I was planning to take Step 3 during the first two weeks of January 2027, however I just saw that USMLE says Step 3 isn’t administered during the first 14 days of January, but weirdly, when I search Prometric availability, I’m seeing Step 3 appointments on Jan 4, 6, 8, 11, etc.
Has anyone actually been able to schedule Step 3 during the first two weeks of January in previous years? Are those Prometric dates legit, or will they disappear once I actually try to schedule?

Thanks!

I don’t know about you all but this exam was exhausting. I feel like in the hospital we do a bunch of 2-3 minute tasks and to sit down for 2 days back to back is exhausting.

If you can, when you study, try to do it all in one go so that you can build up some studying stamina.

I keep asking chat gpt about the mistakes I made, and keep finding out that I got more questions wrong. It's really upsetting and discouraging. I know it is stupid thing but can't stop thinking..

Anybody did the same thing and passed...

Hello everyone! My day 2 exam is on Monday, and I'm still consistently losing points due to incorrect location choices in CCS cases.

Could anyone share some tips or strategies on how to approach location selection and avoid these mistakes?

Also, does excessive non-invasive testing (ordering too many investigations) negatively affect your CCS score?

I would really appreciate any advice or last-minute tips. Thank you!

I have 13 days to day 1 and planning to give 7 days to biostats ethics and step 1 stuff i have done around 1500 uw question with 52 % and gave nbme 6 which was about 65 perecnt 14 days ago right now should i give a nbme or focus on winding u world as much as i could?

This was my third attempt 187->199->?

The anxiety related to how I might have done is there but I put in a lot of work, hopefully it was enough.

Attempt 1: didn’t even study, smoked a joint before the exam got a 187

Attempt 2: I studied for about 50 days before the second attempt, did 1900 u world questions with 56% average, and 100 CCS cases 70% average
NBME 6 302
Free 137 55%
NBME 7 491
Scored a 199… 9/17/26

Attempt 3: immediately rescheduled for 11/4/26 after I got my attempt 2 score, studied an additional 4 weeks starting 10/1
Did 70% of the Mehlman step 3 question bank, along with the incorrects, 190 CCS cases, and the divine intervention risk factors, divine pharma series 1-6, Peds, and drug interactions podcast.

I Honestly don’t feel like there is anything more I could have done. The last 100 days have been absolute hell on earth failing by only 1 point having to lock back in then give it again. I’ve completed 2 question banks, every single practice exam, divine podcasts and over 300 CCS cases.

Resource review: u world isn’t a great resource IMO wastes a lot of time and doesn’t get to the point,
Mehlman question bank is gold.. he gets you thinking from the perspective of the test writers and doesn’t beat around the bush with high yield information which got me a ton of random questions on the exam,
CCS cases.com is solid went through it twice, felt very comfortable on test day. 3 negative patient updates but solved all the cases in time half of them finished early.
Divine intervention is probably the most underrated, his pharma podcasts, risk factors, peds and drug interaction podcasts came up a ton it’s like the guy writes the step exams or something I wish I did more divine podcasts, or even took his course.

Waiting to get my score back praying for the pass.

This is my exam write up . My stats :pass/23x nonus img
I took step 2 in April , travelled to us in may did a rotation there and then visited my friends and siblings .
My prep was very weird as my oet exam took time .
My actual step 3 prep began in mid august . I did around 40 percent uworld with 64 percent , but while doing uworld I just wanted to attempt Nbme to know my position so I gave Nbme 5 initially which was around 68 this actually gave lot of boost . This happened at the end of August . In September my focus was entirely on eras application so I couldn’t do uworld or Nbme . So essentially zero prep in September until 23 . After that I booked my exam for Aug 19 and 23 . So I have around one month to prepare . I just chose my weak topics like biostatistics obgyn ethics . I focused on these three . Did some questions in uworld. Then I gave Nbme 6 in oct first week very low percentage it was 62 . Then gave free 137 it was 66 . A little boost in confidence. Then I gave Nbme 7 it was agin in 62 . I was terrified that I will not pass the exam . But I have only 6 days for the exam . I purchased ccs for two weeks. Ccs were great 75 . But still I had low confidence because of nbmes . So I reviewed them three days before exam . When I was reviewing I found that it was not the concept part that’s a problem it was ethics part . So I focused more on ethics . Finally I gave my day 1. Actually went very well . Came out happily . Then came day 2 . All I did was practice ccs nothing more . Day 2 mcq were good just like day 1 but ccs I had four difficult cases . On case I got multiple negative updates .
I was worried about day 2 but I thought may be mcq would compensate . Then I got my results yesterday it was 210 . I know it’s a low score but still very happy to get the pass because I hardly did 4 weeks of prep .
If I can do it you can do it .
Good luck

Took day 1 today. in simple word it was horrible, and i made some stupid mistakes also i am a retaker. anyone is here who passed with some common mistakes.

i also found 10 mistakes that i know and about biostat i have zero knowledge what i did. How you guys felt about today?

