Usmle Step 2

[Swaydaa]

Hey guys just took step 2 today. I hope this is legal?? I scored a 230 on Step 1 and I thought it was a little tougher. You will probably hear many more people say it was easier, so take my statement with a grain of salt!

1. I had no less than 20 questions (yes 20) on amenorrhea (all types), womans fertility, and womens endocrine......CANT STAND THAT CRAP!! What sucked the most is they ALL stated...the mans sperm count was good....I was waiting for one of those. Had many OB questions (35-40) I was pleased at that...I like OB

2. I had about 10 questions on congenital heart defects...know the blood gases and symptoms that go with each (I hate that crap). One associated with an XRAY. They don't give the "classical" buzzwords.

3. I finished my last 5 days of studying with surgery.....cant even recall 2-3 freakin pure surgery questions....what a total waste time (in my opinion).

4. about 40-50 questions concerning what test you would do next.

5. I consider myself pretty darn good at reading EKG's and recognizing dysrythmias....NOT A Single rhythm strip or EKG....damn. I did have a question that stated the patient had peaked T-waves.

6. I had exactly 5 questions on epi/stats. sensitivity, PPV, NPV, power....ONE asking about relative risk. Do a quick run through on doing the math for these things...I thought I was good, but I proved to be a little rusty (spent 4-5 minutes on one question trying to figure out where to put the numbers).

7. Had a good number of trauma questions...definatley worth a little extra time.

8. I was lucky mine did not have a bunch of DERM...I was scoring mid to low 60's on Q-bank for DERM. As a whole, I thought the Q-bank was good/OK for step 2. It was nowhere close to being as detailed as the actual test....but It does cover all the topics. MKASP was pretty darn good I must say.....real close to the actual IM questions!!

9. I hear the test bank has over 10,000 questions. I only had 376 questions, so everyones test may be totally different.

10. The test was freakin looooooooooooong as hell. 9 HOURS. the last block and half I was shot. My eyes were the only thing holding me to the computor...the rest of my body was FALLING AWAYYYYYYYYYYy. Get some good rest. Lot tougher than step 1 concerning getting through and reading the page long question with labs.

11. About 4 to 5 questions on acid base with the actual blood gas in the question...pure respiratory, compensated, etc.

12. OB/GYN blueprints in my opinion is the absolute gold standard for USMLE step 2. Best of the bluprints series. Pediactric blueprints follows OB at a close second. I thought internal medicine blueprints stunk like Sh-t for the exam. I wil post my results when I receive them and then offer my study plan if it worked???


Thanks for listening...just had to get it off my back. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE. I hope you do well.

Anyone ELSE please feel free to add your experience!!!!

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[giznut12]

I thought that Step Up was good for the rotation but too dense for board review.

 

[pirdy]

What do people think about doing Kaplan videos...are they helpful or just a complete waste of time?

 

[LovelyRita]

Kaplan Q-bank
vs
USMLE world
vs
USMLEasy

I've seen that everyone's used these, alone or in combo. I get the impression the USMLE world q's are harder.

Any USMLEasy users?

M.

(edit I found this thread...sorry I should have searched first.

http://forums.drslounge.com/showthread.php?t=199317&highlight=kaplan+usmleworld

 

[giznut12]

for those of you using usmleworld for step 2...what is a decent score?

 

[Legion560]

For those that have taken step 2, is it similar in difficulty to the shelf exams, or harder?

Legion.

 

[Espion]

for those of you using usmleworld for step 2...what is a decent score?

Whatever it is, its not mine.

So, who else is taking this beast in July?

 

[Loopo Henle]

I am soooooo sick of studying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes me want to puke!!!!!
One week until the day of reckoning is here

 

[neilc]

for those of you using usmleworld for step 2...what is a decent score?

upper 60's seems to be pretty good. i started getting anywhere from low 50's to low 70's, with an overall avg around 63% which increased to about 68% toward the end of the first round.

 

[irrka]

Whatever it is, its not mine.

So, who else is taking this beast in July?

Here here!

 

[Mage]

I'm also taking it in July...at the end, fortunately. I just came off internal medicine and that shelf exam wasn't too bad. I think I prepared pretty well for it, so I wonder how far I am in terms of covering step 2 material.

