# Take THAT, USMLE Step 1
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 1, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810 "2011-04-01T16:22:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@heavyarms553](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavyarms553)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810/1 "2011-04-01T16:22:36Z")
Yesterday I finished a grueling battle with the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1. It was a 7 hour test, with some break time built in for a grand total of 8 hours of examination. The exam covered materials from the entirety of the first two years of medical school, and I’ve spent the past 5 weeks studying 8 hours a day for it. By the end of the exam, I was so mentally exhausted that my muscles were literally going into spasm. I’m just glad that its all behind me.
Now I just have to wait up to 8 ☹ weeks to get my exam grade back. Fingers crossed for 220+.
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### Author:  [@heavyarms553](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavyarms553)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810/2 "2011-04-20T22:35:12Z")
Woohoo! Just got my score back. 244! That is a huge weight off my shoulders. Medical dopers will know what a huge deal that was for me.
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### Author:  [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810/3 "2011-04-20T22:39:07Z")
That’s an awesome score . . . congrats!
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### Author:  [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810/4 "2011-04-21T03:46:33Z")
Congratulations! You did very well (apparently - I have no clue what your test score means but you’re obviously happy about it :D)
So, what does a 244 mean for you now?
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### Author:  [@Crescend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crescend)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810/5 "2011-04-21T04:10:59Z")
Great score! I’ll be taking mine in about two months, hoping for the best.
**congodwarf** , a score of 244 is about a standard deviation better than the average U.S. medical graduate score. It means that when **heavyarms553** will be applying to residencies in a year and a half, he will (all other things being equal) be highly competitive for programs in most specialties, and a viable candidate for even the most competitive specialties.
So if he wants to do something like psychiatry or family medicine, all that he’ll need to do is decide where he wants to live. If he wants to do something like dermatology, he’ll still have a long road ahead of him, but this score won’t be what holds him back.
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### Author:  [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-that-usmle-step-1/576810/6 "2011-04-21T04:14:34Z")
Thanks for the clarification.
Now I can truly say with certainty…
CONGRATULATIONS **HEAVYARMS553**!!!
Seriously though, one of the few things I still retain from my stats class last semester is standard deviations so I actually understand that you did really well! That is definitely something to brag about.