How long to study for step 2

[gatormed]

I'm planning on taking Step 2 early since I will be an early match. I would like to do well since I am planning on applying for a very competitive fellowship in the future. How long do I need to study to get a good score. I studied 12 hours a day for about a month for step 1 and did fairly well. I don't have that much time for step 2.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Jim Picotte]

I studied for about 8 hours a day for 6 days and did extremely well. Also, I would use Step 2 study material for all your clerkships as well so that when you're really studying for Step 2, you're familiar with the books when studying for Step 2. I used the blueprints series which I thought was excellent and this was my main source of study material. These books aren't enough for the clerkships, but they are great for High Yield Step 2 review.

Good luck.

 

[LaCirujana]

4 days, about 8 hours per day, using Blueprints and NMS (mostly NMS), and also did extremely well. I thought Step 2 was significantly easier than Step 1. Ditto the above re. using review books during clerkships. Suerte.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

I suggest studying if you want to do well; however, I honestly think that if you've been paying attention during your rotations and studied for your shelf exams (if you take them), you can walk right into the exam and pass.

I did.

Praise be: I'm matched, found an apt where I'm going, finished Step 2, have 3 weeks of rotations left, and am watching a Braveheart/Gladiator/Phantom Menace/Pulp Fiction marathon today! I'm pretending to be a fat slob: drinking cider beer, eating spoons of peanut butter, and eating Girl Scout cookies (thanks, mom!).

Word.
•••quote:•••Originally posted by gatormed:
•I'm planning on taking Step 2 early since I will be an early match. I would like to do well since I am planning on applying for a very competitive fellowship in the future. How long do I need to study to get a good score. I studied 12 hours a day for about a month for step 1 and did fairly well. I don't have that much time for step 2.•••••

 

[BeeGee]

That sounds like the life, neutro... Hope I'm relaxing like that this time next year.

 

[Ligament]

yeah, i think you could walk right in and pass. Due to family emergencies, I was only able to study maybe 12 hours total and passed.

I am speaking of the COMLEX step 2, btw, not USMLE, did not take it.

 

[drusso]

I think that a couple weeks of a concerted effort are plenty for step 2/level 2 preparation. It's a very different exam compared to step 1. I did blue-prints and lots of practice questions and did very well. I took both the COMLEX and the USMLE.

 

[Ralph Wiggum]

No more than 2 weeks, especially if you are planning on taking it right after finishing 3rd year. You will have a lot of the info fresh from 3rd rotations. I only used NMS and Prescription for the Boards. Wish I would have only used NMS. Just do lots of questions.

 

[Doc Wiz]

Here is some information you may find helpful concerning COMLEX 2. This information is from NBOME. In order to pass level 1 you must answer approximately 50% of the questions correctly. In order to pass step 2 you must answer 60%. There are 800 question on step 1 and 760 on step 2. Step 2 is not more clinically oriented than 1 because 1 is already very clinically oriented.
For all of you who have said level 2 was easier than 1, you did not take the same test I did in January! It was by far the worse exam I have ever sat for. It was poorly written, partial labs, etc. and difficult to discern many of the glossy and ECG. Many students I talk with scored 50-100 points lower on 2 than they did on 1.
Take a look at the pass rate for the most recent level 2 exam. It is down below 90%. So for all of you who barely squeked by on level one, I suggest you study your butt off to be prepared for level 2. And for those of you who only study for a couple of weeks, Congratulations!