I reached out to Alec again halfway through my first clerkship. I ended up scoring a 226 on the real thing. My practice scores ranged from 216 to 238. However, I did buy his Pharmacology deck because I knew it would be high-yield to do the cards on the most-tested categories during the time I had left.īy the end, I had gone through UW x1.7, First Aid x3, and Pathoma x3. Though he was understanding, it was not feasible to work with him at that time. When I reached out to Alec, it was too close to my date. My reaction? The classic medical student freak out! As more time went on, I kept forgetting things I’d learned earlier.Īfter I took my second practice NBME, I got a much lower practice score than I was expecting. I was using UFAP to follow a combination of a schedule my friend had used successfully the year prior and my school’s cookie-cutter plan. At that point, I was 4 weeks into dedicated study time. Two weeks before my Step 1, I found Yousmle. I was very frustrated, to say the least! Step 1 Studying (Before Yousmle) My hours of studying did not show on my transcript. There were several classes where I missed honoring the entire course by only 1-2 wrong questions on a test. I’d finish by running through the most important things one last time. I would review everything fully once more. We had quizzes or test every week or two. Other times I would talk through concepts with classmates or read the books for a deeper understanding. Sometimes I would make study guides or flashcards. Then I’d review them to make sure I understood them. I would watch the lectures for the day and take notes. I struggled to find something that would work. To summarize my first two years: I worked very hard but never saw the results I wanted. (E.g., University of Hawaii, Scripps Mercy). I also have interviewed at some of the most competitive transitional years.(E.g., Harvard, Columbia, Cleveland Clinic, University of Washington, Mayo, Yale, NYU, Dartmouth). Invites from ~20 programs, including many top tier schools.After Yousmle → honored 4 clerkships, scored a 260 on Step 2Ĭurrently in the middle of interview season:.Before Yousmle → honored ZERO classes MS1 and MS2 year, scored a 226 on Step 1.I volunteered to do this of my own accord because I have been so happy with the results. To my fellow medical students, I wanted to share with you my experience of working withĪlec over the course of one year. She shows that while the right resources are important, knowing how to use them is critical. Finally, she honed her approach to UWorld to master question interpretation.Īfter her Step 2, she approached me and asked if she could share her experiences. She used the Decks ( Step 1, Step 2, and Pharmacology) to build up her knowledge base. We worked together to change her approach for her Shelf exams, and to lay the groundwork for Step 2. She approached me for tutoring after her Step 1. Her ultimate Step 1 score was below-average. She never had a set approach she could believe in! She used the (in)famous UFAP and worked super hard to only achieve average results. Melody’s Step 1 “approach” looked the same as most students. (I won’t hold you in suspense: your approach is hugely important). One of my former students would like to weigh in. In other words, have you ever wondered how important your approach was? When they apply to residencies, top programs fight to interview them. But how do some students end up with everything? They have great USMLE scores, amazing clerkship evaluations, and glowing letters of recommendation. But why do their outcomes diverge so vastly? Many of us wish we did better. Virtually every medical student uses the same resources (UWorld, First Aid, Pathoma, etc.).
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