USMLE Step 1Nuts & Bolts: Policy, Registration, Study

Schedules & Support Services

OSLEROctober 4, 2013

Review UC Davis SOM policy related to Step 1

Provide information related to registration, scheduling and testing accommodations for Step 1

Describe support available from OSLER Identify essential study resources for Step 1 Provide an outline of deadlines and events

related to Step 1 preparation

Goals

You must TAKE (and complete!) the exam by April 15, 2014

If you do not pass…◦ You will stop your rotation immediately◦ Prepare a plan of remediation◦ Take exam and post passing score by start of

rotation 3

UC Davis School of Medicine Policy

Go to www.nbme.org Click on “Log-in to NBME Licensing Exam

Services” Follow prompts to complete registration Select 90-day eligibility period Print form, attach picture and deliver form

to Registrar’s Office – Room 1208◦ Take your ID when you submit form!

Registration

Financial Aid

What is an eligibility period?◦ 90 day window in which you may schedule/take

your exam

You can not test outside of your eligibility period unless you:◦ File for a one time extension

$65 fee and you only get one extension!!!◦ Re-register for the exam (i.e. pay another $580)

Selecting Your Eligibility Period

The first month of your eligibility period should be the month in which you are going to test.◦ Last Block ends February 28. ◦ Boards study typically lasts 5-6 weeks.

Eligibility period: April-May-June

Selecting Your Eligibility Period

You will receive an e-mail telling you that your scheduling permit is available

Log-in, click on “Scheduling Permit” Go to Prometric website and schedule your

test date.

Scheduling Your Exam

Accommodations for documented disabilities covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act

You must apply for accommodations at the same time you register for the exam◦ See Gail Peoples if you plan on applying for or

have questions about applying for accommodations

Request for Personal Items◦ Hearing aids, insulin pumps, inhalers, etc.◦ http://www.usmle.org/bulletin/applying-and-scheduling/#disabilities

NBME Accommodations

Different levels of support to meet your individual needs:◦ Lowest level: help creating/reviewing a study

schedule, choosing supplemental resources and reassurance that you can do this

◦ Medium level: help assessing results of the BSX, individual appointments throughout boards study to help with quizzing, review and confidence

◦ Highest level: Boards Review Class

What support does OSLER offer?

OSLER will help you build a study schedule and plan the study that is best for you!

There are many methods out there:◦ DIT, Kaplan, Penn Method, Taus Method,

Questions Only, etc. All are variations on a theme

◦ Different curricula, different goals, different exams

Be informed!!!

Once you have scheduled your exam…

Clear start and end dates Days off Review days Reserved time for questions Time limits

◦ Organ systems vs. disciplines◦ Nervous system vs. cardiovascular◦ CV physiology vs. CV pharmacology

What all successful schedules have in common…

Pick a start date◦ Last Block ends on February 28, 2014◦ Time off?

Pick a test date◦ You must test on or before April 15, 2014

Identify “special” days off◦ Identify any day that you will be away from

studying Weddings, conferences, birthdays, etc.

Before you can create a study schedule…

Identify “scheduled” days off…◦ For the sake of your health, sanity and personal

hygiene, give yourself 1 reliable day off each week.

◦ Usually Saturday or Sunday

Before you can create a study schedule…

Identify question bank days◦ One day/week devoted to question based

cumulative review Track progress Identify weak areas Prepare for the real deal

◦ Usually the day before scheduled day off

Before you can create a study schedule…

Pick practice test days◦ NBME self-assessments◦ Typically scheduled after 2-3 weeks of study and 1

week prior to the exam. Identify time for final cumulative review

◦ Time set aside for final push for detail◦ Usually 3-3.5 days immediately before test date

2 days for organ system review 1 to 1.5 days for discipline review

Before you can create a study schedule…

March 2014Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

April 2014

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11

TEST

12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30

25 study days3 question bank days2 NBME practice tests3.5 days of cumulative review

Q

Q

Q

R R R RREST

NBME

NBME

Ok, I’m ready for a schedule. What’s next? Schedule an appointment with OSLER It may take two appointments…

◦ Appointment 1- weekly schedule Day 1 to exam day When do I review? When do I do a practice test? How

many days for Renal?◦ Appointment 2 – daily schedule

How long is a study day? How long for Heme pathology?

What do I do during the four hours scheduled for CV pharm?

Six week guided study Focused on approach, strategy

◦ NOT a content based review Designed to provide structure,

accountability and additional support for those who need it

If interested, ◦ Talk to Joanna, Richard or Gail◦ Attend information session on December 16

Boards Review Class

First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 – 2013 or 2014 edition

One additional reference per discipline◦ Anatomy/Histology◦ Biochemistry◦ Physiology◦ Immunology/Microbiology◦ Pathology◦ Pharmacology◦ Embryology

Question Bank◦ USMLE World

What resources do I need?

November 18 – 3-4:30 pm◦ Planning a review of Behavioral Science &

Psychiatry December 9 – 1-5 pm

◦ BSX Exam (required!) December 16 – noon-1pm

◦ Information Session for Boards Review Class On-going October-February

◦ Individual appointments to create a Step 1 study plan

Upcoming Events

October-December◦ Complete registration◦ Select and schedule test day◦ Meet with OSLER to create/review study schedule◦ Participate in Step 1 workshops◦ Take BSX exam – December 9

January-February◦ Review results of BSX◦ Revise study schedule (if necessary)

March-April◦ Activate Question bank◦ Purchase NBME practice exams◦ Study!◦ Take Step 1

Fall-Winter-Spring Timeline

Be informed Be systematic Be reflective Know yourself and what works for you Ask questions now Help is available

The Bottom Line

Step 1and Residency◦ Dr. Jones

Registration, Testing Accommodations, Personal Item Exceptions◦ Gail Peoples – 4101G

gail.peoples@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu, 734-4122 Study Support

◦ Joanna Arnold – 4101C, 734-8785 joanna.arnold@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

◦ Richard Moses – 4101A, 734-4678 richard.moses@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

Questions?