Ask Dr. Paul - Q&A Thursday #4
All about NBME exams.
Today’s “Ask Dr. Paul” question comes from Twitter/X - follow me HERE.
The question is… “I’m just finishing my 5th semester of basic sciences. When should I take my first NBME exam?”
Great question! NBME exams are the finite resource that gives me and my students biweekly nightmares… It’s crucial that we use them correctly!
Before we get to the answer, if you’re struggling with any aspect of medical school, including USMLE prep, and you could benefit from a one-on-one consultation with me, click HERE to set up!
ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION:
This one is fairly simple and straightforward, but there is a touch of nuance that you’ll need to keep in mind… Let’s get into it!
THE FACTS
You should take some sort of assessment exam once you’ve covered all of the basic sciences content for the first time. If you’re fresh out of the basic sciences and you’ve been studying for a few months—for your school’s comp, for example—then you’ll want to take an assessment before your dedicated prep begins.
THE NUANCE
You’ll want to avoid using NBME exams until you feel good about your ability to pass the exam. Only once you’ve attained this important milestone will you get the most value from an NBME. Before you’ve reached this point in your prep (i.e. You’ve covered everything once but aren’t yet confident in your ability to pass), you can rely on a question bank assessment to gauge your strengths and weaknesses.
So… When are you suggesting I take my first NBME exam?
Save your first NBME for when you’re comfortable with the material and will get the most out of its use. Prematurely using an NBME will not only be useless in gauging your true strengths and weaknesses, but it’ll drain you of a highly valuable tool that you won’t have for use later on in your preparation.
As long as you remember to save the NBMEs until you’re highly competent and will get the most out of their feedback, you’ll be in great shape and unlikely to waste NBMEs prematurely.
Good luck!
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That’s it for today!
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