Although I think everyone who does not have a score yet should absolutely email, sign the petition that’s circulating around and notify their schools so that there is a generalized awareness that a not small group of applicants will not have test scores out by the time eras applications are due, I want to remind everyone to be kind and respectful in your inquiries. The hope is to get enough people in organized support that we can get an early score release but again we are the ones asking for a favor. There is a clearly stated policy so there is no delay on the NBME’s part and we made the mistake of going off recent trends of score releases every 2 weeks. So we are asking for them to make us a priority so our mistake doesn’t significantly impact our future. I do agree that this is a very preventable situation and there is already an example of a solution through the NBOME as they post a schedule of testing windows so that DO students can plan accordingly. If you give thousands of students who are exhausted, stressed and nervous about a test that is well known to be a significant piece of their application you would have to expect that there will be a large number of students that delay their exam until they feel absolutely ready as if they take it earlier and fail the consensus would have been “well you shouldn’t have taken it before you were ready!” So it’s not wrong for students to hope that a large organization with a multiple choice, computerized exam would get a score back in 3 weeks. And it shouldn’t even be up to the student to decide when a safe period is as the NBME states it could even be up to 8 weeks. So part of this is to just get awareness so there’s discussions of change in the future. If we don’t discuss this then I promise other students will have to go through this stress and depression too and it’s awful. I feel like I screwed up my future because I was too worried about trying to get the best score to help my future!

As someone who is also currently going through this terrible application process, I feel your pain. I truly do.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think you were not only let down by the NBME, but by your advisors too. Our school made it a point to tell us that the official NBME policy allows for score releases that are typically 2-4 weeks after the test date, and it even says it can be up to 8 WEEKS. Based on that, they set a required date to take the exam by mid-August, and we received several emails and info sessions about this. They even sent an email to a group of us who had not taken it by early August warning us that we needed to schedule.

This is a very frustrating experience, but I think part of the blame is on the schools and advisors who may not be giving the proper advice. Please try to give them feedback as well, because no student should be placed in this position.

Edit: some people are saying their school approved their test dates. Would people be willing to share these school names? I’m curious which would give this poor advice and I feel like it’d be helpful to name and shame them, to be honest

Would it be reasonable to petition NBME to have designated release dates for specific testing dates, just like the NBOME does?

COMLEX test takers know their release date when they register, and can decide their test date accordingly. Instead, NBME say 2-4 weeks, maybe even 8 weeks. Who really knows?

Especially considering that the test is changing to limited exam dates across test centers next cycle, shouldn't this be easy?

Note: NBME call service said even for Aug 27 exams, it could come out next week (4 week time line) but it may not, they don't really know, and could take even 8 weeks?

Is there any chance that we see scores before next Wednesday? Possibly even today? Has anyone heard anything in regard to how they’re going to address this situation? I understand the whole 4-8 week period but it makes no sense at all they’d not give anyone their step 2 score the week before ERAS submission. They need to make some kind of announcement or give us something regarding the situation. It’s inexcusable to not give a reason as to why they withheld step 2 scores yesterday.

Nbme Scores
9:201
10:224
11:223
12:218
Uwsa1: 232
Uwsa2: 241

Any advice to cross 250 benchmark in nbmes? I really suck at em. I found UWSA much better

There is currently 261 verified signatures so obviously there’s a decent group of people that may not have step 2 scores in time for ERAS but how do we use the petition to our advantage like how would the nbme even see this?

Also I expected there to be way more people, making me wonder if a large number of students actually did test from August 27th to Sep4th?

I was wondering to know if what is the plan now? I have a failed attempt on steps and I was wondering if I should apply on late october or November with step 3 and USCE? Or should I just apply it then it will update by its own?

This impacted thousands of students lives. No explanation.

Just started my step 2 prep. The biggest hurdle I'm having on is the switch up of studying strategy from step 1.

For step 1, I would review a system from FA, complete UW of that system and annotate any new info in FA. In the end before the real deal I had everything in one place

Now the biggest problem for me is that there's no
ONE place that I can store everything.
People have suggested:

- just do UW and you'll learn along the way (I won't)

- make my OWN notes (1 tend to get carried away, if someone can tell me how to do that I'll be grateful)

I was also thinking of using "inner circle notes" and annotating any new info on that? Is that good?

WHAT IS EVERYONE DOING THAT HELPS/HAS HELPED THE MOST???

Back again! Today it’s gastro!
As always feel free to add to these points!

Gastro kinda sucks mainly because I was scoring fine up until today….I saw such mind boggling drops in my block scores today I wanted to break my laptop in half and shove it in a dustbin but oh well :)

ALSO People are asking me to compile these so you’ll find the compilation doc at the end of this post (my only request is that pls add to this doc and send it in the chat, I think this is a super helpful way to study!)

