Looks like I've taken a little blogging vacation after the step, but I'm back. At least, I'm back for now. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to do with this blog, now that basic sciences is over. Anyway, here's my impression of Step 1.
All of the USMLE exams are given at Prometrics centers, which is a business that does nothing but give exams. Actually, they give about 400 different exams, including the USMLE. When you come in, they'll check your scheduling permit, ID, and have you put everything (including wallets, watches, and snacks) in a locker. Then, they'll finger print you and take a digital picture. After the check in is complete, you're given two small dry erase sheets, headphones to cancel out the sound, and they take you to your computer station. Every station is individually tape recorded. Basically, there is no possible way that you are going to cheat on this exam. The center was pretty much brand new and very nice. The employees were also very friendly and helpful.
Although I was extremely nervous going in, I felt more at ease once I began the exam. It is absolutely 100% identical to the FRED 2 software that USMLEWorld is now using. So, if you create yourself a random exam of 7 blocks of 48 questions, you'll know exactly what to expect. Taking the USMLE really felt like taking an extremely secure UMSLEWorld practice test. The questions were also very similar. There were some that were easier than World, but I thought that most of them were of similar difficulty. It is VERY heavy on path, and moderately heavy on micro and pharm. After taking the exam, I really wish I spent more time studying path. I only had one embryo question, and only a couple anatomy questions. They really do not use buzzwords anymore, so I wouldn't expect to see "currant jelly sputum," koplik spots, owl's eye inclusions, or anything of the sort.
You are given a total of 45 minutes of break for the day, to use whenever and however you want. However, if you finish a block early, or do not use the full 15 minutes for the introduction, the time is added to your break time. I wound up with over an hour and a half for lunch (which I didn't use most of), and still over an hour left when I finished the exam. There was only one block that I came close to using the entire time, but I usually finished with 15 minutes to spare. Unless you are a very slow test taker, you should not run out of time. Every time you leave though, you will be fingerprinted on your way in and out, and have to turn your pockets out to prove you're not brining anything in. Like I said, security there is no joke.
Overall, it was probably a little harder than I expected it to be, but only because I was expecting it to be a lot easier than USMLEWorld. Many of the questions were difficult, but none of them were unfair, and I never felt like they were trying to trick me. As you have probably heard, they're specific on their question writing rules, and there are NO negative questions on the exam. If only AUC would follow USMLE's question writing guidelines....
Now, all there is left to do is sit around and wait for the results. Waiting for results SUCKS, but it is MUCH better than the past many weeks of studying. I have been spending a lot of time sleeping, seeing movies, and basically doing whatever I want, with no stress at all. It's nice. I really cannot believe the exam is over. The whole time, I never really felt like I was taking the USMLE, until I walked out and was given a piece of paper that says "Your testing session for USMLE Step 1 has ended." It was really nice to get that sheet of paper. It's a sheet of paper that I have been both dreading and looking forward to, since before med school even began. But, for better or for worse, it is over now. If this is the official end of basic sciences, then my first half of medical school is now over. Unless my brain took a major dump on me that day, I passed the exam. In just over a month, I will begin clinicals, and I'm very excited for that to begin.
Not that long ago, I thought that college would never end, and I'd never actually be in medical school. And, even on those days that I knew I'd get to medical school, it seemed like forever before I'd get through basic sciences, take the USMLE, and move onto clinicals (which I've always been excited about). Well, that time has flown by, and here I am. In less than two years, I will be a physician...I can only hope that the next part of med school goes by just as quickly.
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