What's concerning me is that my school gave us 2:40 for each 100q shelf and I'm so used to that now...that's 33% more time per question than I'll have on step 2. I did finish my surgery shelf in 2 hours, but for every other shelf I only finished around 10-20 minutes early. The shelf exams are basically just old step 2 questions apparently...so it's not like step 2 qs will be any easier (and from the sound of things, it seems they're actually harder to get through w/ the cumbersome lab values interface).

 

[irrka]

Mage- i think as long as you do a bunch of timed practice questions to get used to the pace you should be fine. i think it's supposed to be a little over a minute for each question.

 

[irrka]

for those of you using usmleworld for step 2...what is a decent score?

There are a whole bunch of threads on UW site about that

 

[Benzo4every1]

I'm also taking it in July...at the end, fortunately. I just came off internal medicine and that shelf exam wasn't too bad. I think I prepared pretty well for it, so I wonder how far I am in terms of covering step 2 material.

What's concerning me is that my school gave us 2:40 for each 100q shelf and I'm so used to that now...that's 33% more time per question than I'll have on step 2. I did finish my surgery shelf in 2 hours, but for every other shelf I only finished around 10-20 minutes early. The shelf exams are basically just old step 2 questions apparently...so it's not like step 2 qs will be any easier (and from the sound of things, it seems they're actually harder to get through w/ the cumbersome lab values interface).

What?! We only got 2h10min for each and every shelf Ive taken LOL
Sigh, what gives?

 

[irrka]

What?! We only got 2h10min for each and every shelf Ive taken LOL
Sigh, what gives?

i think i only wished i had more time on the very first shelf i took. i probably needed it too. the rest of the time i know 2hrs and 10 was more than enough. then of course i tend to just let go of the questions i know i'm just not going to get.

 

[Mage]

It seems most schools give 2:10. But your score is only compared to other students who took the test in the same exact amount of time. Otherwise it would obviously be unfair.

 

[sz]

ok so I was reading reviews of first aid for step II on the amazon website and this guy writes that step II is mostly outpt/family/ambulatory medicine ... no inpt. medicine etc ...
so is this guy just BSing or is there some truth to his rant? anyone know ... esp those of you who have taken the exam already.
I take it near end of july

 

[Stinger86]

Just took it today, I felt there was as much inpatient as outpatient on the exam. The thing is, there were a TON of "ER visit" questions so whether those are considered inpatient or outpatient exam taker-dependent.
.

ok so I was reading reviews of first aid for step II on the amazon website and this guy writes that step II is mostly outpt/family/ambulatory medicine ... no inpt. medicine etc ...
so is this guy just BSing or is there some truth to his rant? anyone know ... esp those of you who have taken the exam already.
I take it near end of july

 

[firecracker]

Did any of you out there use first aid for step 2? I just read through crush and it seemed a little vague but I keep hearing good things about it. First aid is really specific but is it necessary? I just opened up the book and the first page is talking about the cardiac cycle. Seems a bit step 1ish to me. Anyone with an opinion on these two books?

 

[Benzo4every1]

Just took it today, I felt there was as much inpatient as outpatient on the exam. The thing is, there were a TON of "ER visit" questions so whether those are considered inpatient or outpatient exam taker-dependent.
.

Let us know how you do! I would be interested to know

 

[Loopo Henle]

Whew!!!! I just finished CK today. That is a beast of a test. It seemed pretty balanced to me. A lot of preventitive medicine stuff. How do you best decrease his mortality risk etc... Also a good bit of preconception counseling and first second trimester questions. Dont forget about study design, sensitivity, specificity, bias. All of that stuff pops up too. I am stoked, now I can criuse through 4th year without a care in the world.

 

[Espion]

Whew!!!! I just finished CK today. That is a beast of a test. It seemed pretty balanced to me. A lot of preventitive medicine stuff. How do you best decrease his mortality risk etc... Also a good bit of preconception counseling and first second trimester questions. Dont forget about study design, sensitivity, specificity, bias. All of that stuff pops up too. I am stoked, now I can criuse through 4th year without a care in the world.

