I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment about not looking like a gunner.  That is more important that people realize, I think.

Specific advice of mine would be to ALWAYS be positive, energetic, and intrigued.  Attendings love teaching students that love to learn.  Even if you haven't slept for 36 hours, you should still try and find the energy to be positive.  No normally developed attending will give a horrible grade to a guy that loves to learn.

Do article presentations when you can.  If you are on a rotation by yourself, then let loose with the articles.  If you have other students on the rotation, be sure they're on board with their own presentations (so you don't look like a gunner).

Patient presentations are also important.  Emulate the style of your residents, but be more detailed.  Read the relevant Up To Date article on your patient before presenting.  Do this even during clinic when you are seeing a bunch of patients.  No one will remember that you did less patients than everyone else, but they will remember a bad presentation.

Anyone else have advice that I missed?

any advice?
what to read?
how to be the ultimate gunner without looking like it?

Hi Samantha,

If you click on the following link, it will take you to the entry point of the step 1 estimator:

https://medfriends.org/step1_estimator/

Basically, you enter your score for any of the question sources in the respective box, click submit, and it will provide an estimated USMLE step 1 score.  More detailed instructions are provided for each of the question sources underneath the entry box.  The estimates are created with the use of regression models based on submitted, anonymous data.

If you have any further questions, just let me know!  Good luck! And thanks for posting!

Great post!  Congrats on finishing step 1!  I hope you had a few celebratory beverages before starting 3rd year....

Hi,

Thanks for the comments and for checking out this website!

The estimator is only as accurate as the submitted anonymous data that is used to generate the regression models.  Like any regression model, the estimates become less accurate the further away the independent variable moves from the data mean.  In other words, the predictions are less accurate at the extremes than at more average values.

It should be noted, however, that the NBME exams use the same general mathematical algorithm as used on this website and are therefore subject to the same inaccuracies at extreme values.  The dataset that the NBME exams are based on are not necessarily larger, either.  I've included a link to the academic publication that the NBME exam predictions are based on to give you a better idea of the NBME dataset.

Overall, I think the NBME exams are a great resource and I believe people should place a strong emphasis on the results.  Unfortunately, I also believe there is a high degree of variability inherent to the USMLE that makes high accuracy on these predictive models a virtually impossible feat. 

Please remember the intention of this website is not to compete with the NBME exams, but to supplement them with score estimates from other question sources.  At all times, we feel that people should be careful in their use of any of these score estimates (including the NBME).

Cheers!


Sawhill et al., "Using the NBME Self-Assessments to Project Performance on USMLE Step 1 and Step 2: Impact of Test Administration Conditions", Academic Medicine, 2004:
http://academicmedicine.org/pt/re/acmed/abstract.00001888-200410001-00017.htm;jsessionid=GGgdFkZxDXL5ZGypn4G0fF8G1KQMQb2CCqymVQMQPkgTpjT7zGfg!1318151080!-949856144!8091!-1

I think this predictor seems VERY optimistic. When you plug in the number 320 from the NBME test (which is CLEARLY FAILING), The estimator says you should get around 185 in STEP 1.

According to the NBME a grade of 320 gives you a STEP 1 score around 169

NBME exams are supossed to be the best predictor today.

Regards 

I just took Step 1 yesterday and sent out an email to friends with some tips.  I thought I'd post is here for folks too.  I took my test at the Clark St. center in Chicago.


-The test is exactly like the practice version available at the NBME website (http://www.usmle.org/Orientation/2006/2006menu.htm) - you have to download and install the program.  If you look over it ahead of time, you can skip through the tutorial and that will add to your break time.

-If you finish a section early, that gets added to your break time and then you get a screen that lets you decide if you want to take a break or continue.  If your time runs out, you go directly to the next block so be sure to end the block at least a few seconds beforehand if you want to take a break.

-My test center was cool, but not super cold.  I wore a t-shirt and a zip-up hoodie.  You have to wear whatever you take in (you can't hang it over the back of your chair) so zip-ups are nice in case it warms up at all.  That said, I was never uncomfortable.

-At the Clark St. center there is a diner with a carryout place on the first floor of the building.  I got a sandwich there and ate it outside.  Other folks brought lunch and ate it at the center in their main lounge, but I saw a guy looking at FA over lunch and instantly decided I wanted to get far away from him.  There is also a Wendy's and a Subway nearby.  The line at Subway was insane at 12:30 though.

-You can look through the bulletin of info for more details on test procedures (http://www.usmle.org/bulletin/2006/TOC.htm).  It's nice to do ahead of time so that you know what you are in for.

-They will give you tissues before you go in if you ask for them, but you can't have anything else with you other than the key for your locker and your ID.

-They have beautiful orange shooting range headphones to block out the noise.  I didn't like them, but most folks used them.  The noise levels didn't bother me, except for a fire truck that went by, but that was only for 30 seconds.

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Twelve states — including California, Texas and Florida — report some physician shortages now or expect them within a few years. Across the country, patients are experiencing or soon will face shortages in at least a dozen physician specialties, including cardiology and radiology and several pediatric and surgical subspecialties...

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-doctors4jun04,0,1528090.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Hi,
I heard this site had a score estimator for Strep 1.  How does it work?
Thanks,
Samantha

of the people who take form 1&2 is very commun to see them score lower on form 2 compared to form 1... many say its because form 2 is harder than form 1. if the questions are diferent the diiculty must be diferent also.. even if its just a little bit. 50 points on the 3 digit score.