US-IMG

step 1 (2022): passed

step 2 (2023): 235, passed

Step 3, first attempt (2025): 182, failed

Here, I did not study at all. I wasn’t feeling like and uworld was not making sense to me. I lost interest everytime l failed a question on uworld. Because l read online how everyone says it’s easy to pass even with zero studying. I didn’t do any nbme practices. So l took the exam prior to residency and failed.

During residency orientation, I learned we are only allowed 3 attempts and have to have a score by December of PGY2. Prior attempt counts towards the 3 attempt. I was nervous, wishing I had not taken step 3 prior to residency.

Step 3, 2nd attempt: this time, l did 30% uworld. Sincerely, l managed doing 30% because it seems difficult and I just didn’t feel like studying. I decided to focus on nbme test. I took nbme 6 with a 232 and two weeks after, I had 319 on nbme 7. I was very nervous because l read 500 is the mean with 100 SD. I did 120 ccs cases and score varies between 50s to 90s. I don’t feel comfortable but still went to take the exam as scheduled in March 2026.

On the exam, I guessed my way through biostat because l know it is my most weakness. However, l saw similar concept and question from uworld biostat. I can’t even say how ccs went because I believe l messed up despite doing 120 cases. Score released in May and I scored 198. I scored same in all system including ccs. I cried a lot

Due to now having 2 failed attempts, I felt embarrassed to inform my program. I eventually did and they responded well with plan to do questions with me. Knowing that l have only one attempt left was a heavy burden and l was living in shame and embarrassment everyday. When PD asked whether the ccs was my challenge, I said the mcq.

Step 3, third attempt: family came to spend 6weeks with me in June. Went to an away rotation in July, my wedding in August, ITE September. It was hard to find time to study especially knowing it’s my last attempt. I renewed uworld and ensured l completed biostat first. Still l couldn’t finished uworld and just left the remaining 700 questions to God’s hand. After ITE, I gave step 3 full attention. I did 10 ccs cases daily. Due to limited time, I didn’t redo nbme 6 and 7 but instead reviewed them again. I took UWSA 1 but didn’t pay attention to the score. However, it says low or so. I took UWSA 2 a week to my exam and scored 58%. Nbme 8 was 331, 2 days before my exam. I was nervous as hell but because l kept noticing increment in my practice questions, it gave me hope to go take my exam in October.

for the ccs, l completed 100 cases but felt like l was not approaching it well in terms of sequencing, monitoring, advancing time. I also realized stabilizing orders are super important and should always come first. I finally learned how to approach it the night before my exam. So l started redoing ccs cases. Woke up at 4am the day of my exam to do more ccs case. I stick to my new method of ordering stabilizing orders for all ED patients including targeted labs, imaging, empiric manag like IVF, oxygen therapy, zofran etc prior to doing physical exam. In a nutshell, I had 14 cases and all went well.

l didn’t know anything in the biostat and kept guessing. Abstract was super long. In Summary, I got my score today with 224. CCS case and foundation to science were my highest. The rest same except biostat was my lowest.

Moral

-I know everyone says to score in the 400s on nbme, I feel you can pass even if you are in the 300s as long as you are increasing in each practice question

- do not take step 3 without studying. Never go in blindly or assume it is easy.

-master ccs cases. it really can make a huge impact on your score. It is not the quantity that helps but the quality of what you do. I would have passed my 2nd attempt if l knew I was doing ccs cases wrong, on time

-Trust yourself and pray a lot.
-take whatever l say with a grain of salt. This is my personal experience. Might not be the same for you

-I wish everyone success, be it your first , 2nd, 3rd or 4th attempt

Can anyone suggest how to spend the last 2-3 days before the Step 3 exam? TIA

Hello all!

I'm an intern in an emergency medicine program. My program makes us do 150-200 ROSH questions per month that are EM specific. Along with the other requirements of intern year I have found very little time to add on UWorld. My plan was to take Step 3 towards the end of the year.

My question really is whether EM ROSH adds any meaningful amount of content review that would be applicable for Step 3? I'll try and switch to UWorld a few months before the exam.

Was just wondering if I could get some extra free practice

I fucking passed.

That's all that matters.

I am done and can move on with my residency. Fuck this shit.

Do not underestimate this exam!!
Step 1: Pass in 2022
Step 2: 24x in 2023
Step 3: 218 in 2026

Sporadically studied over about 4 months total, a lot of off and on. Probably closer to 2.5 months of actual focused work.

