nuts & bolts: policy, registration, study schedules & support services october 19, 2015

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

Schedules & Support Services

October 19, 2015

Review UC Davis SOM policy related to Step 1

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

Describe support available as you prepare for Step 1

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 the Friday prior to the beginning of Transition to Clerkship◦Friday, April 22

Exceptions to this date can only be granted by the Committee on Student Promotions◦ http://

www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/medicalstudentpolicies/csp/step1policy.html

UC Davis School of Medicine Policy

Karin Nilsson, Ph.D., (Student Health and Counseling Services) Mondays and Thursdays

Stephen Simonson, Psy.D. (SOM/ASAP) Wednesdays & Fridays

Both of us are reached for initial appointment requests through medschoolcounseling@ucdavis.edu

Hour-long strategy session for emotionally/mentally preparing for study period offered January 2016 (noon time)

Karin & Stephen

Set your plan, then follow it—prevent avoidance/perfectionism from getting in the way◦ Small steps add up. Returning to your plan is more

important than being perfect at it.

Practicing Mindful Presence/Breathing• Learning happens in the present• Diaphragmatic Breathing supports being present

Let’s Practice!

Emotional Success Strategies

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

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

$70 fee, no new scheduling permit until original eligibility expires

Re-register for the exam (i.e. pay another $600)

Selecting Your Eligibility Period

The first month of your eligibility period should be the month in which you are going to test.◦ Last course ends February 26, 2016. ◦ Boards study typically lasts ~6 weeks.

Eligibility period: April-May-June

Selecting Your Eligibility Period

Accommodations for documented disabilities covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act

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

NBME Accommodations/Requests for Personal Item Exceptions

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

Think about how short/long you want you study period to be◦ Optimal is somewhere around six weeks

All successful study plans include:◦ Scheduled days off◦ Scheduled days for practice tests/question based

review ◦ Scheduled days for final review

Plans may need to include:◦ “special days off” – Weddings, birthdays, poster

presentations, etc.

Before you schedule your exam…

March 2016

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

29 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 2016

Sun 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

25 study days3 question bank “practice tests” 2 NBME practice tests3.5 days of cumulative review

Q

Q R R R RREST

NBME

NBME

Q

TEST!!

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, Two Pass, etc. All are variations on a theme

◦ Different curricula, different goals, different exams

Be informed!!!

Once you have scheduled your exam…

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?

First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 – 2016 edition Plus One

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

Question Bank◦ USMLE World

What resources do I need?

Different levels of support to meet your individual needs:◦ Lowest level: help creating a study schedule (or

feedback on a schedule you have created), 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?

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

Informational meeting on December 16 at 11 am

Boards Review Class

December 2 – noon◦ Reviewing Behavioral Science & Psychiatry

December 7 – 1-5 pm◦ BSX Exam (required!)

December 16 – 11 am◦ Information session for students interested in

Boards Review class On-going November-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◦ Take BSX exam – December 7

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

Accountability Buddy◦ Discuss what you plan to do, and check in about

whether you have met your plan. Not about how well you are doing; not about how much you are learning.

◦Let’s practice again.

Karin & Stephen

Step 1and Residency◦ Dr. Jones◦ ldjones@ucdavis.edu

Study Support, Testing Accommodations & Personal Item Exceptions◦ Joanna Arnold

jcarnold@ucdavis.edu◦ Richard Moses

ricmoses@ucdavis.edu Emotional Well-being and Support

◦ medschoolcounseling@ucdavis.edu

Questions?