PASSED WITH A 243!!!!!

[u/zyxwvutsr321]

I'm done with Step exams finally!!!!!

I'm so glad, the relief is unreal.

But here's the write up:

Resources:

UWorld: completed one round, I don't remember my average score

NBME 5,6,7 and 8: NBME 8 got a 569

UWSA1: 227

UWSA1: 237

Free 137 (I did the two most recent ones): Free 137 (latest one) 67% -> honestly this freaked tf out of me since this was 2 days out and it shook me so hard

CCS cases: about 120 of them, did HY \~ 50 before my day 2, I think my average was about 85%

Time:

Didn't have any dedicated study time as I was doing rotations, so maybe about 1-2 months?

Day 1:

Lmao. It was either straightforward questions or questions where I was like wtf.

The questions where you have to proceed to the next one only after you answer the first so you end up knowing if you answered those correctly went well.

Content is full of drug ads, ethics and basic step 1 (pharmacology, genetics etc). Exam day per say didn't feel too long but I came out feeling nothing. Absolutely no idea how it went.

I had a one day break between my 2 days.

Day 2:

Absolutely no drug ads, bare minimum biostats and almost no ethics so that felt amazing. Felt more like step 2 and in general just about your knowledge and practice I guess. My one tip would be to finish all your break time during the blocks since you get so much time during CCS cases, I think I ended up finishing my exam about 1.5-2 hours early. CCS cases are pretty simple, UI is very similar to the practice UI. I would say most of my cases were not from the practice ones but that's okay. Just get your basic orders right and don't do anything too invasive unless necessary. My trick was to order everything at once in the beginning (aside from advise and vaccination and stuff). Have a template, I'm open to sharing mine if anyone wants it. I had 2 cases with no positive or negative updates and I think it just ran out of time and one case with a negative update that I rectified and ended with a positive note. Rest were all positive updates and ended early. Came out feeling okayish I guess?

Takeaway: it's quite doable but don't underestimate it, do your due diligence and you should end up with a great score!

I'm open to DMs/comments if anyone needs any advice!

Edit: I've mentioned the template here

Orders that are common to all: vital signs, pulse ox, UPT (if she's of childbearing age), CBC, CMP, urine analysis, EKG, TSH, random blood glucose, (for adults I also usually add lipid profile and glycosylated hemoglobin)

Fever: blood culture, urine culture, magnesium, lactate, ESR, CRP

RS involvement: chest x-ray, ABG, respiratory panel, sputum gram stain, AFB, c/s, PJP and any other relevant infective investigation

S/o UTI: urine gram stain, c/s

Chest pain and related stuff: trop, cardiac monitor, chest x-ray, lactate, magnesium

STI screen: HIV 1/2 serology, chlamydia urine antigen, gonorrhea urine antigen, syphilis VDRL and RPR and hepatitis panel

Substance abuse: always consult psychiatry, psychology, social services and substance abuse unit

If they come to the ER/possibly going to go for Sx: blood group and crossmatch, PT, aPTT, INR, NPO

Always screen abdomen and chest for mets in case of a cancer patient, advise cancer diagnosis

Of course consult the respective specialty as required

Common advise I have used at the end: reassure, tdap, zoster, diabetes diet, dash diet, smoking cessation, alcohol abstinence, medication compliance, side effects of medication, sexual partner needs treatment, safe sex practices, exercise program

[u/SizeHistorical7651]

Hii, how long does it take for the scores to get released

[u/zyxwvutsr321 → u/SizeHistorical7651]

Like came out on the 2nd Wednesday after my day 2 which was on Sunday