Preparing for the USMLE Step 3 CCS can be a daunting task because the CCS software does not exactly work like in the real life. Unlike Step 2CK and Step1, where you have focused significantly on preparing theory concepts for multiple choice questions, you will have to now focus on understanding how real life case scenario works on pre-designed software. This makes preparing for the USMLE Step 3 CCS a tricky and sometimes difficult proposal for medical students and residents who are accustomed to practicing MCQs and studying theory alone.

After extensive research, Archer review has been able to identify some reasons why certain students failed on USMLE Step3. Most of these failures occurred due to lack of excellent performance on the CCS. It is important that you practice on the original exam software that you can download from www.usmle.orguntil you are very familiar with the software and understand the strategy. This is the exact software you will take your exam on. While there are commercial software from UWORLD and CCSCASES.COM, these websites do not replicate the exact exam software. When you practice on the original software, you will realize how strategies have differed significantly on these third party commercial software. Out of these two, UWORLD provides a better practice since the other software site at CCSCASES.COM has not been time tested and gives dubious grading system and guidelines which sometimes, could potentially mislead the users. If you need a software to practice after completely understanding Archer CCS strategies and applying them on exam software at www.usmle.org, we recommend UWorld CCS software.

WHY CCS PRACTICE SOFTWARE ALONE ARE NOT ENOUGH?

The disadvantage of other commercial USMLE Step 3 CCS software preps ( UWorld, ccscases.com) is that they do not train you with regard to the exact step by step sequencing strategies on the original exam software. There is no instructor or guidance. The cases are not practiced on original software. You are given a case and are asked to put in orders and you are asked to then review the sequence of recommended protocol in word format. To provide you an analogy, it’s like leaving you in an ocean without training you how to swim. It’s important to learn how to swim and understand the strategy to swim before you jump in to an ocean – otherwise, you get drowned. This is exactly the reason why we have found several students who came to us after first failed attempt were those who thought they thoroughly practiced CCS on this commercial software but fared poorly on CCS increasing the burden on MCQ sections to get them to the passing score.

ARCHER Review Strategies for the USMLE STEP 3 CCS

In Archer CCS courses, the instructor actively shows you the dynamic way the original exam software responds. Archer demonstrates several highyield CCS cases on the exact exam software to teach you stepbystep protocols and guidelines that you cannot afford to miss. Archer teaches you strategies pertaining to Diagnosis, Location, Monitoring, Sequencing and Timing which no other course has so far been able to replicate or excel on.

In order to help those who struggle with the step 3 portion, we have created Archer CCS strategies 10 years ago. These time tested strategies have helped thousands of students pass the exam by improving their CCS performance to the extreme right side ( highest performance). Obtaining extremely high performance on CCS reduces your MCQ burden and that is the secret of Archer CCS strategic prep.

Here is a sample from Archer CCS strategies. For several highyield cases and high scoring software strategies, please visit Step 3 CCS CASEShttps://youtu.be/WRoW0-vjfm8