USMLE Step 1 Exam - 7 Tips For A Top USMLE Score

Studying for the USMLE Step 1 exam is serious business, and we are now in a time where there are more applicants than there are available residency positions, so there is absolutely no room for error in preparing for it thoroughly. It's true, there are almost twice as many people applying for residency today than there are available positions, so students should no longer be striving to simply "pass" the exam and go into a primary care field, because even the simplest residency programs to get into are now extremely competitive.


Because of the increasing difficulty in attaining a residency and the direct relationship between getting interviews and a good Step 1 score, I am going to share seven tips that I believe can help anybody do well on the USMLE exam, even if you are not a strong test-taker.


My seven tips for an outstanding Step 1 score are:


#1 - Start thinking USMLE from day 1 of med school



Get into the mindset from day 1 that you are preparing for the boards, because the sooner you set your mind for it's preparation the sooner you will start to absorb the appropriate material.


#2 - Class time = USMLE prep time



Pay close attention throughout your courses and pay extra attention to anything that your professors say is "high-yield", because they have been there already and they know what is likely to be on the exam. Take notes and develop your own process for marking the high-yield stuff that comes up in your classes.


#3 - Give the USMLE 1 hour every week from the start



If you are taking the right steps and making notes consistently for the Step 1 then you should have an ever-growing set of USMLE notes. Every week, take only 1 hour and sit and study your USMLE-specific notes, which will help you to absorb the high-yield information over time and this will ultimately help you best prepare.


#4 - Combine your class notes with your study guide notes



Something I didn't do but I wish I had done was get a USMLE Step 1 study guide from day 1 and bring it to all my classes. I had friends who did this and it helped them tremendously, and the only thing you need to do is jot down class information that comes up that is discussed in your study guide. This helps you to add more depth to the high-yield topics mentioned in the study guide and this ultimately gives you an even better study guide in the long-run.


#5 - Do a question bank from day 1



Starting a question bank from the beginning of your med school days is a great way to learn how to take standardized exam questions as well as a great way to help you prepare for your classes. Be sure to work through the qbanks slowly and take great notes along the way, as these will come in handy closer to your Step 1 exam date.


#6 - Create 3 sets of notes for the USMLE



Studying simply from a pre-written study guide is a fast way to a mediocre score, so instead of that you want to create 3 sets of study notes for your USMLE prep. First, you need to create notes straight from your classes which are your most in-depth set of study notes, secondly you need a set of notes mentioned in #4 which is more high-yield in nature, and third you need a thorough set of notes taken from your question bank. These three are a killer combination and will help you do very well on your exam.


#7 - Treat your USMLE preparation like a job



This test is tough, so approach it as if it was a job, giving it plenty of dedicated attention. When you are done with your 1st and 2nd year courses, create a schedule for studying and stick to it firmly, as you need to study intensely and consistently for a few weeks in order to get a top score.

Need to Prepare for USMLE

Admit it, in medical school, you have to juggle between lecture, classes, laboratories, and your personal and social life, such that you most probably review for a major examination a week or a day before the of test. And every time you gather with your colleagues, you huddle together and do a post-mortem of the test questions, right? In your mind, there's a small voice saying "You could have done better if you prepared properly." Then you start promising yourself that the next time will be different, but you only repeat the same process over and over again.


If you pass your medical school examinations, that means you have the capacity for memory retention, right? If you allocated enough time to your USMLE review, you could be at the top of the class, right? When your professors remind you to prepare for a test - then by all means, a medical student should be prepared. Why? Because you will later on deal with actual diseases and diagnoses, and prescribe actual medical or surgical interventions to real patients!


A medical student should never go to class unprepared, the same way that the doctor should never enter the =patient's room without proper training.
Have you heard the old saying, "What you sow today, you reap tomorrow?" Indeed, where you invest your time now as a medical student will define the physician that you are tomorrow.


With the fast evolution of technology, the information printed on your textbook (three years out of date, on average) may have changed, and what better way to prepare yourself for the medical board examinations than to do some serious USMLE review.


You can always study on your own with books open, but when help is available to give you the proper preparation to secure the next 25 years of your medical career, wouldn't you grab that chance? Here are several reasons why you should participate in a formal or informal, up-to-date, rigorous, USMLE review while you can:

1. It took you time, energy and money to complete your medical school application requirements and to pass the MCAT exam.
2. Both you and your parents have spent countless amounts of time, energy, and money for all the academic requirements asked of you (you can't make it to medical school without some sort of support structure).
3. If you belong to a family of physicians, failing on the USMLE Step 1 could make for some uncomfortable moments at family gatherings.
4. It would be far from impossible not to bump into one of your medical school classmates and see them wearing their scrubs and white coats while you struggle to walk faster so they will not recognize you.
5. Being left behind in medical school and starting all over again with the class below you is a little embarassing.
6. If you don't have the necessary good study habits to survive USMLE, just ask someone else for a little help. There is no embarassment there. Help can come in the form of a supporting community of student doctors, a formal USMLE review course, or an informal USMLE review with friends and classmates.