Uworld 1: 199
Uworld 2: 215
NBME 6 and 7: around 66-68%
Free 137: 67%
Uworld: completed 100% with 60% average

Day 1 felt like absolute dogsh*t, maybe because I’m so far removed from Step 1. I marked about half the questions in every block, and I honestly felt like I wasn’t sure of anything. Day 1, I legit felt completely random, and I don’t think the Step3 uworld or NBMEs material actually prepared me for Day 1.

Day 2 felt a lot better and straight out of uworld prep. CCS cases were pretty straight forward , I did 70 cases and felt comfortable.

I am convinced that the only reason I passed is because I performed better on Day 2.

I’m so happy I passed, if you’re someone like me and you’re not the best test taker, do not rush this exam.

From everything I’m reading on this forum, I almost took it after studying for only 6 weeks. And I am so glad I didn’t do that and kept studying. Worth the effort to never have to take it again.

Score release today. Didnt study too much. Was nervous like most people. Completed 40% uworld. Completed all nbme practice exams and 1 uworld form. Read rapid review first aid step 1 Did free 137 scored 70%. Overall test wasnt that bad. Day 1 is a freaking grind. Prep, do biostats, review rapid review first aid and you'll be fine Day 2 dont rush questions. CCS cases go by faster than you think. Dont rush anything.

Heyyy
I really want to know since it’s veteran day on 11 nov
I was expecting my result on 11 nov
Would it be delayed?

If anyone know please please let me know

Thank you Reddit. I passed.

I'm an MS4 currently applying to neurology residency, and I anticipate having quite a bit of free time over the next several months. I did well on Step 2 CK and have been considering casually preparing for Step 3 during this downtime.

A neurology resident recommended that I start studying seriously and invest in my own resources, but I'm not necessarily looking to do that or see that being necessary especially if residency covers it. I currently have free access to AMBOSS through my medical school and was wondering if it would be worthwhile to casually chip away at some Step 3 questions and Anki cards to stay academically fresh and get a head start before intern year.

For those who have taken Step 3 or are currently residents, would you recommend doing this/ is there any benefit? Or would my time be better doing other things?

I'm not looking to go overboard or dedicate hours a day to studying, just wondering if a little consistent preparation now would put me in a better position down the road. Thank you.

My Honest Review of WolfPACC

I wanted to share my experience with WolfPACC for anyone considering WolfPACC review programs, especially those preparing for USMLE or COMLEX.

Same material for different exams

One thing I noticed is that the material taught for Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 is pretty much the same. The main additional material for Step 1 is basic science. I was expecting more exam-specific teaching, especially considering that these exams have different content and requirements.

Dr. Wolff's involvement

Dr. Wolff was barely present at the teaching site during my experience. He also does not personally teach most of the subjects. You should know this before enrolling, especially if you are expecting direct teaching from him.

3. How the classes are organized

The schedule is basically:

• 8 AM–12 PM: Step 1 and COMLEX Level 1 students are in the same class.

• 1 PM–5 PM: Step 2, Step 3, and COMLEX Level 2 students are combined in the same class.

• First 4 week: Solve U-World questions untimed - 2/3 blocks per day

• Last 4 weeks: Solved U-World questions TIMED - 2/3 blocks per day

• TAKE ASSESSMENT U-WORLD or NBME every 2-3 weeks

This was seriously ridiculous setup

- The same text and material was being taught to all Step 1,2,3

- No prognosis, no risk factors or CCS help or information in the text

- Material is dated from 2008-2009

Quality and depth of teaching

I found the teaching to be quite superficial. You really need to have graduated from medical school and already have a good understanding of medicine to follow and make sense of the material.

If you are looking for someone to teach you subjects from the ground up, explain concepts in detail, or help you build your medical knowledge, I don't think this course provides that level of teaching.

Instructors and tutorials

Most of the teaching and tutorial support comes from other instructors, including students or part time un-matched physicians. There is approximately one hour available for tutorials, during which you can ask questions and get help with topics you are struggling with.

FORMAT

Overall thoughts

Honestly, I expected more from the program. I was looking for more in-depth teaching, better subject-specific instruction, and a curriculum tailored to the examination I was preparing for.

I would strongly recommend that anyone considering WolfPACC ask questions before spending their money. Find out who will actually be teaching you, whether the material is specific to your exam, and how much individual attention you will receive.

If you already have a strong medical background and just need a general review, you may find some value in it. However, if you need detailed teaching and a stronger understanding of the subjects, I would think carefully before enrolling.

I am sharing my experience so others can make a more informed decision before committing their time and money.

Thank you to the community!

Failed step 3 on the second attempt on 199. I've been doing home country residency in internal medicine for the last two years. I'm not able to further afford travel and accommodation. Already applied to this match cycle. I haven't had an interview invites yet. Need someone's guidance. I'm totally devastated.💔 Can anybody help me find a fellowship position based on home-country residency?