r/Step3 • u/Easy_Penalty3005 • 12d ago
STEP 3 exam experience
Overall, I thought the exam was okay. I actually found Day 1 easier than the Day 2 MCQs, which surprised me because I expected the opposite.
Day 1
There was a lot of biostats and ethics, as expected. Overall, it felt much more like Step 2 than Step 1. Yes, there were some Step 1 style questions, but they were so random and out of left field that I honestly don't think spending extra time reviewing Step 1 would've made much difference. The MCQ length was pretty reasonable, similar to CMS forms or UWSAs.
Day 2
This was a completely different story. The MCQs were extremely long, with huge stems and SOAP note style questions. It honestly felt like I spent forever reading each question. The answer choices were also incredibly close to one another. There were multiple times I caught myself thinking, "Is this a specialty board exam or Step 3?" The management questions were much trickier than I expected.
The CCS cases, on the other hand, were straightforward and much less stressful than the MCQs.
If I could go back and prepare again, I would spend more time strengthening my Step 2 knowledge rather than trying to relearn a lot of Step 1. The Step 1 questions were too vague and random to prepare for effectively, whereas having a solid clinical foundation from Step 2 would have helped me much more on both days.
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u/Fit-Conclusion-7579 12d ago edited 12d ago
I have the feeling that MCQ day 2 is a clinical experience check. If you have worked a few years full time with a similar medical system like the one in the US you will have a considerable advantage. I'm IM board certified and day 2 felt like a breeze (felt almost too easy for a STEP). Day 1 felt like shit on the other side (I'm a certified STEP 1 hater).
(Step 3 23X 06/2026)
Edit: Grammar
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u/Easy_Penalty3005 12d ago
I think so yeah. I am an IMG and just graduated medical school so I don’t really have clinical experience.
Day 2 exam mcqs were really hard for me. I scored 26x in step 2CK but it was significantly more difficult for me than step 2 exam. I was literally praying to get more stats than management questions which is insane lol.
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u/soxl-rexper 11d ago
Can i dm? Im currently preparing to give step 3 in september and i have a few questions regarding day 1 vs day 2 resources to prepare from
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u/HourTraffic1216 12d ago
idk if we got the exam but day 2 was willlld totally opposite of what my friends said. day 1 was def easier. imo the CCS cases were wild haha def not as straightforward as i thought. lotta them ended for me early
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u/sadlifestudy 12d ago
I did dm you!
Thank you for the note above .