Some of the above situations are the worst case scenario. But all of the problems with USMLE exams can be prevented with the right study habits. Passing any academic examination all depends on one word: review. USMLE review will prepare you for the rigors of the exam. A regimented USMLE review can actually help you improve 20-40 percent on your previous USMLE (NBME test) scores. Don't get stuck revisiting the past and asking "What went wrong" when you could have taken a comprehensive USMLE review from the start.

USMLE Review and 5 Vital Study Techniques

When is an examination considered difficult? Just like any aspect of your medical education, the word "difficult" is subjective. An examination will be considered difficult when you lack the necessary preparation and review you need in order to pass a specific academic test.


Just like every academic test integrated in your medical education, you always need preparation. If you did not prepare, a moderately difficult examination will become very difficult. And the ease or difficulty of these tests will rely almost entirely upon your study techniques.


Furthermore, your study techniques will define how you will be able to retain necessary information to answer all the questions on your USMLE. The USMLE is a three-part licensing examination for medical students. Of course, you must pass all your academic examinations. And most of all, you must pass all the steps of USMLE.


Most medical students will participate in some form of a USMLE review program. For some, an online course best fits their needs, while others may choose a live or audio review. This USMLE review will play a major part in your passing or failing the examination. What happened if you did not prepare adequately on any test? You can expect either a failing score or a score that does not satisfy your expectations.


A USMLE Review usually consists of highly efficient medical doctors and specialists teaching material in a way that you, the student, can understand. These instructors should be fully equipped with the necessary credentials and training to facilitate a review of medical knowledge and adequately assist medical students in passing the USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, USMLE Step 2 CS or USMLE Step 3. However, if you don't utilize proper study techniques, even if the best specialists personally teach you in a USMLE Review, all will come to naught.


What specific study techniques can be helpful in conjunction with a formal or informal USMLE Review? Below are some helpful tips:

1. You should not overestimate your capabilities no matter how good your grades in your medical academic subjects.
2. You should put in mind that from the very first day you decided to take up medical education, preparation will always be a vital function you will need as a medical student.
3. The USMLE is not an easy examination but the degree of the ease or difficulty will be defined by how adequate or inadequate your preparation is.
4. You must define your goal in terms of passing the USMLE. Without any goal, your actions will have no direction.
5. You should be able to clearly set your goal and set specific actions to achieving the goal. It is also helpful to pick a specific score you want to achieve in the USMLE review tests as well as the actual USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, USMLE Step 2 CS and USMLE Step 3. This will further help you find appropriate initiative to achieve your objectives.

Preparation involves planning, and planning involves setting specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bounded objectives. Without these objectives, the actions you need to take will be more difficult to define, and the outcome of those actions will be uncertain. Remember that perparing for the USMLE is like implementing a treatment for the patient. Without knowledge of what your goals of treatment are, you are at a loss as to what should be the prescription.

Understand "What USMLE Is"

The United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) is a series of examination which a medical student has to take in order obtain license in United State. The USMLE is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc. (FSMB), and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).

The USMLE assesses a physician's ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles, and to demonstrate fundamental patient-centered skills, that are important in health and disease and that constitute the basis of safe and effective patient care.

Step 1 and Step 2 CK are given around the world at Prometric Test Centers (PTCs).

Step 3 is given at PTCs in the United States and its territories only. Once the passing score for step1 or step 2CK is achieved, one cannot retake the exam in order to achieve a higher score, therefore it is important to be prepared to achieve high score.

USMLE Test Format


Step 1 has approximately 336 multiple-choice test items, divided into seven 60-minute blocks, administered in one eight-hour testing session.


Step 2 CK has approximately 352 multiple-choice test items, divided into eight 60-minute blocks, administered in one nine-hour testing session.


Step 2 CS has 12 patient cases. You will have 15 minutes for each patient encounter and 10 minutes to record each patient note. If you do not use the entire 15 minutes for the patient encounter, the remaining time will be added to the time you have to record the patient note. The testing session is approximately eight hours.


Step 3 has approximately 480 multiple-choice test items, divided into blocks of 35 to 50 items. You will have 45 to 60 minutes to complete each of these blocks. There are approximately nine computer-based case simulations, with one case in each block. You will have a maximum of 25 minutes to complete each of these blocks. Step 3 is administered in two eight-hour testing sessions.



USMLE Score Format


Once Steps 1, 2, or 3 of the USMLE is complete the scores are electronically transmitted to the NBME for scoring.


The first step of the scoring process is to convert the number of correct answers into two equivalent scores. The first score is a three-digit scaled score and the second is a two-digit scaled score. Three-digit scores will fall between 140 and 260 with the mean score being between 210 and 230. Two-digit scores are based on the three-digit score.


The two-digit score is calculated in such a way that a score of 75 always corresponds to the minimum passing score. This scoring method applies to all parts of the USMLE except for Step 2 CS. Step 2 of the USMLE contains two parts: Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS. Step 2 CS is assessed as either a pass or fail score. There is no numerical value assigned to this part of the test.