Feeling Stuck with Your NBME Scores? You're Not Alone

Feeling Like You’re Struggling to Improve Your NBME Scores?

You’ve been doing UWorld blocks, giving up your weekends, and reviewing NBMEs, but your scores still haven’t moved. It’s frustrating and exhausting.

First, take a breath. You’re not the only one going through this. Hitting a plateau is normal and it doesn’t mean you’re falling short. What separates high scorers is not avoiding the plateau, but how they respond to it.

Let’s look at why your NBME scores might not be improving, what you can do to fix that, and how Predict My Step Score can help you get clear on your next steps.

Why Your NBME Scores Might Be Stuck

There’s rarely a single reason for a plateau. It's usually a combination of factors. Some of the most common ones include:

1. Passive Study Techniques

Not all studying is created equal. Passive review methods like re-reading notes, highlighting textbooks, or just "looking over" missed questions might feel productive, but they don’t build the retrieval strength needed for NBME-style questions.

The NBME doesn't test recognition; it tests application under pressure.

2. Gaps in Core Knowledge

Struggling on Step exams isn’t always about obscure diseases, it's often weak fundamentals. If your understanding of physiology, pathology, or pharmacology isn’t solid, it will show.

NBME questions heavily test first principles. If there are cracks in your core subjects (like physiology, pathology, pharmacology), they’ll show up over and over.

3. Poor Question Interpretation Skills

You can know the material cold but still miss questions if you can’t efficiently break down a clinical vignette. Misreading stems, falling for distractors, or misunderstanding the question type can hurt your score even with solid content knowledge.

4. Lack of Deep Review After Mistakes

Doing questions is just step one. Real improvement comes from deep review, such as identifying your thought process, understanding the explanation, understanding why you missed them, and reinforcing the takeaway.

Without it, you're doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

5. Fatigue and Burnout

Mental exhaustion is real. You might be "putting in the hours," but if your brain is fried, you’re not absorbing or connecting information efficiently. Studying more won’t fix it, but recovery and rest might.

Ignoring mental health leads to diminishing returns over time.

6. Trying to "Do More" Instead of "Do Better"

Doing 100+ questions per day sounds impressive, but it’s meaningless if you’re not reviewing them well. Answering questions without targeted learning can create the illusion of progress, while real gaps stay unaddressed.

7. Using the Wrong Resources for Your Needs

Everyone learns differently. If your current method isn’t working, change it. Try videos, flashcards, or visual notes and stick to what actually helps you retain information.

What to Do When Your NBME Scores Aren’t Improving

The good news: Plateaus are reversible. Here’s what you can start doing today to change your trajectory:

1. Track Patterns in Your Mistakes

An error log is essential if you’re stuck. Some students notice surprising trends (e.g., consistently missing drug mechanisms or neuroanatomy questions).

Every time you miss a question, log the topic, document the reason for error, and include the correct explanation or main learning point. Review this log weekly. The goal? Never miss the same type of question twice.

2. Review Missed Questions the Next Day

Spacing your review helps with long-term memory when your brain has slightly "forgotten" them.

Spend 1–2 hours each morning revisiting missed questions from the previous day and study the reasoning behind the correct answers. This enhances retention and builds pattern recognition.

3. Switch to Active Recall Techniques

Focus less on "getting through material" and more on retrieving, applying, and explaining concepts. Make custom Anki cards, do blurting exercises, or explain topics out loud using the Feynman technique.

4. Simulate Real Testing Conditions

Taking your NBMEs in noisy cafes, comfy beds, or while half-distracted won’t prepare you for test day.

Set up mock exams in a quiet room with full-length timing and no breaks or resources. Build test-day stamina now so it doesn’t catch you off guard later.

5. Make a Simple, Repeatable Daily Schedule

More isn’t always better. Planning 2–3 major tasks per day, and actually completing them, is better than overwhelming yourself.

A solid day might look like:

• A full review of missed questions


• One or two hours of Anki or targeted review


• Focused study on one weak subject

6. Evaluate Your Mental Health

If you’re feeling constantly exhausted, irritable, or dragging yourself through review, it’s a burnout problem.

Try taking breaks, sleeping more, or adding a 20-minute outdoor walk to your daily routine. Remember, efficiency improves when your mind is well-rested.

7. Personalize Your Strategy

Advice is everywhere, but ultimately, you have to discover what works best for YOU.
Some people thrive with heavy Anki decks. Others do better with visual lectures.
Experiment a little, see what sticks, and commit to it.

How Predict My Step Score Can Help You Improve NBME Scores Faster

Sometimes, no matter how hard you're working, you can't see your own blind spots. That's where Predict My Step Score becomes a game-changer. Here's what PMSS offers:

Identify Your Trends

Instead of only looking at raw NBME scores, Predict My Step Score analyzes trends over time. Are you improving slowly? Plateauing? Declining in certain topics? The earlier you spot patterns, the faster you can course-correct.

Take Another NBME Practice Exam

The right NBME can give you a better sense of how you're progressing. Head to the Statistics page to see which NBME is most predictive for each Step and choose the one that gives you the clearest feedback.

Explore the Best Study Materials

Guessing what to study is inefficient. If you’re not connecting with what you’re using, check out the Most Popular Study Materials section to find what works best for other high scorers.

These tools can give you the direction and clarity you need to start improving again without wasting more time or energy on things that aren’t working.

A Plateau Is Just a Signal, Not a Stop Sign

A plateau doesn't mean you're stuck forever. It simply means your current methods have taken you as far as they can, and it’s time to do something different.

By:

• Practicing active recall


• Reviewing smarter


• Using question analytics


• Honoring your mental health


• Leveraging tools like Predict My Step Score

You can absolutely break through your NBME plateau and come out stronger, sharper, and more exam-ready than ever.

Stay persistent, trust the process, and level up your strategy. Your success is still within reach!