Would you recommend spending time with a Preventative Medicine book? I've seen a PreTest Question book on this topic. If its important enough, I'll guess I'll add it to my growing tower o' books.

 

[Loopo Henle]

Would you recommend spending time with a Preventative Medicine book? I've seen a PreTest Question book on this topic. If its important enough, I'll guess I'll add it to my growing tower o' books.

I don't think so. The stuff in first aid seemed pretty adequate. Of course if you have the time (and money), more preparation never hurt anyone. I will let y'all know in 3-4 weeks how I did.

 

[Stinger86]

Would you recommend spending time with a Preventative Medicine book? I've seen a PreTest Question book on this topic. If its important enough, I'll guess I'll add it to my growing tower o' books.

I just noticed you're from El Paso. I lived there for close to 10 years. Is it still a pit, or has it grown any?

And, to avoid derailing the thread momentarily, just find a good general Step 2 review book that has a chapter or two on preventative medicine. A whole book on the subject would be overkill, and pretty boring

 

[Espion]

I just noticed you're from El Paso. I lived there for close to 10 years. Is it still a pit, or has it grown any?

And, to avoid derailing the thread momentarily, just find a good general Step 2 review book that has a chapter or two on preventative medicine. A whole book on the subject would be overkill, and pretty boring

Ahhhhh, El Paso. I find that the people here know what green grass looks like only because they've seen it in pictures. It is kind of fun to have morning rounds with subtitles...
Anyway, El Paso has grown a lot. One of my classmates is from here, and he doesn't even recognize certain areas. (Especially out here on the west side and the far east/northeast side. South of I-10 will always remain (and forevermore) south of I-10.)

Anyway, Step 2. I've read the Pedi Blueprints and I'm working on High Yield OB-GYN. I had to get the thinnest book I could find for OB-GYN, I hate it so.

 

[Etomidate]

Just took it today, I felt there was as much inpatient as outpatient on the exam. The thing is, there were a TON of "ER visit" questions so whether those are considered inpatient or outpatient exam taker-dependent.
.

Would you say there are a lot less zebras on Step 2 compared to Step 1?

 

[Stinger86]

Would you say there are a lot less zebras on Step 2 compared to Step 1?

Well, I didn't think there were many zebras (if any) on my Step 1. There were a few Q's dealing with strange conditions on my CK, but even if I knew what they were, I still wouldn't get the questions right, because it would ask for the next step in management. It's even harder to manage something when you have no clue what it is.

 

[Stinger86]

Ahhhhh, El Paso. I find that the people here know what green grass looks like only because they've seen it in pictures. It is kind of fun to have morning rounds with subtitles...
Anyway, El Paso has grown a lot. One of my classmates is from here, and he doesn't even recognize certain areas. (Especially out here on the west side and the far east/northeast side. South of I-10 will always remain (and forevermore) south of I-10.)

The newest thing in town when I left was Sunland Park Mall. Sometimes I miss the unique experience of watching tumbleweeds roll across paved highways.

OB's not too bad on the CK. Gynecology is probably more difficult, what with ubiquitous adnexal masses and dysfunctional uteri secondary to the unknown. I bet High Yield OB/Gyn is fine for study. Prescription for the Boards and Step 2 Secrets are great sources as well.

 

[14022]

My step 2 experience. I took it yesterday.

I started studying after my family practice rotation, which was a good review in itself. Prior to starting reviewing, I took the first NBME test online and got a 630 (~245). My studying consisted of reading through Boards and Wards 4-5 hours a day (I got through the entire book once, and read through the derm section twice) and then doing 100-150 questions per day between NMS, Kaplan, and USMLE World. I studied 10 hours a day for 2.5 weeks. I took the second online NBME test two days before the test and got a 780 (~267). The day before the test I read thorough the musculoskeletal and pulmonary sections in First Aid and the OBGYN sections in Secrets. Those were my weakest sections on my assessments from the NBME tests.

