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Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Simulated USMLE Step 1 Exam Experience

AI just finished my simulated usmle exam. I tried to pace myself closely, making sure I don't run out of time on blocks. I took a total of 1 hour break time and divided it as follows:

1st block
1 minute breather
2nd block
5 minutes
3rd block
10 minutes
4th block
30 minutes for lunch
5th block
5 minutes
6th block
10 minutes
7th block

My lowest point was the 6th block, I felt so exhausted during that block. I'm probably going to experiment some more with how I divide my break time. I still have enough questions for another full simulated exam.

I consistently scored in the low to mid 80's in all the blocks. I'm pretty pleased with my performance. I'd be ecstatic to do this well on the real deal.

A couple of points I learned from this experience:
  • Eat a light lunch. I probably ate more than I should have for lunch and ended up feeling too laid back during the next block of questions.
  • Look at the timer every 10 questions or so to make sure you're on your track.
  • Don't get bogged down if you're not doing well. Like I said before, I felt so tired during the 6th block; surprisingly, it was my 2nd highest score.
  • Focus on doing one block at a time. Before I started the simulated exam, I was like, "Ugh, this is going to take forever." I decided to just focus on getting through one block at a time.

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