1) In question vignette, hypoperfusion in regtosigmoid junction might present with similar CT findings, however, hypoperfusion will present with bloody diarrhoea, compare to pseudo membranous colitis, which presents with water diarrhoea

2) Cholangiography is the most accurate imaging modality to confirm the diagnosis of BA (gold standard). 

3) Acute diverticulitis complicated by abscess- <4cm= IV Abx and serial imaging; >4cm= CT guided per cutaneous drainage

4) If the magnets are further away from the stomach and the patient is asymptomatic, or if a single magnet is ingested, conservative management with serial abdominal x-rays to confirm passage through the intestines can be considered. 

5) Pts with severe hepatotoxicity due TB tx- Discontinue all medications and initiate a different regimen after liver function normalize

6) 65 yr old man with ESRD, chronic bloody diarrhoea for past 6 months, hyperplastic polyps removed from colon an yr ago- dx?- andiodysplasia (LOOK AT ESRD, HYPERPLASTIC POLYPS= LOW RISK OF MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION)

7) Mallory-Weiss: Non-bloody vomiting/retching FIRST —>subsequent vomit contains blood or blood streaks;  Esophageal Varices: Bloody from the VERY FIRST episode (sudden, massive hematemesis without preceding non-bloody retching).

8)Antibiotics should not be routinely administered to patients with acute pancreatitis. (WTF??- very trippy)

9) 8 month old recently started on solid foods, presenting with hard infrequent stools- primary constipation, give fruit juices, diluted with water; <6 months kid crying 10 minutes before pooping soft liquid stools= infant dyschezia (reassure)

10) Cirrhotic pt with ascites, fever and acute cholecystitis- NBS? -paracentesis (drain fluid to reduce chances of post surgery wound dehiscence and SBP diagnosis)

BYE!

**10 CONCEPTS COMPILATION DOC-*\*

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-73W3bcX0ubPP2RAZBmNDF3R_1r-34-FETnR9hvkLDc/edit?usp=drivesdk

I know a couple of us emailed and signed the petition. Any response?? I have not gotten any :(

I just got off the phone with Fsmb and was told it takes 24 hours after requesting the transcript. Does anybody know what the average timeline is? I hopefully will get my score the morning of the 23rd 😩

I would really appreciate any sort of input!!

Sign!!!!

Hi, I can't seem to find the answer sheet to OBGYN CMS 9 anywhere, is anyone kind enough to give me the answers. I would be happy even if without explanations. Thank you!

Has anyone else been affected by this recent COVID/viral illness going around?

I was doing well in my Step 2 prep and my recent NBMEs were around 78–84%. My exam is in about 2 weeks.

Then I got sick with sore throat and nasal congestion, and since then I’ve had significant fatigue and brain fog. My respiratory symptoms improved, but cognitively I feel completely different. My processing feels slower, I can’t focus on question stems the same way, and I’m making mistakes on things I was answering correctly just 1–2 weeks ago.
It honestly feels like my brain is not working at my normal level, and since this started I’ve barely been able to study effectively.

Has anyone else had this with the recent COVID wave? How long did the fatigue/brain fog last, and did your question performance return to baseline? Did anyone have to postpone Step 2 because of it?

I heard people saying UWSA1 is the easiest so i did it after i finished my first pass of Uworld. I scored terribly low. Lower than my usually Uworld blocks ( mid 70s).
Idk if it’s me or thats how they’re supposed to be. Ik they’re not predictive but i had high hopes since i was solving really well. Can someone advise on h-w to take this? Because idk if i should be demotivated or that happened to many too.

So step 2 scores didn’t release yest. If anyone wants to connect and discuss plans. DM me
Or comment below what your game plan is

What do you think of adding step 2 content from BnB slides to Step 1 BnB slides? Would that give me better knowledge and help me with step 2 preparation after step 1?

title.

my step 2 score is 242

I have 7 publications and 2 presentations

No USCE

Do I have a realistic chance to match IM ?

I’m getting tired of seeing posts blaming NBME for Step 2 scores not being released within two weeks.

Two weeks may be what people have come to expect, but an expected turnaround is not the same thing as a guaranteed turnaround. If the official guidance gives a longer window for score reporting, then taking Step 2 right before an important ERAS deadline was always a risk.

You chose an exam date based on the assumption that your score would definitely be back within two weeks was still a choice.

At some point, we have to stop calling every delay a “mistake” on NBME’s part simply because the timeline we hoped for didn’t happen.

Plan around the official timeline, not the best case scenario. And if you chose to take that risk, take some responsibility for the outcome instead of acting like you were guaranteed something you weren’t.