to God, I got my score and I am happy with what I got.

Everyone talks about their assessment scores and sources. I won’t specify that as it’s going to be of no help to anyone. Instead, I’d like to offer some advice based on my experience.

ABOUT THE PREP

  1. Please don’t drag your prep. Get done with it as early as you can because nothing will ever seem enough to prepare you for this beast. You‘ll always feel unprepared or unready for the exam.

  2. How many hours in a day you study doesn’t matter. What matters is how much more knowledge were you able to gain at the end of the day. So don’t bother about the number of hours.

  3. Respect your mind, body and soul. The journey is tiring. Your spirit might be high but your body and mind might be tired at some point. Give them rest as much as they demand. For the mind, do things that make you happy (shopping, cleaning, partying). For the body, have a good 7-8 hrs of sleep, exercise and eat well. Listen and pay heed to your biology.

  4. It’s ok to feel lost, lonely, tired, exhausted and demotivated. The Journey is physically and emotionally exhausting. Don’t expect the people around you to understand and empathize with you. You are an “img” so you are doing something that’s not the norm. Very few people know the difficulties of the journey and a very few of them actually understand. Just remember, you aren’t alone in this and bounce back with an even stronger determination.

  5. Use your assessments wisely and trust your assessment scores. People often advise to simulate the 8hrs but I found it unnecessary coz your adrenaline rush will take you well through during the main exam. It’s also not necessary to do all the nbmes (for those with financial constraints). Did older nbmes offline. This helped me get accustomed to the nbmes and reduce my anxiety. I only did UWSAs, NBME 18 and 24 online. Did not do 20, 22 and 23.

  6. Go through FA as much as possible. Don’t go to the new edition in your dedicated period, just annotate the missing stuff. I used FA 2017 and went through it for 6-7 times and scored decently.

MY EXPERIENCE ABOUT THE EXAM

  1. Exam is very much doable provided your basics are rock strong. The exam is all about concepts.

  2. The exam not only tests your knowledge. It’s also about strength, dedication, patience. My anxiety is my enemy. This has always been a big hurdle for me. Tried my best to relax and keep calm but I ended up not sleeping the whole night before the exam. Thanks to my coffee, I was able to remain alert throughout the exam although I felt exhausted and tired after the 4th block. So, it all depends upon your nature and capability to handle a stressful situation.

  3. You’ll make mistakes and that’s unavoidable. YOU’LL TEND TO MAKE MISTAKES WITH EASIER QUESTIONS. And I did the same even during the exam. Through my prep and during my assessments I made mistakes that >90% people would get right. This is where my scores went down. I ended up making mistakes like confusing folinic acid with folic acid, thinking ciprofloxacin to be a cephalosporin, not able to recall what EEG and ECG stood for, etc etc. I could easily recall changing nearly 10 corrects to incorrects. I think about them everyday and I’ll regret this for a long time to come.

Please do not compare yourself with anyone. Your journey is your own and it cannot be even slightly similar to anyone else. Know what best works out for you and stick to it. Amidst all this, enjoy your life. Spend your time with your family, they might not tell you but they need you as much as you need them. Stay happy, healthy and strong.

Thanks to all in the group for being a part of my journey and for the help and support that you’ve all provided me with. If I could do it, then you can do it too. You’ll all make it one day, just hang in there. My best wishes are always with you all.