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Step 1- 249

QUICK PREP TIMELINE
Total study time: 10 months
Dedicated time: 6 months
NBMEs
13= 217 (after 1st round of UW)
16= 230 (after 2nd read of FA)
15= 225 (right one week after NBME 16 *major setback*)
UWSA1 = 251 (after 2nd round of UW and 3rd read of FA)
NBME 18= 240 (roughly 2 weeks before actual exam)
UWSA2= 241 (just 2 days before my scheduled exam day, which was March 20 at that time)
Final showdown: 249 (Alhamdulillah!)
Since my NBME 18 and UWSA2 both were borderline 240s, I was very nervous and skeptic about the exam as my target was 240+. I therefore took a step back and rescheduled my exam from March 20 to March 27 right after I took UWSA2.
This one week was a good decision, as you can tell.
MY 2¢ ON THIS JOURNEY:
1. Be honest with yourself and set realistic goals. Pushing yourself is one thing, and burning out is another.
2. UFAP, UFAP, UFAP. Period.
3. A supportive family is a true blessing! Plus, the right study partner is always a godsend. I have to thank mine, along with so many amazing friends I have today. On top of that, if you have someone you can always go back to whenever you want to vent out, stress out and chill out at the end of the day, then count yourself lucky!
4. If you haven’t been sleeping well during your exam week, it’s TOTALLY okay to delay the exam for a week. Listen to your gut. Also, you’ll NEVER feel fully prepared. It’s always a leap of faith that takes good decision-making and immense self-belief after all the hard work (aren't all those qualities for a good doctor, anyway?).
5. It’s completely normal to have post-exam anxiety. I came out of prometric with mixed feelings. As days passed, it got worse. I had nightmares and couldn’t get myself to imagine checking out my score report after 3 weeks.
All’s well that ends well.
Lastly, whatever score you get, it’s important to remember that it’s only an exam. There are more exams right ahead, and many more opportunities to overcome any rough patch.
Just keep going.
I’m going to start CK now. I plan to take it in 2 months.
Anybody interested to be my accountability/study partner? 
Good luck and good vibes!

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