Step 3 vs MCCQE

[leviathan]

I'm using study materials for the USMLE Step 3 which I'm also writing. If I add in the Toronto Notes section on Ethics + the Canadian health care stuff, is this adequate for the MCCQE part 1? If anyone has written both let me know what you think.

 

Also, if you've done both, what are the similarities/differences between the USMLE Clinical Case Simulations on day 2, and the MCCQE's CDM section?

[leviathan]

Anyone? If nobody knows I'll at least post an update when I find out myself.

[A-Stark]

Haven't gone beyond Step 1, but I honestly don't know what would be helpful for MCCQE part 1. It was eight hours of randomness, especially the MCQ portion in the morning.

[Lactic Folly]

I'm using study materials for the USMLE Step 3 which I'm also writing. If I add in the Toronto Notes section on Ethics + the Canadian health care stuff, is this adequate for the MCCQE part 1? If anyone has written both let me know what you think.

 

Also, if you've done both, what are the similarities/differences between the USMLE Clinical Case Simulations on day 2, and the MCCQE's CDM section?

 

I don't remember too many details now, but wrote our school's 4th year comprehensive exam, MCCQE Part 1, and Step 2 CK at the same time. I studied my class notes, Toronto notes, and First Aid for Step 2 CK, and it was fine.

 

I didn't write Step 3 until a few months later (used the McGraw-Hill Family Practice review), but there was enough overlap with the other exams that I could have probably written it at the same time as well.

 

For the similarities/differences, your best bet is to look at whatever information has been provided about the format, and sample questions on the official websites. Again, similar knowledge base, just different approach based on the question format.

[sohaloh]

I'm using study materials for the USMLE Step 3 which I'm also writing. If I add in the Toronto Notes section on Ethics + the Canadian health care stuff, is this adequate for the MCCQE part 1? If anyone has written both let me know what you think.

 

Also, if you've done both, what are the similarities/differences between the USMLE Clinical Case Simulations on day 2, and the MCCQE's CDM section?

 

I wrote and passed the MCCQE1 in may this year. Since there's so little reference material to use for the QE1 I ended up using USMLE material along with toronto notes. I used the step 2 and step 3 USMLE world Qbank and read through toronto notes to boot.

 

That being said there was little correlation between the format of the questions being asked on the QE1 and the USMLE but the content is very similar. Hence if you've studied the USMLE stuff in depth you'll be able to do the QE1 easy. By format I mean the questions are shorter and quite vague giving you less information to narrow your answers down with. A word of advice would be to focus on the smaller subjects first and trying to get them down, like psych, obgyn, and surgery etc because the exam is equally divided. Some people focus too long on internal med and then realize the exam is loaded with obgyn and paeds questions. For the ethics and canadian stuff I read the CMAJ articles on ethics, toronto notes and some other stuff but it didn't help at all. You just have to wing it on the exam and go with your gut. The questions are way out there, some asking defintions of public health terms which would impossible to go over.

 

The CDM is pretty weird and the step 3 primum software doesnt represent whats on the exam. I actually scored relatively lower on CDM because I just hadn't practiced any of it before. I can safely say the questions on this part of the exam will be loaded with general stuff, lots of ethics (DNR, abortion) lots of obgyn (infections), and general stuff (frost bite, what you would ask for if you're on a plane and the passenger next to you goes into anaphylatic shock).

 

Stick with the step 2 and 3 materials and do tonnes of MCQ's.

 

Edit: Do the self administered exams they represent exactly how the test is going to be, minus the CDM.

[leviathan]

Just to update, for others who get in the same situation. The QE1 was a very unpredictable exam, lots of vague questions that aren't clear what they're getting at. The CDM was even worse, asking "what would you do next" without really specfiying what you're supposed to assume has already been done. I still ended up doing really well, but I had no idea how it was going to turn out.

 

The Step 3 primum software is awesome. No ambiguity in using it, you get results + labs + imaging back based on your treatments and investigations, and the cases progress through. It was actually fun to use and good practice before starting PGY1.

 

I did worse on Step 3 than the QE1, based on percentiles if that gives any idea of how easy each one is. I didn't use an extra material to prepare for QE1.