Whether you’ve run out of NBMEs or haven’t touched a single one, understanding how to handle your supply of NBMEs is crucial to your USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam success.
Since this is a Q&A and not an in-depth deep dive, I’ll keep this short and to the point.
But… If you want a more detailed explanation of how NBMEs should be used for maximum results, click HERE to read my ‘Test-Taking Strategies Masterclass.’
THE GOLDEN RULES OF ASSESSING YOURSELF:
Before we discuss NBME alternatives, we need to understand the rules of the game. Assessments are more than just answering a few blocks of questions—the settings need to be ideal if you’re going to get effective feedback.
#1. TIMED - Assessments should be done in timed mode; sixty minutes per block - no exceptions.
#2. TIMEFRAME CONSTRAINTS - Assessments should be completed within an exam-like timeframe. Thus, if you’re doing four blocks, give yourself 5-10 minutes of overall break time.
#3. UNUSED QUESTIONS - An accurate assessment is performed with questions that you have not yet seen. It doesn’t matter if it’s been a while and you feel as though you’ve forgotten most of the questions—it’s still not the right approach.
#4. ** ONLINE NBMEs ARE THE GOLD STANDARD - Unused, timed, online NBMEs are the best tool for accurately assessing yourself. If available, use these.
**NO… Offline NBMEs are not a suitable alternative**
So, you’ve run out of NBMEs… There are a few ways we can deal with this…
It’s essential to recognize that when assessing ourselves, we’re looking for a source of rock-solid, high-quality USMLE-style questions that challenge our knowledge under exam-like settings and follow up with an automated analysis of our performance. Without this, you’re not getting the most out of an assessment.
A BIG FAT WARNING: Offline NBMEs or older NBMEs—in PDF format—are not good enough. You don’t get the gold-standard feedback with offline NBMEs and/or NBMEs in PDF format, so they are not your next best option. It doesn’t matter if you do them with a timer and grade them yourself - it’s simply not good enough.
YOUR THREE MAIN OPTIONS…
OPTION #1 - (QBANK ASSESSMENTS)
With no NBMEs remaining, the next best option is a question bank assessment. I’d recommend both the USMLE World and Amboss assessments. Again, these must be unused, performed in timed mode, and under strict exam-like settings to get the most accurate feedback.
OPTION #2 - THE USMLEDX ASSESSMENT PLATFORM
If you’ve used your online NBMEs and all of the question bank assessments, I recommend using the tool we built to fill this void in the market - our USMLEDx platform. We have a variety of fresh USMLE-style assessment exams for Step 1 & Step 2 CK that you can use to assess your exam readiness. You’ll get full feedback after each exam so you can identify how strong you are and/or whether you have weaknesses that need improvement. A 70% score is recommended for these assessment exams. Check out this option by clicking HERE.
OPTION #3 - THE LAST RESORT
The final resort is a self-made assessment exam using unused UW or Amboss questions. The strategy here is as follows:
Create four blocks of unused questions (mixed)
Perform all four blocks back to back in timed mode
Review performance after all four blocks are completed
Add up the percentages from all four blocks and divide by 4
The goal is to average 80% over all four blocks. If you do, you’re in great shape. If you’re close, figure out where your mistakes are and fix them before trying again. Repeat the process until you’ve achieved an average of 80% across four blocks of unused, unseen questions.
Since this option doesn’t give you the same level of feedback as NBMEs, Qbank assessments, or USMLEDx assessments, be sure to review everything from front to back.
Note: Don’t check your mistakes or worry about your performance after each block - do your review at the end once all four blocks are completed.
There you go.
The optimal scenario is to save your NBME exams until you’re fully ready to assess your exam readiness. But, if you run out, these three options can help you identify your remaining weaknesses and give you a relatively good analysis of your performance and exam readiness.
I hope this answers your question!
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