The test itself was very tough. Well not entirely tough. The easy questions were VERY easy. Those questions would give you a ton of info and then ask for the diagnosis. But the difficult questions were VERY difficult. I felt those questions were too SHORT. Many were 2-3 sentences giving very non-specific vague complaints and then asking for the dx or the first step in management. They did this for zebras too. If I had studied for 2 more weeks I wouldnt have known the answer to half of those questions. There is no way I will do as well on the actual exam than I did on the NBME tests, so I am disappointed that I did them because they just made me overconfident. Even the ophtho and derm questions were not classic presentations of some of the more common diseases. The really vague questions really pissed me off. They had a question that only gave a gross description of a vaginal discharge (no vaginal ph, no wet mount, no koh prep...nothing...just the color and consistency of the discharge which included adjectives that pointed to more than one bug) and then wanted to know the bug that caused it. They gave the names of 8-9 bugs all of which cause vaginitis and cervicitis. It really pissed me off.

If I were to do anything different, I would do more questions. I did 60% (~900 Q's) of QBank and got 76% doing all random Q's. I did 600 of the USMLE World questions and got 74% doing all random Q's. I did 650 NMS questions but did not keep track of my scores on those. If I had to pick one source, I would go with USMLE World. If you could get NMS, that is good too, especially because you can borrow it from someone or sell it after you buy it. I regret getting Kaplan.

I also would have read more of Secrets. I really liked the book for the 30 pages I read of it.

Oh yeah, and if you have First Aid, read the Rapid Review section the day before. I had 3 or 4 questions that I answered correctly from reading that the day before.

Biostats...The biostats in USMLE World is VERY tough....way overkill. Read through the first aid section and know those equations and the biases. That is sufficient. I am pretty sure I got all of those correct.

Don't stress out over it. A lot of the questions you will not know reagrdless of how much you study. Best of luck.

 

[Benzo4every1]

My test is in two weeks. Im not freaking out yet, but I need some questions answered. Is anyone using First Aid Medicine, or is doing questions and using First Aid for Step 2 adequate?

 

[Espion]

My test is in two weeks. Im not freaking out yet, but I need some questions answered. Is anyone using First Aid Medicine, or is doing questions and using First Aid for Step 2 adequate?

A lot of my classmates are using First Aid. I'm actually using "Step Up" for Medicine, because I used it on my IM rotation. (I've already read the behemoth twice, I figured a third time couldn't hurt.)

My exam is on the 30th, and I'm totally flipped out!

 

[chinesegordon]

Hey Scholes, where are the NBME practice tests located? Are they the same as the 138 sample questions they released, or is it something different? Gotta take the test in 11 days . . . Woo-hoo, I'm gonna slip through the cracks in the medical system

 

[14022]

http://www.nbme.org/programs/sas.asp

Make sure you buy the "CCSSA" (clinical sciences), not the "CBSSA" (basic sciences). If you only have time to do one, I would do the second one. It is much harder than the first.

 

[chinesegordon]

Gotcha, thanks

 

[GenSurg]

First Aid for step 2 is a good book, but by no means is it all inclusive. I would supplement with at least Blueprints for ob and peds and medicine, unless one of those is your specialty of choice.

http://www.freeiPods.com/?r=20049323

 

[pnk-agl]

There's lots of high recs on using Kaplan step 2 lecture notes..has anyone found this helpful?

thanks!

 

[MD/TX2006]

There's lots of high recs on using Kaplan step 2 lecture notes..has anyone found this helpful?

thanks!

I used them and thought they were really good. I didn't even crack FA-step 2 'cause I heard how much it sucked. But then again, I don't learn from lists! The Kaplan notes are more my learning style...

 

[MD/TX2006]

A lot of my classmates are using First Aid. I'm actually using "Step Up" for Medicine, because I used it on my IM rotation. (I've already read the behemoth twice, I figured a third time couldn't hurt.)

My exam is on the 30th, and I'm totally flipped out!

I know you're already done... but I did Step-Up Medicine (for IMED rotation and this test) also and I thought it was the best thing ever! I also read thru Kap Notes once. IMO, FA- Step 2 wasn't worth looking at. Bye!

 

[pnk-agl]

I used them and thought they were really good. I didn't even crack FA-step 2 'cause I heard how much it sucked. But then again, I don't learn from lists! The Kaplan notes are more my learning style...

thanks!

