Step 2... in case you were wondering

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Ok, so there have been a few posts regarding correlations between practice exam scores and step 2. Most of these posts have been written by people who scored very highly. This is not one of those posts. Instead I aim to give some insight to those who were wondering what they need to do in order to pass. Here are my numbers:

My score: 195/80
qbank: 61% (48-78)
nms: 59% (only did about 200 of the questions, and skipped the rediculous matching at the end)
released items: 75%.

Ok so there you have it; if you are scared s***less like I was, then you can relax a little bit if you are getting these numbers on your practice tests. Hope this helps. And remember, P=MD (or DO)
 
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What review books did you use? Did you score less than or higher than Step I?
 
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I used boards and wards and step 2 secrets. I went down by 3 pts from step 1.
 
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i took step 2 this past week, and all i want to say HOW DIFFICULT AND LONG it was! some of those questions were just down-right vague, and i had 2 questions on ventilators...how am i supposed to know that without having done my critical care elective yet? i just hope i pass semi-comfortably. i averaged around 73-74% on qbank overall. i thought they were challenging but fair compared to the real deal. NMS was absurd...as if i were going to memorize pelvimetry for an exam, but i usually scored in the mid-high 60's on a given sample test.

i appreciate your reassurance but i don't belive in the P=MD philosophy. i guess for step 2 it doesn't matter as much as step 1, but residencies will still see my score. step 3 is the one where i just want to pass, even barely.

-S. 😉
 
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Hi,

My Overall Qbank score in the first take was 65%. But now that I have studied all my mistakes I am getting in the high 80's in qbank. I just retook released items and averaged 90% (first take few months ago was 80% averaged). I feel that I am ready for the real deal. At this point I am going to just do qbook and NMS for the next couple of days.
 
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Originally posted by USIMGgrad
Hi,

My Overall Qbank score in the first take was 65%. But now that I have studied all my mistakes I am getting in the high 80's in qbank. I just retook released items and averaged 90% (first take few months ago was 80% averaged). I feel that I am ready for the real deal. At this point I am going to just do qbook and NMS for the next couple of days.
Click to expand...
Hi,
It sounds like you are doing fine. Can you tell me what was your review material?
Good luck
 
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To give the "score correlation crowd" more hard hitting information - -

Studied for about 1 month while on Infectious Dz Rotation
Used Boards & Wards / Secrets / QBank

Did Most of QBank (71%) -- No repeats
Did Some NMS (65-70%)
Sample Question Two Nights Before (92%)

Three Weeks and One Day from Test to Report
Busted out a 244...........Time for Some Celebrating!!
 
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I used Crush the Boards, NMS, Kaplan Qbank and Qbook.

I took my step 2 today. I thought it was very similar to qbank in difficulty, content and style. I actually encountered very similar questions on my exam.

Released items are a very good representation of the exam in general except that they throw in a few longer questions for each block.

I finished all blocks 2 to 5 minutes ahead of time and I rarely went back to check my answers. I thought my exam had lots of behavioral and psych drugs. Few questions on epidemiology. One question on positive predictive value. 3 questions with ECG leads. One was Hyperkalemia and another was Acute MI. I had a questions on Atrial fib also. Few questions on derm and optha.

There are alot of give away questions like CF, SLE, RA, OA, Fractures, Pediatric Ortho (Leggs Calves, Hip Dysplasia, Slipped Capital etc.), Scaphoid fracture etc. Even some basic anatomy questions like axillary nerve, Common peronial(2 questions on this). Had a questions on sjorens also. Tons of OB/Gyn and Surgery (trauma, crush injuries, etc). Aortic dissection, T Pneomothorax, Pancreatitis, etc...

I would recommend qbank and NMS as a sole study guide. Almost identical questions. Good luck!
 
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OK guys, i'm taking step 2 on the 26th and i'm nervous..i haven't taken an exam in a while so I"m not prepared for it..any last minute study tips?🙁
 
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With only a couple of days to go most of your work is behind you, I would just chill out - - review the sample questions b/c you know at least one will be on there pretty much verbatim. If I can pass that thing, than anybody can..........
 
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i'm averaging 68% on qbank and89% on the released items..what do u think this equates to on the real deal (if it does at all?)
 
