I’m Done with USMLE.

Y’all!!! GIVE. US. FREE!!! Mama, I made it because I am done with USMLE!!

This past Wednesday, I discovered I passed Step 3—the third and final of the USMLE board exam series. This moment is so significant for so many reasons, but the top two?

Several powers that be at my alma mater decided I would never pass any of my step exams. I’d had so much trouble with Step 1 and they surmised I just couldn’t do it. That suggestion was one of the reasons they used to dismiss me. I’ll have you know I won my dismissal appeal, got back into school, proceeded to pass Step 1, pass Step 2 (back when there was a CS and a CK!), graduate, and match into residency. On Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 9:08am I received the email confirming I had done the final thing my school’s SAPP committee said I would never do. I am done with USMLE forever and the Lord absolutely had His vengeance and His final say. They just didn’t know the God I serve!!

My passing exam score is also significant because I am now absolutely confirmed for June 2024 graduation. Step 3 is the final benchmark for residency completion. I can now apply for my license. Yes, I still have to take my Family Medicine boards next year, but that is not a graduation requirement. Step 3 is. We all know I have been counting down my days in NYC because my experience here has been rough. I have been believing by faith I will get to leave NYC on time. And now to have this hurdle out of the way and my NYC expiration date confirmed? I’m just so grateful. I am so grateful to truly continue planning my life. 

I have to tell this story: I was originally scheduled to take the Step 3 exam in December when I was home in Atlanta. The testing site flooded and I was unable to reschedule my exam until the first week of February. Funnily enough, I scored lower than I would have wanted on my practice exam the same day I received word my original exam date was cancelled. Coincidence? No. God. I was devastated. I was burnt out and ready to be done with studying. I was about to start a slew of inpatient rotations and feared I wouldn’t have adequate time to keep studying effectively. But you know what? It worked out for the best. I needed that extra time to prepare. So much of what I saw on the test happened to be patient presentations on the Pediatrics and night float rotations I had in January. It was wildly helpful to see and brush up on that information before my exam. God also led me to review the worksheets I still have from Pathophysiology. Shout out to Dr. Herbert-Carter!! That Renal packet though?! The first day of Step 3 is primarily biostats, ethics, and Step 1 info. I was ready. God gave me the dates just like He had with Step 2. I showed up and God showed out. Both days were just so effortless. The location ended up being right off a train line that runs close to my apartment. I didn’t have to pay a ton in Uber fees to get to and fro. The person who checked students in was so kind and so positive. He told all of us we were going to pass our exams. I met a student who was there for Step 1. What a way to be reminded of how far I’ve come! Everything was so peaceful and seamless. I thank God for such an experience. I wanted to share for anyone experiencing delay with the exam. The delay very likely saved my score. The delay saved my trajectory. God’s timing always prevails. 

How did I study for my exam? Long and hard. I studied for just shy of 7 months. So many do not study that long especially for Step 3. Some say this step matters the least especially if you don’t plan to do a fellowship. Still, I was not playing around. I was not willing to risk anything. If you’re wondering how I studied that long with a resident’s schedule, it’s because I knew my Why. I was very specific. I was going hard so I could pass the test on the first try and get the hell out of New York. Period. Every time I thought about slacking or sleeping, I would envision my boxes packed and my new house stacked, m’kay?! You gotta have a why and a motivator. Here’s what I did to prepare:

EVERYTHING MY TEST TAKING STRATEGIST TAUGHT ME TO DO

All of UWorld – repeated as many of my incorrectly answered questions as possible and did one practice test

CCS Cases – this was so clutch! Looks exactly like the real cases on the exam. Just be careful because on the real exam, you have to place vitals into the order set. That’s not how CCS cases looks. Vitals are vital. Don’t forget to order them.

Biostatistics Review

NBME Practice Test #5

USMLE Sample Questions

Scriptures for Exams

All of these resources helped me tremendously. I also want to share because someone shared with me: the first day of the exam covers so much Step 1 material that you may not necessarily feel good leaving day 1. I definitely saw a few diagrams and histology slides that had me saying, “Really y’all? This what we doing?” Lol I got through it though. And you will too. It was just really helpful to have that expectation set so I was not worried or caught off guard. Day 2 is much more medicine and pediatrics heavy. Other specialties are represented as well, but not in equal proportion. And then there’s the cases which make up 30% of your overall score. We thank God for that percentage because I have always performed better on patient cases than multiple choice questions…ya know…like a practicing doctor. 

All in all, I am just so grateful God placed people in my life who worked with me, never gave up on me, and showed me how to take exams. Dr. A. Johnson and Mr. W.A. Davis, thank y’all forever!! As a physician, test-taking is such an important skill I will need for a lifetime. I truly feel good about where I am and how I have improved. I have come a long way. I have not mastered how to score above and beyond on standardized tests, but I have learned how to pass them on the first try. THAT is significant and I’m very very proud of that feat! To all the students who have ever failed or maybe even recently discovered a failed exam score, I see you. I stand with you. You are more than capable and these numbers don’t say anything about you. Keep going. I pray the above resources help you. If not, never give up on finding the ones that do. There is so much more life after failure and you WILL overcome, Doc. Yes, you will. And to those in academia, stop giving up on our students! If you cannot help them, find someone who will. If you cannot be positive, encourage, teach, and speak life, then SIT DOWN and allow those with the answers to stand up. You are not better than anyone just because you never failed an exam. And if you have ever failed an exam or had academic difficulty and still found it in yourself to discourage students, then shame on you. Face your front and address your issues. The world needs more physicians and not all of them will test well. Get over it. Help or step aside.

Lastly, I am just so grateful I had the mental fortitude to keep preparing for this test while all of this was going on. The incident and how it made me feel could have been a major distraction if I had let it. I could have been derailed. Instead, I found the inspiration to go harder, graduate, and get back to happiness. I didn’t quit, shut down, or take a leave of absence. I kept going and I am just so proud of myself for it. 

Life is happening and I’m beyond elated for what’s next. I’m ready to get reimbursed for this $915 exam fee (yes!! ask if your program provides reimbursements!), plan my next vacation, and get these women’s health skills on lock. My program already asked about scheduling for next year and I’m ready for my schedule to be lit yet again. I’m ready for my life to be lit. And so it shall be. I hope y’all have a wonderful weekend. There is some rooftop furniture shopping with my name on it. USMLE, it’s been real.

xx, 

Photos by Tina Smith