 

[Espion]

I know you're already done... but I did Step-Up Medicine (for IMED rotation and this test) also and I thought it was the best thing ever! I also read thru Kap Notes once. IMO, FA- Step 2 wasn't worth looking at. Bye!

I agree. Step Up for Medicine may seem dense, but for the subject material it covers it is incredibly to the point. Clinical presentation to diagnosis to treatment...just what any flipped out MSIV needs!

Yah, I thought First Aid Step 2 was worthless, and after taking the exam, I think it is REALLY worthless. Way too superficial. But some people get by with it, so I'm not telling anyone not to use it. I just know that I wouldn't.


And now, for the rest of you poor souls who have yet to take this monster:

Unfortunately, I couldn't tell anyone how to study for this exam. My test happened to be all psych (seriously, every 4th or 5th question) and renal with a dash of neuro, cardio and OB-GYN. I think I got, perhaps, 2 GI questions on the entire test. (And I answered "Jarisch-Herscheimer reaction" twice. Twice! If that's not flipped out, I don't know what is.)

But that doesn't matter, because from a test bank of 10,000 questions, everyone will get a different exam. You just have to hope that you get the questions you know.

That being said, I used:
Step Up for Medicine...read the sucker three times. I used it for my IM rotation as well, and it definitely proved itself on the NBME exam. Can't mess with a good thing.

Board Busters, Clinical Cases for Step 2 and 3. This was my anti-craziness book. It has nothing but clinical cases with 3-4 questions after each one and the explanations on the same page. It alternates each question set between IM, Psych, Neuro, Cardiology, OB-GYN, Surgery and Peds. It made me feel better to not read just one subject towards the end. You don't see anyone mention this book on here, but I dug it. There are quite a few questions I got right from reading this book at the last minute.

USMLEworld...do 'em all. I started to find that if I didn't A) know the answer right off or B) have a pretty good idea before I looked at the actual answer choices, then I just wasn't going to know. The actual exam seems to like to give you the absolute minimum amount of information in the question to arrive at the answer. (i.e. I had a 'pseudotumor cerebri' question, and all the fools told me was: female, throws up in the mornings with headaches. Seriously, that was it. Many answers you will arrive at for the sole reason of "what else could it be?")

NBME Self-Assessment exams. Do them. Don't even think twice about shelling out $90 to take these two exams. I did the first 4-block test about two weeks into my study time, because I don't think it makes any sense at all to take it before you've started studying. It will just tell you what you already know...that you need to study. I took the second one 3 days before the Big Flauta. I got my mini flip-out over with and it helped direct some last minute "short-term memory" studying. I'm not sure if I can correlate my grade with these, though, because I did well on the first one, and there was an audible gasp involved with the second one. I really do think it depends on getting the questions you know, though.

I supplemented with smatterings of First Aid and Prescriptions for the Stats stuff. I also read Blueprints for Pediatrics, but that book has the most ridiculous, glaring mistakes in it. I didn't read anything extra for Surgery or Psych because the high points were pretty well covered with ample questions. Although, I wish I had read over psych a bit more. (I shake my fist at you USMLE!)

And finally, don't panic if they give you a goofy Step I question...one of mine was "what ribosomal subunit do Tetracyclines affect?". Except they presented it as a case of RMSF, which you were supposed to figure out from the vignette, then asked, what is the mechanism of action for the drug of choice for this infection?

Expand your mind beyond the vignette, grasshoppah, and you will do well.

 

[Stinger86]

Got my results in the mail yesterday:

I took the exam on June 30th and received the score on July 30th. Nice.

CK: 229/93

Studied for two days and used just Prescription for the Boards Step 2. Probably could've added 10-15 pts to my score by going over Step 2 Secrets by Brochert completely at least once. Seriously, that's a pretty good review text. Didn't use any question sources with the exception of the NBME released questions. I made a post earlier on in this thread detailing my exam experience and all that good stuff.

I don't recommend my abbreviated study schedule but given my career aspirations and the fact that the Step 1 is more important to that end, I would've been happy with anything passing.