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I just got my score yesterday (took exam Oct 24th)--243/98.

I got about 60-65% on NMS, 70% on Kaplan CD (which I did after all my studying was done), and about 80% on the released items.

Hope this helps.
 
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Flipchick......which books did you use for Step 2?

So far I got Boards and Wards, 1st aid medicine, BP Peds, High Yield Psych (I used these through the rotations I have done already) and planning on getting Crush.

Any other recommendations would be appreciated, thanks.
 
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I really liked Crush the Boards, but near the end, even that got to be too detailed for me. So in my last week bought and read Advanced Life Support and did questions. Advanced Life Support was great as a last-minute review because it was short, concise and summed up the material pretty well.
 
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Step 2 in Sept

NMS (test scores ranging from an 85-55 YIKES!) When I got ? burn out I would read and make flash cards of Crush (never looked back at the cards). I did refer to Crush and make notes in the margins for the answers that I got wrong in NMS and felt that the act of "looking it up" helped quite a bit.

With the last couple of days I looked through Rx for the Boards.

The last thing I did was the practice modules on the USMLE website (scored 85-95).

Then sat back and took the test.

I was SURE I failed . . . Scored in the 244/99.

Best of Luck
B
 
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Originally posted by frog4brooke
Step 2 in Sept

NMS (test scores ranging from an 85-55 YIKES!) When I got ? burn out I would read and make flash cards of Crush (never looked back at the cards). I did refer to Crush and make notes in the margins for the answers that I got wrong in NMS and felt that the act of "looking it up" helped quite a bit.

With the last couple of days I looked through Rx for the Boards.

The last thing I did was the practice modules on the USMLE website (scored 85-95).

Then sat back and took the test.

I was SURE I failed . . . Scored in the 244/99.

Best of Luck
B
Click to expand...

How long did it take for you to get your scores?
 
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It took quite a while, about 6wks. There was an announcement on the USMLE web site saying that itt ook longer to get the scores out for some reason this fall. I would think you should get yours sooner.

B
 
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Took Step 2 exactly 4 weeks + 1 day ago and got score today.

Used Qbank and read First Aid for Step 2 in two weeks (I had this time off between rotations). Averaged about 74% on Qbank.

Scored a 247/99
 
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those who got their step 2 score back, it would be great to see how you did compared to your step 1 score.
thanks
chanakya
 
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Step 1: 242/98
Step 2: 247/99

I definitely thought I bombed the Step 2 test....just because it was soooo long and I ran out of steam halfway through it. I've heard from a lot of people that they tend to do better on Step 2, regardless of how much they study for it. who knows...

Best of luck
 
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Step 1: 232
Step 2: 249

Studied Boards and Wards, Crush the boards and did the NMS question book for about 2 weeks (at night when I got home from the hospital). I scored 70-80% on NMS, usually high 70's. I thought step 2 was a lot easier than step 1 and I had more time for questions, but I have a more clinical/big picture mind and it was hard for me to memorize all those formulas and meaningless facts for step 1. I took me 3 weeks to get me score back when I took it in October.
 
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Originally posted by Chanakya
those who got their step 2 score back, it would be great to see how you did compared to your step 1 score.
thanks
chanakya
Click to expand...

Step 1 223/ 86 (?)
Step 2 244/99

Good luck,
b
 
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I just took step 2 --just 2 days ago.

wow, it was long-9 hrs!
Thank God it was so much easier than step 1. I only did 67% of QBank and read some of crush step 2 and some boards and Wards while doing my neurology rotation, interviewing, etc... and still felt like I passed without a problem.

step 1 was 240+
step 2 ??

I definitely would have finished all of QBank if i had a chance to do it again. then supplement with reading crush. if you have time do NMS questions but QBank is far superior.
 
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What's the best thing to do in the with 4 days left? I've done 80% of Qbank averaging 65. Done 3/5 tests for NMS (60-68). Have been using Crush and B&W. Should I finish off Qbank and R/V my incorrect answers or try to read crush instead and bone up on things that need to be memorized. Any other suggestions... Would like to hear your thoughts!

