u/Least-Membership-114

Hi everyone!
I have my OET Speaking test in 2 days, and I have a few last-minute doubts. I’d really appreciate any advice from those who have recently taken the exam.
Introduction: Do you always confirm the patient’s name (e.g., “Can I confirm your name, please?”), or is it okay to introduce yourself and go straight into the consultation depending on the scenario? For example, in an emergency department role play where the card already says you’re speaking to the patient or their relative, can I simply say:
“Hello, I’m Dr. Xxx , one of the emergency doctors looking after you today. I understand your father has been admitted…”
without confirming the name?
Is it okay to start with something like “How are you feeling today?”, or should the opening depend entirely on the scenario?

Finally, is everything that needs to be covered in the consultation included in the role-play card, or are the tasks just mentioned, or are there things the examiners expect us to ask or do even if they’re not mentioned on the card?

Also, if anyone could share how they felt immediately after their Speaking test and what score they eventually received, that would be really reassuring and helpful to hear.

Any last-minute speaking tips would also be greatly appreciated.

Bit of an unrelated question for the group, but I thought I’d ask since many of us are IMGs.
Has anyone here managed to get a medical scribe position or a hands-on medical assistant/intern position in or around New York or New Jersey, especially in an outpatient clinic or private practice?
If you did, how did you find it? Did you apply online, email physicians directly, use a recruiter, or get it through networking?
I’m looking for something last minute, so if anyone knows of clinics that are hiring or has any contacts or tips, I’d really appreciate it. Even if you don’t want to post publicly, please feel free to comment or DM me.
Thanks in advance!

Took Step 2 CK yesterday.
Honestly, like everyone says, I just feel numb.
I have absolutely no idea how it went. The whole thing felt like it flew by. The exam felt vague, and at times it honestly felt like a guessing game. Walking out, I wasn’t able to tell whether it was easy, hard, fair, or unfair. Maybe my brain is just protecting itself right now.
For me, the overall feel was somewhat similar to NBME 16. There were quite a few HOPI-style questions. I had around 2 sequential item sets and about 2 abstract/research questions.
For the sequential sets, I left them until the end of the block. My reasoning was that if you get the first question wrong, it can affect how you think about the rest of the set, so I preferred finishing the standalone questions first and coming back to them later.
The abstract/research questions felt doable, but honestly, I have no clue whether I got them right.
One blessing was that I never felt tired throughout the exam. Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was all the prayers. I had enough break time, food, and water, and somehow I stayed focused through all 16 blocks. That was something I was really worried about beforehand, but thankfully it wasn’t an issue on exam day.
A little about my preparation:
• UWorld: ~85% completed, ~65% average
• Completed almost all CMS forms across subjects before even finishing UWorld
• CMS forms were probably one of the most helpful resources for me because they teach you how NBME likes to ask questions and what they’re actually looking for
• I made notes from my CMS mistakes and reviewed those repeatedly
• Then I moved on to NBMEs
My NBME scores:
NBME 9 – 221
NBME 10 – 239
NBME 11 – 249
NBME 12 – 240
NBME 13 – 234
NBME 14 – 237
NBME 15 – 245
NBME 16 – 247 (paid)
One thing I would definitely recommend is taking at least one NBME in the paid format. I only did NBME 16 as a paid exam, and it was worth it. The timer, pacing, interface, and overall simulation felt much closer to the real thing. Most of my earlier NBMEs were self-simulated, which isn’t exactly the same because it’s easy to pause, take extra time, or not maintain strict exam conditions.
I also took the Free 120 and scored 75%.
One mistake I made was leaving too many things for the final few days. By the time I took Free 120, I was mentally exhausted and definitely wasn’t performing at my best. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be: don’t save everything for the very end.
During the last few days, I mostly reviewed important algorithms, management pathways, common NBME-style presentations, and my personal notes from previous studying. I tried to rapidly go through as many subjects as possible rather than learning new material.
On the morning of the exam, I just reviewed biostatistics nd formulas.
Now comes the hardest part: waiting.
I’ll update this post with my score when it comes out (assuming it’s a score worth updating 😅).
If anyone has questions about prep, resources, exam-day logistics, timing, breaks, or anything else, feel free to ask. Happy to help if I can.

I just finished Step 2 and am planning ahead for Step 3, but I honestly know almost nothing about the exam or how people prepare for it.

For those who have taken it recently:

1. How long did you study for Step 3?
2. Is it realistic to take it within a few months of Step 2?
3. What resources are considered essential?
4. Is UWorld still the gold standard?
5. How important is CCSCases.com? Is it a separate subscription and is it worth it?
6. Are there CMS forms for Step 3 like there are for Step 2?
7. Are there NBME self-assessments, and which ones are most predictive?
8. What percentages/scores on UWorld, UWSAs, or NBMEs generally indicate readiness?
9. How different is Day 1 from Day 2?
10. How much Step 1 knowledge (micro, pharm, biochem, mechanisms) do I need to review?
11. If you could start over, what would you do differently?

For context, I’m an IMG who just completed Step 2 and I’m trying to figure out the most efficient Step 3 study plan.
Would really appreciate any advice, timelines, resource recommendations, or mistakes to avoid. Thanks!

6 days out for the real deal..planning to take nbme 16 tomorrow.. is it worth it to purchase from nbme website paying $62 or should I just use the PDF? Take the exam self simulated and just calculate the score on my own? Is it worth to take the actual exam online?

So I accidentally deleted someone’s chat request, but I would like to answer his question here, so I got a dip in nbmes 13 and 14, but for nbme 15, I got my scores up. All I have to say is the same as everyone has ever said in this Reddit group. I reviewed my mistakes, found a pattern , reviewed all my wrongs because I already made a note with all the wrongs in from NBMEs and cms forms and then reviewed whatever topics I can while I reviewed NBME 14.

And then I decided to trust myself, even though I was terrified. U got this , u r only a few questions behind.

Hey guys, I need an honest opinion.
I’m 7 days out from my Step 2 exam (scheduled for June 16), and I’m not sure whether I should go ahead or consider extending. My goal is 250+.

My NBME scores have been:
NBME 9 (6 weeks out): 221
NBME 10 (5 weeks out): 239
NBME 11 (4 weeks out): 249
NBME 12 (3 weeks out): 240
NBME 13 (2 weeks out): 234
NBME 14 (10 days out): 237
NBME 15 (today, 7 days out): 245

The drop on NBME 13 and 14 really affected my confidence. After those exams, I thoroughly reviewed all my incorrects and spent a lot of time analyzing my mistakes. I then took NBME 15 today and scored a 245.

Honestly, I don’t know how to feel about it. Part of me is relieved that the score went back up, but I was hoping for a 250+ after putting in so much review. My scores have been all over the place, and I’m struggling to know what to make of them.

I only have NBME 16 and the Free 120s left. For those who have been in a similar position, do you think one week is enough time to realistically push into the 250+ range, or would you consider extending? I’d really appreciate any honest feedback.

Anyone has an updated list all cms form numbers in all subjects?

What score range is minimum needed for internal medicine programs?

Is there any notes where u guys study these from?

Hey everyone, I had a question about nutrition topics for the USMLE exams.

From what I’ve been hearing, nutrition is being emphasized more for Step 1 starting around June, while it may not become a bigger part of Step 2 CK until later (possibly July or after). Is that actually true?

Hope this helps!
Took help from ChatGPT to organise notes and yes it’s based on Amboss Qbank.