Oh yeah, for those who'd like to know, on my slip is says mean 218 and SD 23 for the exam year/period. Good luck to everyone! Hope you all get the score you want.

Now I'll just sit here and anxiously await my CS score report.

 

[lawdawg]

like i said before, i will post a long summary of my step 2 experience/scores etc. when i receive my score, but i wanted to add that i got a crazy amount of pharm, and a handful of straight biochem questions which seemed ripped straight from a step 1 exam, i was like what the %^%(I@!

 

[14022]

My step 2 experience. I took it yesterday.

I started studying after my family practice rotation, which was a good review in itself. Prior to starting reviewing, I took the first NBME test online and got a 630 (~245). My studying consisted of reading through Boards and Wards 4-5 hours a day (I got through the entire book once, and read through the derm section twice) and then doing 100-150 questions per day between NMS, Kaplan, and USMLE World. I studied 10 hours a day for 2.5 weeks. I took the second online NBME test two days before the test and got a 780 (~267). The day before the test I read thorough the musculoskeletal and pulmonary sections in First Aid and the OBGYN sections in Secrets. Those were my weakest sections on my assessments from the NBME tests.

The test itself was very tough. Well not entirely tough. The easy questions were VERY easy. Those questions would give you a ton of info and then ask for the diagnosis. But the difficult questions were VERY difficult. I felt those questions were too SHORT. Many were 2-3 sentences giving very non-specific vague complaints and then asking for the dx or the first step in management. They did this for zebras too. If I had studied for 2 more weeks I wouldnt have known the answer to half of those questions. There is no way I will do as well on the actual exam than I did on the NBME tests, so I am disappointed that I did them because they just made me overconfident. Even the ophtho and derm questions were not classic presentations of some of the more common diseases. The really vague questions really pissed me off. They had a question that only gave a gross description of a vaginal discharge (no vaginal ph, no wet mount, no koh prep...nothing...just the color and consistency of the discharge which included adjectives that pointed to more than one bug) and then wanted to know the bug that caused it. They gave the names of 8-9 bugs all of which cause vaginitis and cervicitis. It really pissed me off.

If I were to do anything different, I would do more questions. I did 60% (~900 Q's) of QBank and got 76% doing all random Q's. I did 600 of the USMLE World questions and got 74% doing all random Q's. I did 650 NMS questions but did not keep track of my scores on those. If I had to pick one source, I would go with USMLE World. If you could get NMS, that is good too, especially because you can borrow it from someone or sell it after you buy it. I regret getting Kaplan.

I also would have read more of Secrets. I really liked the book for the 30 pages I read of it.

Oh yeah, and if you have First Aid, read the Rapid Review section the day before. I had 3 or 4 questions that I answered correctly from reading that the day before.

Biostats...The biostats in USMLE World is VERY tough....way overkill. Read through the first aid section and know those equations and the biases. That is sufficient. I am pretty sure I got all of those correct.

Don't stress out over it. A lot of the questions you will not know reagrdless of how much you study. Best of luck.

Got my results today from my registrar. Took the test July 13th.

NBME 1 (2.5 weeks prior): 630 (~245)
NBME 2 (3 days prior): 780 (~267)
Real thing: 269

 

[tatabox80]

Got my results today from my registrar. Took the test July 13th.

NBME 1 (2.5 weeks prior): 630 (~245)
NBME 2 (3 days prior): 780 (~267)
Real thing: 269

NICE!!!

 

[grayce79]

Got my Step 2 results today (Aug 3), took it July 9.
Got 235 (which I was very happy with).
Thanks for everyone's help on this forum.
This is what I used:
1. First Aid for Step 2 - I read this twice and loved it. It is not in a "list format" like some others have mentioned. It is easy to read and it has a great rapid review section in the back.

2. Secrets - awesome book - I read this only once, but wish I would have read it twice. Tons of questions were straight from this book!

3. Q Bank - good to monitor progress. Thought the real thing was easier than q bank. I took all the questions and had a 69% at the end.