Thanx


S
 
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Congratulations to everyone on these great scores
Do you guys know if there is a difference between?

Crush the Boards: The Ultimate USMLE Step 2 Review
By Adam Brochert
and
Crush Step 2: The Ultimate USMLE Step 2 Review
By Adam Brochert

This is how they are presented on Amazon,
Are these just different editions of the same book? Which one do you think I should get?
thx
 
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I think people used to complain that there were errors in the first Crush book (Crush the Boards). When Brochert came out with the second edition, I thought it would be polished, so that's what I have used to study. However, I was surprised to find mistakes in there as well (e.g. rhomboid shaped crystals in gout).

I never looked at the first one, and I'm only studying Crush Step II for my studying...I don't have the energy to go through more books, even if the one I'm using has errors...gotta love the laziness...
 
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So I finally took step 2 a week ago and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't get scores back obviously so take my comments with a grain of salt. I thought it would be much harder. Step 1 was a b@#ch with trivia and minutiae. Step 2 was a lot more straightforward. I barely studied--hard to motivate on the interview trail, etc but I think I did well enough to pass comfortably on just a few days (like 3-4!) studying hard. and concentrating on tests. I did qbank, NMS computer Q and first aid. qbank was closest to the real deal and NMS far too picky. FIrst aid was OK, but a lot of the stuff in there was not on my test at all and memorizing the book would have been lower yield than just being very familiar with the concepts in the qbank.

No vent settings, jyst one complication. 3 EKGs only, lots of routine health maintenance stuff and drug side effects. A lot of COPD, CHF, chest pain. Few pictures/images. That's what I recall.

Go in rested because it is LONG!

Good luck all!
 
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just to contribute some more data for the "correlation between Q-Bank/NMS and Step 2" discussion....

I scored 249/99 by reading "Crush the Boards" several times, doing all of Q-bank (74%) and all 5 NMS tests (65-72%) over about 4 weeks (during a cushy elective). The only "secret" to doing well on these tests is to do as many questions as possible and use questions/explanations as a primary sourse during studying, not just for self-assessment.
 
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Got my scores back..
Step I 242
Step II 237 =(

I haven't released my scores to programs yet. Does anyone know if it hurts your application if your step 2 score is worse than step 1? I'm contemplating whether to send these scores or withold them until I match.
Any input will be appreciated.
 
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I don't know, but most people seem to do just as well (ballpark figures) or better on step 2 than step 1. i left step 2 with a very good sense of impending doom, much worse than when i had left the exam center for step 1. when i got my results back from step 2, i nearly had a "code brown":

here's mine:
Step 1: 237
Step 2: 258

-s.
 
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your step two score is a homerun, tell us how long and how did you study for it.
Thanks
Chanakya
 
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Originally posted by gimmedog
So I finally took step 2 a week ago and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't get scores back obviously so take my comments with a grain of salt. I thought it would be much harder. Step 1 was a b@#ch with trivia and minutiae. Step 2 was a lot more straightforward. I barely studied--hard to motivate on the interview trail, etc but I think I did well enough to pass comfortably on just a few days (like 3-4!) studying hard. and concentrating on tests. I did qbank, NMS computer Q and first aid. qbank was closest to the real deal and NMS far too picky. FIrst aid was OK, but a lot of the stuff in there was not on my test at all and memorizing the book would have been lower yield than just being very familiar with the concepts in the qbank.

No vent settings, jyst one complication. 3 EKGs only, lots of routine health maintenance stuff and drug side effects. A lot of COPD, CHF, chest pain. Few pictures/images. That's what I recall.

Go in rested because it is LONG!

Good luck all!
Click to expand...

So I got my score: 228 after getting in the 60's -70s on qbank (did about 50%, and almost all in the 3 days before the test).
 
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props to you, sanfilippo. represent! 🙂

i tagged a respectable 249 on my step 2, not quite as well as my step 1. averaged 71% or so on qbank, roughly 68% on NMS. studied nights for about two months by reading prescription and boards & wards, followed by lots of questions. i personally think i could have done better given the effort i felt i was putting into studying, but i'm happy with what i scored.

edit: i forgot that i went through crush once or twice too.
 
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skrubz, would you mind sharing your step 1 score? I'm interested in seeing how the two between steps compare...
 
