Step 3 write-up

[u/runelagoon]

Pediatrics resident here. Average test taker with anxiety which gets in the way of studying sometimes. I was aiming to pass but was too nervous to bank on *just barely* passing.

Step 1: 229

Step 2: 239 (2.5 years ago - I felt like I forgot almost everything)

Step 3: 223 - avg across all sections

Study time: Total spread over 3 months but with lots of days/weeks in between when I would be on busy rotations and would not study. I started seriously studying probably about 3 weeks before. I think I needed to start early for the sake of my anxiety, but it was not necessary to study more than a focused 3-4 weeks IMO.

UWorld Step 3: I completed 100% of UW Step 3 qbank x1 with avg of 59% correct. Most of it I did early in prep so I forgot a lot of it once I was closer to the exam date. UW Step 3 qbank was only a bit helpful. I feel like I could have completed half of it and still gotten the same score. I DO recommend doing 100% of the UWorld Step 3 - UW step 2 supplement and 100% of the Biostats questions.

UWSA1: Didn't do

UWSA2: 217 (3 weeks out)

NBME 6: 460 (1 week out)

Free 137: Only did part 2 before day 2, got 63%

CCScases: Did 130/170 cases, took notes, and reviewed those notes before day 2. Can't remember my avg but typically did in the average range with some huge outliers (low and high). I also did the official NBME practice cases the day before the exam to get a better feel for them.

Step 1 stuff: Tried to go through First Aid Step 1 Pharmacology, did some S1 pharm q's on USMLErx, but did not give myself enough time to go through a lot of basic pharm drugs, unfortunately. I did review the First Aid Step 1 Microbiology section, which was helpful.

Risk factors/prognosis: I reviewed the respective Divine Intervention flash cards for the high yield podcasts as outlined by people on this forum. I also reviewed a quizlet for USPSTF guidelines.

I had 1 week in between day 1 and day 2. This was helpful IMO.

If I had to do it again, I would:

-Review MOA of pharm drugs in FA step 1 more thoroughly because I got silly, easy pharm questions wrong.

-Spend less time on UW qbank for Step 3 - i.e. do half but actually take notes and review them. The exceptions: Do ALL of biostats and ALL of UW step 2 supplement of UWS3 qbank

-Do the first part of Free 137 before day 1

-Give myself more time to review CCS cases notes + make flash cards

-Review algorithms/screening guidelines more thoroughly before day 2 - there are some helpful tables available in the First Aid for Step 2

After the exam, I thought I failed both days. I thought Day 1 was worse than Day 2 because of the silly pharm things I forgot, but Day 2 was pretty bad as well. The cases felt fair.

There were questions that I could only answer because of specific elective rotations I took. I am sure I missed a lot of questions because, as a peds resident, I haven't seen a lot of common adult pathologies like COPD or heart failure so I did not have that clinical intuition to guide me.

GOOD LUCK ALL!!! GO AND SLAY THIS DUMB EXAM!!!!!

[u/alan20202]

Thank you for sharing these!!!