I think what helped me the most was picking just two books and sticking with them. I was tempted to pick up blueprints, high-yield, etc. But this is where I went wrong with Step 1. Instead of just knowing First Aid for Step 1 cold, I studied too many books and didn't end up having any of them memorized!

Good luck to everyone! I hope it gives hope to others like me who didn't do so hot on Step 1!

 

[Lucy23]

Hey all, does anyone have any advice? I'm taking Step 2 the day after tomorrow and I'm at my wit's end. I've been studying for 3 wks now (First-Aid, Boards and Wards, QBank, NMS Review). I took the 1st NBME practice exam a week ago and scored 490/215. Not great, but I figured that after a week of studying I'd work my way up into at least the 220-230s. I took the 2nd test today and got 450/205, and now I'm finding myself EXTREMELY stressed , since I know these exams are supposed to be the most consistent predictors of how I will do on the actual exam.

I don't know what could have happened, seeing as how I've done a week of studying since the first NBME practice exam. I seem to score pretty consistently around 70% on all other practice exams I take (72% after taking all of QBank, 70% with NMS). I just don't know what to do! Is this a fluke? Anxiety? ('Cuz that's not going away anytime soon...) Am I somehow managing to become dumber? The latter FEELS more likely at this point. If anyone has some words of wisdom, now would be a good time.... *whimpers* My head hurts...

 

[md/mph'06]

I know this is easier said than done but you need to put all of your anxieties(did i spell that right?) behind you and finish your last day of studying (i.e., today) so you can rest your brain all day tomorrow. If you can honestly say that you've really put in not only the time but also the EFFORT into your studying, then rest assured that you will do just fine. The great thing about step 2 (unlike step 1) is that you get out of it just what you put into it. Keep that in mind and you'll do well on Thursday.

 

[wraith777]

I'm just starting to study for Step II CK, and need some advice. I already am certain that I'll use Secret's, the NBME questions, and certain supplementary books for each individual subject, and plan on giving myself enough time to study. However, I had some questions:

First Aid Step II vs Crush Step II? Or is Lippincot's Secrets enough of a summary book entirely? Do I need Boards and Wards as well?

Do I need Blueprints Emergency Medicine?

Do I need anything for biostatistics?

What should I use for questions? USMLEasy, USMLE woorld, or Q Bank?

I'd appreciate any and all replies.

 

[sacrament]

Took it yesterday. Just a few thoughts:

1) Felt longer than Step One. I was exhausted by the end.
2) There are a lot of "gimmes" on the test, questions so easy that nobody should get them wrong. At least 1/3 to 1/2 of my test fell into this category.
3) The hard questions were very hard indeed. There were a good handful of questions where I couldn't even narrow down the answer choices because I'd never heard of any of them.
4) Everybody says the USMLEWorld question bank is more difficult than the real thing... well, I guess that's sort of true, in that there are virtually no no-brainer questions on USMLEWorld like there are on Step Two. But the hard questions on my test were just as hard as the hard questions on USMLEWorld.
5) All-in-all, it's not a ball-buster. I was beating myself up every time I marked a question because I had no clue what the answer was, but then I had to remind myself that I marked easily twice as many questions on Step One and ended up doing fine.
6) I hate waiting for scores to return.

 

[biker]

I echo that Step II seems more exhausting.

Step I: 231
Step II: 251

I used:

(1) Crush Step II - Almost got through it twice
(2) Kaplans QBook (not the bank, which costs bank) - Got through twice

I recognized almost every question as being from one of these two sources, and getting through them twice made it stick.

Good luck!

 

[Espion]

I got my score back this week as well. I did well on the exam. Personally, I'm not into letting all my scores be known. (Just my preference, that's all.) I will say that I believe using (and practically memorizing) Step Up for Medicine, for me, made the difference between just passing the test and doing well. But that's just me. Most of the other review books seemed far too superficial for this exam, but Step Up for Medicine may be far too dense for you. All depends on how much time you give yourself. I gave myself two dedicated weeks.

If you are a 3rd year reading this post, I recommend using this book for your Medicine rotation. That way you'll have read through and made notes at least once before Step II studying.

And I said it before and will say it again. Shell out the $90 for the NBME self-assessment exams. I was within a few points of these scores.