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sure thing. i had a combination of luck and knowledge (largely the former, i suspect) and scored a 252 on the step 1. not too much difference between my step 1 and 2, in all honesty.
 
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anyone know any discount codes or promos for kaplan's qbank. Also, is the step 2 qbank any different from the step 1 qbank?
 
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step 2 qbank is shorter (~1250 questions v. 2000 or so in step 1) but is otherwise pretty much the same (except obviously geared towards step 2). was this what you were looking for?
 
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i don't think there's even a time for "most" people to take the step 2. those who didn't do so well on the step 1 or are applying to competitive specialties tend to take it earlier, usually within the first 3-4 months (july to october) to boost their apps. others take it later in the year. my school requires passing the step 2 prior to graduation, so the latest people take it here is late march or so.
 
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PTCA,the two books you mentioned are just different editions. Crush Step 2 is the newer version. I would recommend you to look through Secrets for step 2, by the same author.The material is exactly the same as in Crush, but it's in Q and A format.When I say the same I mean exactly the same. However, at least for me, it's just much more fun to study from Secrets, because it gives you the illusion that you re not memorizing, but rather doing questions. So, although I now have two books with the exactly same content, I didn't regret for buying Secrets (although if I knew it in advance, I would just buy Secrets and not Crush). How 's your preparation going, by the way?
 
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Step I: 230/93
Step II: 238/96

For step II, I had an avg of 65% of q-bank with my range being from 50-80% depending on the subject. My q bank break down of my score correlated pretty well with my actual usmle break down too, except that I did better on the surgery questions on the USMLE then I did on q bank (those questions were killers for me on q bank). I used q bank, did a few nms questions, and read prescription for the boards and first aid for the usmle step II cover to cover. I found that q bank was the most useful resource out of all of them; I had a few questions on my usmle that were so similar that they made me question whether or not q bank was stealing questions from the usmle for their customers. Q bank is definitely more worthwhile for step I, but if you like to study from your computer and are too lazy to keep flipping pages to read answer explanations, I think that q bank is reasonable for step II too. It's a bit overpriced at $150 for 950 questions, but it keeps you motivated to finish all the questions because you don't want your money to go to waste. For step I, I think that my q bank avg was around 65% as well. I almost always broke my practice tests down by subject, for both step I and II purposes. I personally found that this made it easier to study from.
 
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The Qbank website has the answers to the 2003 released items, however the NBME website only has the 2004 released items. Does anyone have the 2003 released item questions?
 
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Just got my Step 2 scores back- it took about 3 weeks.

Step 1: 246/99
Step 2: 244/99

I was somewhat surprised by my Step 2 scores, as I put very little effort into studying, and overall I was surprised at the difficulty of Step 2. In fact, due to family matters and laziness, I rescheduled Step 2 twice.

I did all of Q-bank with a final average of 71% (range 55-85), and all of NMS, with most scores in the upper 60s. I read most of B&W, which I thought had a lot of minutia. I also read Advanced Life Support for USMLE Step 2 the day before the exam- I highly recomend reading this 100 page book. It is a very high yield and easy read, that can be read in 3 hours tops.

Good luck to all of you.

Crypt
 
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I apologize if this has already been discussed but can anyone share whether the CD-Rom for NMS Step II is better, worse, or equivalent to the book.

Appreciate your help.
 
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Hi everyone,

Thanks for the great info! 🙂

Just wondering how step 2 compares to the shelf exams 3rd year. I didn't do very well on Step 1, but have been studying a lot third year and have been preforming pretty well on my shelf exams. I'm just hoping my not-so-great step 1 doesn't doom my step 2 score. 🙁

Thanks,
kem
 
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I thought step II questions were a little easier than 3rd year exams. If you are doing good in 3rd year and think well clinically, then you should do fine on step II. Just like step I though, test taking skills are a big part of all standardized tests and if that was part of you problem on step I it will still be a problem.

-P
 
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I keep hearing that if you have a strong Step 1 score you can wait until pretty late in the game to take Step 2. However, several of you did very well on Step 1, but still appear to have taken Step 2 relatively early. What were the reasons behind doing this?
 
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